Singapore, August 27, 2024 – Epson, a renowned leader in global technology, has unveiled its FY2023 Southeast Asia Sustainability Report, which underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, corporate responsibility, and transparency. The report, which aligns with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, highlights Epson Southeast Asia’s (Epson SEA) efforts to expand beyond mere environmental stewardship, encompassing broader social and governance impacts. Reflecting Seiko Epson Corporation’s (Epson Global) ambitious Environmental Vision 2050, which aims to achieve carbon negativity and eliminate dependence on underground resources, Epson SEA is actively contributing to these global sustainability goals through concrete, impactful actions.
Epson SEA remains steadfast in its commitment to developing sustainable technologies and enriching communities by tackling pressing environmental challenges. In FY2023, Epson SEA made significant strides by disclosing its carbon emissions, establishing a baseline that will enable the company to track its progress in future sustainability efforts. Furthermore, the company enhanced employee engagement by refining recruitment processes, establishing whistleblowing channels, and expanding training programmes.
Key milestones across the company’s impact areas include phasing out the use of plastic bottles in its SEA corporate offices; achieving BCA Green Mark Gold certification for its Singapore office; launching an ink bottle and cartridge collection and disposal programme; and developing a structured data management system for sustainability data collection. As part of its wider sustainability strategy, Epson SEA also collaborated with key business partners such as the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) flagship global movement, Earth Hour, to promote energy-saving actions in FY2023.
Targeted Sustainability Efforts Across Southeast Asia
Epson SEA’s sustainability strategy is specifically designed to address the unique environmental challenges across the different markets it operates in, thereby driving significant change and fostering a global movement towards a more sustainable future.
Aligned with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are crucial to its operations, Epson SEA employs a localised approach to sustainability. This approach includes initiatives such as corporate waste collection pilot programmes in the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as an Ecowaste project in Thailand focused on transforming waste into valuable resources.
In its sustainability disclosures, Epson SEA adheres to GRI standards to ensure alignment with internationally recognised reporting practices. FY2023 marks the first time Epson SEA has disclosed specific environmental data, laying the foundation for future progress. By adopting GRI standards, Epson SEA is committed to providing a comprehensive overview of its environmental impact, including detailed reporting on energy and water usage. As a global technology leader, this level of transparency allows Epson SEA to effectively communicate its sustainability objectives and achievements.
Tan May Lin, Sustainability Task Force Leader at Epson Southeast Asia, stated, “As a leading technology company, we recognise the importance of transparency in sustainability reporting for building trust and demonstrating accountability. The FY2023 SEA Sustainability Report reaffirms our dedication to co-creating a more sustainable future. Moving forward, we will continue to uphold the highest standards of innovation and environmental responsibility, ensuring our practices are both concrete and measurable.”
Promoting Environmental Responsibility in the Tech Sector
In line with Epson Global’s Environmental Vision 2050, Epson SEA has set ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through innovative product development, investments in modernised facilities and equipment, and the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset Scope 2 emissions.
In December 2023, Epson Global became the first Japanese manufacturer to transition entirely to renewable energy for 100% of its electricity needs at all of its global sites, equivalent to approximately 876 GWh annually in FY2022. This milestone underscores the company’s commitment to expanding its operations while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, Epson SEA discontinued the sale and distribution of laser printers in 2023, fully transitioning to more sustainable inkjet printers.
Future Directions: Epson SEA’s Sustainability Commitment
In alignment with GRI 2021 standards, Epson SEA has crafted a sustainability roadmap that is broadly categorised under three primary impact areas. These areas and material topics were identified through a materiality assessment, involving feedback from internal and external stakeholders to determine key sustainability topics and develop actionable strategies.
The roadmap outlines Epson SEA’s dedication to advancing sustainability efforts, which include:
- Achieving Sustainability in a Circular Economy: Strive to secure BCA Green Mark certification for all Epson facilities across Southeast Asia by retrofitting these sites to improve energy efficiency, reduce water consumption, and enhance waste management. Epson SEA remains committed to closed-resource loop initiatives, focussing on creating technologies, products, and services that prioritise resource efficiency and circularity.
- Advancing Industry Frontiers: Leveraging digital technologies to streamline processes, optimise resource allocation, and improve operational efficiencies.
- Fulfilling Social Responsibility: Empowering employees through improved recruitment practices and enhanced training opportunities. Epson SEA is also committed to strengthening its engagement with local communities, spearheading projects and initiatives that resonate with them.
Epson SEA plans to escalate its waste reduction and recycling initiatives across the value chain as part of its commitment to achieving sustainability in a circular economy. Through its Sustainability Task Force, the company continues to build momentum by adopting a data-driven approach, systematically coordinating sustainability initiatives.
Alvin Tan, Lead for Country Initiatives at Epson Southeast Asia, added, “Building a sustainable future is an ongoing journey that requires continuous effort and adaptation. Epson’s Sustainability Task Force was established to prioritise a data-driven approach, enabling us to better measure our impact and refine strategies in line with our global sustainability goals. Our latest sustainability report highlights the progress we have made and emphasises the importance of enhancing our data capabilities to achieve our targeted goals.”
The FY2023 Sustainability Report showcases Epson’s significant advancements towards fulfilling its sustainability commitments, demonstrating tangible actions to reduce carbon emissions and drive broader environmental and social initiatives across its operations.
The full sustainability report is available for download here.
