Environmental Vision

SHARP Eco Vision 2050

SHARP Eco Vision 2050 Long-Term Environmental Vision

The international community has recognized the urgent need to address increasingly serious environmental problems, such as climate change, resource depletion, and ocean plastic pollution. This awareness is accelerating global action to solve these social problems, including efforts associated with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and carbon neutrality*1, and the creation of a circular economy.*2

In 2019 we formulated SHARP Eco Vision 2050, a long-term environmental vision based on our basic environmental policy of “Creating an Environmentally Conscious Company with Sincerity and Creativity,” which was established in 1992.

We are working toward realizing a sustainable global environment by pursuing long-term goals set in three fields of action with 2050 as the target year: climate change, resource recycling, and safety and security.

In the field of climate change, while keeping in mind the 1.5°C target*3 stipulated in the Paris Agreement, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality in our business activities. We also seek to promote the widespread adoption of clean energy-related products and services and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our products and services.

In the resource recycling field, we pursue a circular economy by endeavoring to use recycled materials in all product parts and to achieve zero final landfill disposal from our business activities.

In the safety and security field, we strictly manage chemical substances that may affect people’s health, the natural environment, and ecosystems and restrict their use to eliminate the risk of negative effects.

To address climate change, one of the targets of the long-term environmental vision and a pressing global issue, we are accelerating efforts to achieve net zero CO2 emissions from our business activities (Scopes 1 and 2) by 2030, and from our entire supply chain (Scopes 1, 2, and 3) by 2050.

We are aiming to solve social problems and continuously boost corporate value by strengthening engagement with stakeholders through business activities and environmental conservation efforts.

  • Subtracting the amount of absorption from the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, so that the total is effectively zero.
  • An economic system aimed at eliminating wastes and circulating resources. Waste products and raw materials are considered new resources and are thus recycled.
  • The Paris Agreement sets forth the long-term targets of keeping the rise in global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.

Long-Term Environmental Goals

To realize SHARP Eco Vision 2050, we have stipulated long-term goals in three fields of action. In pursuing these goals, we will strive to create more clean energy than the total amount of energy consumed in our entire supply chain, while minimizing the environmental impact of our business activities.

Climate Change

We have up to now striven to use less energy in our business activities and to make products that are increasingly more energy efficient so as to reduce the amount of energy consumed by households and society as a whole.
We began developing solar cells after founder Tokuji Hayakawa said, “All the products we make use electricity. As our company grows, we will need more electricity, so why don’t we make electricity ourselves?” Since then, we have spent more than half a century working to spread solar power generation.

It is precisely because we make products that use electricity that we have a responsibility to reduce the environmental impacts resulting from this electricity use.

By promoting the world goal of carbon neutrality, we are taking on the challenge of achieving the following two goals by 2050 and thus achieving net-zero emissions throughout our supply chain, including our own business activities.

Goal
  • Achieve net zero CO2 emissions across the entire supply chain.
  • Create more clean energy than the total amount of energy consumed in our entire supply chain.

Resource Recycling

We have up to now provided the world with all kinds of value through the creation of new products. At the same time, we have used many resources to do so.

We should continue to provide our stakeholders with all kinds of value by making the most efficient use of finite resources around the globe.

By making more efficient use of resources and continuing to offer maximum value with minimal resources, we are taking on the challenge of achieving the following two goals by 2050 and thus building a circular economy and realizing a recycling-oriented society.

Goal
  • Use no newly extracted resources* for making products.
  • Achieve zero final disposal to landfill of waste generated in our business activities.
  • Excludes those not suitable for recycling from an environmental standpoint.

Safety and Security

We use various chemicals in production processes in our factories, and the products themselves contain various chemicals. Such chemicals must be strictly managed because some of them can have negative effects on people’s health, the natural environment, or ecosystems.

Our business activities must not have a negative effect on people’s health, the natural environment, or ecosystems.

As well as complying with current international standards, we have established our own forward-looking standards. Under these standards, we thoroughly manage relevant chemicals with the goal of eliminating any negative effects that chemicals may have on people’s health, the natural environment, or ecosystems.

Goal
  • Properly manage chemicals in order to protect people’s health, the natural environment, and ecosystems.