Environmental Action Plan Environmental Action Plan

Environmental Action Plan

At Advantest Group we are making clear the important challenges that we should tackle with our environmental activities and formulating an “Environmental Action Plan”. With the three key points of promoting environmental management, providing green products and reforming business processes, we are promoting responsible efforts to respond to the recycling society and the low carbon society.

Results of Advantest Group’s Sixth Environmental Action Plan (2013-2014)

In our sixth environmental action plan (2013-2014), with respect to the three main themes of environmental management, product-related environmental measures and business activities, we promoted efforts to realize the “recycling society and low carbon society”.

Environmental management: promote environmental management that leads to improvement of society and earnings.
Product-related environmental measures: contribute to reducing our customers' environmental footprint in our core business and tester peripheral business.
Business activities: promote responsible initiatives in climate change countermeasures, biodiversity preservation, and environmental stewardship.

Scope (as of 31 March 2013)

Scope of initiatives: The Advantest Group's 8 domestic bases and 7 overseas bases (including affiliates)
Time period: Fiscal 2013 to fiscal 2014 (two years)

Main Activity Results

The main results from the two year environmental action plan were as follows.

In terms of environmental management, we completed our reapplication for ISO14001 at our overseas base in line with our integration with Verigy, and maintained and continued our ISO14001 status at Japanese and overseas bases. Also, we made our Advantest Environmental Policy public and, in order to foster environmental awareness, from 2014 we began global environmental education.

In terms of product related environmental measures, we achieved 11 improvements out of 13 themes such as product energy saving, reduced resource use and reduced number of components etc. This was a success rate of 85% (not including cancelled themes). Also, in the two year period, 24 models were updated to be greener products.

In terms of business activities, we achieved 10 improvements out of 13 themes such as energy saving and reduced environmental impact through improved production efficiency (success rate 77%). It should be noted that we will continue to improve recycling at overseas bases.

