Environmental management

 

Hamamatsu Photonics Group Environmental Policy

  1. Providing environmentally friendly products
    Develop and provide products that contribute to environmental improvement and reduce the impact throughout the product life cycle.
  2. Actions to address environmental activities
    Encourage all our employees to take environmentally friendly actions, and strive to achieve our environmental goals based on the identification of risks and opportunities that can influence our business activities, products, and services.
  3. Protection of the environment, prevention of pollution
    Address climate change mitigation and adaptation, resource circulation, energy saving, waste reduction, chemical management, biodiversity protection, water conservation, and pollution prevention.
  4. Compliance with environmental regulations
    Comply with domestic and international legal requirements, individual agreements, and other requirements to which we subscribe voluntarily.
  5. Continuous improvement of the environmental management system
    Make every effort to improve our environmental performance through the continuous improvement of our environmental management system, by evaluating our environmental impact at regular intervals.
  6. Promoting environmental communication
    Promote environmental awareness and open communication with stakeholders and employees by sharing environmental information both internally and externally.

 

Established: December 4, 2002
Revised: April 1, 2024

 

Environmental management system

Under the Hamamatsu Photonics Group Environmental Policy, each fiscal year we set environmental goals and targets for our environmental management system (EMS), evaluate the results from our activity, and work to constantly improve our EMS on the basis of management review.

To ensure that the cycle described above runs smoothly, we have established a Headquarters Environmental Committee, the decision-making body of the EMS chaired by the General Environmental Management Representative (environmental management executive officer) under the Sustainability Office. This Committee is an umbrella group composed of the four environmental working groups, the environmental committees in each division (office), and the Headquarters Environmental Committee Secretariats. By establishing similar structures in each division (office), we enable the execution of comprehensive environmental activities.

We are also working on environmental activities in collaboration with the Social and Environmentally Friendly Contribution Product Project and the Carbon Neutrality Project, which were launched to promote materiality “Products/Technology: Contributing to the enhancement of social and environmental values with light-powered innovation” and “Environment: Promote earth-friendly business practices that coexist in harmony with our planet,” respectively.

Environmental management system diagram

The environmental working groups and the issues they primarily deal with are listed below.

  • Energy saving working group: Reduction of use of electricity, fuel and other forms of energy; advancement of use of renewable energy; prevention of global warming
  • Waste working group: Appropriate management of waste, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” (3R Activities)
  • Chemicals working group: Appropriate management of chemicals, management of shipment and receipt of chemicals
  • Conservation working group: Pollution prevention and other environmental maintenance; maintenance of biodiversity; prevention of global warming

Certification under ISO 14001

Hamamatsu Photonics Group is working to maintain and improve its environmental performance by acquiring ISO 14001:2015 certification at its bases in Japan and overseas that have a high environmental impact. In order to deepen each employee's understanding of the EMS, we hold new employee training, internal auditor training, and environmental specialist training. We conduct internal environmental audits every term, and we are working to improve the EMS by optimizing operations and sharing information through the proposal of improvement items as well as non-conformities.

Currently, the certification coverage for Hamamatsu Photonics is 100 % based on manufacturing sites and 98.2 % based on all employees. The certification coverage for the consolidated company is 82.6 % based on employees.

Domestic Locations    
Organizational unit certified Name of business location Date of certification
Main Office Main Office March 2012
Central Research Laboratory Central Research Laboratory March 2012
Industries Development Center
Tsukuba Research Center
February 2020
Electron Tube Division Toyooka Factory
Tenno Glass Works
December 2003
Solid State Division Main Factory
Mitsue Factory
December 2003
Shingai Factory January 2012
System Division Joko Factory August 2004
Laser Division
Miyakoda Factory February 2012
   
Consolidated subsidiaries (Japan)  
Koso Corporation December 2011
Takaoka Electronics Co., Ltd January 2018
Consolidated subsidiaries (overseas)  
BEIJING HAMAMATSU PHOTON TECHNIQUES, INC. March 2015
HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS KOREA CO., LTD. June 2020
ENERGETIQ TECHNOLOGY, INC. November 2021
HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH August 2006
HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS UK LIMITED October 2022

