Environmental Action Plan Environmental Action Plan

Environmental Action Plan

At Advantest Group we are clarifying the important challenges that we should tackle with our environmental activities and we have formulated an “Environmental Action Plan.” With the three key points that are promotion of environmental management, providing green products and, reform of business processes, we are promoting responsible efforts to help realize a recycling society and low-carbon society.

7th Advantest Environmental Action Plan

Due to factors such as the expansion of our overseas production operations, the environmental impact of Advantest’s overseas production bases has been growing. Advantest recognizes the importance of promoting environmental measures that take the company’s overseas production bases into account. The 7th Advantest Environmental Action Plan continues to address the issues targeted by the 6th Advantest Environmental Action Plan, while endeavoring to set targets that incorporate overseas business bases. More specifically, the Plan sets targets relating to the promotion of global environmental education, raising the recycling rate at overseas production bases, and promoting the ongoing use of renewable energy, etc.

Key Issues:

1. Promotion of environmental management: In line with the trend towards the development of a low-carbon society, Advantest is implementing responsible measures in the area of environmental management.
2. Providing green products: In both our core business and our tester peripherals business, Advantest is contributing, through the company’s products, towards reducing customers’ environmental burden.
3. Reform of business processes: Advantest is promoting measures to make business processes and the utilization of energy more efficient.

Scope (as of March 31, 2016)

1. Measures applicable to: All companies within the Advantest Group
   Six business bases within Japan (including affiliates)
   Seven overseas business bases (AAI, AEG, ASP, ATK, ATC, ATI and AMY)
2. Period covered: Fiscal 2015 – Fiscal 2017 (three years)