Results of the sixth Advantest Group Environmental Action Plan

Category	Objective	Key Results in FY2014	In-house Assessment
Environmental management Target: Prepare for a low-carbon society, and help society and build earnings through environmental management.
Environmental management	Environmental management system to all facilities worldwide and enhance environmental management.	Continue ISO14001 at main Japanese and overseas bases Make Advantest environmental policy public ; implement global environmental education to foster greater environmental awareness (September)	Success
Environmental contributions	Continue to implement environmental contribution programs with the objectives of environmental contribution and ecosystem preservation.	Japan Implemented forestry protection activities at “Kusatsu Yasuragi no Mori” with participation by 26 employees (October, Kusatsu Town, Gunma Prefecture) Carried out a special science lesson for elementary school students with 247 participants. Implemented the 20^th Science Workshop at Gunma R&D Center with 141 participants. (July, Meiwa Town, Gunma Prefecture) Carried out a special science lesson at Masue Elementary School, Sendai City with 40 participants. (February, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture) Carried out a special science lesson at Nishi Elementary School, Meiwa Town with 66 participants. (February, Meiwa Town , Gunma Prefecture) Overseas Carried out seas shore cleaning activities and donation of clothing and food (Singapore) Carried out home repair work and donations (America) Carried out clothing donations and environmental protection drawing contest (China)	Success
Product-related environmental measures Target: Help customers to reduce their environmental footprint by expanding Advantest's lineup of products that conform to stringent environmental standards.
Green products	Energy saving
	Reduce energy consumption of target products by 20% or more per individual DUT measurement relative to comparable products.	Succeeded in reducing memory test system T5833 power consumption by 50% per 1DUT measurement unit.	Success
		Reduced power consumption in T2000 module 28GOPM by 50% per DUT compared to previous model (8GDM)	Success
		Reduced power consumption in LCD driver test system T6391 by 30% per 1DUT measurement unit.	Success
		Test Handler M4871 Achieved 31% reduction in power consumption per unit performance Test Handler M6245 Achieved 57% reduction in power consumption per unit performance	Success
		Achieved 33% reduction per unit energy in EB lithography system F7000S	Success
		Achieved 13% improvement in MASK MVM-SEM E3640 throughput versus the E3630 (did not achieve goal of 20%)	Unsuccessful
		For the D1 product custom PB design, improved the automation of design checking and achieved a standard design period of 3.5 weeks.	Success
	Using fewer resources and parts
	Reduce number of components versus previous models for target products 50% or more.	Developed a new connector for the MB for memory testers and reduced components by 25% (Goal changed to 25% reduction in components due to revision of target system caused by change in development plan).	Success
	Reduce size of target products by 30% or more versus previous models	Unit performance footprint of test handlers reduced by under 10% - goal not achieved.	Unsuccessful
	Reduce size of target products by 50% or more versus previous models	Achieved reduction of 55% for Test System T2000 ISS LSMF+ liquid cooled 13TH	Success
		Achieved reduction of 54.4% for EB lithography system F7000S footprint (versus F3000)	Success
		Developed new connector for MB for memory testers and reduced footprint by 50%	Success
		Continuing to implement response for D1 product low standoff and thin package Completed evaluation of IC socket for 0.3 mm pitch	Success
Business activities: Target: promote responsible efforts in the areas of climate change, biodiversity conservation and environmental management
Climate change countermeasures (Business activity)	Develop a numerical target value for 2020.	We set the following theme as the target for the seventh Environmental Action Plan. Achieve an average of 1% energy intensity improvement rate per year for Japanese offices 5% or more in FY2017 compared to the reference year FY2012. (Aim for 7.73% or more in FY2020)	Success
Climate change countermeasures (Business activity)	Reduce energy consumption versus fiscal 2012 by crude oil equivalent 66kl / year (96t-CO₂) or more.	Total reduction of 34kl crude oil equivalent over 2 years energy saving activities through reduced usage time of air conditioning and strengthening of energy saving measures (FY2013: 16kl / year, FY2014: 18kl / year)	Unsuccessful
(Production activities) Reduce the environmental impact of production processes by improving production efficiency. (Improvement of board production efficiency, shortening the construction period of new testers, improvement of yield etc.)	Reduce mounting man-hours for new production boards by 25%; reduce power consumption required for production per board by 30%.	It was possible to improve productivity by: 1. Reduction of set-up times for modular mounter and 2. review of the target production models of the mass production line, and achieve 28% reduction in terms of value the power consumption of the mounting machine versus FY2012.	Unsuccessful
	By shortening the adjustment period, achieved a 40% reduction in the production power usage compared with the first production system, as of 2014 fiscal year-end.	Shortened T5831 system adjustment period (B adjustment + S adjustment) from 14 days to 10 days.	Success
	Reduce production electrified time in main production equipment by 30% versus fiscal 2012.	Shortened T6373 system adjustment period (B adjustment + S adjustment) from 11 days to 6 days. Shortened new product T5503HS system adjustment period (B adjustment + S adjustment) from 12 days to 10 days.	Success
	Energy saving operation of Sendai Clean Room A (2% reduction versus fiscal 2012).	Reduction of 5.7% versus fiscal 2012 (20.5% versus fiscal 2009). Introduction of full stoppage setting for night-time and holidays for clean room draft Expansion of outside air temperature correction difference in chiller defrosting operation start Change in water temperature settings for water chiller for air conditioner Change of summer clean room temperature from 23℃ to 25℃	Success
	Reduction of products using organic solvents (30% reduction versus FY2012)	Achieved 33% reduction in products using organic solvents versus FY2012.	Success
	Reduce strengthened cardboard boxes used in packaging by 4,000kg versus 2011.	Through review of packaging materials, size and construction, reduction of 4,878kg versus 2011.	Success
Biodiversity	Raise awareness of biodiversity protection activities and reduction of environmental impact throughout the supply chain through survey of business partner environmental activities.	Achieved through implementation of questionnaire survey of 62 business partner companies.	Success
Conflict minerals	Promote purchasing of non-conflict minerals through implementation of survey on conflict minerals.	Carried out explanatory meeting for business partners (August) Carried out confirmation of “conflict free” status and survey of business partners (September to January)	Success
Recycling	Increase overseas base waste recycling rate to 85% or more by the end of FY2014.	Japan: Recycling rate maintained at 99% or above. Overseas: Recycling rate 61.5%.	Unsuccessful
Management of environmental risks	Strengthen environmental rules and monitoring of related equipment to prevent environmental accidents before they occur.	Number of environmental accidents/complaints: 0	Success
Chemical substance management	Improve the efficiency and thoroughness of chemical substance management, building a global management system.	Japan Continued implementation of stock taking of chemical substances Implementation of general and professional education through education system of chemical substances	Success

