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Environmental Management
Midterm Environmental Action Plan
Brother Group 2015 Midterm Environmental Action Plan
A milestone toward 2020
The Brother Group has attained almost all the targets set in the Brother Group 2010 Midterm Environmental Action Plan (2008–2010). As a next step, the Brother Group 2015 Midterm Environmental Action Plan (2011–2015) has been drawn up. This plan sets ambitious targets in respective fields to encourage the creation of eco-conscious products, reduction in environmental impact attributed to business operations, compliance with laws and regulations in respective countries, and environmental and social contribution activities, among others, to help build a sustainable society under the slogan of "Brother Earth."
In particular, in terms of CO2 emissions that contribute to global warming, the action plan serves as a milestone for achieving the midterm target of "cutting total CO2 emissions by 30% from FY1990 (November 21, 1989-November 20, 1990) levels at eight business sites in Japan, and cutting CO2 emissions by 20% (per unit of sales) from FY2006 (April 1, 2006-March 31, 2007) levels at manufacturing facilities outside Japan, by FY2020." The targets for business sites in and outside Japan include reducing CO2 emissions by 1% per annum (per unit of sales) and attaining industry-leading energy-efficient products.
By achieving the action plan, the Brother Group will (1) fulfill corporate social responsibilities at ever higher levels through continuous commitment to environmental challenges, (2) raise environmental activities to among the best in the industry, and (3) instill a strong sense of pride so that employees feel truly proud to be part of the Brother Group.
Basic policy
- Making a commitment to creating eco-conscious products, primarily focused on reducing energy consumption
- Working on reducing CO2 emissions on a group basis
- Quickly complying with laws and regulations across the world, eliminating opportunity losses, and expanding business opportunities
- Disclosing environmental information, enhancing interactive communications with stakeholders, and increasing understanding
Environmental targets
1. Eco-conscious products
- 1-1 Actively acquiring environmental labels in respective countries and meeting new standards
- (1) Ensuring that requests are met from sales companies to acquire Blue Angel, Eco Mark, ENERGY STAR, Nordic Swan, EPEAT, and China's Ten Circle Mark, etc.
- (2) Complying with new standards (from 2012) of Blue Angel and Eco Mark, and continuously acquiring the labels
- 1-2 Improving the energy-saving performance of products
- (1) Complying with various energy-saving standards including ENERGY STAR, Blue Angel, Eco Mark, China's Energy Label, and Japan's Top Runner Target Program Standards, etc. for all applicable products
- (2) Achieving top-level energy-saving performance in the industry for respective categories
- 1-3 Complying with emissions (e.g., TVOCs, UFPs, noise) standards
- (1) Complying with standards with sufficient margins
- (2) Also complying with new standards including those of Blue Angel and new German law (UFP)
- 1-4 Increasing the percentage and volume of recycled materials used
- Complying with an ever-broader range of standards for all applicable products
- 1-5 Increasing reusability and recyclability (both for main units and consumables)
- (1) Promoting design for reducing man-hours required in the reuse process, and cutting the number of replacement parts and costs, in the consumables reuse business
- (2) Expanding the scope of parts for which materials derived from a closed recycling system can be used
- 1-6 Reducing logistics costs and CO2 emissions by promoting optimization of packaging
- (1) Both optimizing the packaging for reducing logistics costs and reducing CO2 emissions attributed to logistics
- (2) Promoting the selection of appropriate materials and reduction in size and weight
2. Reducing environmental impact of business sites
- For business sites in Japan and manufacturing facilities outside Japan, compliance with the Brother Group 2015 Midterm Environmental Action Plan will serve as the basis of activities.
Midterm targets
- (1) Cutting total CO2 emissions by 30% from FY1990 levels at eight business sites in Japan by FY2020
- (2) Cutting CO2 emissions by 20% (per unit of sales) from FY2006 levels at manufacturing facilities outside Japan (except the U.S.A.) by FY2020
- 2-1 Reducing CO2 emissions of the entire group
- Reducing total CO2 emissions of the entire group (business sites in Japan, and manufacturing and sales facilities outside Japan, except logistics) by 1% per annum (per unit of sales)
- 2-2 Reducing CO2 emissions of business sites in Japan
- Reducing CO2 emissions by 1% per annum; reducing total CO2 emissions by 25% from FY1990 levels by FY2015
- 2-3 Reducing CO2 emissions of manufacturing facilities outside Japan
- Reducing CO2 emissions by 1% per annum (per unit of sales)
- 2-4 Reducing CO2 emissions in logistics
- Setting emissions management standards, and reducing CO2 emissions by 1% per annum
- 2-5 Reducing water consumption at manufacturing facilities
- Reducing water consumption by 5% from FY2010 (April 1, 2010-March 31, 2011) levels by FY2015 (per unit of sales)
- 2-6 Ensuring global management of environmental conservation activities at manufacturing facilities outside Japan
- Building a framework for globally managing (i) compliance with environmental laws and regulations in countries where manufacturing facilities are based and (ii) proper waste treatment, etc
- 2-7 Acquiring ISO 14001 certifications
- Acquiring ISO 14001 certifications at new manufacturing and sales facilities
3 Complying with laws, regulations and social trends
- 3-1 Globally complying with regulations on chemical substances
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(1) Ensuring compliance with relevant laws (including REACH, RoHS, and TSCA) that regulate chemical substances contained in products
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(2) Developing a strategy for managing chemical substances contained in products, and attaining industry-leading low levels by FY2015
- 3-2 Globally complying with energy-saving regulations on products
- Complying with relevant energy-saving laws and regulations on products (including ErP, Russia's product regulations, South Korea's energy law, China's Energy Label, and Japan's energy saving law) with top-level energy-saving performance
- 3-3 Fulfilling manufacturers' broadening scope of responsibilities
- (1) Increasing the accuracy of data submitted to the authorities to comply with WEEE/Packaging Directive, etc.
