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The Sixth Advantest Group Environmental Action Plan (2013-2014)

In the past, business activity at the Advantest Group's bases in Japan accounted for almost all of the Company's environmental footprint. In recent years, however, the impact of overseas bases has grown as overseas production has expanded. This prompted us to draft an Environmental Action Plan that encompasses the Group's overseas bases.

Our Sixth Environmental Action Plan (2013-2014) carries on the three main themes of the Fifth Action Plan: environmental management, product-related environmental measures, and more efficient business activities. It contains responsible initiatives aimed at bringing about a recycling-oriented, low-carbon society. We are working towards climate change countermeasure goals to be reached by 2020 and have devised global goals for the two-year span of the Action Plan.

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

Scope

  1. Scope of initiatives: The Advantest Group's eight business locations in Japan and seven business locations overseas (including affiliates)
  2. Time period: Fiscal 2013 to fiscal 2014 (two years)

Main results in fiscal 2013

In fiscal 2013, execution of the Environmental Action Plan produced the following main results.

In environmental management, we completed the ISO14001 re-certification that became necessary with the integration and relocation of an overseas base. We also engaged in numerous social and environmental contributions in Japan and overseas, such as forest conservation initiatives and special science lectures.

In product-related environmental measures, we subjected all products to an environmental assessment, and eleven product lines were recognized as green.

In business-related environmental measures, we introduced a Green Certificate (known as a Renewable Energy Certificate in the USA) and installed solar power panels at our South Korean facilities. Within Japan, we stepped up energy-saving measures and raised production efficiency, thus reducing our environmental footprint.

The sixth Advantest Group Environmental Action Plan (FY2013)

Results of in-house assessment in fiscal 2012
◯ = Progress ratio 100%
△ = Progress ratio 70% or more
× = Progress ratio less than 70% or target date set back

Category Objective In-house
Assessment		 Key Results
Environmental management
Target: Prepare for a low-carbon future, and help society and build earnings through environmental management.
Environmental management environmental management system to all facilities worldwide and enhance environmental management. (Reacquire ISO14001 certification by the end of fiscal 2013 at overseas bases that were relocated upon integration.) ○

Domestic: ISO14001 certification maintained.

Overseas: Reacquisition of certification completed at six bases.
ASP (May 2012), AAI (Jan. 2013), AEG (Apr. 2013), ATI (Jun. 2013), ATC (Aug. 2013), ATK (Oct. 2013)
Environmental contributions Continue to implement environmental contribution programs with the objectives of environmental contribution and ecosystem preservation. ○

Domestic:

  • Two forest conservation initiatives implemented, with a total of 29 participants.
    Conservation of the Kusatsu Yasuragi forest (Kusatsu, Gunma Prefecture, in September)
    Shokuju-kai embarked on Birdsong Green Course project (Kitakyushu City, in March)
  • Special science class given at Kitakami Elementary School (Ishimaki City, in February)
  • Special science class given at Meiwa-Nishi Elementary School (Meiwa Town, in February)

Overseas:

  • Food donated (Singapore)
  • Residential repairs done by volunteers (USA)
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 reduction
Reduce energy consumption of target products by 20% or more per individual DUT measurement relative to comparable products. ○
  • Memory test system T5503HS cut energy consumption per DUT measurement unit by more than 50% relative to conventional products.
  • The T2000 8G WGD module cut energy consumption per DUT measurement performance by more than 70% relative to conventional products.
  • Electronic beam exposure device F7000 used 30% less electricity than conventional products under average operating conditions.
Using fewer resources and parts
Reduce energy consumption of target products by 50% or more per unit function compared with comparable products. — A device interface is now being designed.
Make target products at least 30% smaller than comparable models. ○ The floor area needed to install electronic beam exposure device F7000 is 50% smaller than for conventional products.
Business activities
Target: Improve efficiency for a smaller environmental footprint.
Global warming prevention Formulate quantitative benchmarks for 2020 for:
  • Total volume of CO2 emissions resulting from energy consumption at current business locations
  • Amounts of renewable energy consumed at business locations in Japan and elsewhere
 ○ 2020 benchmarks now being devised.
  • AAI:
    A Green Certificate (known as a Renewable Energy Certificate in the USA) by wind power generation was purchased for an amount of electricity equivalent to annual use (approx. 12,000 MWh/year).
  • ATK:
    Solar panels were installed on the roof of a new plant (generating capacity: approx. 1,325 MWh/year).
Reduce energy consumption by at least 66kℓper year crude oil equivalency in fiscal 2012 (96 tons of CO2) ○ Energy-saving measures were strengthened and high-efficiency transformers were installed at the Gunma Plant, cutting energy consumption by about 16 kℓ/year of crude oil equivalency.
Manufacturing Improve manufacturing efficiency for a smaller environmental footprint in the manufacturing process.
(Improve board production efficiency, reduce lead times for tester production processes, and improve yield etc.)
  • Reduce by 25% number of man hours for mounting device set-up for new production boards (ASPEN1, etc.) and reduce by 30% the amount of energy required for production on a single-unit basis.
  • By the end of fiscal 2014, achieve 40% less energy use during production relative to initial production machine system performance, by shortening adjustment lead times.
  • Shorten production power-on hours of primary production equipment system by 30% compared to fiscal 2012 levels.
  • Achieve energy-efficient operation of clean rooms (2% less energy compared to fiscal 2012).
  • Reduce number of varieties of organic solvents in use (cut by 30% compared to fiscal 2012).
 ○
  • Reduced the number of preparatory steps (=set-ups) for the modular mounter and reconsidered machine types eligible for the mass-production line. Gains in capacity usage reduced mounting machinery electricity consumption by 36% from fiscal 2012.
  • Shortened the production process, reducing the period of continuous electricity use by 23% (fiscal 2013 goal was -20%).
    (T2000 ISS: from 18 days to 14 days, T6373: from 11 days to 8 days, TAS7500: from 32 days to 16 days)
  • Promoted energy conservation in the Sendai Building A clean room, reducing electricity consumption by 5% from fiscal 2012.
  • Promotion of an acetone-free washing process reduced acetone use by 49% from fiscal 2012.
Reduce use of reinforced carton (corrugated board) for packaging by 4,000 kg compared to fiscal 2011 level. (Fiscal 2013 objective is 2,000 kg reduction) ○ Reviews of packaging material, size, and structure led to a reduction of 2,210 kg from fiscal 2011.
Biodiversity Promote awareness of initiatives for conservation of biodiversity and reduction of environmental loads across Advantest's entire supply chain by conducting surveys of environmental activities of our suppliers. ○ Items related to biodiversity conservation were added to assessments on our supplier check sheet, and suppliers were asked to comply. A questionnaire was administered to 57 suppliers.
Conflict minerals Conduct investigations regarding conflict materials to help ensure that items procured are free of such materials. ○
  • An explanatory meeting was given for suppliers (June).
  • We surveyed suppliers and checked on conflict-free procurement (July to January).
Resource recycling Recycle 85% or more of the waste generated at our overseas locations by the end of fiscal 2014.
(Waste recycled at overseas locations: 75%; Maintain a rate of at least 99% at Japan-based operations)		 × Domestic: Maintained recycle rate of 99%.
Overseas: Recycle rate of 61%.
Environmental risk management Reinforce monitoring to ensure strict observation of environmental laws and regulations and related facilities to prevent accidents. ○ Zero accidents, zero complaints.
Chemical substance management Improve penetration and efficiency of chemical substance management. Construct a global management system. ○

Domestic

  • Conducted ongoing inventory checks of chemical substances.
  • Administered general and specialized training through the chemical substance education system.

Overseas

  • Implemented responses to new legal regulations of chemical substances.