Summary of Seventh Advantest Environmental Action Plan

As the number of Advantest’s overseas bases increase, the impact on the environment of these overseas bases also increase. We recognize that it is important to include our overseas bases in our environmental activities. The seventh environmental action plan inherits the challenges of the sixth plan and makes efforts to include overseas bases in the targets. In concrete terms we set targets such as promoting global environmental education, improving recycling rates in overseas bases and continuing to use renewable energy.

Main themes:

Promote environmental management: work towards a low carbon society and make efforts to promote responsible environmental management.
Provide green products: Contribute to reducing our customers’ environmental footprint in our core business and tester peripheral business.
Reform business processes: Promote business efficiency improvements and better efficiency in energy usage.

Scope (As of end of March 2015)

Target of efforts: All Advantest Group
6 domestic bases (including affiliates)
7 oversea bases (AAI,AEG,ASP,ATK,ATC,ATI,AMY)
Target period: fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2017 (3 years)

Important Challenges	The relationship to environmental policy	Action items	Action items (target details)
Promotion of environmental management
	Promotion of environmental management	1) Transition to revised ISO14001.	By FY2017 year-end complete transition to ISO14001: 2015 standard.
		2) Promote global environmental education.	Carry out e-learning once a year.
		3) Promote environmental contribution activities, educational contribution activities.	Promote environmental, social contribution activities and education support activities.
	Conservation of biodiversity	1) Promotion of forest conservation activities	At each site, carry out forest conservation activities.
	Conservation of biodiversity	2) Biotope development and utilization	Foster and utilize biotope. (Nature observation meeting targeting neighborhood elementary schools, protection of endangered plants)
	Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, prevention of pollution	Promote waste recycling.	Improve waste recycling rate.
		1) Maintain Japanese bases recycling rate	Maintain recycling rate of 99% or more of the Japanese bases.
		2) Improve overseas bases recycling rate.	Aim for recycling rate of 75% or more. (Measures: reconfirmation of recycling criteria, review of treatment methods)
		Promotion of measures against global warming (climate change)
		1) Promotion of efficient use of energy.	Achieve average annual energy intensity improvement rate of 1% in Japanese locations. Compared to the reference year FY2012, 5% or more reduction in FY2017 (Aim for 7.73% or more in FY2020)
		2) Use of renewable energy.	Promote the purchase of green power and introduction of solar power in overseas bases.
Providing green products
	Reduce customers’ environmental footprint	1) improvement of energy-saving performance of new products	Reduce power consumption per unit of performance in new products by 20-50%.
		2) reducing resource use, reducing size, reducing components and materials	Achieve resource saving in products, size reduction and reduction in components and materials.
		3) RoHS compliant products, expansion of lead-free mounting products	RoHS compliant in target products, achieve lead-free mounting.
		4) alternative to Fluorinert and reduce usage	Establish an alternative cooling technology to Fluorinert and put into practical use.
		5) Start-up of new business for reduction of environmental impact	Launch new businesses and products related to the environment, and contribute to society.
		6) Increase sales of new products	Replace aging testers with new products, to contribute to energy saving of customers.
Reform of business processes
	Reform of business processes	Promotion of business efficiency improvements and energy saving	Promote business efficiency improvements and efficiency in energy usage
		1) Efficiency improvements in production	Reduce production time and cut production electrified time by 30%
		2) Energy saving in buildings and efficiency improvement	Renovate old equipment to improve efficiency and levelize electricity usage.
		3) Improve the operational efficiency of product development and production	Conduct information sharing in a production environment that is integrated from the early stage of development, and build a Global PLM that can be expected to improve efficiency globally for a variety of product development and production businesses.
		4) Reduction of in-house CO₂ emissions due to reduction in time required for MB design, manufacturing and servicing	Streamline MB development and design to reduce CO₂ emissions by 30%.