Stance towards the Environment
The Optex Group develops, manufactures, and sells sensors (security sensors, sensors for automatic doors, and sensors for industrial equipment), LED lighting devices for inspections at factories, and software.
Understanding that protection of the global environment is a corporate social responsibility, the Group thoroughly informs all of its employees of the Optex Group's Behavioral Guidelines, complies with environmental laws, standards, etc., and operates businesses in an environmentally friendly manner.
Climate change is occurring throughout the world and is expected to become increasingly serious.
Using the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) Guidance as a reference, the OPTEX Group conducts analysis of business risks and opportunities using various external scenarios to identify significant impacts on its strategies.
- Increase in financial costs due to carbon taxes and the strengthening of market regulations
- Impact on business in the event that the Group’s manufacturing plants are at risk of floods caused by the increased incidence of abnormal weather conditions
- Impact on business in the event that the Group’s activities to reduce CO2 emission and climate-related information disclosure are considered insufficient
- Impact of the Group’s products and technologies in terms of their contribution to lower carbon emissions and measures against physical risk
In light of these impacts, the Group has established a long-term goal of “Reducing CO2 emissions(Scope1・2) by no less than 30% by 2030 compared to the level of FY2019,” and has incorporated this in its mid- to long-term management plan.
To ensure the steady promotion of initiatives, including a project launched under the direct control of the CEO, the Group is stepping up activities and investments towards a low-carbon, sustainable future.
The Group offers many products that help its customers reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency (products that contribute to others).
Based on the above, the Group believes that balancing “efforts to increase the amount of contribution to reduced CO2 emissions” and “efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in business operations” will improve its corporate value.
CO2 emissions at all Group business sites
CO2 emissions in 2023 (Scope1・2・3) (t-CO2)
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Scope1 | 541 | 570 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope2（Market-based） | 3,729 | 3,443 |
| Scope3 | 217,024 | 216,222 |
| 1. Purchased Goods & Services | 114,240 | 100,564 |
| 2. Capital Goods | 3,021 | 3,166 |
| 3. Fuel-and Energy-related Activities | 648 | 668 |
| 4. Upstream Transportation & Distribution | 3,716 | 4,217 |
| 5. Waste Generated in Operation | 228 | 346 |
| 6. Business Travel | 305 | 307 |
| 7. Employee Commuting | 685 | 680 |
| 8. Upstream Leased Assets | ─ | ─ |
| 9. Downstream Transportation & Distribution | 91 | 50 |
| 10. Processing of Sold Products | ─ | ─ |
| 11. Use of Sold Products | 92,820 | 104,997 |
| 12. End-of-life Treatment of Sold Products | 1,270 | 1,226 |
| 13. Downstream Leased Assets | ─ | ─ |
| 14. Franchises | ─ | ─ |
| 15. Investments | ─ | ─ |
| Total of Scope1・2・3 | 221,295 | 220,235 |
Scope 2 CO2 emission coefficients are market standards set by each electric power company.
From FY2022 results, we expanded the coverage to include the entire consolidated Group and began measuring Scopes 1, 2, and 3.
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | |
| Scope1 | 704 | 548 | 558 | 541 | 570 |
| Scope2 | 3,824 | 3,563 | 3,964 | 3,729 | 3,443 |
| Scope1-2 | 4,528 | 4,111 | 4,522 | 4,270 | 4,013 |
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | |
| CO2 emissions per sales unit | 12.1 | 11.8 | 9.9 | 7.8 | 7.1 |
| Consolidated sales results (hundred million yen) |
375 | 348 | 459 | 548 | 564 |
Scope 2 CO2 emission coefficients are market standards set by each electric power company.
Environmental Contribution through Products
The Optex Group is driving environmental protection activities by providing customers with products and services that lead them to conserve energy.
Each of its products consumes an extremely small amount of electricity. The incorporation of those products in many different corporate activities is believed to contribute greatly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from corporate activities as a whole.
Optex Co., Ltd. proactively works to reduce CO2 emissions from the use of its products. For this purpose, the company has continued to conduct environmental assessments whenever it plans new products.
In 2019, Optex began activities to help customers reduce CO2 emissions through use of Optex products. In 2021, Optex achieved its goal of increasing the "total amount of contributions that lead to customers' CO2 reduction" to more than four times the "total CO2 emitted from its business activities," and is currently continuing its efforts.
