Today, companies are required to respond to increasingly diverse social challenges. In particular, companies are expected to take strong measures against global environmental issues, including global warming.
The Brother Group has therefore made a commitment, as defined in the Brother Group Global Charter (Global Charter), to help society achieve sustainable development, by actively and continuously considering the environmental impact of all aspects of its operations.
In particular, specific goals are set for reducing CO2 emissions, as these have a significant impact on global warming. The Brother Group is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 30% from FY1990 (November 21, 1989-November 20, 1990) levels (in total emissions) at business sites in Japan and by 20% from FY2006 (April 1, 2006-March 31, 2007) levels (per unit of sales) at manufacturing facilities outside Japan, by FY2020.
Notably, the Brother Group 2015 Midterm Environmental Action Plan (2011–2015) has been developed based on the Global Charter. Priority challenges have been identified and improvements will be made on an ongoing basis. The Brother Group will consider the environment at all stages from product development, design, and production, to use and disposal by customers.
The Brother Group's environmental activities are based on the 5Rs: the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle), which is a widely-used term for building a recycling-oriented society, plus "refuse" (minimizing the purchase of products that have an environmental impact) and "reform" (using resources for different purposes in different forms).
Last year marked the launch of Brother Earth, a logo and slogan to symbolize the Brother Group's environmental activities. The Brother Group will use the Brother Earth identity to publicize its environmental activities and convey a unified message around the world.
The message from Brother Earth "Working with you for a better environment" signifies a sense of responsibility to protect our global environment and also the desire to consider environmental issues and take action together with all stakeholders including customers. Brother will convey this unified message in each language of the group's locations or centers worldwide.
The Brother Group is committed to achieving a sustainable society and fulfilling its corporate social responsibilities by encouraging every employee to become more eco-conscious in their daily work and life.