Targets and results of environmental activities

Medium- and long-term targets

Item Medium- and long-term targets
Strengthening the foundation for environmental management <EMS>
Advancement and improvement of the Environmental Policy, its objectives and its targets
Advancement of the Environmental Management System (EMS)
 

<Environmental communications>
Advancement of environmental communications

Fighting global warming Achieving carbon neutrality by FY2050

<RE100>
Sourcing 100 % renewable electricity across our entire global operations by FY2040
Sourcing 60 % renewable electricity across our entire global operations by FY2030

 

<SBT>
[Scope1+2]
30 % reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by FY2031 [Compared to FY2019]

[Scope3]
・Category 11 (Emissions from use of sold products):
15 % reduction of GHG emissions by FY2031 [Compared to FY2019]
・Category 1 (Emissions from purchased goods and services):
76 % of suppliers by spend covering purchased goods and service will have science-based targets by FY2026

 

<Energy consumption>
10 % or more reduction of energy consumption per unit of sales by FY2031 [Compared to FY2021]
 

<Semiconductor production gas>
To reduce GHG emissions used in semiconductor manufacturing (including prototyping, research, and analysis) to virtually zero by FY2050
 

<Freon>
To reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) leakage from the use of freon equipment to virtually zero by FY2050

Prevention of pollution ・3R ・Protecting water resources

<Appropriate management of chemicals>
Establishment of appropriate management systems for chemicals
Promotion of understanding and management of the dangers and hazards of chemicals
 

<Prevention of pollution>

Compliance with laws and regulations and efforts to prevent environmental pollution
 

<3R activities>

Support of Company-wide landfill rate of less than 1.8 %
 

<Protecting water resources>
To reduce water usage by 10 % per unit of sales by FY2030 compared with FY2020

Environmental initiatives in products

Expand new markets and customers by manufacturing and developing environmentally friendly products

Targets and results in FY2024

 
Item Main targets in FY2024 Main targets in FY2024 Evaluation
Strengthening the foundation for environmental management EMS
Continuous support, management and improvement of the EMS at ISO 14001-certified business locations Acceptance of maintenance and renewal examinations from external examining organizations
Compliance with environmental laws and regulations Number of violations of environmental laws and regulations: 0
Environmental communications
Promoting biodiversity conservation activities ・Happy Memorial Trees had been distributed to 99 employees
・A total 624 employees had participated in the following activities:
  -Local clean-up campaigns around offices (15 times)
  -Lake Hamana Cleanup Campaign, Flower-bed display by Hamamatsu businesses, etc. (5 times)
Disseminating environmental information to inside and outside the company ・Environmental information had been disseminated via websites
・Internal environmental learning courses had been held
・Environmental newsletters had been distributed 4 times a year
Fighting global warming <SBT>
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 % or more compared with FY2019
Link 
Reduction by 88.1 % compared with FY2019
Promoting the introduction of renewable energy Renewable-energy usage rate: 97.5 %
Reduction of energy consumption per unit of sales by 3 % compared with FY2021 compared with the previous fiscal year 25.5 % reduction compared with FY2021
Prevention of pollution・3R・Water resource protection Appropriate management of chemicals
None of major nonconformity of chemical environmental laws and regulations
None of chemical substance related environmental accident
Major nonconformity and environmental accident: 0
1,230 employees were trained to use and handle hazardous chemicals safely
Prevention of pollution
Support and management of operations according to autonomous standards Confirmed and responded to applicable laws, etc. and observed environmental-maintenance facilities
3R activities
Support of Company-wide landfill rate of less than 1.8 % Landfill rate: 0.9 %
Support of management of waste-disposal contractors Through actions such as on-site inspection of the operations of waste-disposal contractors, it was confirmed that the contracted waste disposal is handled correctly
Measures to protect water resources
[Medium- and long-term target]
To reduce water usage by 10 % per unit of sales by FY2030 compared with FY2020

