MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Sept. 3, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Technology leader Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta), is responsibly shaping the future of the environment and has just published its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, showcasing its achievements as a corporate citizen in 2014.
The report reflects how the company is providing integrated and sustainable solutions and shows how CSR is embedded in the company's business model throughout its operations, global supply chain, and product development. Based on its EcoVision 2050, whose main target is to reduce Konica Minolta's CO2 emissions over the product lifecycle by 80%1 until 2050, the report shows that the company has done further progress in achieving this target.
Konica Minolta reported 54% of sales in Green Products in total throughout the fiscal year 20142 across all business areas. This represents sales of 547.1 billion Yen3 (4.2 billion Euros4). The significance of Green Products increased in comparison to the previous fiscal year, namely by 13 percent points.
In order to be certified as a Konica Minolta Green Product – a certification system introduced in 2011 - a product must pass different criteria such as decreased CO2 emissions or the usage of recycled materials. 33 new models have been brought to the market in fiscal year 2014, bringing the total to 147 products across all business areas. Some of the results of the current CSR report include an astounding 43,000 tons of CO2 reduction during product use.
Green Products play an important role in achieving the next milestone the company has defined in terms of its Medium-Term Environmental Plan 2016: to reduce the CO2 emissions throughout the product life cycle by 40% to 1,216 thousand tons in fiscal year 2016.5 One example of a Green Product is the bizhub PRESS 2250P made with recycled PC/PET6. The company has developed recycled PC/PET plastic, a composite material made with PC and, in 2012, was the first in the industry to use PC/PET in the outer casing of its colour bizhub multifunctional periphery devices (MFPs). Another example is toner bottles made out of polyethylene from recycled milk bottles. For this purpose, Konica Minolta developed its own recycling method and established a mass production system in Mexico and Malaysia.
The company intends to increase the proportion of recycled material in the raw material used for toner containers from current 25% to 100% in the future. In addition, Konica Minolta contributes through its textile inkjet printers to environmental protection achieving a 62% reduction in water resource usage and a 57% reduction in electricity usage in comparison to conventional textile screen-printing.
CO2 reduction of 20% in Green Factories with level 2 certification
Through its second certification system, the Green Factory Certification System – an evaluation of the environmental activities at its production sites since 2010 – six additional units (five in Japan, one in China) achieved a Level 2, the highest scoring. Level 2 is the equivalent to a 20% reduction7 of CO2 emissions and a 50% reduction of waste discharged externally.
Reduction of CO2 emissions during distribution
Konica Minolta's Green Marketing evaluation measures distribution, sales and service, collection and recycling. Konica Minolta has reduced CO2 emissions during distribution by shortening transportation distances through optimization of distribution sites and routes worldwide, reducing the number of containers through improved loading efficiency, and reducing the frequency of air transport.
Konica Minolta is also developing systems for recycling used information technology production in different locations worldwide and striving to increase the recycling rate. In Japan, the company collects MFPs through sales companies nationwide, and dismantles and separates the components: the recycling rate was 98%8 in fiscal year 2014.
Reduce environmental impact in cooperation with suppliers
Considering the entire supply chain, the company could decrease its CO2 emissions by 2.7% to 1.37 million tons in comparison to fiscal year 2013. The entire supply chain includes Konica Minolta's suppliers delivering raw materials and parts that the company is continuing its efforts to reduce emissions by setting targets in cooperation with them. Among other efforts to achieve this goal, Konica Minolta launched its Green Suppliers Initiative in fiscal year 2014 to provide suppliers with the environmental technology and expertise to help them reduce their environmental impact. Experts in energy and waste measure from Konica Minolta visited the suppliers' factories and proposed reduction measures based on the current situation, working with the suppliers' staff to formulate and implement improvement plans.
"Environmental challenges are global and urgent"
"In order for us to keep growing sustainably over the next 50 years, or even considering the next 100 years, it is vital that we not only create economic value but also contribute to society", emphasizes Shoei Yamana, President and CEO of Konica Minolta, Inc. "Global environmental problems in particular are a pressing issue. CO2 emission reduction, resource sustainability, perseveration of biodiversity – the environmental challenges facing the earth today are global and urgent. Global companies have a big responsibility to create a sustainable society by reducing their environmental impact."
More information: http://www.konicaminolta.ca/business/about/csr-reports.html
About Konica Minolta Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. is one of the world's leaders in information management focused on enterprise content, technology optimization and cloud services. Our portfolio of offerings deliver solutions to improve our customers' speed to market, manage technology costs, and facilitate the sharing of information to increase productivity. Konica Minolta has won numerous awards and recognition, including placement in the Leaders Quadrant of the 2014 Magic Quadrant for Managed Print Services (MPS) and Managed Content Services (MCS). Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for eight consecutive years. Konica Minolta has also been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for three years in a row. For more information, please visit: www.KonicaMinolta.ca and follow Konica Minolta on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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1 Based on fiscal year level 2005 2 April 2014 – March 2015 3 Based on total sales of 1,011.7 billion yen in fiscal year 2014 4 As of 31st March 2015 5 Compared to fiscal year level 2005 with 2,027 thousand tons 6 Polycarbonate/Polyethylene terephthalate 7 The base year is fiscal 2005. Based on this (base year) figure, standards tailored to factory characteristics are established. 8 By weight
Rebekah Fougere, Director, Marketing & Sales Support Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada) Ltd. 905.890.6600