OMRON conducts product assessment (chart below) at the product planning and design stages, while implementing a certification system that recognizes products that have met environmental impact reduction targets as "Eco-products." Through these endeavors, OMRON strives to reduce the environmental impact of its products at every stage of their life span, by enhancing their energy conservation capabilities and recyclability, for example. OMRON also makes sure its new products fully comply with environmental laws and regulations in all relevant countries.

OMRON’s 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), as well as the developer’s own evaluation. Since fiscal 2005, this system has been implemented at all sites throughout the world targeting all OMRON products.

Of the certified "Eco-products," those that satisfy even higher standards of environmental impact reduction are certified as "Eco-label products."

Product Assessment Flow

 Assessment Items

In fiscal 2010, a total of 44 Eco-label products were developed, accounting for 24% of new developments produced during the year, which exceeded the 10% target. For fiscal 2011, OMRON will continue promoting the creation of Eco-label products.

As a system to promote development and sales of products contributing to a reduction in environmental impact, OMRON had considered the creation of a measure, or a formula, for calculating the degree of contribution made by a product/service (CO₂reduction effects), and rules for its implementation. As part of this effort, OMRON established a new indicator (see section "Environmental Contribution by Products/Services (CO₂ Reduction Effects)" below.)

Going forward, OMRON will strive to develop products and services that can help customers further reduce CO₂ emissions. The goal is to make sure that the CO₂ reduction effects of OMRON-developed products/services exceed the amount of CO₂ emitted by business activities. This applies to all businesses for which goals can be set using this formula.

 Eco-label Products Relative to New Products

In 1998, OMRON launched a certification system 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." The use of OMRON original labels provides customers with ecological information on OMRON products in a clearer and easier-to-understand manner.

Eco-product Certification Criteria

※Eco-label products are evaluated and certified based on OMRON’s in-house standards specified for the environmental factors listed above.

Since fiscal 2008, OMRON has been studying a measure (calculation formula) for quantifying and estimating the degree of environmental contribution made by OMRON products/services. In fiscal 2010, OMRON reviewed and revised the formula that OMRON has worked on, so as to align with its environmental vision. This resulted in the establishment of a new indicator. CO₂ reduction effects consist of direct effects by products themselves, and indirect effects through the use of products/services.

［Direct effects］
Reduction of environmental impact by an OMRON product itself throughout its lifecycle compared to the reference product, such as through energy consumption reduction or resource conservation effects

※Reference estimation formula

CO₂ reduction = Energy-saving effect (W/units) x Operation time (hours/year) x Average number of years in use x CO₂ conversion coefficient x Number of units sold in a year
Energy-saving effect = Electricity consumed by reference product (FY2000) – Electricity consumed by the product in question

［Indirect effects］
Reduction of energy usage by a customer’s products/business activities through the use of an OMRON product/service, or generation of recyclable energy

※Reference estimation formula

When OMRON product is embedded in a system or equipment

CO₂ reduction = CO₂ reduction effect in a year by a customer’s product x Degree of contribution x CO₂ conversion coefficient x Number of units sold in a year

When a device attached to energy-saving service/system is included

CO₂ reduction = CO₂ conversion coefficient ÷ Electricity rate x Annual sales

※Examples of applicable products

• Solar power conditioner: Contribution as a part of a system to generate and supply clean energy
• Energy management system: Contribution to energy conservation through visualization of energy usage and improvement of operation based on the visible data
• Electric power steering controller system: Contribution to fuel efficiency improvement through a shift from hydraulic power steering to electric power steering
• Real-time traffic prediction type signal control system: Contribution to smoothing traffic flow and improving a vehicle’s fuel economy