Sustainability | EnvironmentA History of TDK's Environmental Activities
| 1993 | TDK Environmental Voluntary Plan formulated |
| Total elimination of ozone depleting substances*1 | |
| 1995 | Start of ISO 1400 implementation |
| 1996 | Start of consolidated control of chemical substances |
| 1997 | Safety & Environment Office established |
| ISO 14001 certification obtained by Mikumagawa Plant, first in TDK Group | |
| Introduction of product assessment | |
| 1998 | ISO 14001 certification obtained by all TDK Parent Company manufacturing and R&D facilities |
| Total elimination of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene | |
| 1999 | Green procurement starts (Japan sites) |
| Lead-free project inaugurated | |
| Regular release of Environmental Report begins | |
| 2000 | Zero Emission Project launched |
| ISO 14001 certification of all manufacturing and R&D facilities of TDK Group in Japan completed | |
| In-house environmental newsletter "TDK ECOPLUS" launched | |
| 2001 | Feb. Incinerators eliminated at manufacturing plants in Japan |
| Mar. TDK Green Purchasing Guide (Office Edition) published | |
| Mar. Technical development completed for lead-free soldering | |
| Apr. Trial introduction of environmental accounting started (Japan sites) | |
| 2002 | Apr. Mass production technology for electronic components compatible with lead-free solder developed |
| Apr. EMS Integration Preparation Committee inaugurated (committee name changed to EMS Integration Promotion Committee in April 2003) | |
| May Product Environment Committee inaugurated | |
| Oct. Fundamental environmental plan, TDK Environmental Action 2010, drafted (started from April 2003) | |
| 2003 | Jul. TDK Chemical Substance Contained for Product Standards established |
| Sep. Safety & Environment Office obtains ISO 14001 certification (as a first step toward company-wide EMS integration) | |
| Oct. Zero emissions achieved at all TDK sites in Japan | |
| 2004 | Oct. Environmental risk management activities (for soil contamination) started at all manufacturing facilities in Japan |
| Nov. Environmental Product Quality Management System established and implemented | |
| Dec. All general-purpose electronic components conform to RoHS Directive | |
| 2005 | Jul. Environmental risk management activities (for VOC) started at all manufacturing facilities in Japan |
| Dec. Fundamental environmental plan, TDK Environmental Action 2015, drafted (started from April 2006) | |
| 2006 | Feb. 300-kW solar power generation system introduced at Kofu Plant (selected for field testing of solar power technologies by NEDO*2) |
| Mar. EMS integration for all manufacturing facilities in Japan completed | |
| Apr. Quality Management System (QMS) and Environmental Product Quality Management System integrated | |
| 2007 | Jan. Chinese headquarters obtained ISO14001 certification (first step toward integration of EMS in China into company-wide system) |
| Mar. Zero emissions achieved for manufacturing facilities of all overseas subsidiaries | |
| May Participated in Japan Article Management Promotion (JAMP) consortium as a promoter | |
| 2008 | Feb. Received Grand Prize in 17th "Global Environment Awards" |
| May First Global Warming Countermeasure Summit held (energy-saving technology work groups launched) | |
| Sep. Start of environment-conscious product certification system (Eco Love products) | |
| Dec. Participation in CO2 emissions trading scheme in Japan | |
| 2009 | Sep. TDK establishes Biodiversity Action Agenda |
| Dec. The installation of the solar power system at the Kofu Plant wins a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry 14th New Energy Award Review Board Chair's Prize | |
| 2010 | Mar. TDK discloses chemical substance information on the "JAMP-GP chemical substances in products information system" |
| Mar. TDK-Lambda Corporation concluded a comprehensive "corporate hometown building agreement" with Shinano-machi in Nagano Prefecture and the Mountain Village Revitalization Support Center | |
| Sep. TDK became the first electronic components maker to receive a special award under the environmental assessment scheme of the Development Bank of Japan | |
| 2011 | Feb. Fundamental environmental TDK Environment Action 2020, drafted (started from April 2011) |
| 2012 | Sep. TDK receives special award under environmental assessment scheme of Development Bank of Japan for second time in a row |
| 2013 | Oct. Akita Prefecture Mount Chokai beech forest planting drive enters 10th year |
| Dec. ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications in Japan changed to Bureau Veritas Certification, to unify certifications of domestic sites | |
| 2014 | Apr. TDK Corporation establishes a special agreement ("Corporate-Regional Collaboration Agreement") together with the municipality of Shinanomachi, Nagano Prefecture, and the Mountain Village Revitalization. Center (three parties). |
| Dec. U.S. ISO14001 certifying organization changed to Bureau Veritas Certification; process integrated partially with Japanese domestic certification | |
| 2015 | Mar. Achieved the fundamental environmental plan "TDK Environmental Action 2020" goal of a one million-ton environmental contributions |
| 2016 | Mar. TDK Environment, Safety and Health Action 2025 formulated as basic environmental plan in accordance with the TDK Environmental Vision 2035 (implemented from April 2016) |
| Apr. "Guidelines for Calculation of Product Contributions" published with the aim of enhancing the reliability of product contribution calculations | |
| Apr. Biomass boiler at Honjo Plant of TDK-MCC Corporation taken into operation. Use of biomass fuel is a first for the TDK Group. | |
| 2017 | Jul. Raising of Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes), an endangered species, begun at TDK Akita's Kitakami Plant as a biodiversity protection activity |
| Aug. Received special award in the Development Bank of Japan’s environmental ranking for the third consecutive year. Total abolition of high-concentration PCB equipment in Japan |
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| 2018 | Apr. Revision of the TDK Environmental Charter (fifth edition) |
| Oct. Clean energy purchasing promoted primarily at European business sites of TDK Electronics AG | |
| 2019 | May. TDK expressed support for the recommendations of the TCFD*3 (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) |
| 2020 | Jan. The TDK Asama Techno Factory receives the Energy Conservation Center, Japan Chairperson’s Prize in the Energy Conservation Best Practices Category of the FY 2019 Energy Conservation Grand Prize. |
| Feb. TDK-Lambda Americas Inc. is commended by the US Environmental Protection Agency for its significant reduction of an environmentally harmful substance (lead) and industrial waste (copper). |
- Limited to ozone-depleting substances regulated by the 1993 Ozone Layer Protection Law (except for air conditioning equipment which is outside the scope of the law).
- NEDO: New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
- The TCFD was founded in 2015 by the Financial Stability Board (FSB), an international body seeking to achieve the stabilization of the financial system.