Toshiba Group positions environmental communication as one of the activities of “Enhancement of the basis of environmental management” under the Seventh Environmental Action Plan and is promoting activities centered on “External communication” and “Networking with stakeholders.” In terms of “External communication,” we disclose the latest information mainly on Toshiba Group Environment Website because we consider disclosing Toshiba Group’s environmental initiatives to stakeholders in a timely manner important. For “Networking with stakeholders,” we promote activities with the action goal of promoting communication activities suitable for the age of the new normal to create networks with stakeholders, based on collaboration with communities and organizations at each site worldwide, such as local residents, NPOs, NGOs, and administrative offices as well as among employees.
External communication
Toshiba Group had issued the Environmental Report since FY1998 and the CSR Report since FY2004. In FY2020 and FY2021, we integrated these reports into the Sustainability Report. In FY2022, in an attempt to disclose information in a more timely manner, we discontinued issuing information in a report format and have been disclosing Toshiba Group’s comprehensive environment related information on Toshiba Group Environment Website. In addition, we disclose information on our latest initiatives reflecting global trends through advertisements and exhibitions.
Environmental advertisements
As part of our accelerating carbon neutrality initiatives, Toshiba introduced a green transformation (GX) consulting service, which we jointly offer with Accenture Japan Ltd.Our three GX solutions—namely, “Renewable energy supply,” “FEMS/Manufacturing Site Optimization,” and “CO2 Visualization”—have been implemented at some leading sites within Toshiba Group. Going forward, we will provide the GX solutions outside the company in the future.
Networking with stakeholders
Toshiba Group considers it is important to improve environmental awareness and to contribute to solving various environmental issues through communication with communities and organizations, such as local residents, NPOs, NGOs, and administrative offices as well as through collaboration among employees. In FY2022, we carried out approximately 340 environmental activities with stakeholders in 14 countries around the world, under the five activity themes of energy, resources, chemical substances, water, and nature. All the participants united to think about the importance of environmental conservation and contribute to solving environmental issues rooted in society and community such as saving energy, resource circulation, and biodiversity, while enjoying relation building with each other.
Case 1: Environmental education program with the theme of “Hydrogen that contributes to decarbonization” (Main activity theme: Energy)
Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation
Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation held an environmental education class on “hydrogen” at the Toshiba Science Museum, a junior high school in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture and a Michi-no-Eki roadside station in Fukushima Prefecture where FH2R* is located.
In this class, firstly, we explained to participants environmental issues, global warming caused by the increase of greenhouse gases particularly CO2 and that hydrogen is an effective solution to prevent global warming.
Next, participants experimented with generating and consuming hydrogen using pencils and dry cell batteries.
The purpose of this class is that participants become interested in environmental issues and their solutions.
A participant commented: “I realized through this class that the environmental issues we are currently facing. and learned that hydrogen and fuel cells can solve them.”
- FH2R: Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field
Case 2: Releasing the Home Appliance Recycling Center “Web Factory Tour” video (Main activity theme: Resources)
Toshiba Environmental Solutions Corporation
Toshiba Environmental Solutions Corporation is working to realize a circular economy through reuse, recycling, and solutions for various used products, such as home appliances, office automation equipment, and solar batteries.
The company is exhibiting an online video entitled “Web Factory Tour” that reveals the inside of the Home Appliance Recycling Center, which is usually undisclosed, to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and issues such as waste treatment with respect to four home appliances, namely TVs, air conditioners, washing machines, and refrigerators. The video introduces the process of collecting disposed home appliances, disassembly, sorting, and extracting recycled materials, then explains the effects of recycling and how the recycled materials can be used. We hope this will make home appliance recycling more familiar to the public and promote recycling efforts and understanding.
Going forward, we will continue to work on the recycling business based on the experience we have acquired over the years and our proven technology, thereby contributing to the realization of a circular economy.
- “Web Factory Tour” video (Toshiba Environmental Solutions Corporation) (Japanese only)
Image of opening of the video（Japanese only）
Case 3: Remake workshop in environmental education with the theme of waste reduction (Main activity theme: Resources)
Toshiba Semiconductor (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (TST)
As part of our CSR activities for the neighborhood community, our employees provided environmental education at the nearby Srimahaphot School. This is our first environmental education activity. This environmental education was conducted face to face with students at schools lectured on themes including global warming and waste reduction through the 3 R’s (reuse, reduce, and recycle) using video teaching materials, so that students also could learned about our energy conservation and environmental initiatives. In addition, we held a workshop to make eco-bags from old T-shirts. Going forward, we will continue to build relationships with local residents through environmental enlightenment activities.
