Harmony with Nature
Environmental Preservation Plan
Alps Electric began implementing activity for its Fifth Medium-Term Action Plan for Environmental Preservation in fiscal 2006. The plan specifies numerical targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and discharged waste, as well as measures for improving chemical substance management. Our environmental management system has gained global strength as we have begun to conduct environmental briefings for our overseas affiliate representatives, and have recently established Dandong Alps Electronics, which acquired ISO 14001 certification in fiscal 2006.
With ongoing and strict management of chemical substances contained in our products, we are also preparing to perform continual life cycle assessments (LCA), which have been under trial since fiscal 2005. Despite a decline in total CO2 emissions from our facilities in fiscal 2006, CO2 emissions per unit of output rose due to changes in production volumes. On the contrary, we have succeeded in abolishing the use of PFC/HFC greenhouse gases from production processes, and have also reduced total waste discharge. However, as with the greenhouse gas CO2 , we have seen an increase in waste discharged per unit of output. As regards quantity of paper used and total discharge of volatile organic compounds (VOC), we have already achieved the relative targets.
“Energy patrol” at Wakuya Plant of the Mechatronic Devices Division, ensuring no energy is wasted in its efforts to prevent global warming.
Our in-house magazine introduces environmental preservation activities made by employees’ families in order to raise our awareness on environmental conservation.
Management
Develop an appropriate organizational structure to achieve effective environmental management while fostering environmental awareness among all employees
| Objectives | (FY2006–FY2008) |
FY2006 Results | FY2006 Self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental management system | Strengthen collaboration with overseas production bases | 1) Periodical publication of environmental reports |  |
| 2) Environmental briefings conducted for our overseas affiliate representatives (February 2007) | |
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| Environmental communication |
1) Periodical publication of environmental reports | 1) CSR Report published (June 2006) | |
| 2) Information distribution via the Internet | 2) Relative information distributed via our website | |
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| Environmental education | 1) Promote organized environmental education | 1) Implemented education for new employees and newly-appointed managers | |
| 2) Promote educational activities related to the home environment | 2) Featured environmental articles in our in-house magazine | |
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| Environmental accounting | Further environmental accounting | Aggregated costs and benefits | |
Self-evaluation 
:Achieved:Well in progress
:Behind schedule
Environmental initiatives through
our products
Reduce the environmental impact of products through environmentally conscious design and development
| Objectives | (FY2006–FY2008) |
FY2006 Results | FY2006 Self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design for the environment | 1) Promote environmentally conscious design and development | 1) Investigated a common process for product assessments | |
| 2) Perform LCA trials | 2) Conducted in-house research in preparation for LCA implementation | |
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| Reduction of hazardous substances | 1) Maintain non-use of banned substances (compliance) | 1) Revised chemical substances standards and strengthened our in-house management system to ensure compliance | |
| 2) Reduce environmentally hazardous substances | 2) Investigated alternative technologies for exempted items | |
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| Green procurement | Propagate green procurement | Used the Alps Green Procurement System globally | |
Self-evaluation :Achieved:Well in progress:Behind schedule
Environmental initiatives in our plants and offices
Reduce the environmental impact of production processes and office operation
| Objectives | (FY2006–FY2008) |
FY2006 Results | FY2006 Self-evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prevention of global warming | 1) Reduce CO2 emissions Reduce FY2010 CO2 emissions from energy consumption per unit of output by 15% of FY2004 level | 1) CO2 emissions per unit output:53.2t/100 million yen 0.6% increase from FY2004 level (regression) 9.9% increase from FY2005 (regression) |
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| 2) Reduce greenhouse gas (excluding CO2) emissions Abolish the use of PFCs/HFCs (for production) by the end of FY2010 | 2) Abolished the use of PFCs/HFCs for production purposes (June 2006) | |
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| Recycling | 1) Maintain and improve “zero-emissions” performance | 1) Expanded “zero-emission” activity to include domestic production subsidiaries | |
| 2) Reduce total waste volumes Reduce total waste per unit of FY2008 output by 15% of FY2004 level | 2) Total waste volume per unit output: 4.99t/100 million yen 1.4% increase from FY2004 level (regression) 10.0% increase from FY2005 level (regression) |
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| 3) Reduce paper use
Reduce FY2008 paper use by 20% of FY2004 level |
3) Quantity of paper used: 89.4t 24.7% reduction from FY2004 level (improvement) 19.7% reduction from FY2005 level (improvement) |
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| Perform appropriate management of chemical substances | 1) Proper management of chemical substances Reduce contamination risk by promoting appropriate management of chemical substances at production facilities including overseas locations | 1) Assessed emergency risks, installed equipment to prevent leakage, and conducted drills | |
| 2) Reduce VOC emission volumes Reduce FY2010 VOC emissions by 30% of FY2000 level |
2) VOC emissions: 250t 51.5% reduction from FY2000 level (improvement) 21.0% reduction from FY2005 level (improvement) |
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| Green purchasing | Promote green purchasing for office supplies and company-owned cars | Headquarters and divisions used green purchasing for office supplies | |
| Logistics | Promote environmentally conscious logistics | Conducted modal shift | |
| Greening | Promote greening campaigns | Facilities carried out tree planting activities | |
| Social contribution activities | Promote activities that contribute to the social wellbeing of local communities | Facilities conducted cleanup activities around their area | |
Self-evaluation :Achieved:Well in progress:Behind schedule
