• Corporate News
  • Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 3431

TOKYO, August 31, 2021 - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it has fulfilled the major targets of its just-completed Environmental Vision 2021 that the company introduced in 2007. By achieving the targets of this vision, Mitsubishi Electric has contributed to the realization of a more sustainable, low-carbon world that emphasizes recycling and harmony with nature. The vision's guiding principles were to contribute to people and the earth through technological and other initiatives through 2021, Mitsubishi Electric's 100th anniversary.
Mitsubishi Electric is now striving to achieve the targets of its current long-term environmental vision, Environmental Sustainability Vision 2050, under which the company aims to create new value and contribute to an increasingly sustainable world through diverse environmental initiatives, including decarbonization.

  1. 1)Low-carbon Society: Reduced greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions from product use and production

    Mitsubishi Electric achieved a 36% reduction from the FY2001 level in greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions generated during use of the company's products, thereby exceeding the original 30% reduction target. This was accomplished through technological innovations and the development of highly energy-efficient products. As for CO2 emissions from manufacturing operations, Mitsubishi Electric's investments in energy conservation at each manufacturing site led to a 56% reduction from the FY1991 level, significantly better than the original 30% target.

  2. 2)Recycling society: Reduced plastic and metal inputs, water consumption and waste emissions

    Regarding the final waste disposal rate, the company and domestic affiliates lowered their rate to 0.02% (target: less than 0.1%) and overseas affiliates achieved a rate of 0.15% (target: less than 0.5%). By reducing the sizes and weights of its products, Mitsubishi Electric reduced its resource inputs by an average of 43% across in 64 product groups compared to the FY2001 level, which significantly surpassed the original 30% target. In addition, water consumption per unit of sales was reduced by 20% from the FY2011 level, double the initial target of 10% (1% annually). This was achieved by continuously measuring the amount of water used and reused at domestic and overseas bases and horizontally adopting best practices to reduce consumption. Furthermore, Mitsubishi Electric upgraded its plastic recycling technology for expanded closed-loop recycling in which plastic collected from home appliances is reused in the company's own manufactured home appliances. As a result, the company sucessfully raised its ratio of recycled mixed plastic to high-purity plastic in home appliance recycling from 6% in FY2011 to 80% at present.

  3. 3)Society in harmony with nature: Robust biodiversity initiatives at business sites

    The company also strove to continue conducting its "Mitsubishi Electric Outdoor Classrooms" and "Satoyama Woodland Preservation Project" with the goal of surpassing 51,000 total participants by the end of FY2021. Due to COVID-19, however, some locations were obliged to suspend such activities, so the final participants total came to 48,872. Biodiversity preservation measures at business sites were carried out in 24 locations in Japan, as targeted.

Targets and Results of Environmental Vision 20211

Sector Main Activities Evaluation Index Target Actual Target Fulfilled
Low-carbon Society Reduce CO2 emissions during production CO2 emissions 30% less
(520,000 tons)		 56% less
(1.16 million tons)		 Yes
Reduce CO2 emissions during product use Reduce CO2 emissions during product use via energy-saving performance Average reduction rate
(vs. FY2001)		 30% 36% Yes
Recycling-oriented Society Use resources more effectively Final disposal rate Domestic operations 0.1%> 0.02% Yes
Overseas operations 0.5%> 0.15% Yes
Reduce resource inputs Average reduction rate
(vs. FY2001)		 30% 43% Yes
Use water more effectively Water use per unit of sales reduced 1 percentage point per year (vs. FY2011) 10% or more 20% Yes
Society in Harmony with Nature Continue to conduct "Mitsubishi Electric Outdoor Classrooms" and "Satoyama Woodland Preservation Project" Total participants since FY2008 51,000 people 48,872 people No2
Protect biodiversity at business sites Number of locations All 24 districts All 24 districts Yes
  1. 1Due to changing social conditions and the business environment, some original targets/initiatives were revised or eliminated
  2. 2Due to COVID-19, some locations were obliged to suspend activities

Recognition of Achievements by External Organizations, Such as CDP

Environmental Vision 2021 provided for the formulation and implemention of a new environmental plan every three years, which invovled groupwide evaluation of various in-house environmental indicators and periodic reviews of plans and measures. Information on these initiatives was disseminated externally, and as a result Mitsubishi Electric received a number of high ratings from external bodies engaged in evaluating and rating the envirnmental activities of companies and organizations.3,4

  1. 3Selected as "A List Company" by CDP, an NGO that investigates, evaluates and discloses corporate and urban environmental initiatives.
  2. 4Accreditation under Science Based Targets (SBT) Initiative, including United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), CDP, and World Resources Institute (WRI)

Inquiry

Media contact

Customer Inquiries

Related articles

  • Corporate News
  • Environmental News