Olympus to use 100% renewable electricity at R&D and manufacturing sites in Japan

JAPAN – Olympus Corporation announced that the company has begun to exclusively source 100% of the electricity used at its major R&D and manufacturing sites in Japan from renewable sources.

As a result, CO₂ emissions from Olympus Group facilities in Japan will be reduced by approximately 40,000 tons per year.

The percentage of the Olympus Group’s total electricity use in fiscal 2023 (ending March 2023) from renewable energy sources is expected to substantially increase from approximately 14% in the previous fiscal year to approximately 70%.

Olympus has set a goal of achieving net zero CO₂ emissions from its site operations by 2030, as part of its commitment to achieving environmentally responsible business growth and creating a sustainable society.

In the Americas and Europe, 30 out of 35 manufacturing sites already purchase 100% renewable electricity.

With this new addition in Japan, electricity used in the company’s owned manufacturing sites and R&D facilities in these regions will be supplied by renewable sources.

This is a significant step in meeting the company’s target to achieve 100% renewable electricity in all 65 directly owned manufacturing sites and R&D facilities in Japan, the Americas and Europe by 2022.

This is a key goal in line with the company’s ESG materiality targets focused on the theme of a “carbon neutral society and circular economy.”

The company has already introduced a wide range of initiatives to reduce CO₂ emissions.

This includes the use of 100% renewable energy at some manufacturing sites in Europe and the United States, the installation of solar power generation facilities at some manufacturing sites in Japan, and support of the recommendations made by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

To achieve its carbon neutral goal, Olympus will continue to optimize manufacturing processes and promote energy-saving measures.

Olympus makes it evident

Earlier on in March, Olympus Corporation announced the completion of the separation of its Scientific Solutions business to a wholly-owned subsidiary, Evident Corporation.

Following the divestiture of its Imaging business, this move further signifies the company’s long-term strategy to cement its position as a major player in the medtech industry.

The proposed split was first announced in June 2021. As a newly-established wholly-owned subsidiary, Evident, headquartered in Japan, continues to operate independently under the Olympus umbrella.

Olympus’ Scientific Solutions business encompassed the Olympus Industrial and Life Science businesses.

The reorganization will give the Scientific Solutions business the autonomy and agility to respond quickly and more flexibly to the needs of Industrial and Life Science customers.

Yoshitake Saito, the President and Representative Director of Evident, commented on the new company’s focus: “Evident, while continuing to provide best-in-class products, will expand its digital and cloud-based solutions to enhance the customer experience and to improve the overall workflow in the research and inspection fields.

“We will shift from a business model centered on the sale of products, to one focused on solving customer issues and challenges.

“With this greater management autonomy, we will promote agile product development and open innovation, which we believe will increase the speed of product development.”

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