- Progress Towards CO2 Emission Reduction Targets
- Scopes 1, 2, and 3 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
- External Assurance
- Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Business Sites
- Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Products
- Collaboration with Suppliers
- Contribution to the Reduction of CO2 in Products
- 2024 CDP Questionnaire
The vision aims to support the Paris Agreement and contribute toward creating a carbon-free society with zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The Brother Group will aim to achieve carbon neutrality* in all business operations and minimize CO2 emissions from the entire value chain by 2050 so as to contribute toward creating a carbon-free society.
- Achieve overall zero CO2 emissions from the Brother Group
Main efforts: Introduction of solar power generation, renewal of air conditioning facilities, renewal and adoption of energy-saving for production facilities, etc.
Progress Towards CO2 Emission Reduction Targets
Two medium-term targets for FY2030 regarding CO2 emission reduction are set in the Brother Group Environmental Vision 2050. To achieve these targets, we are working to reduce CO2 emission with supplier collaboration in our manufacturing and production activities.
Medium-term target for FY2030
- [Scopes 1 and 2] Achieve 65% reduction from the FY2015 level
- [Scope 3] Categories 1, 11, and 12 Achieve 30% reduction from the FY2015 level
- The medium-term target for FY2030 has been recognized as a target based on scientific evidence (1.5°C target) by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), an international initiative established to help achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
We are working to promote reduction of CO2 emissions by 47% from the FY2015 level for Scopes 1 and 2 and implement measures to reduce CO2 emissions by 150,000 tons for categories 1, 11, and 12 of Scope 3, which are the targets for FY2024 set in CS B2024.
In FY2023, we achieved a 45.1% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 from the FY2015 level. Regarding Scope 3, sales of new products, whose environmental performance is higher than that of conventional products, were launched. CO2 emissions in the parts procurement phase were reduced in collaboration with suppliers. In addition, due to a decrease in the sales volume of products, emissions were reduced by 28.2% from the FY2015 level for Categories 1, 11, and 12 of Scope 3.
Progress up to FY2023
Scopes 1, 2, and 3 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
The Brother Group calculates and reports Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with ISO14064-1, the international standard for GHG calculation and reporting, in order to properly calculate and report its GHG emissions. The results are disclosed to the public after undergoing third-party verification based on the ISO14064-3 standard to verify the validity of the calculation results.
Scope 1, 2, and 3
These are components making up greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the supply chain. Dividing into three categories minimizes overlapping calculations and allows specific emissions to be identified.
Scope 1: Direct GHG emissions by business operators
Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions resulting from use of electricity, heat, and steam supplied by other entities
Scope 3: Indirect GHG emissions other than Scope 1 and 2 (emissions by other entities related to the activities of business operators)
Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to ISO 14064 from FY2019 through FY2023
| Category | CO2 emissions in t-CO2 equivalent | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | ||
| Scope 1: Direct emissions | 17,363 | 18,356 | 18,724 | 19,040 | 18,840 | |
| Scope 2: Indirect emissions from energy use Market-based | 107,285 | 98,685 | 105,099 | 93,409*1 | 91,228*1 | |
| Scope 3: Other indirect emissions | 2,809,046 | 2,752,567 | 2,942,352 | 3,439,056*2,3 | 2,431,462*1 | |
| C1 | Purchased goods and services | 1,351,272 | 1,302,661 | 1,404,939 | 1,671,015*2,3 | 1,253,780*1 |
| C2 | Capital goods | 56,658 | 75,897 | 86,955 | 123,562 | 126,268 |
| C3 | Fuel- and energy-related activities | 10,955 | 10,987 | 11,838 | 12,062 | 11,899 |
| C4 | Upstream transportation and distribution | 80,691 | 103,148 | 138,978 | 99,236*2 | 95,109 |
| C5 | Waste generated in operations | 3,680 | 4,138 | 2,849 | 3,257 | 3,991 |
| C6 | Business travel | 3,663 | 1,558 | 1,887 | 4,023 | 6,502 |
| C7 | Employee commuting | 14,247 | 14,698 | 14,819 | 14,768 | 15,553 |
| C8 | Upstream leased assets | 5,176 | 4,642 | 4,101 | 3,827 | 4,588 |
| C9 | Downstream transportation and distribution | 15,312 | 14,671 | 15,366 | 17,825*2 | 14,762 |
| C10 | Processing of sold products | - | - | - | - | - |
| C11 | Use of sold products | 998,441 | 968,174 | 995,115 | 1,183,284*2 | 670,148 |
| C12 | End of life treatment of sold products | 267,207 | 250,107 | 263,618 | 305,036*2 | 227,291 |
| C13 | Downstream leased assets | 1,742 | 1,886 | 1,886 | 1,160 | 1,168 |
| C14 | Franchises | - | - | - | - | - |
| C15 | Investments | - | - | - | - | 402*4 |
| Total of Scopes 1, 2, and 3 Market-based |
2,933,694 | 2,869,608 | 3,066,176 | 3,551,505*1,2,3 | 2,541,530*1 | |
- After using renewable energy electricity certificates from external sources
- The numerical value has been changed because the Domino Business was added to the scope of aggregation for Scope 3.
