A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE AND
A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE AND THE EARTH FROM SHARP ADVERTORIAL Extracts from “SHARP ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL REPORT 2008” & Cleverdis SPECIALreport 2008 TWO NEW VISIONS LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHARP’S FOUNDING According to reports from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the discussions at the G8 Heiligendamm Summit, a broad international consensus is emerging that dealing with global warming is a critical issue facing the world. Sakai Factory WORKING TOWARDS “CARBON NEUTRAL LIFE” Since the 19th century, the impact on the environment has grown as a result of increased economic and social activity. As an electronics manufacturer, Sharp has recognised and is now focusing on three main problems: global warming, pollution from toxic chemicals and depletion of resources. SHARP – ALMOST 50 YEARS’ SOLAR RESEARCH Sharp began R&D on solar cells in 1959. Today, they are the only company that has continuously developed and produced solar cells without any interruption to the present day. At present, Sharpmanufactured solar cells account for approximately one-fourth of the world total. Against this backdrop, the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol finally began this year. This pressing situation demands a drastic transformation in social structure – from a massconsumption society that since the Industrial Revolution has depended on fossil resources, to a sustainable low-carbon society focused on the use of renewable energies. In 2012, the final year of the first commitment period, Sharp will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding. As the company prepares to mark this milestone at this critical turning point, Sharp has explored anew the role that it should play in the coming era and created two new corporate visions for the future. One is “Realize a truly ubiquitous society* 1 with the world’s No. 1 LCDs.” And, the other is “Contribute to the world through environment- and health-conscious business, focusing on energy-saving and energy-creating products.” * 1 A “ubiquitous society” is a concept of how, through the rapid development of IT infrastructure, networks will always be accessible to users; thus, the whole society will be connected. DIVERSE NEW APPLICATIONS Thin-film silicon solar cells can now be used as architectural materials! The new “see through” type will allow for innovative new applications like this to expand to windows and wall surfaces of homes and buildings. MAKE ENERGY… AND USE LESS ENERGY! Sharp is, of course, continuing its efforts to improve power consumption in TVs. Today, the amount of power consumed by the latest 52-inch LCD TV is less than the electricity consumed by a 32- inch CRT TV eight years ago. Compared to similar-sized 32-inch models, the latest 32-inch LCD TV consumes less than half the power per year than a CRT TV introduced in 2000. To obtain the full report in PDF format: www.sharp-world.com/corporate/eco/csr_report/index.html Kameyama Factory Hall 3.2 / Stand 101 28 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday, 1 st September 2008
THE GREEN PAGE CONSUMER-ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY PREPARES TO TURN A DARKER SHADE OF GREEN By Joanna Stephens “SOLAR TREE” INSTALLED AT POTSDAMMERPLATZ DURING IFA 2008 By Richard Barnes "This is just the beginning of the storm," was how Bruce Anderson, general manager of IBM Global Electronics Industry, summed up the greening of the industry at Saturday's panel debate, which posed the question: how green is green in consumer electronics? The session, which was moderated by Sabine Christiansen, the most-watched political talk-show host in Germany, also featured US Today columnist Ed Baig and Epson Deutschland Country Manager, Henning Ohlsson. And the conclusion was clear: green is not a passing trend – it's here to stay, get used to it. "At the moment, most consumers may not be thinking about how green their electronic products are," Anderson continued. "But 10%-15% of people are concerned, and that number is growing. I think it will be like it was in the 1970s, when Japanese cars first arrived in the US. Back then, nobody was interested in the fact they could do 35 miles to the gallon – but they are now. So I believe it's vital that the consumer-electronics industry gets its house in order before it's forced to by legislation and cost, even if the majority of our customers are not yet paying attention." In the light of rising energy prices and the inevitability of stricter carbon regulations, going green is no longer an option for business, but a commercial imperative. But, the panel agreed, it will not be easy for consumer-electronics companies, with their complex global supply chains, to reduce their carbon footprint. "It's going to be a balancing act," Baig said, involving radical changes across the board, from product design to distribution, transport, waste disposal and price. "We must also secure the co-operation of retailers," Anderson observed. "They will need to share supply-chain information and the cost of recycling." However, persuading the consumer to pay more – probably something in the region of 10% – for a cleaner, greener product is going to be a considerable challenge. As Baig noted: "Consumers want bigger and faster computers, for example, but they don't want to pay any more for them. Again, it's going to be a question of striking the right balance." However, the general consensus was that, although it may be more expensive to produce green products in the short term, once plants have been made more energy efficient, there could well be significant savings down the line. Green industrial labelling also promises to be a minefield. While the comparison to the organic-food industry is tempting, the differences are significant. With food, it is relatively easy to separate the organic from the nonorganic: with consumerelectronic products, drawing such distinctions involves "a ton of information about all sorts of materials, from plastics to chips", Anderson pointed out. "It's going to be a very tough call." "So is the green debate just hype?" Christiansen asked the panelists in conclusion. "There's definitely substance to it," Baig said. "I'm an optimist and I believe we can change things for the better. But it will take some time." Epson's Ohlsson agreed: "Environmental sustainability and business sustainability are now one and the same thing." "Green is gaining momentum in consumer electronics," Anderson added. "As a result of the rising cost of transportation, the environment is now high on our agenda. The best way to get this industry's attention and persuade it to change is to hit it with image and cost. At the moment, the environment is banging on both of those drums – and we are all hearing it." Berlin’s Deputy for Environmental Affairs and Health Care for the City of Berlin, Katrin Lompscher, has inaugurated a temporary “Solar Tree”, underlining the city’s dedication to finding green solutions to energy issues. Having kicked-off at the MAK in Vienna (October 2007) and later on mobilizing itself to the prestigious Milan's Piazza della Scala (November 2007), Champs Élysées in Paris (February 2008) and eventually to the Light + Building Frankfurt fair (April 2008), the Solar Tree has now come to Berlin for the duration of the IFA show. The Solar Tree, created by Ross Lovegrove, was developed and produced by Artemide in collaboration with Sharp Solar, world leader in solar cells production. This revolutionary urban lighting project works with the most advanced solar technology respecting not only environmental issues but also cultural and social aspects of today's world. Solar Tree demanded very complex studies and analyses which Artemide has conducted with what they term “great commitment and sensitivity regarding ecological demands”. "Artemide has been considering social responsibility and sustainability for a long while now," says Ernesto Gismondi, President of Artemide. "Respecting life, environment and all the natural resources available means facing the energy saving issue in a very serious way. Consequently advanced and high technical capacity technologies are created". "Solar Tree is a project that celebrates design, nature and art", says Ross Lovegrove, one of the most famous contemporary designers. "Solar Tree represents the DNA of our time and it also shows it is possible to create beautiful things using the most advanced technology". Solar Tree is a sinuous tree made of steel pipes each one supporting a light bubble, to which there are 38 sophisticated solar cells connected to a battery system and to an electronic device hidden in its base. The lighting is guaranteed by Led which is the most advanced technology in lighting today. IFA International • Monday, 1 st September 2008 www.ifa-international.org 29