[Short-term target]
To reduce water usage by 1 % per unit of sales compared with the previous year
・12.0 % reduction compared with FY2020
・13.3 % increase compared with the previous year
The medium- and long-term target was achieved, but the short-term target was not.
Evaluation of water risks Water risks were evaluated at all manufacturing sites by water-risk evaluation tool “WRI Aqueduct” and local hazard maps such as “Hamamatsu City Disaster Prevention Maps” and “Ibaraki Digital Map”
Environmental initiatives in products Advancing R&D in environmentally contributing and friendly products Advanced at each business locations

Case Studies 

Compliance with environmental laws and regulations

Hamamatsu Photonics works hard to prevent pollution of the living environment in all forms, including air, water, noise, soil and odor pollution. We also strive to reduce our environmental impact and manage waste responsibly. On a regular basis, the Company measures and analyzes outputs such as wastewater, noise and vibration, and conducts on-site inspection of its waste-disposal contractors. When problems are discovered, we take appropriate measures and takes every precaution to ensure that it complies strictly with environmental laws and regulations. At the meetings of the Headquarters Conservation Working Group and Headquarters Waste Working Group, we observe environmental preservation facilities and the status of waste management at each business location.

There were no violations of environmental laws and regulations, environment-related fines or major environmental accidents at Hamamatsu Photonics during the period under review.

Environmental accounting

Our company uses the Ministry of the Environment's “Environmental Accounting Guidelines 2005” as a reference to calculate environmental conservation costs, environmental conservation effects, and the economic effects (actual effects) of environmental conservation activities, and we use this information to improve our environmental conservation activities.

 

Period covered: FY2024 (October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024)
Scope of tabulation: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., non-consolidated
Method of tabulation: Tabulation was conducted with reference to the Ministry of the Environment’s Environmental Accounting Guidelines 2005.
Related investments: Capital investment related to environmental conservation
Related expenses: Personnel costs and expenses related to environmental conservation (except depreciation)
Note: For expenses and investments that cannot be considered entirely related to environmental conservation, balance tabulation and proportional-distribution tabulation are conducted.

 

The following lists the environmental conservation benefits and the economic effects (real benefits) of environmental conservation activities.

Environmental conservation benefits


Category
Environmental performance index (unit) FY2023*1 FY2024 Environmental conservation benefit (amount of improvement compared with previous fiscal year)
Effects within the business area Environmental conservation benefit related to resources input into business activities Total energy input volume (thousands of GJ) 994 1,097 -103
Input volume of target chemical substances*2 handled (t) 23.9 38.8 -15
Input volume of water (thousands m3) 675 765 -90
Input volume of photocopy paper purchased (t) 13.5 13.4 0.1
Input volume of container and packaging (t) 301 314 -13
Environmental conservation benefit related to waste or environmental impact originating from business activities Volume of greenhouse-gas emissions (t) 5,130 4,273 2857
Volume of target chemical substances*2
 released/transferred (t)
23.0 36.0 -13
Total waste emissions volume (t) *3 1,322 1,506 -183

Final waste disposal volume (t) *4

12.0

14.8 -2.7
Recycling rate (%)*5 65.7 72.5 6.9
Total wastewater volume (thousands m3) 662 744 -82
Nitrogen oxides emissions volume (t) 4.1 3.6 0.5

*1 The value is adjusted according to changes in sales.

*2 The chemical substances covered are those that are subject to the PRTR Law, Class 1 substances, and those handled in quantities of 1 kg/year.

*3 Total waste emissions volume includes industrial waste, municipal waste, and valuable resources.

*4 Final waste disposal volume includes industrial waste and municipal waste.

*5 Recycling rate does not include thermal recycling, and any increase is evaluated as a positive effect.