- (2) Globally building a closed recycling system for products
- (3) Globally expanding the consumables recycling system and aiming to develop the system to involve respective regional sales headquarters
- 3-4 Disclosing overall environmental information regarding products
- (1) Globally disclosing information regarding products' environmental impact
- (2) Disclosing product information in accordance with The Eco Declaration (ECMA370)
- 3-5 Using certified paper
- Promoting the use of certified paper including FSC certified paper
- 3-6 Promoting green procurement
- (1) Enhancing the auditing and education of suppliers, increasing eco awareness, and thereby ensuring legal compliance
- (2) Building a framework for managing places of origin, illegal logging, recycling, etc. of paper used as packaging materials
Targets and results for FY2010
Brother Group 2010 Midterm Environmental Action Plan
Important topics of Brother Group 2010 Midterm Environmental Action Plan (2008 - 2010)
Setting important topics based on four themes
The Brother Group develops an Environmental Action Plan every three years to perform business operations in accordance with the Environmental Policy. Important targets are set to achieve continuous improvements.
In FY2008 (April 1, 2008-March 31, 2009), a new management plan was developed one year ahead of schedule. In line with this, a new Brother Group 2010 Midterm Environmental Action Plan was developed for the period from 2008 through 2010 to cope with environmental challenges. Under the new action plan, four environmental themes are set, and each theme has important topics and specific targets.
Environmental basic policy
- (1) Making a commitment to creating eco-conscious products, primarily focused on reducing energy consumption
- (2) Working on reducing CO2 emissions on a group basis, including sales facilities
Proactively working to improve logistics networks and introduce natural energy
- (3) Proactively working on developing eco-conscious products and environmental technologies to advance recycling
- (4) Achieving collection/recycling of used products/consumables in major countries, increasing reuse/recycling rates, thereby conserving resources
- (5) Putting in place integrated business processes/IT systems on a group basis for safety/management of chemical substances contained in products as well as those used at manufacturing facilities, thereby contributing to pollution prevention/risk management
- (6) Proactively disclosing environmental information, upgrading interactive communications, and helping stakeholders deepen their understanding; proactively making social contributions
Four environmental themes
- Promoting eco-conscious product design
- Reducing CO2 emissions from energy sources on a group basis
- Complying with environmental laws and regulations/social trends in different parts of the world
- Environmental communication
Specific targets
1. Promoting eco-conscious product design
- 1-1 Reducing energy consumption of products
- (1) Offsetting total CO2 emissions reduction from the use of products (by reducing energy consumption of products) against total CO2 emissions from energy sources emitted directly by the Brother Group
- (2) Making it mandatory to acquire Energy Star labels for new products from FY2008
- (3) Achieving top-class performance in each product category by FY2012
- 1-2 Acquiring environmental labels
- Reaching the following targets for new products released from FY2008, and reaching the following targets for all the products by FY2010 at the latest
- (1) Acquiring "Type I" environmental labels (which are credible in the market) for all the target products
- (2) Complying with the Brother Green Label requirements for all non-Type I products
- (3) Complying with the Law on Promoting Green Purchasing for all the target products
2. Reducing CO2 emissions from energy sources on a group basis
- 2-1 Reducing CO2 emissions from business sites
- (1) Total CO2 emissions from the Brother Group's business sites in Japan FY2010: Reducing 10% from FY1990 levels
- (2) Manufacturing facilities outside Japan FY2010: Reducing CO2 emissions per unit sales of consolidated manufacturing companies by over 8% from FY2006 levels
- 2-2 Reducing CO2 emissions at major sales facilities outside Japan
- Reaching CO2 emissions targets based on ISO 14001 activities at respective sales facilities by FY2010
Starting to identify CO2 emissions results at respective sales facilities from FY2008, and developing reduction target values/measures for FY2012 in FY2010 based on the emissions results
- 2-3 Reducing CO2 emissions in product logistics
- Starting to identify emissions from global product logistics from FY2008, and developing target values/measures for FY2012 by the end of FY2009 (April 1, 2009-March 31, 2010)
3. Complying with environmental laws and regulations/social trends in different parts of the world
- Establishing business processes/IT systems on a timely basis to meet the following targets
- (1) REACH
- (2) ErP
- (3) RoHS/WEEE in respective countries
- (4) Regulating and establishing the chemical substances management framework at the Brother Group manufacturing facilities
- (5) Collection/Recycling of used products in Japan
4. Environmental communication
- Establishing a reputation among stakeholders as a leading environmental company through the following activities
- (1) Upgrading and globally developing the eco point system
- (2) Increasing the information disclosed on the Web, and establishing interactive communications
- (3) Developing social contribution activities on the environmental front
Renewed commitment to curbing global warming
Reducing CO2 emissions, which is believed to cause climate change, is one of many global challenges.
The Brother Group strives to meet the targets of cutting total CO2 emissions by 30% from FY1990 levels in Japan, and cutting CO2 emissions by 20% (per unit of sales) from FY2006 levels at manufacturing facilities outside Japan, by FY2020.
Results of the green procurement activities of Brother Industries, Ltd.
Brother Industries, Ltd. (BIL) joined the Green Purchasing Network in 1997, and established purchasing guidelines and standards for purchasing products subject to green purchase (such as office supplies and equipment/machinery used in offices and manufacturing facilities) in 1998. BIL has been working on green purchasing ever since.
In FY2010, of the total amount of purchased products subject to green purchasing (approximately JPY 275.94 million), the green purchasing amount was approximately JPY 275.85 million, or a ratio of 99.97%. Notably, BIL has maintained a green purchasing rate of 99% or higher during the past few years.
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