Brother Group Environmental Action Plan 2024
Brother Group Environmental Action Plan 2024 (2022-2024)
Basic policy
To realize the Brother Group Environmental Vision 2050, the following initiatives will be actively promoted together with stakeholders.
- Reduce CO2 emissions in the whole value chain
- Expand sustainable business by promoting resource circulation
- Reduce the business impact on the ecosystem and increase biodiversity conservation
- Create eco conscious products
- Comply with environmental laws and regulations
1. Activities at Brother facilities
- Reduction of CO2 emissions (Scope 1 and 2)
- Reduce CO2 emissions by 47% from the FY2015 level (9%* reduction over the three-year period from 2022-2024)
- Reduction of water consumption
- Reduce quantity of water intake more than previous year at manufacturing facilities (based on sales)
- Waste reduction
- Reduce waste volume more than previous year at manufacturing facilities (based on sales)
- Biodiversity conservation
- Evaluate environmental load and restoration/conservation efforts of all business activities on ecosystems by using a biodiversity assessment method that meets leading international standards
- Expand biodiversity conservation activities for the entire group based on the international guidelines for biodiversity
- From FY2015
| Environmental targets*1 | Achievements in FY2023 | Self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | Achieved a 45.1% reduction from FY2015. (Absolute value) | Achieved |
| 1-2 | Achieved a 10.7% reduction from the previous fiscal year. (Per unit of sales) | Significantly achieved |
| 1-3 | Achieved a 14.2% reduction from the previous fiscal year. (Per unit of sales) | Significantly achieved |
| 1-4 | Preparations were made to evaluate natural capital such as water, land, and forests, which are closely related to biodiversity, and the amount of environmental impact caused through procurement, use, and disposal of Brother products was examined. A partnership was formed with the World Wide Fund for Nature Japan ("WWF Japan"), and contributions were made to biodiversity conservation through donations to WWF Japan's forest conservation activities. Furthermore, more than 22,000 participants took part in the "zero ocean waste activities*2" targeting all Brother Group locations in Japan and overseas. The Ministry of the Environment has recognized "Brother Forests in Gujo," which BIL has been operating since 2008 as initiatives for biodiversity conservation, as a "Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Site (first half) in FY2023". |
Achieved |
- The numbers in the chart correspond to the numbers in the "Activities at Brother facilities" section above.
- To further promote the Brother Group's activities, the Group has been supporting World Oceans Day since FY2021.
2. Activities related to products
- Reduction of CO2 emissions (Scope 3 — C1, C11, and C12)
- Implement measures to reduce CO2 emissions by 150,000 tons*1
- Circular economy (resource circulation)
- Achieve a ratio of virgin materials used in products of 81% or less*2 by FY2024 (recycled resources ratio of 19% or more)
- Expand circular economy business
- Strengthen eco conscious product development
- Provide eco-conscious products that meet higher environmental standards in each market region
- Rebuild risk management system
- Rebuild foundation of activities to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations related to products
- Contribute to reducing CO2 emissions for society at large
- Establish a process to calculate the contribution toward reducing CO2 emissions for society at large, and calculate/disclose the amount of contribution toward reducing the CO2 emissions of the entire Brother Group.
- Promote innovation
- Identify promising new environmental technologies and implement them in business
- Total amount of CO2 emissions reduced by FY2024 through new product environmental measures compared to the business activities in FY2021.
Examples: Reduction of product size and weight, increase in the use of recycled materials, reduction of standby power consumption, etc. Applies to Printing & Solutions Business, Machinery Business, Nissei Business, Personal & Home Business. - Applies to Printing & Solutions Business, Machinery Business, Personal & Home Business.
| Environmental targets | Achievements in FY2023 | Self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | 100% of the measures, such as downsizing of new products and improvement of energy-saving performance, planned for FY2023 were implemented. To achieve the FY2024 target of "150,000 tons reduction in CO2 emissions," activities to reduce CO2 emissions during parts manufacturing have been initiated in collaboration with suppliers. |
Achieved |
| 2-2 | We are on track with the targets by implementing measures, such as expanded use of recycled materials mainly in new products and changing to recyclable cushioning materials. The ratio of virgin materials has been confirmed to be 79.2% through verification of the amounts of virgin materials used in our products by a third party. Therefore, the target for FY2024 has been achieved one year ahead of schedule. | Achieved |
| 2-3 | In the product group of Communications and Printing Equipment, environmentally friendly designs were promoted from the initial stages of product planning and development, and management complying with environmental labeling standards was carried out. As a result, Brother was able to acquire and register for the standards with stricter requirements, such as the "Blue Angel" in Germany, "Eco Mark" in Japan, and "EPEAT" in the United States. EPEAT is currently under consideration for major revision. We have joined a group that is studying a draft of revised standards for sustainable use of resources, less use of chemical substances of concern, responsible supply chains, and consumables, initiating activities so that the revision will ensure more eco-friendly product design and fulfillment of corporate social responsibility. In order to meet the social requirements introduced in the "Blue Angel," three manufacturing facilities for the subject products has acquired RBA certification. Other manufacturing facilities have also started activities to obtain certification. |
Achieved |
| 2-4 | Functions required for systematization have been determined based on our new management system for chemical substances contained in products. Also, regarding some of the operations for chemical substance management, we have developed trial operation methods and plans to optimize such operations. | - |
| 2-5 | Brother disclosed the avoided CO2 emissions by energy-saving performance and productivity improvement of machine tools on the "Reduction of CO2 Emissions" page. In addition, we disclosed the reduction of waste cartridges and packaging materials used in inkjet printers and garment printers by increasing the capacity of consumables as avoided CO2 emissions. We have also initiated new discussions for disclosure of the CO2 reduction value by joining an external organization. |
Achieved |
| 2-6 | Brother has been introduced to new technologies by venture capital fund investees, and started consideration of cases where they can be implemented in its factories. | - |
3. Environmental communication
- Information disclosure
- Strengthen engagement with stakeholders through the Integrated Report and disclosure of sustainability information
- Promote global branding through the special SDGs website "Brother SDGs STORY"
- Environmental education
- Maintain/increase group employees' environmental awareness through eco point activity which is a participatory initiative
- Strengthen environmental education for employees for the promotion of group-wide environmental efforts
| Environmental targets | Achievements in FY2023 | Self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|
| 3-1 | On our special SDGs website "Brother SDGs STORY," special content has been released, which summarizes our activities in "Brother Forests in Gujo," a representative initiative for biodiversity conservation in Japan. The website also introduces in an easy-to-understand manner the results of these activities as well as the recognition of Brother Forests in Gujo as a "Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Site" by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. | Achieved |
| 3-2 | The Brother Eco Point Program continued to be carried out within the Brother Group. Measures to raise environmental awareness among employees were continued through the use of an internal commendation system, information dissemination via the intranet and newsletters, e-learning programs, internal seminars, and workshops. |
Achieved |
