Basic Idea
Aiming to expand our business activities and corporate value through the resolution of environmental issues, we are working on the following five items.
Shimadzu Group's Five Initiatives for Environmental Management
1. Measures to Address Climate Change
In addition to actively introducing renewable energy sources, such as solar power generation and installing smart meters to improve energy efficiency by making energy consumption visible, we will focus efforts on reducing the environmental impact of our entire supply chain.
2. Measures to Establish a Recycling-Oriented Society
We will steadily implement 3R practices (reduce, reuse, and recycle) and maintain a 99 % waste recycling rate at all production sites, research laboratories, and other facilities in Japan. We will also work with suppliers to collect plastic waste more efficiently using IoT technology and strengthen our effluent water and other environmental monitoring capabilities.
3. Developing and Supplying Products and Services that Protect the Global Environment
In the environmental testing and alternative energy fields, we will supply products and technologies that help solve the development challenges faced in achieving carbon neutrality. We will reduce our environmental impact throughout the product life cycle by constantly improving energy efficiency and reducing the size of all products.
4. Activities for Biodiversity Conservation
We will deploy a wide range of biodiversity conservation activities, including forestation activities, and organize environmental education classes at schools in cooperation with local communities, educational institutes, and other groups.
5. Actively Promote Environmental Conservation Efforts that Involve All Employees
All employees are actively committed to a variety of environmental initiatives as members of Shimadzu, an environmentally friendly company.
Shimadzu Group CO2 Reduction Targets
Achieve net-zero CO2 emissions from business activities by 2050
Shimadzu Corporation has changed its 2018 goal of reducing CO2 emissions from the group's business activities to a new goal of achieving net 0 emissions by 2050. The interim targets are to reduce emissions by 85% in FY 2030 and by more than 90% in FY 2040 compared with FY 2017 levels.
- Reduce CO2 emissions from Shimadzu Group business activities to net-zero level by FY 2050.
- As interim targets, reduce CO2 emissions from Shimadzu Group business activities by at least 85 % by FY 2030 and at least 90 % by FY 2040,compared to FY 2017 levels.
- Reduce CO2 emissions from customers using the products sold by the Shimadzu Group by at least 30 % by FY 2030 compared to FY 2020.
In our group, as in the past, we will strive to reduce energy consumption by installing solar power generation facilities and using electricity derived from renewable energy, in addition to thorough energy conservation. With regard to the energy conservation of our products, in addition to our previous efforts, we have set ambitious energy conservation targets, such as using our newly acquired knowledge and know-how throughout the company, to help reduce CO2 emissions at customer sites.
Responding to Climate Change
- Acceptance of TCFD recommendations, SBT certification, declaration of RE100 -
Our group regards environmental issues as one of its most important management issues. In particular, we address climate change issues by curbing CO2 emissions in our value chain and other business activities, and by providing products and solutions that contribute to innovation in the environmental and energy fields. In May 2019, we agreed with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), obtained Science Based Targets (SBT) certification* to show that our business activities' CO2 emission reduction targets are based on scientific evidence, and joined RE100, which declares that 100% of the electricity used in our business activities will come from renewable energy by 2050. At the same time, we will strive to fulfill our responsibilities to the global community and disclose information in an effort to resolve environmental issues.
*In October 2022, SBT certified the Shimadzu Group's target for reducing CO2 emissions in FY 2030 to 1.5℃
Certified as Eco-First Company
As an Eco-First Company, Shimadzu Engages in Advanced and Unique Environmental Initiatives
Shimadzu was certified as an Eco-First company in October 2020.
Under the Eco-First Program, the Japanese Minister of the Environment certifies environmentally leading companies operating environmentally progressive and unique businesses that have large spillover effects, and that have declared a commitment to the Minister that they will take initiatives to combat global warming and implement waste and recycling measures to protect the environment. Currently, 66 companies in various industries have been certified as Eco-First companies (as of June 2023).
An “Eco-First Promotion Council” has been created, and Shimadzu’s Chairman Ueda has served as its chairperson since April 2022. By taking an active and forward-looking approach to the activities of the Council, Shimadzu will communicate the significance and value of the Eco-First Program to society at large, contribute to solving society’s environmental problems by promoting advanced and innovative approaches, and strengthening cooperation and partnerships among the companies.
Key Accomplishments During FY 2022
Further Reducing CO2 Emissions from Overall Business Processes
CO2 emissions decreased by 78.8% from the baseline year (FY2017) to 10,462t- CO2 due to the implementation of energy conservation measures such as installing smart meters and diagnosing energy usage, as well as switching to renewable energy for electricity. CO2 emissions per unit sales were 22t CO2/billion yen, a 49.5% improvement from the previous year (FY 2021).
The Shimadzu Group is committed to improve the environmental friendliness of products and minimizing our global environmental impact throughout the supply chain. Our designers and development engineers are improving the environmental friendliness of all products by considering Product Design Guideline requirements and satisfying new product review criteria for achieving lower environmental impact than previous models. In particular, products that achieve especially high environmental performance are offered to customers as certified Eco-Products Plus products.
The amount of CO2 emissions reduced by the use of Eco-Products Plus products sold to customers during a year is defined as the CO2 reduction contribution, and this amount in FY 2022 was 8,884 tons. The cumulative CO2 reduction contribution over the past 10 years was 61,384 tons.
Certified Eco-Products Plus Products
Eco-Products Plus Certified Environmentally-Friendly Products