Konica Minolta's Five Business Units in Japan Achieve "Green Factory Certification System Level 1": Comprehensive Environmental Consideration Steps Up Continuing Efforts throughout Manufacturing Activities

Tokyo (February 3, 2011) –Konica Minolta Holdings Inc., (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce that its five business units*¹ in Japan have achieved "Green Factory Certification level 1." At the start of its own "Green Factory Certification System," The Konica Minolta Group divided production activities at its own production sites into 23 business units. Each business unit has set up its targets and activity plans to achieve in the system. Achievement of "level 1" requires those business units not only to meet high standards of reduction of CO₂ emission by 12 percent per unit of production, reduction of externally discharged waste by 30 percent per unit of sales, and reduction of volume of petroleum-based resource waste by 30 percent per unit of sales, as compared to the fiscal year 2005 level, but also to go through strict evaluation of the implementation process based on guidelines with approximately 250 assessment items.

The five business units which achieved "level 1," as the first in the Konica Minolta Group, are: Konica Minolta Supplies Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Kofu City, Yamanashi); Konica Minolta Medical and Graphic Inc. Kofu Site (Kofu City, Yamanashi); and three business units at Konica Minolta Technoproducts Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Sayama City, Saitama).

Konica Minolta Supplies Manufacturing engages in the production of supplies (polymerized toner, photocoductor and developer) for business technologies products such as MFPs (multi-functional peripherals) and printers. For the achievement of "level 1" criteria, integration of plant facilities and fine-tuned control of equipment for increased efficiency have resulted in reduction of CO₂ emission by 27 percent and efforts such as in-house processing of waste have lead to reduction of externally discharged waste by 40 percent.

Konica Minolta Medical and Graphic Inc. Kofu Site engages in the production of dry films for healthcare systems. For the achievement of "level 1" criteria, a number of energy-saving efforts in each production process have resulted in reduction of CO₂ emission by 20 percent and efforts such as distillation reuse of waste fluid has lead to reduction of externally discharged waste by 44 percent.

Konica Minolta Technoproducts Co., Ltd. engages in the production including assembly of digital diagnostic imaging system equipment and manufacturing of imaging plates for the systems. For the achievement of "level 1" criteria at the equipment assembly business unit, for example, efforts such as introduction of just-in-time production have resulted in reduction of CO₂ emission by 43 percent.

The business units who achieved the "level 1" criteria have respectively implemented and will continue to carry out sustainable activity plans with focus on future achievement of "Green Factory Certification System level 2*²."

To fulfill its responsibility as a global corporation and by contributing to a sustainable earth and human societies, Konica Minolta Group's long-term environmental vision, called "Eco Vision 2050," declares the Group's intention to reduce CO₂ emission by 80 percent by the year of 2050, compared to the fiscal year 2005 levels. The Group also created its "Medium-Term Environmental Plan 2015" as a milestone on the way to the targets outlined in "Eco Vision 2050." In the fiscal year 2009 Konica Minolta Group started activities under its own "Green Factory Certification System" in an effort to support the achievement of targets outlined in its "Medium-Term Environmental Plan 2015."

The "Green Factory Certification System" aims to ensure that factories are comprehensively environmentally considerate. The system establishes unified Group-wide criteria in the areas of "preventing global warming," "supporting a recycling-oriented society," and "reducing the risk of chemical substances." There are two sets of criteria for all business units to achieve: one is "level 2" to be achieved by the fiscal year 2015, and the other is "level 1" to be achieved by the end of the fiscal year 2011 to ensure steady progress toward the 2015 goal. The Group is striving to achieve all of the goals throughout the entire business units by the end of respectively targeted fiscal years.

The five business units are the first to achieve the "level 1" criteria by the end of the fiscal year 2010, ending on March 31, 2011, ahead of others among 23 business units worldwide which started carrying out activities for the certification system since January 2010.

The Konica Minolta Group will continue efforts, as manufacturer that develops businesses globally, by involving every employee in the Group to work on reduction of environmental footprint and build up a leading position in environmental activities.

*1

Multiple organizations engaged in the same production activities are treated as a single business unit, even though they are based in more than one location. Multiple business units may be based in one location.

*2

"Green Factory Certification System level 2" requirements include reduction of CO₂ emission by 20 percent per unit of production, reduction of externally discharged waste by 50 percent per unit of sales, and reduction of volume of petroleum-based resource waste by 50 percent per unit of sales, compared to the 2005 levels.

For additional information on Konica Minolta's environmental efforts, visit
//www.konicaminolta.com/about/csr/environment/index.html