Malaysia’s development plans which are aligned with global efforts, have consistently placed aspects of economic, social, and environmental development at the forefront.
Under the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016 -2020), the Green Growth Strategy was implemented to manage and conserve our country’s natural resources and lessen the effects of climate change.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed his belief in the significance of digital technologies in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Malaysia will invest efforts toward a development model that is resilient, low-carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive through changes in policies, regulation of institutions, and shared responsibilities between private and public sectors in protecting the environment. This places a challenge on businesses to “do more and better with less” by reducing use of resources that leads to degradation and pollution in efforts to increase our quality of life.
This exact push for sustainability also gave birth to Epson’s Environmental Vision 2050 in 2008, where a journey towards innovative processes that places technological performance and energy efficiency as a prime concern had begun. Through collaborative action with local communities and partners, Epson is working toward manufacturing products and services that are aligned with sustainability efforts exercised by their users. It is the company’s stated intention to achieve a 90 percent reduction on the CO2 emissions of its products by 2050.
For example, Epson’s inkjet printers do not use heat in the printing process, they consume far less energy than laser printers. In fact, the printers consume up to 85 percent less energy than a similar-speed laser printer. Which means that for a typical office that requires frequent printing, this can amount to distinct savings in their annual energy bills.
Not only so, it produces up to 85 percent less carbon dioxide than those of comparable laser printers. This means that for every 6 cedar trees required to absorb the amount of carbon dioxide as a result of using a laser printer, an Epson inkjet printer requires only 1 cedar tree.
Within a nation, all sectors must strive for progressive development that is efficient in their use of natural resources, clean in production methods and operations to minimise pollution and environmental impact, and liable in that it accounts for natural hazards and their role toward environmental management.
The Environmental Vision 2050 is a declaration of Epson’s goals to reduce the environmental impacts of manufacturing processes, products, and services; advance the frontiers of industry and establish recycling systems through open and unique innovations; and to contribute to international environmental initiatives.
Epson intends to contribute to the UN’s SDGs through initiatives which address customer and societal challenges in order to create unique environmental value through business activities. Hence, focus has been directed toward the office, commercial and industrial segments and away from consumer segments where environmental impacts may differ.
This can be achieved by leveraging efficient, compact and precision technologies to reduce the environmental impact of products and services across their life cycles. Because of this, Epson has its global collection and recycling systems in place, working with customers, communities, and others in the industry to collect and recycle end-of-life products in countries around the world.
Being “environmental-friendly” is not a sexy mantra, not even at this day and age – but it is an essential message that needs to be delivered. At Epson, they are not starting anew on their pathway toward sustainable development. They are building on processes already in motion for decades.
Attributed to Daisuke Hori, Managing Director of Epson Malaysia
