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In October 2007, Nikon Group launched a global warming prevention project with the aim of tackling the aggravating global warming problem across the whole Nikon Group. Under this project, all employees are making efforts to reduce CO2 emissions while striving to increase the energy efficiency of Nikon products.
What is Nikon Group's policy in dealing with global warming?
We believe that preventing global warming is a great challenge for humankind. At the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit held in July 2008, the leaders adopted the long-term target of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2050, as is clearly stated in the Leaders Declaration. The international community shares the understanding that the situation with global warming is very serious and we have no time to lose in addressing this problem. Under these circumstances, we must conduct our corporate activities while minimizing our CO2 emissions and environmental impact to fulfill our responsibility as a corporate citizen.
What approach does Nikon Group take in preventing global warming?
Anti-global warming measures are one of Nikon Group's management priorities, and we launched a global warming prevention project in October 2007. Under this project, we have set greenhouse gas emission targets, and all employees are endeavoring to achieve these targets. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions from our production activities, we are also developing and providing more energy-efficient products, in order to reduce CO2 emissions in the use phase of our products.
What are you specifically doing in the project?
In our global warming prevention project, in which we give first priority to the effective use of energy and the reduction of energy consumption with a view to reducing the Nikon Group's overall global greenhouse gas emissions, we set greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to be achieved in the three years up to the end of March 31, 2011. Specifically, we aim to reduce our total CO2 emissions in Japan by 11% from the level in the year ended March 31, 2006 and to reduce our CO2 emissions per unit of sales by 15% at our major Group companies in Asia. We have established global warming prevention project working groups in each of our business segments, including the Precision Equipment Business, Imaging Products Business, Instruments Business, and Glass Business. These working groups examine and formulate effective measures that reflect their business situations and implement the measures step by step.
Could you give some examples of measures that you are taking to reduce CO2 emissions produced by Nikon products and services?
We are committed to developing and designing all Nikon products, regardless of whether they are for general consumers or for industrial use, in such a way as to minimize CO2 emissions in their use phase. For example, we have achieved a substantial improvement in the energy efficiency of our IC steppers and scanners by miniaturization, expanding the wafer size, and improving the throughput. We are also implementing measures for our cameras to continuously and significantly improve their environmental performance by increasing their energy efficiency and extending their product lives. In addition to reducing the environmental impact and CO2 emissions caused by production at our factories, we are also making efforts to reduce the impact and emissions caused by our products throughout their lifecycles, including in the procurement, marketing, transportation, and recycling phases. For example, Nikon provides customers with a repair service called "Cool Pit Service." In this service, all the parts of a product that need repair are replaced as a set, excluding the exterior parts, in order to save on repair costs and time. Parts recycled under strict quality control from old products account for a large percentage of the internal parts used to replace worn ones. We are reducing the amount of fuel used and raising the safety awareness of the drivers who transport our products by introducing digital tachometers on all the large trucks used for transportation. This allows us to record and manage their transportation routes, maximum speeds, and patterns involving sudden starting, acceleration, and braking.
Could you give some examples of the CO2 emission reduction measures being implemented on your sites?
We are implementing a wide spectrum of measures, including introducing highly efficient devices, promoting fuel conversion, using more energy-efficient air conditioners and lighting equipment, improving production processes, and introducing natural energy sources (solar power and wind power generation). Talking of natural energy sources, the Kumagaya Plant will start to operate a solar power generation system in the second half of this year. To halt global warming, in addition to implementation of a range of measures by national and local governments as well as by companies, it is critical that each and every citizen increases their environmental awareness and leads a more environmentally conscious life. Based on this recognition, we held a campaign to prevent global warming targeting employees and their families in the year ended March 31, 2009. In this campaign, we introduced them to activities that would help prevent global warming through seminars and via the in-house magazine. We also publish a monthly pamphlet on the prevention of global warming, which explains the mechanism of global warming, its impact, and what we can do to prevent it in an easy-to-understand way, sometimes as a narrative. As a result, employees are becoming more environmentally friendly than before, and we often receive improvement proposals from general employees, including proposals on environmental conservation
Environment Month seminar
In-house posters encouraging employees to save energy
The pamphlet on preventing global warming
What does Nikon Group want to accomplish in the future?
As I told you at the beginning of this interview, we must contribute to preventing global warming to fulfill our responsibility as a corporate citizen. All Nikon Group companies will adhere to the Group's basic policy of making environmental protection and economic growth compatible and will make efforts to achieve substantial reductions in emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Adhering to its corporate philosophy of "Trustworthiness and Creativity," Nikon Group will continue to deliver high-quality products and services capitalizing on its long accumulated experience and technological expertise. At the same time, we aim to make the company a "truly outstanding company" also in terms of environmental protection by trying to minimize the environmental impact of the activities we conduct in full consideration of the environment.