- The numerical value has been changed because the CO2 emissions from purchased goods and services other than products and parts were added to C1 (Purchased goods and services). However, the additional CO2 emissions in FY2022 (about 2% of the entire Scope 3) are not included in the auditing for ISO 14064.
- Emissions from related companies have been added since FY2023.
Scope
External Assurance
BSI Independent Assurance Statement 2023 [PDF/811KB]
Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Business Sites
Amid rising international interest in achieving a society that balances economic development and environmental conservation, the Brother Group aims to contribute toward a sustainable society by creating and promoting a virtuous cycle of business growth and environmental harmony.
Realization of carbon neutrality
BROTHER INDUSTRIES (U.K.) LTD. and BROTHER INDUSTRIES (SLOVAKIA) s.r.o.
BROTHER INDUSTRIES (U.K.) LTD. and BROTHER INDUSTRIES (SLOVAKIA) s.r.o., which are manufacturing facilities of the Brother Group, attained carbon neutrality and completed PAS 2060:2014* verification. They received verification in 2021 and 2022, respectively, and continue to receive verification each year. They have achieved carbon neutrality by offsetting remaining emissions with carbon credits in addition to promoting energy-saving activities and fully utilizing renewable energy. The Brother Group will aim to achieve carbon neutrality in all business operations and minimize CO2 emissions from the entire value chain by attaining carbon neutrality in accordance with the standards.
- PAS 2060 (Publicly Available Specification 2060): International standard that certifies the achievement of carbon neutrality
BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD. Karia Factory
In October 2024, Kariya Factory, one of the manufacturing factories of the Machinery business, achieved carbon neutrality in FY2023 and completed the verification of compliance with the ISO 14068-1:2023 standard*. This is the first time that the Brother Group has achieved carbon neutrality in accordance with the ISO 14068-1:2023 standard, and is also the first time it has been achieved in the manufacturing industry in Japan.
To achieve its carbon neutrality, Kariya Factory is working to reduce GHG emissions under a policy to place top priority on both actively introducing renewable energy and improving energy consumption efficiency through energy conservation. Furthermore, the in-production compact machining center SPEEDIO boasts industry-leading energy-saving performance and significantly alleviates the burden on the environment by reducing the four wastes (time, resource, energy, and space) found in customers' parts machining processes.
- ISO 14068-1:2023 standard: An international standard (issued on November 30, 2023) that provides principles, requirements, and guidance for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality through quantification, reduction, and offsetting carbon footprints in organizations and products
Promotion of energy-saving activities
The Brother Tokyo building was renovated. Specifically, double sashes were introduced to improve the thermal insulation performance, the air-conditioning equipment was replaced by high-efficiency models, and CO2 sensors were introduced to control the ventilation volume. Solar panels were also installed on the rooftop to cover part of the power consumed in the building with renewable energy. As a result, BIL obtained ZEB Ready certification,* which is recommended by the Ministry of the Environment, for the first time.
- ZEB is the abbreviation for "Net Zero Energy Building." ZEB Ready certification is awarded to a building which reduces the annual standard primary energy consumption by 50% or more.
To improve environmental performance while balancing the reduction of CO2 emissions and utility costs, BROTHER INDUSTRIES (SLOVAKIA) s.r.o. (BISK) actively uses natural energy. Since December 2020, BISK has been operating an energy system that combines an air conditioning system using heat from groundwater and a solar power generation system. The air conditioning system that uses groundwater heat utilized a well that was originally within BISK's premises.
TAIWAN BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD. and BROTHER TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) LTD. launched activities to visualize energy consumption by area, time, and purpose and to identify waste and make improvements by using data. They also introduced a centralized management system for air conditioning and an abnormality detection system using air flow rate sensors to increase energy efficiency.
