Addressing Climate Change

Basic Concept

In recent years, global warming shown by rising average temperatures as well as natural disasters due to abnormal weather including droughts, heat waves, and heavy rains have become more frequent worldwide. Climate change is one of the world's most serious social issues and is exerting various harmful effects on the lives and economic activities of everyone. The world is rapidly and ambitiously transitioning to a low-carbon model under the Paris Agreement, which was agreed among the member countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Konica Minolta’s environmental management is based on the concept of “growing existing businesses and creating new ones by helping to solve environmental problems such as climate change.” The goal is to be a company that is essential to society by helping to solve climate change and other global environmental challenges while pursuing corporate growth. There is a limit to what one company can do on its own to solve the problem of global climate change. This is why Konica Minolta seeks to achieve Carbon Minus status by proactively contributing to the reduction of CO₂ emissions on the planet in collaboration with stakeholders, primarily business partners and customers. The Company defines Carbon Minus status as “making a greater contribution to CO₂ reductions in areas outside the scope of our responsibility than the volume of CO₂ emissions in areas we are responsible for.” It refers to a situation where the Company’s customers and users of its products in the broader society contribute more to the reduction of CO₂ emissions (including Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions) than the emissions directly related to its own products and operations. Konica Minolta will continue to accelerate the effects of decarbonization, broaden its ties with stakeholders, and grow its business together with them by sharing the know-how for achieving both decarbonization and cost reductions with customers and business partners and helping all stakeholders fulfill their responsibilities.
For CO₂ emissions that are directly related to products and businesses (Scope 1, 2, 3 emissions), Konica Minolta has set medium-term Science Based Targets (SBTs) for CO₂ emissions reduction by 2030. As a roadmap to reaching the target, the Group has established short-, medium-, and long-term measures to reduce CO₂ emissions for which it is directly responsible by taking CO₂ emissions reduction initiatives such as developing energy-saving production technologies, introducing renewable energy-derived electricity, converting its business to a paperless operation, and considering adoption of CO₂-free fuels. Furthermore, Konica Minolta is working to solve social and environmental issues through its products and services and has formulated a business plan to both generate sales and reduce CO₂ emissions. The Company also believes that conducting business with a focus on quickly conforming to the needs of a renewable energy-based society that is not reliant on fossil fuels is a necessary condition for any company to grow sustainably. It is therefore a member of the RE100 international leader initiative, which aims to conduct business using 100% renewable energy. The Company has set a target of using 100% renewable energy for the electricity procured for use in its business operations by 2050.