Contributing to the SDGs

Management Commitment
Epson's Initiatives and Their Relationship to Our SDGs
Building Awareness In-house

Management Commitment

Commitment to the SDGs

Innovation at Epson is guided by our corporate purpose: “Our philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world.” We want to play a part in creating a better world by working with our customers to address societal issues, including environmental problems, through innovative technologies and global co-creation.
This commitment is aligned with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
To this end, the entire Epson Group is committed to acting with integrity and embracing a spirit of creativity and challenge to deliver surprise and delight that exceed the expectations of our customers and partners.
Through these actions, we will contribute to the realization of sustainable development.

Junkichi Yoshida, Seiko Epson Corporation
Representative Director and President CEO

Epson's Initiatives and Their Relationship to Our SDGs

In the 2020 fiscal year, Epson identified four materialities (priority issues) that it should address in order to contribute to solutions to societal issues and progress toward its aspirational goal of achieving sustainability and enriching communities. Epson selected 12 key sustainability topics that it will act on to achieve the materialities.
After analyzing the relationship between the 12 key sustainability topics and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on the 169 SDG targets, we found that the actions we are currently taking will contribute to all 17 of the SDGs. (Please see the chart below for details.)
Epson will help to achieve the SDGs by acting on the key sustainability topics, thereby achieving sustainability and enriching communities.

Key Sustainability Topics and Their Relationship to the 17 SDGs

There are 169 targets under the SDGs. The figures in the table below indicate the targets that Epson is addressing (as of August 2024).

Click here for an enlarged version. (PDF,391KB)

Promotion of SDGs by Utilizing Local Government Systems

長野県SDGs推進企業
エプソンの本社が所在する長野県は、経済団体、金融機関、大学など支援機関と連携し「環境」「社会」「経済」の3側面を踏まえ、企業価値の向上や競争力の強化を図るとともに、県内企業におけるSDGsの普及を促進する制度として「長野県SDGs推進企業登録制度」を制定しています。当社は、さらに積極的に長野県の活動と同期を取って活動を進めていくために、2020年7月に長野県SDGs推進企業(第5期)として登録され、2023年度さらに３年間の登録期間の更新を行いました。登録に当たっての、当社の「SDGs達成に向けた宣言書」（要件１）、および「SDGs達成に向けた具体的な取組」（要件２）は以下の通りです。当社は、SDGsへの取り組みの進捗を毎年長野県へ報告するとともに、エプソンのサプライチェーンを通じてSDGsの達成に貢献していきます。

要件１：SDGs達成に向けた宣言書（PDF,200KB）
要件２：SDGs達成に向けた具体的な取組（PDF,730KB）

Nagano Prefecture SDGs Promotion Company Registration Certificate

Registration as an SDG Partner in Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture, home to Seiko Epson's Head Office, has launched some of the most progressive SDG initiatives in Japan. One such initiative is an SDG partner registration system. The prefecture works with business groups, financial institutions, universities, and other supporting organizations in environmental, social, and economic areas to increase the value and competitiveness of local companies and to promote action against the SDGs among them.

To synchronize our actions with those of the Nagano Prefecture government, we applied for registration as an SDG partner based on the actions we have taken to date to achieve the SDGs.
A company must meet two requirements for registration:

It must submit a written declaration of commitment to achieving the SDGs.
Companies must take specific actions to achieve the SDGs.

Nagano Prefecture has been promoting the SDGs since 2018. The prefecture has asked local businesses to become SDG partners by committing to SDG actions. There are two requirements for becoming a partner. The first is to declare management policies and actions to achieve the SDGs. The second is to submit information about specific actions being taken in each of 42 items mapped to the 17 SDGs and 169 targets. Seiko Epson was registered as a Nagano Prefecture SDG partner (the fifth term) in July 2020, and renewed its registration in FY2023 for another three years.

We will report our progress on the SDGs annually to the prefecture government and will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs throughout our supply chain.

Registration to the Kitakyushu SDGs Registration System

In 2018, Kitakyushu City was selected as Japan's first SDGs Future City and Municipal SDG Model Project. Kitakyushu established a registration system to give visibility to companies and other enterprises that are contributing to the SDGs and to link them and their efforts to the Kitakyushu City SDGs Future City Plan, thereby stimulating and accelerating local SDG initiatives. Epson is registered as a Kitakyushu SDGs Registered Business under the Kitakyushu SDGs Registration System. Seiko Epson is currently working on the "KAMIKURU" project in Kitakyushu, which involves producing recycled paper using the PaperLab dry-process office papermaking machine and manufacturing and supplying upcycled products. Together with project participants, we will continue to contribute to Kitakyushu City's SDG activities by developing products and activities that reduce environmental impact, creating diverse employment opportunities, and providing educational opportunities to nurture future generations of talent.

Kitakyushu SDGs Registration business Details of the initiatives of the person (application form)

Registration to the Kitakyushu SDGs Registration System

The registration certificate was printed on upcycled heavy weight paper created by the KAMIKURU Project using a PaperLab to recycle used copier paper from Kitakyushu City Hall.

SDGs Grand Prize at the 2021 Kitakyushu SDGs Future City Awards

In March 2022, the Kamikuru Project, a scheme for producing and providing upcycled paper products using Epson's PaperLab office papermaking system, won the SDGs Grand Prize in the corporate category of the 2021 Kitakyushu SDGs Future City Awards. The project is run by Epson Sales Japan Corporation in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka.
At the ceremony, Mayor Kenji Kitabashi commented, "The Kamikuru project, which is composed of people from different industry groups in Kitakyushu, has contributed to many of the targets of the SDGs. The activities in the field of education have been particularly outstanding, and I am looking forward to seeing these activities expand in the future."

Building Awareness In-house

Contributing to the SDGs at Employee Cafeterias

Epson began serving Kinmemai rice* in its employee cafeterias in Nagano Prefecture in September 2000. Today, Kinmemai is served in all of the cafeterias in the prefecture.
This initiative is part of Epson's efforts to promote employee health while protecting the environment. It also contributes to the SDGs.
Kinmemai has the same nutritional value as brown rice but is as delicious as white rice, contributing to the maintenance of employee health. In addition, because it does not need to be rinsed, Kinmemai produces no wastewater, so it has less of an environmental impact.
One of the reasons Epson introduced Kinmemai was to prevent water pollution caused by discharging the water used to rinse rice from employee cafeterias. Rinsing water contains a lot of phosphorus and nitrogen, which are not completely removed in wastewater treatment. If washing water flows into rivers, it can cause eutrophication.
Kinmemai is also sustainable because the polishing process does not produce rinsing water. The bran that is removed from the rice is reused as fertilizer and for other purposes, which contributes to circular agriculture.
Thus, the introduction of Kinmemai in employee cafeterias con tributes to the SDGs, including Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), Goal 15 (Life on Land), and Goal 14 (Life Below Water).

Kinmemai is a registered trademark of Toyo Rice Corporation.