Economic benefit associated with environmental conservation activities (actual benefit)

Economic benefit associated with environmental conservation activities” refers to the effects generated by environmental conservation activities, expressed in financial terms.

  Item of benefit Economic benefit (millions of yen)
Revenue Revenue from sale of valuables 114
Revenue from sale from solar-power generation 2
Expense saving*6 Expense reductions from energy-saving measures 239
Reduction through CO2-free electricity and carbon credits -194
Reductions in waste-treatment expenses*7 -192
Reductions in photocopy-paper purchasing expenses 0
Reductions in expenses from purchasing of containers and packaging 209
Reductions in waterworks usage expenses -4
Reductions in sewerage usage expenses -5
Total*8   63

*6 The value of cost savings is calculated using an economic effect value adjusted according to changes in sales.
*7 Waste disposal costs include industrial waste and general waste.
*8 The total value may differ from the total value for each category due to rounding.

Timeline of environmental activities

 
Year Environmental activities and related topics
2025 Certified as a “Hamamatsu City Carbon Neutrality Achiever”
Participation in the “Enshu Decarbonization Project”
2024 Participation in the Hamamatsu City “Next-Generation Energy Utilization Study Group”
Participation in the “Hamamatsu Regional Carbon Neutrality (CN) Promotion Study Group” of the Hamamatsu Association of Corporate Executives
Revision of the Formulation of Long-Term Vision for Global Warming Countermeasures
Introduction of solar-power generating equipment (Miyakoda Factory)
Revision of the Hamamatsu Photonics Group Environmental Policy
2023 Restructuring and introduction of chemical substance management system
Restructuring and introduction of environmental information management system
Restructuring and introduction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) management system
2022 Restructuring and introduction of waste management system
Conversion of all purchased electricity at domestic business sites (excluding some offices) to renewable energy
Participation in the international initiative “RE100”
Start of information disclosure based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD)
2021 Hamamatsu Photonics Group's GHG Reduction Targets certified by the SBT Initiative
Receipt of 2020 Environmentally Friendly Building Award from Shizuoka Prefecture for Shingai Factory Building No. 2
2020 Endorsement of the TCFD’s recommendations
Introduction of solar-power generating equipment (Toyooka Factory and Shingai Factory)
Endorsement of “Keidanren Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation”
Formulation of Long-Term Vision for Global Warming Countermeasures to 2050
Expansion of the scope of ISO 14001 certification (Industries Development Center and Tsukuba Research Center)
2019 Expansion of the scope of ISO 14001 certification (Miyakoda Factory CFC)
Participation in a prefectural 6R campaign to prevent ocean waste plastic
Introduction of solar-power generating equipment (Main Factory)
Publication of 2019 Environmental and Social Report
Participation in Hamamatsu City’s 2019 Environmental Future Project—Countrywide Garbage Reduction Campaign
2018 Participation in the electrical and electronics industries’ Low-carbon Society Action Plan
Start of purchasing of renewable (CO2-free) energy
Start of participation in flower-bed display by Hamamatsu businesses (south exit of JR Hamamatsu Station)
Receipt of 2017 Environmentally Friendly Building Award from Shizuoka Prefecture for Shingai Factory Building No. 1
Publication of 2018 Environmental and Social Report
2017 Start of participation in Shizuoka Prefecture Industrial Waste 3R Campaign
Receipt of Chair’s Award from the Chubu Regional Committee on Rationalization of Energy Use for corporate excellence in energy management (for Mitsue Factory)
Revision of Fundamental Environmental Policy
Publication of 2017 Environmental Report
2016 Implementation of third-party testing of greenhouse-gas emissions in accordance with ISO 14064-3
Receipt of CSR Activity Award (for social-contribution activities) for Hamamatsu businesses (for Joko Factory and Miyakoda Factory)
Receipt of Shizuoka Prefecture Governor’s Award for Distinguished Service in Advancement of Appropriate Treatment of Industrial Waste
