Epson hits 100% renewable electricity target in Europe

Epson, a global leader in technology and innovation, has met its 100% renewable electricity target across Europe ¹, with a global achievement expected by the end of 2023. With the release of its 2022/2023 European Sustainability Report, Epson sets out its Environmental Vision, with a pledge to become carbon-negative and underground resource-free by 2050.

The report further highlights the company’s progress towards this goal and how it’s driving transformational change through four core areas: decarbonisation, advancing the frontiers of industry, fulfilling its social responsibility and strengthening its governance.

Other key achievements highlighted include:

• GHG emissions reduction:Between FY17 and FY22, Epson has made significant strides, reducing natural gas consumption and emissions in European offices by 51%.
• Decarbonisation in our offices: The German head office has relocated to a new building in Düsseldorf, where the energy consumption is 75% lower per m ²than in its previous office.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion: Epson has further strengthened and continues to improve its commitment to DE&I by establishing its strategy for the development of its DE&I goals, metrics and governance.

Yoshiro Nagafusa, President at Epson Europe B.V, asserts Epson’s commitment to a ‘less is more’ approach: “For us, our philosophy of ‘efficient, compact and precise’ is more than just a technological concept. It’s an approach to reducing environmental impacts, enriching the environment and lives by eliminating waste and making things smaller, more efficient and more precise.”

From the shores of Lake Suwa in Japan over 80 years ago, Epson grew surrounded by natural beauty, and its determination to exist in harmony with nature continues to this day. President Nagafusa expresses this in the report: “Embedded in our Japanese culture is the need to conserve the planet’s precious resources, honouring our founder’s pledge to protect our environment, strive for sustainability and improve the quality of life, worldwide.”

Achieve more sustainability in a decarbonised economy
From 100% renewable electricity targets to reducing GHG emissions across scopes 1-3 ², Epson is developing better measures for recycling, reusing, refurbishing, and extending the life of its products. With its energy-saving inkjet printing technology and digital textile printing which drastically reduces water consumption, Epson is further mitigating the environmental impact from its customers.

Advancing the frontiers of industry
The company continues its commitment to technological innovation, accelerating digitisation and automation to advance the frontiers of industry.

Epson is actively building a circular manufacturing infrastructure and investing over 34.7 million Euros in the construction of a new factory in Japan to recycle waste metal into raw material for metal powder. This initiative, spearheaded through its subsidiary Epson Atmix, moves the company towards its global vision of becoming underground resource-free by 2050.

Other technological developments include Epson’s Dry Fiber Technology, which is now being used to transform textile waste from landfills into nonwoven fabric, holding the promise of a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. Alongside carbon capture technology, Epson is focused on expanding its research around Dry Fiber Technology due to its versatility and ability to produce more sustainable solutions.

Fulfilling its social responsibility
Beyond business activities, Epson is deeply committed to fulfilling its social responsibility. In collaboration with stakeholders, partners and local communities, Epson contributes to societal well-being through activities that create environmental and economic value.

In its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), over 86% of Epson Europe employees engaged in DE&I-related training, underscoring the company’s dedication to creating an equitable environment. Epson continues to strengthen its commitment by collaborating with global advocates for workplace diversity, like Mission GENDER EQUITY, to champion DE&I within its corporate culture.

Strengthening its governance
Epson’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is underpinned by the alignment of its operations with the SDG Management System Standard developed by Bureau Veritas. Epson is the first technology company to be recognised by this certified body for integrating the SDGs into its business activities, a pivotal milestone in its journey towards a more sustainable future.

Henning Ohlsson, Sustainability Director, Epson Europe B.V, offers perspective on the relevance of the SDGs: “The world has faced an onslaught of significant challenges and national priorities have naturally taken precedence over global solutions. Critics suggest the SDGs are a vision of a perfect world rather than something realistically achievable.

“We believe, however, that despite all the challenges, the SDGs continue to have purpose. They’re an accessible, understandable set of targets that individuals, organisations and governments can congregate around to work towards common goals for the future of people and the planet.”

Epson has further demonstrated its commitment to transparent and sustainable business practices by proactively adopting the draft standards of the new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), well ahead of the directive’s mandatory entry, as highlighted in its latest report.

For further information, please visit [link to relevant EU5/EU website to download report].

Notes to editor
The European Sustainability Report 2022/2023, prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, provides a comprehensive overview of Epson Europe’s sustainability initiatives for FY22. Verified by Bureau Veritas, the report adheres to the proposed European directive on corporate sustainability reporting (Directive (EU) 2022/2464).

1 We have met our target to meet electricity needs from 100% renewable energy sources for Epson European regional sales headquarters in France, Germany, UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and our Central Distribution Centre in Germany.

2 Globally, we measure Scope 1 (direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the organisation), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from the consumption of purchased sources or energy), and Scope 3 (indirect emissions that occur in the value chain).