Optex Co., Ltd. discloses information related to climate change-related risks and opportunities on its official website, which is recommended by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and which Optex Group endorses. In addition, in accordance with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) program, we have been disclosing information related to climate change since 2022 on the CDP website.
Optex not only comprehensively manages its own emissions and the contribution activities of other companies, but also sets reduction targets and actively implements reduction activities. Specifically, Optex has revised upward its 2025 target for the sales ratio of products and solutions that can contribute to CO2 reduction from 17.5% in 2018 to 25%*, and is developing its activities accordingly.
*When target was set in 2022: 22.5%.
OPTEX CO., LTD.：Paving the Way to a Decarbonized Society Using Sensors
Optex FA Co., Ltd. defines its industrial sensors that specifically lead to a reduction in environmental impacts as environmentally friendly products, and has set a target for their sales volume.
Environmentally friendly industrial sensors
Compact bodies and original circuit help achieve energy conservation.
Optex FA Co., Ltd.
Sales trends of environmentally friendly industrial sensors
(expressed in an index with a value of 100 representing the 2014 level)
- 100 2014
- 101 2015
- 146 2016
- 233 2017
- 272 2018
- 228 2019
- 255 2020
- 367 2021
- 373 2022
- 321 2023
CCS Inc. measures the amount of CO2 reduction achieved by growing sales of LED lighting for image inspections. We have contributed to an annual reduction of 7,651 tons of CO2 for 2023.
Environmentally friendly LED lighting
Introducing LED lighting for image inspections at an early stage and helping industry conserve energy
CCS Inc.
Contribution to CO2 reduction (in tons-CO2)
by environmentally friendly LED lighting
- 5,103 2014
- 5,122 2015
- 6,238 2016
- 7,337 2017
- 7,431 2018
- 6,933 2019
- 5,907 2020
- 7,113 2021
- 7385 2022
- 7,651 2023
Management of Chemical Substances
Reflecting concerns over the impact of chemical substances on the environment and eco-systems, moves to establish laws regulating use of chemical substances are being strengthened all over the world.
To provide products conforming to laws and standards of countries and regions where they are sold, the Optex Group has established a system under which non-conforming components and materials are not used in or after the product design phase.
To properly identify chemical substances and facilitate communication and information disclosure, the Optex Group collects information applying an industry-standard format. The Group has also established a system for providing the information to stakeholders who need it at the time when they need it.
Further, the Group has established its Green Procurement Standards and shares them with all suppliers to ensure the procurement of components and raw materials with low environmental impact.
Group Companies' Response to Chemical Substance Regulations
When selecting new components, Optex Co., Ltd. and Optex FA Co., Ltd. choose RoHS-compliant components in the design phase. They obtain information about all chemical substances from suppliers and store the information in the chemical substance management system before commercial production. They properly decide whether specific chemical substances are problematic in light of regulations by applying their own green standards to ensure the chemical safety of their products.
Further, Optex Co., Ltd., Optex FA Co., Ltd., and Optex MFG Co., Ltd. have created their common Management Guidelines of Chemical Substances Contained in Products and ensure that they are known to everyone internally and all suppliers.
CCS Inc. has created the CCS Products Environmental Regulations Response Policy to ensure that the company conforms to new regulations. The company has also created the Green Procurement Guidelines and informs its suppliers thoroughly of its policies on the reduction of environmentally hazardous substances and the procurement of conflict minerals.
Responsible Sourcing of Minerals
There are concerns about child labor, other human rights violations, and environmental destruction occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its adjoining countries related to the minerals mined there, and also fear that these minerals may be a source of funding for armed groups, further aggravating the conflict.
The goal of responsible sourcing initiatives is to avoid the procurement of minerals connected to these issues. These initiatives include initiatives being conducted in line with the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act which reformed financial regulations in 2010.
The Optex Group positions initiatives on this matter as important tasks for the fulfillment of its corporate social responsibility. It is moving forward with initiatives to ensure more responsible sourcing, including the examination of procured materials and components to ensure they do not contain conflict minerals and the establishment of agreements with suppliers that they will not procure conflict minerals.