Environmentally Conscious Products
Along with the reduction of environmental impact from our business activities, we are striving to increase the number of environmentally conscious products as an initiative stated in our environmental policy.
We assess our products to determine their level of social and environmental contribution and classify them into, for example, Eco Mind products, Eco-products, and anti-global warming products based on the level. We also use the assessment results for developing new products.
Overview of the Framework for Environmentally Friendly Products
“Eco Mind” Products (The first Step）
We perform product assessment when developing new products, as well as when making major design changes to existing products. The products having undergone product assessment are registered as “Eco Mind” products and the registration results are published within the Group, with an aim to make our products more environmentally conscious.
| Product Evaluation Items | Container and Packaging Evaluation Items |
|---|---|
|
●Conserving resources ●Reducing use of harmful substances ●Expanding product service life ●Ease of reuse ●Ease of recycling ●Ease of dismantling ●Reducing environmental impacts during manufacturing processes ●Reducing environmental impacts during product use ●Reducing environmental impacts after product end of use |
●Conserving resources ●Reducing use of harmful substances ●Ease of recycling ●Reducing environmental impacts after product end of use |
Eco-products (The second Step)
Among “Eco Mind” products, the products with particularly outstanding environmental features are examined in accordance with our Eco Symbol Program, which is based on ISO14021, and those that meet the criteria are certified as “Eco-products.” Through this program, we will promote development and market penetration of environmentally conscious products.
By fiscal 2014, a total of 213 products were certified as Eco-products. We are working to meet the target of increasing the sales ratio (sales of Eco-products / sales in the division) to 50% in the Action ECO-21 (Phase V) campaign.
Assessment criteria in the Eco Symbol Program
1. Reducing use of harmful chemical substances
2. Increasing the proportion of recycled materials used
3. Reducing use of resources
4. Utilizing recovered energy
5. Reducing waste
6. Energy efficiency, energy management and energy saving
7. Water use efficiency, water management and water saving
8. Products with longer service life
9. Reusability and refillability
10. Recyclability
11. Dismantlable design
12. Degradability, biodegradability and photodegradability
13. Compostability
Anti-Global Warming Products
(The third Step)
We have established a new program on “Anti-Global Warming Products.” In this program, we register the Eco-products that especially contribute to the reduction of CO₂ emissions from society, and calculate and disclose the reduction effect, in order to contribute to the prevention of global warming.
