Addressing Climate Change
Konica Minolta's Approach
Key Measures
To achieve Carbon Minus status, it is necessary to accelerate both the reduction of CO2 emissions in the product lifecycle, which is the manufacturer’s responsibility, and the contribution to CO2 emissions reduction by its customers and business partners, which is outside the scope of the company’s responsibility.
Konica Minolta believes that the use of digital transformation (DX) can dramatically reduce CO2 emissions from both sources.
In-House Initiatives
1. Sustainable Factory Activities
The Sustainable Factory Certification System was launched in fiscal 2020. Konica Minolta is aiming to have all factories meet the Sustainable Factory certification standards by fiscal 2022. In addition to the environmental impact and cost reduction efforts that have been promoted so far, Sustainable Factories will pursue in order to meet the expectations of the wider society. While further deepening cooperation with stakeholders such as customers, business partners and local communities, Sustainable Factories will utilize their own technology and expertise to help solve social issues and protect the broader global environment by expanding the participants involved.
| Raw material production site | Assembly/high load site | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Impact reduction Environmental impact reduction standards to be achieved by Konica Minolta production sites*1 |
CO2 emissions | 3% reduction annually (9% over 3 years) | 2% reduction annually (6% over 3 years) |
| Discharge volume | 2% reduction annually (6% over 3 years) *3 | 2% reduction annually (6% over 3 years)*3 | |
| Stakeholders Helps to solve environmental issues for the broader society (stakeholders) by using environmental technology expertise Konica Minolta acquired at its own production sites. |
CO2 emissions at customers, suppliers and broader society （Amount of CO2 reduction contributions）*2 |
1% reduction annually (3% over 3 years) | 2% reduction annually (6% over 3 years) |
| Guideline Standards for biodiversity and other initiatives to be pursued by Konica Minolta production sites |
Guideline compliance status | Complying with guidelines on items such as:
|
|
- *1
- For sites with an environmental impact that is less than 1% of the Konica Minolta total, the target is 1% reduction annually (3% over 3 years).
- *2
- Reducing CO2 emissions by multiplying the actual amount of CO2 emissions at each site by the target reduction rate.
- *3
- Targets set for activities to reduce and recycle industrial waste from products that use plastic, including the reduction of plastic waste at major sites in Japan, based on the Plastic Resource Circulation Act enacted in Japan.
2. Expand renewable energy-derived electricity use
Two manufacturing sites in China and 43 sites of sales companies in Europe have completely switched to renewable sources. Ahead of fiscal 2022, Konica Minolta will consider the optimal methods for each region globally, and reinforce its initiatives to expand the procurement of power derived from renewable energy sources.
Initiatives Carried Out with Suppliers
1. Carbon Neutral Partner Activities
In order to collaborate with even more business partners, Konica Minolta began promoting Digital Green Supplier activities in fiscal 2020. The aim is to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions across the entire supply chain by launching Digital Green Supplier activities using digital transformation (DX) technology.
Previously, experts carried out energy diagnostic activities with direct visits to factories; but now, by making these digital, suppliers can carry out all the steps from diagnosis to identification of issues and implementation of measures on their own. This efficient approach means that Konica Minolta can support more suppliers with their environmental activities. Digitalization will allow the company to support more than 10 times more suppliers.
Furthermore, in October 2021, the Group developed the DX Green Supplier Certification System and launched the Carbon Neutral Partner Certification System. It will support the decarbonization of its suppliers by utilizing digital tools to manufacture with as little energy as possible, and by using renewable energy-derived electricity sources.
Initiatives Carried Out with Customers
1. Sustainable Solution Activities
The Sustainable Solution Certification System was launched in fiscal 2020. With the new System, criteria are established for different businesses and product characteristics with respect to certification standards tailored to the individual environmental and social issues that Konica Minolta seeks to help solve. Successful products are certified at one of three levels, based on the degree of achievement. Konica Minolta will further reduce environmental impact by creating products and solutions that meet environmental label standards used around the world.
This system raises products’ energy conservation and cuts CO2 emissions during customer use. Meanwhile, by providing on-demand packages, labels, textile printing solutions through digitalization, it also improves the manufacturing process, supports a digital workplace by promoting workstyle reform transcending paper and place, and promotes work flow reform with edge-type IoT solutions. Providing products and services that encourage customers’ DX supports their business, and the greater operational efficiency also helps to reduce environmental impact.
2. Environment Digital Platform
In fiscal 2020, Konica Minolta launched the Environment Digital Platform, an ecosystem for environmental management. Konica Minolta and participating companies share and build up their environmental knowledge and expertise and co-create new value, which will enhance environmental management efficiency. This ecosystem will lead to dramatic increases in the effect of Konica Minolta’s contributions to reducing environmental impact. The program started with 15 participating companies, and this number had already increased to 72 by the end of July 2022. This unique approach to co-creation is expected to keep expanding, going forward.
