Approach in region

Panasonic is implementing the Eco Projects to globally promote the three ‘eco ideas’ initiatives based on our ‘eco ideas’ Strategy. In particular, we have specified China as one of our strategic areas and launched the China Eco-Project to promote environmentally-conscious manufacturing since April, 2007. The project also aims to help all factories in China to be certified under the clean production audit, a major environmental certification system established by the Chinese government. In March 2008, Eco Projects also commenced in North America and Europe. We will introduce the project in other regions as part of such global promotion.

Panasonic will promote the development of products with enhanced environmental performance to ensure that all the products it will introduce in China during and after April 2007 will be Green Products. We will seek the acquisition of Chinese environmental labels^*1 for all new models of designated products.^*2

By matching the key environmental targets set in the 11th Five-Year National Economic and Social Development Plan (2006-2010) with Panasonic's own indicators, we aim to achieve the targets within fiscal 2010, and thus accelerate our efforts for environmental conservation in the production processes of all factories in China. At the same time, all of our manufacturing sites will aim to pass clean production audits*3 to ensure that each of the twelve Chinese companies becomes a National Environment- Friendly Enterprise*4 at municipal, provincial/autonomous municipal, and federal levels in China.

The employees at all of the Group companies in China will put Eco Activities into action at work, home, and in their communities. As a first step, approximately 70,000 employees at 74 Group companies in China made their Declaration of Eco Activities in July 2007. In accordance with their Ten Action Programs for Eco Life, they will promote their own environmental activities. In addition, we will help employees to raise their environmental awareness through collaboration with NGOs in promoting the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Support Project.

• *1 Designated products: TVs, air conditioners, refrigerators, microwave ovens, washing machines, DVD players, rice cookers, digital imaging systems, home theater systems, projectors, lamps, facsimiles, and printers
• *2 China Environmental Labelling, Water conservation Certification label, and China Ecolabelling
• *3 Factory audit system established by the Chinese government to reduce the environmental impacts of factories
• *4 System to commend companies at the industry's leading level in total environmental conservation activities implemented by the Chinese government. The levels include municipal, provincial/autonomous municipal and federal levels

We hosted the Panasonic Group Environmental Forum 2007 in China jointly with the China-Japan Friendship Association on September 26, 2007, in Beijing. Approximately 250 guests from the Chinese government, educational, and other organizations attended the forum. During the forum, we announced our Declaration of Becoming an Environmentally Contributing Company in China, signed the joint declaration document of the Yellow Sea Ecoregion Support Project, and conducted special inspection tours inside Panasonic Center Beijing, our first show room outside Japan, which opened in July 2007. At the Second Japan-China Energy Conservation Forum held on September 27 and 28, we gave presentations on our environmental activities and displayed our environmentally-conscious products.