Number of students who participated in this education: 31 second-year junior high school students.
Case 4: Lake Mitchell water quality improvement activity (Main activity theme: Water)
Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. Toner Products Division
At Lake Mitchell, which is located near our site, the deterioration of the water quality due to the massive outbreak of green algae has become a problem in recent years. The cause of this green algal is related to an increase in phosphorus and nitrogen in the lake water, but it is thought that the phosphorus and nitrogen can be absorbed by plants. Toshiba America Business Solutions, in cooperation with the Mitchell City local government, the companies around our site, and the Boy Scouts of America, created floating islands with plants and installed them in the lake. We plan to continue to participate in this activity in FY2023.
Floating them on Lake Mitchell
Case 5: Forest development activities (Main activity theme: Nature)
Toshiba TEC Europe Imaging Systems S.A.
Toshiba TEC Europe Imaging Systems S.A. has established an in-house biodiversity conservation team and begun conducting various environment-related activities. In recent years, with a focus on joint activities with neighboring organizations, we have been working with the city government of Dieppe, where the site is located, schools, and companies. In FY2021, we established a new partnership with a school dedicated to forestry education and have been conducting activities with the school. In FY2022, in addition to developing green areas within the site, we worked with students to thin forests and woodlands in the surrounding area of approximately 2 hectares, maintain the land, and conduct clean-up activities.
Conducted forest and woodland development activities in collaboration with forestry education school students.
Case 6: Environmental enlightenment activities for employees in contest form (Main activity theme: Environment in general)
Toshiba Information Equipment (Philippines), Inc. (TIP)
We conduct activities in contest format for various measures aiming to improve employees’ environmental awareness. In our business activities, we hold a quiz show to deepen and measure their understanding and awareness of Environmental Management System (EMS) procedures and operation management, and contests for ideas for initiatives to improve environmental performance to respond to environmental issues. We also hold photo contests to encourage employees to reduce their energy and water consumption, as well as to recognize the beauty of the natural environment and local communities, and to motivate them to conserve the environment. By smoothly exchanging employees’ varied ideas in a contest, we improve environmental awareness.
Employees participating in a quiz show
Photo contest showcasing the beauty of nature and life on the earth. Illustrates biodiversity and species.
Energy-saving contest to save electricity and water at home
Environment Kaizen: Idea contest on environmental improvement activities
Case 7: Environmental education program for children (Main activity theme: Environment in general)
Toshiba Corporation (Japan)
Toshiba Corporation collaborates with the Association of Corporation and Education, an NPO that specializes in developing classroom lectures with companies, to hold environmental education programs for children at elementary schools around Tokyo and in communities where Toshiba Group has business and production sites, and branch offices as well as at event sites across the country.
In these programs, we raise children's awareness of global warming, resource depletion, and other environmental issues that seriously affect people's lives. We also introduce various scientific technologies to help solve such issues. By doing so, we encourage children to consider environmental issues, explore ways to help society, and take action as members of society.
The content of these programs is linked to the elementary school curriculum guidelines and is suitable for science, social studies, and general education classes. The program places importance on experiments, group activities, and active communication with teachers in order for children to learn about initiatives and technologies that have been developed to resolve environmental issues, while having fun.
We held two programs, “What's on the other side of the power outlet?” (Theme: Energy) and “A mysterious material that controls electricity!? — Discovery and use of semiconductors and learning how to use energy” (Theme: Semiconductors). The children who will take part in the development of a sustainable society in the future and teachers actively exchange views during this opportunity to think about what they can do now and what they can do 10 and 20 years from now.
In the program with the theme of energy, children learned the characteristics of various power generation methods, including wind power generation, geothermal power generation, solar power generation, and thermal power generation, while doing experiments.
In the program with the theme of semiconductors, children completed electronic crafts to help them understand that semiconductors can contribute to saving energy in products and they learned that the environment is taken into consideration during manufacturing.
Kaga Toshiba Electronics Corporation held a visiting class for children at a neighboring elementary school in FY2022. Children learned about the history and structure of semiconductors and their contribution to energy conservation, and experienced circuit construction. Children commented, "I was glad to learn about how electricity works," and "I now understand how signals are made and what global warming is all about”.