Epson’s FY2023 Southeast Asia Sustainability Report highlights data-driven strategy for driving material impact

Epson, a global technology leader, has released its FY2023 Southeast Asia Sustainability Report, underscoring the company’s commitment to sustainability, transparency, and corporate responsibility. The report, aligned with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, reflects Epson Southeast Asia’s (Epson SEA) efforts to expand beyond environmental stewardship to include broader disclosures of social and governance impacts. 

In line with Seiko Epson Corporation’s (Epson Global) commitment to becoming carbon negative and underground resource-free as part of its Environmental Vision 2050, Epson SEA supports the company’s global sustainability ambitions by driving concrete actions to make an impact. In FY2023, Epson SEA disclosed its carbon emissions, setting a baseline for tracking progress in future sustainability reports. Additionally, Epson SEA enhanced employee engagements by refining its hiring practices, establishing whistleblowing channels, and expanding training opportunities.

Key milestones across the company’s impact areas include phasing out the use of plastic bottles in its SEA corporate offices; launching a trash collection program in the Philippines and Malaysia; developing a structured data management system for sustainability data collection; and achieving BCA Green Mark Gold certification for Epson’s Singapore office. As part of its wider sustainability strategy, Epson SEA also collaborated with key business partners such as World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) flagship global movement, Earth Hour, to promote energy-saving actions in FY2023.

Place-based approach to sustainability

Epson SEA’s sustainability strategy is tailored to address the unique environmental challenges across markets, driving meaningful change and fostering a global movement towards a more sustainable future. 

Aligned with several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are material to business operations and where significant impact can be driven, Epson SEA adopts a localized approach to sustainability.

In the Philippines, Epson has successfully launched the following sustainability initiatives:

• Corporate Waste Collection Program: In October 2023 Epson Philippines launched the pilot of the Corporate Waste Collection Program in Davao City, encouraging dealers to hand over waste such as empty ink cartridges and boxes from their client companies for recycling. Waste recycling facility Envirotech then transforms the waste into useful items such as school chairs, furniture, and household items. The program will be rolled out to more cities and Epson partners in FY24.
• Adopt-a-School Program: To bridge resource gaps in select beneficiary public schools, Epson Philippines partnered with the Department of Education on the Adopt-a-School program, donating inkjet printers, projectors, scanners, and label printers to schools in Metro Manila. The donations will enable classrooms to further engage their students through visual content, interactive lessons, and better storytelling.
• Food Shed Project: In partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, Epson established a food shed farming system in two barangays in Tarlac province. The food sheds have become a source of food, livelihood, and community engagement for participating households, as they facilitate intra-neighborhood access to harvest. Climate-adaptive agriculture techniques were integrated to produce healthy and quality vegetables and poultry products.

This year also marks the first time Epson SEA is disclosing specific data in its sustainability report that adheres to the GRI standards, establishing a foundation for future progress. 

“As a leading technology company, we believe that transparency in sustainability reporting is crucial for building trust and demonstrating accountability. The FY2023 SEA Sustainability Report reaffirms our commitment to co-create a more sustainable future for all,” said Tan May Lin, Sustainability Task Force Leader, Epson Southeast Asia. 

Championing environmental stewardship within the tech industry

As part of Epson Global’s Environmental Vision 2050, Epson SEA has set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through product innovations, investment in updated facilities and equipment, as well as purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset Scope 2 emissions.

In December 2023, Epson Global became the first Japanese manufacturer to switch to renewables for 100% of its electricity needs at all its sites worldwide. This equates to approximately 876 GWh3 per year in FY2022, demonstrating the company’s dedication to growing its businesses while reducing carbon emissions. In addition, Epson SEA phased out the sales and distribution of laser printers in 2023, transitioning fully to inkjet printers.

The next phase of Epson’s sustainability journey

In line with the GRI standards for 2021, Epson SEA has planned its sustainability roadmap, which outlines the company’s commitment to driving sustainability efforts. This includes:

• Achieve Sustainability in a Circular Economy: Embarking on the equivalent of BCA Green Mark certification for all other Epson facilities across SEA. This will involve retrofitting the facilities to improve overall building performance in terms of energy efficiency, lower water consumption, and better waste management. 
• Advance the Frontiers of Industry: Continuing to harness the potential of digital technologies to streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and enhance efficiencies across operations.
• Fulfil our Social Responsibility: Empowering employees through enhanced hiring practices and providing training opportunities. Epson SEA will also strengthen its engagement with the communities in which it operates.

“Building a sustainable future is a journey that requires continuous effort and adaptation. Epson’s Sustainability Task Force was formed to prioritize a data-driven approach, enabling us to better measure our impact and refine strategies in line with our global sustainability goals. Our latest sustainability report reflects the progress we have made and underscores the importance of enhancing data capabilities to achieve our targeted goals,” said Alvin Tan, Lead for Country Initiatives, Epson Southeast Asia.         

Epson’s FY2023 Sustainability Report highlights the company’s progress in its commitments to sustainability, showcasing concrete actions taken to reduce carbon emissions to advance broader environmental and social initiatives across its operations.