Relevant SDGs
As a manufacturer, we are expected to contribute to the resolution of social issues, including environmental problems, through our core business operations.
As examples of our ongoing efforts, the Group is focusing on the creation of a) environmentally friendly products, b) products and services that can improve the environmental performance of customers’ products, and c) products and services that help improve the environment, such as products that save energy and resources, conserve biodiversity, and reduced use of chemical substances. This is all achieved thanks to our focus on craftsmanship, miniaturization, and efficiency.
Green Products Certification System
Environmentally Friendly Products
In 2001, Seiko Instruments Inc. introduced something called the Green Product Standards, an environmental initiative that was ahead of its time. Since 2020, the project has been operated by Seiko Group Corporation, and renamed the Green Products Certification System. Any of our business divisions can participate in the green products certification screening. As a matter of fact, the participation of other divisions helps to ensure that the screening process is conducted objectively and from a broader viewpoint. It also helps to facilitate information exchange among business divisions about environmentally friendly design.
*This system is based on the system introduced by Seiko Instruments Inc. in 2001, and has been operated as the Green Products Certification System of Seiko Group Corporation since 2020.
Green Products Certification Criteria
Based on the Environmental Label Type II (ISO14021), we evaluate each environmental compatibility factors based on our own five-step evaluation criteria for each product, and certify products with an average score of 3.5 or higher (out of 5) as Green Products.
From FY2022, the standards have been substantially revised to address the issues of decarbonization and marine plastics.
“Scope 3 calculation," "Request for cooperation from suppliers for decarbonization," and "Reduction of Scope 1 & 2" were added to the environmental consideration items in the Green Product Standards to create a system that addresses the reduction of greenhouse gases from a broader perspective.
In addition, the existing environmental considerations of "Use of reused parts and recycled materials" and "Smaller or more lightweight packaging" have been made into standards that emphasize the inclusion of plastic materials, to make the system more conscious of the need to get rid of plastics and to enable compliance with the Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation for Plastics.
Outline of Green Products Certification Criteria
- Environmental friendliness will be based on 25 key items common to all products.
- For each item and each product, we will use a five-step evaluation process.
- Priority shall be given to “absolute evaluation criteria,” which is a five-level set of standards measuring the level of environmental friendliness of similar products in the industry. The evaluations are based on each company’s own survey. However, if there are items for which it is difficult to use these “absolute evaluation criteria,” then we should use the “relative evaluation criteria,” which refers to five stages of improvement in the level of environmental friendliness relative to conventional products.
- Evaluation criteria will be based on numerical values as much as possible.
- The criteria will be reviewed and revised once every two years.
| Score | The concept of absolute evaluation criteria | The concept of relative evaluation criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 5 points | Top class | Outstanding improvement over prior products |
| 4 points | First group | Substantial improvement over prior products |
| 3 points | Second group | Some Improvement over prior products |
| 2 points | Average level | Same level as prior products |
| 1 point | Low level | Lower level than prior products |
25 Key Items Relating to Environmental Friendliness Used in Green Products Certification Criteria*
- Power consumption in use
- Power consumption in standby
- Product weight
- Use of reusable parts and parts made of recycled materials (including plastic materials)
- Recyclability of used products
- Longer product life
- Reduction of substances to be avoided*1 contained in goods
- Prohibition of the use of conditionally banned substances*1 in goods
- Prohibition of the use of banned substances*1 in goods
- Smaller or lighter packaging (including plastic materials)
- Reduced use of foam in packaging
- Avoidance of the use of polyvinyl chloride and heavy metals in packaging
- Energy conservation in the manufacturing process
- Scope 3 Calculation
- Resource conservation in the manufacturing process
- Reduced use of substances to be avoided*1 in manufacturing processes
- Prohibition of the use of banned substances*1 in the manufacturing process
- Implementation of Green Purchasing
- Requesting cooperation from suppliers to decarbonize
- Ease of disintegration operations
- Ease of sorting
- Information disclosure in instruction manuals, etc.
- Contribution to improving the environmental performance of our customers' products and preserving the environment we all share
- Consideration for biodiversity
- Reduction of Scope 1 and 2*2
*1 According to the standards set by the Seiko Group
*2 Evaluation of the introduction of renewable energy in the production process
High Grade Green Products Certification System
High Grade Green Products Certification Criteria
Products that not only meet the Green Products Certification Criteria, but also meet the following two conditions will be certified as High Grade Green Products.
| Basic condition | Must satisfy the Green Products Certification Criteria, with an average score of 3.5 or more. |
|---|---|
| Additional conditions |
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Green Purchasing
The Seiko Group promotes Green Purchasing, prioritizing purchases of products with low environmental impact from suppliers that are engaged in environmentally friendly activities.
Seiko Instruments Inc., established the SII Group Green Purchasing Standards in 1999 based on the idea that it is essential to consider the environment in every single component or material used. SII has been promoting Green Purchasing with the cooperation of the Design/Development, Quality Control, and Procurement departments and with the understanding and cooperation of our suppliers.
Management of Chemical Substances in Products
The tightening of regulations on chemical substances in products, which was pioneered by the EU’s RoHS Directive, is expanding in Asia and other parts of the world. The Seiko Group is working to prohibit or reduce the use of undesirable substances in its products, not only those banned by law, but also those for which there are concerns regarding hazardous effects on human health and the environment. Group companies where such issues are relevant have established management systems to eliminate these problems by steadily reducing the use of such substances in their products and conducting regular analyses to confirm their elimination.
Examples of Environmentally Conscious Products and Services
3.3V resistant, high capacity, and excellent charge-discharge cycle characteristics
A label mobile printer that meets all expectations in a small body
Power savings leading to battery life more than 1.5 times that of conventional models