Active introduction of renewable energy
In FY2023, solar panels of over 5 MW in total were newly installed at the Hoshizaki Factory (Minami-ku, Nagoya City) and the Research & Development Center (Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City) in Japan as well as at BROTHER INDUSTRIES (PHILIPPINES), INC., BROTHER INDUSTRIES (VIETNAM) LTD., and BROTHER TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) LTD. At Minato Warehouse 1 adjacent to the Minato Factory, a combined on-site and off-site PPA* was introduced in FY2023 by using the solar power generation equipment that had been installed. Power generated by the solar panels is consumed at Minato Warehouse 1, and the surplus power generated is transmitted to the Brother Museum and the Brother Head Office building to ensure the efficient use of renewable energy. This is the first pioneering effort in the Chubu area to expand the introduction of renewable energy
- Abbreviation for "Power Purchase Agreement". A system whereby a company that owns and manages solar power facilities provides electricity generated by a solar power generation system installed on the premises, roof, or other space provided by the facility owner to the electricity users of the facility for a fee
The Brother Museum, which is Brother's exhibition pavilion, uses green hydrogen, which is produced by electrolyzing water by harnessing electricity derived from solar power generation at the Mizuho Factory (Mizuho-ku, Nagoya City). Electricity generated by fuel cells manufactured by Brother is used to reduce the energy consumption. In FY2023, this initiative was accredited under the Chubu Region Low-carbon Hydrogen Certification System.*
Due to these initiatives, the on-site generation amount in FY2023 significantly increased from 2,074 MWh in the previous fiscal year to 5,567 MWh, which is more than double the amount. We will continue to promote the reduction of energy-derived CO2 emissions by actively utilizing renewable energy.
- A certification system for three prefectures in the Tokai area to certify hydrogen, whose carbon dioxide emissions are low during its production, transport, and use, as "low-carbon hydrogen" and disseminate information
The renewable energy ratio in FY2023 was 17.8% by using renewable electricity (including renewable energy procurement using certificates) in addition to on-site generation. The Brother Group will contribute to protecting the earth by systematically switching electricity used in business operations to renewable energy.
Energy consumption in FY2023
| Total energy consumption | 199,990 MWh |
|---|---|
| Renewable energy consumption | 35,544 MWh |
| : In-house power generation consumption | 5,567 MWh |
| : Amount of renewable energy purchased consumption (including renewable energy procurement using certificates) |
29,977 MWh |
| Renewable energy ratio | 17.8% |
Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Products
Based on the Brother Group Environmental Action Plan 2024 (2022-2024), the Brother Group has developed measures to reduce CO2 emissions by 150,000 tons* and is working to reduce CO2 emissions from products in the Printing & Solutions Business, Machinery Business, Nissei Business, Personal & Home Business. The Brother Group contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions through a combination of accumulated small ingenuities and technological innovations at each stage of the product lifecycle.
- Total amount of CO2 emissions reduced by the environmental measures for products newly implemented by FY2024 in comparison with the operations in FY2021. Examples: smaller and lighter products, increased use of recycled materials, reduced standby power consumption, etc.
Reduction in size and weight of a color LED printer (HL-L8240CDW)
The new product has been downsized by 20% compared to the previous model (HL-L3270CDW). Reduction in size and weight has led to reduction in CO2 emissions from raw materials by 12% and those from transport of products by 25%. The power consumption in Deep Sleep* mode has been reduced by 62%.
- As one of the operation modes of devices, it further saves power by restricting more functions compared to Sleep mode, which suspends some of the functions when a device is not operated, etc.
Consumable inks for industrial printers (GTX Pro series)
In the GTX Pro garment printer series, we have been working to reduce the amount of plastic and packaging materials included with consumable ink. By switching from the previous cartridge replacement system to a pouch replacement system and bottle supply system for consumable ink, we have been able to reduce the amount of plastic and packaging materials used for consumables, contributing to a reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the previous system.
|
GT3 (previous cartridge system) (2012) Ink refill by cartridge replacement |
GTXpro (2017) Reduced cartridge waste by using replaceable ink pouches |
GTXpro B (2020) Adopted bottle ink system to reduce waste generated from ink replacement |
|---|---|---|
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|
Realization of bottled ink by installing a white ink agitator
CO2 emissions from cartridge disposal (excluding ink) and packaging material use have been reduced by 92%* for the pouch replacement system and 95%* for the bottle supply system compared to the previous system.
Additionally, the amount of resource used for cartridges and the amount of packaging materials used were also reduced by 82%* for the pouch replacement system and 95%* for the bottle supply system compared to the previous system, leading to a reduction in resource consumption.
- Reduction amount with white ink consumption when printing the test data on 2,500 T-shirts.
