As global citizen, we will promote innovation throughout the world while developing the potentials of the future generation to pioneer next generation products and services.
Provision of next-generation products and services
We will continue to make innovations for highly competitive products and services that will contribute to structuring a sustainable society and deploy new business models.
Eco-mind and global environmental management
Throughout our entire group, we will create an advanced eco-mind and the power to transform it into action and build/operate a global management and evaluation system.
Collaboration with stakeholders
We will strengthen environmental communications and actively endeavor to realize concrete partnerships with our stakeholders while clarifying our objectives and achievements.
Factories and offices with a high level of consideration for the environment
We will thoroughly carry out activities for the prevention of global warming and continue our efforts to promote recycling, and at the same time, to build up our bases with consideration for the environment.
In fiscal 2007, the Hitachi Group formulated the Environmental Vision 2025 long-term plan under which the Group carries out activities aimed at preventing global warming, preserving ecosystems and recycling resources. Hitachi Appliances regards maintaining harmony with the environment as one of its most crucial management issues and undertakes companywide initiatives. Under our environmental management system based on ISO 14001 standards, 8 domestic and 11 overseas bases, mainly manufacturing bases, have attained certification. We are also working to cultivate “eco-minded employees” by providing environmental education through e-learning via the Internet.
To reduce the environmental impact at every stage of the product lifecycle, we are expanding our range of Eco-Products by adopting Assessment for DfE (Design for Environment) into product development and striving to achieve greater energy savings, effectively utilize resources and reduce the use of chemical substances.
Hitachi Appliances’ products have been highly acclaimed for their energy-saving performance and environmentally conscious design. As prime examples, the “Heat Recycling Blow-Ironing Big Drum” drum-type washer-dryer won the 2008 Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Minister’s Energy-Saving Award. Meanwhile, Samusa Shirazu commercial packaged air conditioner earned the 2008 Minister of the Environment Global Warming Preventative Action Award.
On the production side, Hitachi Appliances is striving to reduce environmental impact at its business sites through such measures as reducing CO2 emissions through energy conservation, reducing waste materials (zero emissions) and VOC (volatile organic compounds), and focusing on risk management of chemicals used in the production process. We are also channeling our efforts toward reducing environmental impact during the transport of products by promoting modal shifts and improving load efficiencies.
Prior to the enactment of the Home Appliance Recycling Law in April 2001, Kantou Eco Recycle Co. Ltd. was established within the Tochigi Works in 1999 as a plant for recycling four categories of used electrical home appliances (TVs, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners). This is the recycling plant integrated with a product manufacturing plant, and feedback gained from operating this plant is used for the development of new products. Recycling of recovered plastics for usage as materials for washing machine underframes and other uses was started from 2002, with further application to be expanded to refrigerators and air conditioners.
