Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo: 6502) has detailed a plan that would result in sharply higher revenue from the sale of products that are deemed more environmentally friendly and says it will increase the use of energy-efficient products in all its facilities.
The Tokyo-based company said in a statement announcing its fifth environmental action plan that it will be aiming to "decrease environmental impacts in the manufacture and use of products." Part of the company's plan involves jacking up sales of products it terms "environmentally conscious" by up to six times within the next five years from the fiscal 2011 level. It said further:
The latest plan contains a notable number of new items, among them measures to increase biodiversity by building regional ecosystem networks in cooperation with regional communities, regional and global environmental communication by employees, and environmental and human resources development. One target calls for training 2,000 "Toshiba eco-style leaders" to be responsible for promoting environmental awareness.
By formally setting specific goals in its published plan, Toshiba is not only creating a document by which its performance could be easily measured but also clearly demonstrating its commitment to the objectives. The company said it wants to increase the sales of "environmentally conscious products" (ECP) to $22.8 billion (1,800 billion yen) by its fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, from 500 billion yen in the fiscal 2012 period. The "sales of energy supply products with high environmental efficiency" would also be boosted to 1,900 billion yen from 1,360 billion yen. It also aims to reduce carbon dioxide emission by up to 505 million tons during the same period, from 456 million tons.
The company says it will hasten the reduction of certain environmentally unfriendly chemical products and abolish the use of PVC and BFR in "20 products groups" by the end of fiscal 2012 and from 80 by fiscal 2015. Other goals include the creation of "regional ecosystem networks in cooperation with local communities to promote biodiversity at selected sites."
This is easily said than done. Everyone involved in the product process from R&D to marketing, sales and management need to have certain degree of commitment to this. If a design engineer resorts to certain non-green components due to market/management pressure to lower the cost, it is a total failure.
Ariella, I agree.Especially In a tough economy, I wonder if higher priced "greener" electronics products will win over consumers for similar products that aren't as "green".
It is good to see Toshiba setting this goal. More companies need to go in this direction if we are going to have any hope in saving our planet in the long run. Let's see if Toshiba can achieve these goals.
The vision of toshiba will need many creative and various engineering disciplines to work together for creation of Eco friendly products. This is one thing which is chased by many big electronics companies across the world. Need to be closely followed!!!
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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