On 16 March 2021, Seiko Epson Corporation announced that its worldwide Group sites*1 will meet their electricity needs from 100% renewable energy sources (renewable electricity) by 2023. With growing global interest in societal issues such as the environment and energy, Epson established its Environmental Vision 2050 to express its commitment to environmental management and subsequently rolled out various measures to achieve this.
The Paris Agreement subsequently established decarbonization targets, and Epson created a scenario to achieve by FY2025 science-based targets (SBT*2) to achieve these goals. This scenario included using renewable electricity as a primary theme, and Epson made plans and implemented measures to expand its use over the long term. The company has established its policy to accelerate its plans to become a leading environmental company. The company believes that climate change represents a serious corporate risk and that Epson must play a greater role in mitigating that risk as it rolls out its business worldwide.
Sites using 100% renewable electricity – Progress to date
Before April 2020, manufacturing sites (UK, USA (Portland))
European sales headquarters (France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain); April 2020, three Japanese sites including head office and the printer R&D center; All European sales headquarters (including the UK); and, January 2021 Manufacturing plant (Philippines)
Plans
End of March 2021All Japanese sites*1; and, 2023 All sites worldwide*1
As a result of these plans, Epson has calculated it can reduce emissions of CO2 by 36,000 tonnes annually to zero by using 100% renewable electricity at all sites worldwide by 2023. Epson global president Yasunori Ogawa said, “It’s imperative that we address the global issue of climate change. Our company has been proactive about environmental issues from day one when our founders expressed their desire that we should protect the lake next to our company headquarters. And what’s more, we have always strongly believed in contributing to solving global environmental issues, for example, when we were the first company in the world to declare our commitment to eliminating CFCs from our operations worldwide. Going forward, we will steadily advance measures to use 100% renewable electricity. In this and other environmental activities, we will continue to pursue high targets and aggressively drive forward to achieve our goals.”
Monozukuri
Dedicated to the Japanese philosophy of ‘monozukuri’ (the art and science of manufacturing), Epson’s products and services are based on unique, efficient, compact, and precision technologies that mitigate the environmental impacts of Epson’s products and services, and at all stages of the supply chain. Epson plans to provide new customer value through open and unique innovations that offer both environment and economy.
*1: “All sites” referenced in this release excludes leased properties for sales offices, etc., where the amount of electricity cannot be determined.
*2: Scope 1 and 2 call for a 19% reduction in emissions by FY2025 against a benchmark of 2017.
