SustainabilitySustainability Journey
Accelerating Renewable Energy Initiatives Across the Entire Group
Andreas Keller, Chief People and Sustainability Officer, along with Shoko Kato, General Manager of the Sustainability Promotion Division, engaged in a discussion about the background, current status, and future prospects of the TDK Group's renewable energy (RE) initiatives.
Andreas Keller
Chief People and Sustainability Officer and General Manager, Human Resources HQ
Shoko Kato
General Manager, Sustainability Promotion HQ, and General Manager, Sustainability Engagement Grp, Sustainability Promotion HQ
Growing awareness of RE within the company
Keller TDK joined the RE100 initiative in 2022 (an international initiative that aims to achieve 100% RE for electricity used in business activities) and has set a goal of having all electricity used at all of its sites in Japan and overseas be RE-derived by 2050. I feel that momentum to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 is growing considerably within the company, in response to demands from society and our stakeholders.
Kato We expect to achieve a global RE-derived ratio of 50% by FY2024, one year ahead of our original plan. Even so, the situation surrounding RE differs from region to region, and it will be a long road to the goal. In particular, achieving the last 10% and 5% will be very difficult. So we will consider all possibilities.
Keller One reason why we are progressing faster than expected is, of course, internal competition in a healthy sense, as well as competition among the various competitors and regions that are trying to contribute to society. Also, when hiring new team members, especially the younger generation, they pay attention to the extent to which TDK is involved in RE and how it contributes to society. This background has had a greater impact on us than in the past.
How TDK can contribute to sustainability
Keller TDK products are characterized by the fact that they already contribute to society in their own right. We can have a positive impact on society by providing solutions, products, systems, and more recently software that contribute to environmental issues. This is also true for RE-related equipment.
Kato We are a BtoB company, so we contribute to the sustainability of society through our customers' products. TDK products can be found in all kinds of things around us, and I hope that the idea that "TDK is important to society" will spread further throughout society in the future. On the other hand, not only our products, but also our production sites have a significant impact on local communities and society. In other words, we can contribute to society in both product and production.
Keller I hope that each and every TDK team member will continue to keep in mind that they can have an impact on society. Although the power of an individual may be limited, the combined strength of more than 100,000 members can have a great impact.
Kato TDK has a responsibility as a global company to solve sustainability issues. On the other hand, no matter how ambitious our goals are, one organization alone will not succeed. I hope that we can achieve results around the world by having local teams learn from each other, and by seeking out and collaborating with partners outside the company.
