Kyocera Group Discloses Quarterly Environmental Accounting Data

The Kyocera Group, led by Kyocera Corp., a major Japanese manufacturer of electronic components and photovoltaic systems, has started compiling its environmental accounting data on a quarterly basis, and released the first-quarter results for fiscal 2005 on the company's website on September 28, 2005. The Kyocera Group expects that the quarterly compilation and disclosure will allow the group to get timely data on the cost-effectiveness of its environmental investment and to implement more effective measures for environmental preservation.

The Kyocera Group introduced environmental accounting in fiscal 2002 and has annually disclosed the results through their Sustainability Report and other means. The group places an emphasis on this accounting practice, regarding it not only as part of its corporate social responsibility but also as an indicator to help raise employee awareness about cost-effectiveness. The group utilizes the quarterly accounting data to promote its environmental conservation activities.

In the report for the first quarter of fiscal 2005 (April to June), two factors were analyzed: environmental conservation costs, and environmental and economic benefits. For each accounting item, a reference value (a quarter of the total in 2004) was given for comparison because there were no quarterly data available. As for environmental conservation costs, the total investment increased to 665 million yen (about U.S.$5.88 million) from 617 million yen (about U.S.$5.46 million) due to increased investment in environmental facilities, research and development. The total expenses also increased to 2,397 million yen (about U.S.$21.2 million) from 2,270 million yen (about U.S.$20.1 million), reflecting an increase in R&D expenses for energy saving and energy creation.

Economic benefits associated with environmental conservation measures were calculated at 1,214 million yen (about U.S.$10.7 million), while the reference value was 1,130 million yen (about U.S.$10 million). These benefits came from a reduction in the use of electricity, a reduced amount of waste, saving of raw materials, as well as the sale of waste by-products. Reductions in the use of electricity, fossil fuels, and greenhouse gases such as perfluorocarbons resulted in emissions reductions equivalent to 11,801 tons of carbon dioxide (reference value: 10,685 tons).



Posted: 2006/01/02 02:17:03 PM
Japanese version