Thinking about the environment from the perspective of electrical energy—toward a future with widespread use of hydrogen
Toward the development of fuel cell systems, Brother has undertaken many years of fuel cell research while pursuing the potential of hydrogen.
There are still many issues in further widening the use of hydrogen. However, the development of this technology was a steady step into the future for Brother.
Collaboration with Suppliers
At the Brother Group, purchased products and services account for more than 50% of Scope 3. To achieve our environmental vision, it is essential to reduce CO2 emissions in the phase of procuring products (parts for Brother).
In FY2023, the Brother Group started to work with three main parts suppliers to reduce CO2 emissions by using renewable energy as electricity during production of parts for Brother. As a result, CO2 emissions were reduced by about 4,700 tons in FY2023.
The scope of this activity will be expanded in stages to involve other parts suppliers. In FY2024, we plan to reduce CO2 emissions by 30,000 tons in total.
Contribution to the Reduction of CO2 in Products
The Brother Group has been working to reduce CO2 emissions in all processes in manufacturing, including development, procurement, production, sales, and logistics, as an activity that is directly linked to our business. In order to curb climate change (global warming) and achieve a decarbonized society, it is also necessary to work to reduce CO2 emissions in society as a whole. For example, reducing the amount of electricity consumed by our customers (electricity consumption) throughout the product life cycle through the improvement of energy-saving performance of Brother products and services will reduce CO2 emissions when customers use our products, which will lead to a reduction of CO2 in society. In addition, saving resources by increasing the capacity of consumables will lead to a reduction in CO2 when procuring raw materials and disposing of consumables. To measure and increase our contribution, we define and visualize avoided CO2 emissions as the CO2 reduced in society as a whole.
We will continue to promote the reduction of CO2 emissions from the Brother Group by providing Brother products and services that lead to a reduction of CO2 from customers which will contribute to the reduction of CO2 in society.
Performance of Avoided CO2 Emissions
The Brother Group is working to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions by improving the energy-saving performance of all products, including printing products, machine tools, industrial sewing machines, home sewing machines, and new business products, and by reducing consumption of resources, including packing materials. As an example of calculation, a graph of avoided CO2 emissions for the SPEEDIO machine tools through the improvement of energy-saving performance is shown below.
The SPEEDIO models perform optimization control to fully demonstrate machine performance based on NC control, which was developed in-house. We also focus on the concept of eliminating all waste, such as reducing consumption of electricity and air when the operation of machines is stopped and enabling efficient placement even in limited spaces through compact designs. We contribute to reducing CO2 emissions at customers' sites by realizing high production efficiency and energy-saving performance.
Blue Technology (Environmental Performance of SPEEDIO)(This website is available only in Japanese.)
Method of Calculation of Avoided CO2 Emissions (based on internal research)
![Avoided CO2 emissions for machine tools [Total from 2019 to 2023] (graph)](/-/media/global/sustainability/img/eco/co2/co2-mt-en.ashx)
Compared Brother's product (SPEEDIO No. 30 spindle machine) to competitor's products (No. 30 and No. 40 spindle machines), calculated the contribution to avoided CO2 emissions in the product use stage that could be achieved through improving energy-saving performance and other means.
- Calculation formula (competitor product CO2 emissions - Brother product CO2 emissions) x number of products sold (estimated 10 years of product use)
- CO2 emissions from competitor products are calculated based on data obtained by running general No. 30 and No. 40 spindle machines based on Brother's scenarios with a processing program developed by Brother (No. 30 and No. 40 spindle machines refers to the size of the tool attachment area and are machine tool industry terms that represent product categories)
- Avoided emissions are based on Brother's original scenarios and differs from the actual reduction.
- Calculation details are supervised by a third-party expert based on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's "Guidelines for Quantifying GHG emission reductions of goods or services through Global Value Chain" (March 2018).
In addition, the avoided CO2 emissions in FY2023 was about 19,000 tons, which was achieved by increasing the capacity of consumables to reduce the number used and packaging materials for the aforementioned color LED printers and garment printers.
2024 CDP Questionnaire
CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) is an international non-profit environmental organization founded in 2000, whose disclosure system sets the global standard for environmental reporting in the global economy.
CDP's environmental data is used by financial markets, policy initiatives, and various other stakeholders.
Brother Industries, Ltd. (BIL) has been participating in CDP Climate Change since 2011 and in CDP Water Security since 2015, and has been responding to the questionnaires.
- In 2024, questions regarding Climate change, Forests, Water security, Plastics, and Biodiversity were integrated into the CDP Questionnaire.