Important Challenges	The relationship to environmental policy	Action items	Action items (target details)	Results Achieved in Fiscal 2015
Promotion of environmental management
	Promotion of environmental management	1) Transition to revised ISO14001.	By FY2017 year-end complete transition to ISO14001: 2015 standard.	Implementation of the collection of information relating to the revised standard
		2) Promote global environmental education.	Carry out e-learning once a year.	Environmental education is implemented both in Japan and overseas using e-learning. Percentage of employees undergoing e-learning: 99.1%
		3) Promote environmental contribution activities, educational contribution activities.	Promote environmental, social contribution activities and education support activities.	[Within Japan] 10 projects implemented (the main activities are listed below) Implementation of special science classes for local elementary schools, with a total of 84 schoolchildren participating Implementation of the 22nd Science Workshop at the Gunma R&D Center, with a total of 79 children participating Implementation of nature observation events, with a total of 83 children from local schools participating [Overseas] 12 projects implemented (the main activities are listed below) Implementation of bicycle commuting and charity activities (Germany) Implementation of “green” events and energy-saving events (U.S.A.) Environmental photography and painting competition (China)
	Conservation of biodiversity	1) Promotion of forest conservation activities	At each site, carry out forest conservation activities.	A group of 23 Advantest employees volunteered to undertake thinning-out work at the “Kusatsu Therapy Forest”.
		2) Biotope development and utilization	Foster and utilize biotope. (Nature observation events targeting neighborhood elementary schools, protection of endangered plants)	The Gunma R&D Center is implementing five biotope-related activities.
	Compliance with environmental laws and regulations, prevention of pollution	Promoting resource recycling	Improve waste recycling rate. (*Target values have been adjusted in line with changes in recycling methods for general waste)
		1) Maintain and management Japanese bases recycling rate Maintain recycling rate of 99% or more of the Japanese bases.	Maintain and management recycling rate of 90% or more of the Japanese bases.	Recycling rate for facilities in Japan: 95%
		2) Improve overseas bases recycling rate	Aim for recycling rate of 65% or more. (Measures: reconfirmation of recycling criteria, review of treatment methods)	Recycling rate for overseas facilities: 60%
		Promotion of measures against global warming (climate change)
		1) Promotion of efficient use of energy	Achieve an annual average improvement of 1% in per-unit energy consumption at Advantest business bases in Japan. Compared to the reference year FY2012, 5% or more reduction in FY2017 (Aim for 7.73% or more by FY2020)	Implement of more efficient utilization of air conditioning units and of switching off equipment when not required, etc. Rate of improvement in per-unit energy consumption 4.3% reduction compared to FY 2012
		2) Use of renewable energy	Promote the purchase of green power and introduction of solar power in overseas bases.	At AAI and ATK, management is focused on maintaining the current energy use performance. AAI: 12,000 MWh per year ATK: 1,325 MWh per year
Providing green products
	Reduce customers’ environmental burden	1) improvement of energy-saving performance of new products	Reduce power consumption per unit of performance in new products by 20-50%.	Advantest’s T5833 Memory Test System realizes a 67% reduction in electric power consumption (compared to the T5385) Advantest’s B6700 Test Burn-in System realizes a 49% reduction in electric power consumption (compared to the P3506)
				Advantest’s SGM104 T2000Sync Module realizes a 30% reduction in electric power consumption (on a unit performance basis, compared to the SGM208+CUTI)
				Advantest’s EVA100 Digital Solution measurement system realizes a 50% reduction in electric power consumption (compared to the T6577)
				Advantest’s M6244 Test Handler is expected to realize a 50% reduction in electric power consumption on a unit performance basis
				Wafer MVM-SEM: Advantest has developed a system capable of handling both 6-inch and 8-inch wafers on the same device
				DI products: The amount of dry air consumed for MB condensation prevention has been reduced by 5%, thereby contributing to a reduction in the electric power consumption of the pumps installed in customers’ production facilities
		2) Resource-saving, size reduction, reducing components and materials	Achieve resource-saving in products, size reduction and reduction in components and materials.	DI products: With HIFIX and custom performance boards (PB), there has been a successful evolution from conventional 0.35mm pitch device to 0.3mm pitch device substrate, making it possible to achieve a 27% reduction in device area.
				DI products: Structural streamlining and the standardization of parts have realized a 30% reduction in materials costs compared to existing products.
		3) RoHS compliant products, expansion of lead-free mounting products	RoHS compliant in target products, achieve lead-free mounting.	Applicable products defined as including NMR and EVA100.
		4) alternative to Fluorinert and reduce usage	Establish an alternative cooling technology to Fluorinert and put into practical use.	Having determined that the basic approach will involve intermediate cooling, work on this project is continuing.
		5) Start-up of new business for reduction of environmental burden	Launch new businesses and products related to the environment, and contribute to society.	Development of new, environmentally-related products: 2 projects
		6) Increase sales of new products	Replace aging testers with new products, to contribute to electric power saving of customers.	Sales performance: 25 units Electric power saving: 12,150 kWh
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%	With Advantest’s T6391 LCD Driver Test System, the number of days during production in which electric power usage is required has been reduced from 16 days to 10 days. The overall amount of electric power used in production has been reduced from 62,352 kWh per unit to 38,970 kWh per unit, a 37.5% reduction (with a total of 89 units shipped) With Advantest’s T5831 Memory Test System, the number of days during production in which electric power usage is required has been reduced from 14 days to 13 days. The overall amount of electric power used in production has been reduced from 60,256 kWh per unit to 55,952 kWh per unit, a 7.1% reduction (with a total of 49 units shipped)
		2) Energy-saving in building facilities and efficiency improvement	Renovate old equipment to improve efficiency and equalize electricity usage.	While the planned replacement of older equipment could not be implemented this year, by utilizing equipment more efficiently, it was possible to reduce energy consumption by an amount equivalent to 350 kl of crude oil (compared to FY 2014).
		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.	The PLM package has already been selected, and the basic design state will begin in FY 2016.
		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%.	DI products: Making the MB development and design process more efficient has reduced the development period by 10 days, providing a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to 240 kg.