Eco-conscious Products

We use a product assessment system that evaluates the environmental impacts of our products and services starting at the planning and design stages. Based on our criteria, we accredit our products and services that achieve high environmental performance as Green Products (GPs). Furthermore, we accredit our products that have achieved top environmental performance in the industry as Superior GPs. Products with trend-setting environmental performance toward achieving a sustainable society are accredited as Super GPs.

In the GP accreditation criteria, we assess the performance of our products in terms of prevention of global warming, effective utilization of resources, and management of chemical substances by comparing not only among our own products but also with competitors’ products. In fiscal 2012, we took steps to further enhance our accreditation criteria by adding biodiversity and water conservation to existing items. This has in turn enabled the creation of a wider range of GPs.

After achieving our fiscal 2011 target of developing 90% or more GPs for three consecutive years since fiscal 2006, we decided to shift the focus of our activities to the creation of Superior GPs. In fiscal 2011, we enhanced our criteria for Superior GPs to maintain the industry’s No.1 status for as long as possible and to ensure a 10% or more ecoperformance advantage compared with our competitors at the time of product launch. After first certifying 19 models in fiscal 2005, we accredited 413 models in fiscal 2012. We also expanded the number of models in each of our global regions compared to fiscal 2011.

In this way, by working to maintain and expand the number of Superior GPs, we are increasing the selection options and opportunities of our customers. Furthermore, we are focusing on lifting the percentage of sales for No.1 eco-conscious products to 30% by fiscal 2019, one of our Green Indexes. We achieved a ratio of approx. 13% in fiscal 2012.

In addition, we expect to certify our fiscal 2012 Super GP products in June 2012.

List of certified Green Products