Receipt of Top Runner Award from the 2015 Hamamatsu City Top Runner Certification Program for New Energy and Energy-saving Measures
Start of participation in the KALA seawall tree-planting project
Receipt of Grand Prix in the business-location category of the 2015 Try Fujinokuni Eco Challenge Cup
Publication of 2016 Environmental Report
2015 Start of Donguri-no-Morizukuri (tree-planting) activities (Central Research Laboratory)
Introduction of solar power generating equipment in coordination with the Company’s solar-power generating business (Toyooka Factory)
Publication of 2015 Environmental Report
2014 Registration to participate in Fun to Share, a climate-change campaign promoted by the Ministry of the Environment
Publication of 2014 Environmental Report
2013 Receipt of the FY2013 Environment Minister’s Award for Activities to Prevent Global Warming
Introduction of solar power generating equipment (Central Research Laboratory)
Start of introduction of solar power generating equipment at employee dormitories
Receipt of Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Director’s Award for corporate excellence in energy management (for Main Factory)
Start of participation in the Lake Hamana Cleanup Campaign
Participation in the Subcommittee on Environmental Measures for Light-source Devices of the Japan Lighting Manufacturers Association (JLMA)
Publication of 2013 Environmental Report
Receipt of Judges’ Special Prize in the 2012 Fujinokuni Eco Challenge Cup
Participation in the Environmental Committee of the Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JAIMA)
2012 Participation in the Energy and Low-carbon Measures Committee of the Japan Electric Measuring Instruments Manufacturers’ Association (JEMIMA)
Receipt of Top Runner Award from the 2011 Hamamatsu City Top Runner Certification Program for New Energy and Energy-saving Measures (eco-friendly business-location category)
Publication of 2012 Environmental Report
Certification under ISO 14001 of the Central Research Laboratory, Miyakoda Factory and Main Factory
2011 Receipt of Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Director’s Award for corporate excellence in energy management (for the Central Research Laboratory)
Start of apportionment of Happy Memorial Trees
Publication of 2011 Environmental Report
2010 Receipt of Associate Grand Prix in the CSR/eco-office category of the 2009 Stop Global Warming Action Campaign
Registration to participate in the Challenge 25 Campaign
Publication of 2010 Environmental Report
Complete Elimination Company-wide of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
Sponsorship of Hamamatsu City as “Hamamatsu, City Where You Can Enjoy Green Living”
2009 Sponsorship of Hamamatsu City as “Hamamatsu, City of Flowers and Greenery”
Receipt of silver medal in the Excellent Energy Service Company (ESCO) Award program (Central Research Laboratory)
2008 Registration for participation in Team Minus 6%
Introduction of acid-waste thickening equipment (Main Factory)
2007 Introduction of energy-service operations (Central Research Laboratory)
2006 Introduction of system for management of chemicals included in products
Start of provision of information on the compliance of Hamamatsu Photonics products with RoHS (EU) directives
Start of introduction of equipment for removal of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) (Main Factory)
Introduction of a gas cogeneration system (Main Factory)
Preparation of Green Purchasing Guide
2004 Establishment of Standard on Use of Environmentally Controlled Substances (chemicals)
Certification of System Division under ISO 14001
Participation in Environmental Green Committee of JEMIMA
Membership in the Japan Business Council in Europe (JBCE)
Participation in the Environmental Working Group of the Japan Medical Imaging and Radiological Systems Industries Association (JIRA)
2003 Complete elimination Company-wide of controlled CFCs and 1,1,1-trichloroethane
Establishment of the Green Procurement Policy and management procedures for environmentally controlled substances
Certification of Electron Tube Division and Solid State Division under ISO 14001
2002 Launch of the Headquarters Environment Committee
Introduction of environmental accounting
Establishment of the Fundamental Environmental Policy
2001 Launch of the Seminar on Environmental Laws and Regulations, an in-house training program
1998 Launch of the Environmental Preparation Committee
1990 Launch of the Environmental Preservation Measures Committee