Policy
Eco Vision 2050
Long-Term Environmental Target Eco Vision 2050
Given the urgency of global environmental issues, global businesses have a great responsibility to help build a more sustainable society by reducing environmental impact.
With Eco Vision 2050, Konica Minolta exemplifies its determination to fulfill its long-term environmental responsibilities.
Eco Vision 2050
1-1. Reduce CO2 emissions throughout the product lifecycle by 61% by 2025, compared to fiscal 2005 levels and help to reduce more than 800 thousand tons of CO2 emissions other than those in Scope 1, 2, and 3 to achieve Carbon Minus status
1-2. Reduce CO2 emissions throughout the product lifecycle to net zero by 2050
2-1. Reduce the use of natural resources* in our products by 90% or more by 2050
2-2. Contribute more to reducing use of natural resources through products other than our own
3. Work to promote restoration and preservation of biodiversity
- Natural Resources:
Resources that require new drilling or mining, such as crude oil or mineral resources, and are generally synonymous with depletable resources.
Addressing Climate Change
In Eco Vision 2050, its long-term environmental vision, Konica Minolta addresses one of the material issues, “addressing climate change,” from a long-term perspective. With approval by the Board of Directors in 2009, the vision set the challenging goal of reducing CO2 emissions from products throughout their entire lifecycle by 80% by 2050, compared to fiscal 2005 levels. In recent years, many companies have begun to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the entire product lifecycle, including the supply chain, as well as CO2 emissions from their own production processes. However, since 2009, Konica Minolta has been working to reduce CO2 emissions throughout the entire lifecycle and has steadily accumulated a track record of reductions.
In 2017, the issue of climate change was identified as an opportunity, and the Company added a commitment to achieve Carbon Minus status across its business activities and help to reduce CO2 emissions for society.
In May 2023, the Board of Directors approved the revision of Eco Vision 2050 and set a new vision of reducing CO2 emissions in the product lifecycle from the previous 80% to net zero by 2050.
At the same time, although we had planned to achieve Carbon Minus status by 2030, we have decided to achieve it by 2025, five years ahead of schedule.
Net zero is the idea of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to “virtually zero.” However, as completely reducing emissions to zero is difficult, any remaining emissions are to be offset with carbon credits or other internationally recognized methods in accordance with the SBTi’s definition of net zero. In addition, we are a member of RE100, an international initiative committed to operating our business on 100% renewable energy. By sourcing 100% of the electricity for our business activities from renewable energy sources by 2050, we aim to enhance our capacity to reduce emissions toward net zero.
Regarding Carbon Minus, Konica Minolta will strengthen the core technologies developed through the use of AI and technologies that cut across business areas, expanding its contribution to energy and CO2 emissions reduction for its customers and suppliers. Creating and enhancing the impact of these environmental contributions will lead to a more competitive business.
In fiscal 2024, Konica Minolta began managing its CO2 emissions reduction results based on leading-edge climate science with fiscal 2018 as the base year, with a view to updating to effective and ambitious targets along the 1.5°C emissions pathway to achieve the Paris Agreement.
Carbon Minus means working in collaboration with customers and suppliers to achieve net zero CO2 emissions for which we are responsible over the product lifecycle (Scope 1, 2, and 3) by 2050, while contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions outside of our responsibility (Scope 4) and creating a situation where CO2 reductions exceed the amount of emissions for which we are responsible. Our goal of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions over the product lifecycle represents our aim of adapting our business to a decarbonized society. By achieving Carbon Minus as early as possible, Konica Minolta aims to demonstrate the value of its significant contributions to society and support business growth by reducing emissions beyond its own, in a world moving toward decarbonization.
CO2 emissions for which Konica Minolta is responsible are directly related to its products and business. Specifically, these include CO2 emissions associated with lifecycle of the company’s products, such as the manufacture of parts and materials it procures, production within the company, distribution of its products, sales and service within the company, and the use of its products by customers. On the other hand, CO2 emissions generated by suppliers with parts and materials procured from other companies, and CO2 emissions generated by customers with products from other companies, are outside of the company’s responsibility. However, Konica Minolta can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions outside of its responsibility by providing its CO2 reduction know-how and technologies, and by helping customers transform their production processes using Konica Minolta's products and services.
In Konica Minolta’s view, Carbon Minus consists of activities that are outside of the company’s responsibility and are more proactive in reducing CO2 emissions on the planet. To achieve this goal, Konica Minolta will proactively work to raise awareness of environmental issues and influence stakeholder behavior by providing its solutions and expertise to business partners and customers. This approach aims to achieve greater reductions in emissions than could be accomplished by the company alone. Konica Minolta also hopes that visualizing the invisible effects of its activities will provide an opportunity for more people to gain a quantitative understanding of its achievements and become actively involved in CO2 reduction activities.
Using Limited Resources Effectively
In May 2023, Konica Minolta set quantitative targets for 2050 in Eco Vision 2050, its long-term environmental vision, for “Using Limited Resources Effectively,” one of its material issues. Its vision is to "Aim for Zero Use of the Natural Resources" to achieve a business that does not depend on the depleted natural resources to provide its products and services.
Specifically, Konica Minolta will not only reduce the amount of resources used in its products, but also proactively shift to circulated resources, including recycled materials and biomaterials, with the aim of reducing the use of natural resources by at least 90% by 2050.
At the same time, we will maximize the contribution that our customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders make to reducing their use of natural resources by contributing to this reduction with our own products and sharing our know-how.
In the provision of our products and services, we seek to transform our business model to one that does not depend on depletable resources, and to increase corporate value by synchronizing non-financial value with financial value through our business activities.