Business News
WALMART RECOGNIZES FUJIFILM FOR TOP SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AMONG ITS ELECTRONICS SUPPLIERS
Friday 10. April 2009 - Photo Industry Leader Recognized for Environmental Sustainability and Overall Commitment to Service at Annual Awards Ceremony
FUJIFILM U.S.A., Inc. today announced that it has been recognized by Walmart for its sustainable business practices. Walmart presented Fujifilm with the Sustainability Award among electronics suppliers at its annual Electronics Suppliers Summit, held last month. The sustainability category was open to all of the approximately 500 Walmart electronics suppliers who attended the summit. At the same event, Fujifilm was also given Walmarts Supplier of the Year award for the Photo Category.
“Walmart has become highly recognized and regarded for the work they have done in establishing a standard in sustainable business practice, and in making green products and services available to their customers”, said Joe Vaughey, group vice president of Sales and Marketing, Fujifilm U.S.A., Inc. “For Fujifilm to be recognized by such a leader in sustainability is a significant honor. We have worked together with Walmart to create a photo environment that reduces waste, conserves energy and allows for more efficient operations.”
Fujifilm was presented with the Sustainability Award based on its work to develop products that supported Walmarts overall goal of achieving a zero waste Photo Center. The installation of the Fujifilm Frontier DL410 Dry Ink Jet Minilab has resulted in the reduction of water and power consumption, and eliminated the use of chemicals typical of analog photo processors. The ink supplies produce less packaging waste, and have contributed to lower shipping costs and reduced fuel consumption, while the small footprint of the DL400 series has enabled Walmart to build smaller photo centers.
The Fujifilm family of companies in the US is working hard to increase efficiencies while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. They have set a ten-year target to reduce the energy consumption of its manufacturing facilities with large emissions 10% by the year 2010. By the same year, Fujifilm will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20% as compared to the emissions of those same plants in 1990. In 2008, U.S. Fujifilm facilities committed to reducing their energy consumption and their carbon footprint 15% by 2012. At Fujifilms North American manufacturing headquarters in Greenwood, South Carolina, ozone-depleting methane gas produced by a local landfill is being converted for use as an alternative fuel to power the Fujifilm facility. This new energy program will power 40% of the facilitys operations and will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10,000 tons annually, the equivalent of the emissions from 17,000 vehicles per year.
Fujifilms global commitment to the environment is far-reaching in scope. In 2005, the company began investing $9 million in the World Banks Community Development Carbon Fund, which supports small-scale projects in developing countries that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases. Fujifilm has been selected by several socially-conscious investor groups, including Morningstar Japan, K.K. (for their Socially Responsible Investing Stock Index) and has been named to the FTSE-4 Good Global Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index for its social, economic and environmental contributions to the community and society.