Product assessment at OMRON is intended to minimize the environmental impact of OMRON products at every stage of their life span, and to assure the creation of products that fully comply with environmental laws and regulations in all relevant countries (Eco-products). Conducted at the product planning, development and design stages, product assessment involves prediction and estimation of the potential environmental impact of products. This is based on objective data and evaluation by product assessment reviewers (third-party personnel other than the developer). Since fiscal 2005, this system has been implemented at all production sites throughout the world targeting all OMRON products.

In fiscal 2007, OMRON continued concentrating on the cultivation of reviewers, resulting in certification for 30 additional reviewers. To meet the latest laws and regulations, China RoHS-related items have been added to the assessment criteria.

In 1988, OMRON launched a certification program for Eco-products and Eco-label products. Products that have met environmental targets through product assessment are designated as "Eco-products." Products that satisfy even higher standards of environmental impact reduction are certified as "Eco-label products." In fiscal 2006, OMRON revised the certification criteria to expand applicable products to cover systems and software products. The new criteria became effective in fiscal 2007.

In fiscal 2007, a total of 31 Eco-label products were developed, accounting for 19% of new developments produced during the year. OMRON Eco-label products sold in fiscal 2007 saved an estimated total of 12,010,000kWh of energy and conserved 243 tons of metal and plastic materials combined. In fiscal 2008, OMRON aims to further increase its efforts to create more Eco-label products based on the new criteria.

• Creation of Eco-Products