WWF Japan and Sony Group Corporation Sign a Corporate Partnership Agreement
2021/04/14
Joining Forces to Tackle Climate Change and Conserve Biodiversity through Forest Conservation
Tokyo, Japan, April 14, 2021 – World Wide Fund for Nature Japan (hereinafter referred to as “WWF Japan”) and Sony Group Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Sony”) have entered into a three-year WWF Corporate Partnership Agreement effective from April 1, 2021, to further strengthen the collaboration they started in 1989.
WWF Japan leads a wide range of environmental conservation projects that help build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. Sony also promotes environmental activities and has launched its long-term environmental plan “Road to Zero” (*1) to achieve a “zero environmental footprint” by 2050, while supporting and working together with WWF Japan for the past three decades.
In addition to their on-going efforts, they have signed the Corporate Partnership Agreement to step up their collaboration in tackling climate change and conserving biodiversity through forest conservation, and to bring about a sustainable global environment. They also aspire to accelerate environmental activities to achieve the goal of Sony’s long-term environmental plan, “Road to Zero,” and to develop the initiative into being more comprehensive and effective.
To that end, for the next three years, Sony will donate a total of 90 million yen to WWF Japan. Moreover, Sony is also considering dispatching employees to local sites, as part of an effort to make the most of Sony technology and personnel to help resolve social issues. Another goal of sending employees to local sites is to foster their awareness of sustainability issues.
Specific activities defined in the Corporate Partnership Agreement are as follows:
Climate Change
To meet the targets of “Green Management 2025” (*2), Sony’s medium-term environmental targets from FY2021 to FY2025 developed partly through consultation with WWF Japan, and those defined under the “Climate Savers programme” (*3) to reduce both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, the two parties will cooperate by providing support, sharing information, exchanging ideas, and monitoring and evaluating activities and progress to execute a strategy that is aligned with the Paris Agreement. In the field of climate change, they have also set a goal of making these endeavors best practices to be shared in the business community.
Biodiversity Conservation
To assist Sony in meeting the Green Management 2025 targets related to biodiversity and appropriate resource use, WWF Japan will provide support and share ideas and information to help Sony reduce its use of plastics, and promote the sustainable use of paper as an alternative to plastics. Sony will also assist WWF in its forest conservation activities in Southeast Asia, Russia, and elsewhere, as well as help WWF Japan with its initiative to encourage the use of sustainable forest products in Japan.
WWF Japan and Sony continue to work together to build a sustainable future and a decarbonized society in which humans live in harmony with nature.
(*1) “Road to Zero”
Sony’s long-term environmental plan announced in 2010, striving to achieve a zero environmental footprint throughout the life cycle of our products and business activities by 2050. Road to Zero sets a series of specific goals based on four environmental perspectives and six product life cycle stages. For more, click here
(*2) “Green Management 2025”
Sony Group’s medium-term environmental targets from FY2021 to FY2025. For more, click here
(*3) “Climate Savers programme”
WWF’s international programme (launched in 1999) in which WWF partners with businesses to jointly set reduction targets for their greenhouse gas emissions and aim together for it. Through consultation with WWF, businesses set up ambitious reduction targets in alignment with the Paris Agreement. WWF and a third-party body annually verify their activities and progress, and work together toward their shared goals. Sony has been a member of this programme since 2006.
Messages
Shiro KAMBE, Senior Executive Vice President, Corporate Executive Officer of Sony Group Corporation
“Sony’s purpose is to, ‘Fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology.’ With the understanding that a healthy global environment and social sustainability are essential to fulfil our Purpose, we continue to carry out a variety of environmental activities from a long-term perspective. We have closely worked with WWF Japan over the past three decades and it is my pleasure that today we jointly announced a new partnership in the areas of climate change and biodiversity. Under the new framework, we are committed to accelerating our initiatives that aim to contribute to realization of a sustainable global environment and a brighter future.”
Sadayosi TOBAI, CEO of WWF Japan
“For WWF Japan, this new partnership agreement with Sony is a very important step toward fulfilling SDGs. We will be joining forces in two of the most crucial areas of global sustainability challenges. One is to accelerate the transition into a decarbonized society. Sony started working with WWF Japan long before decarbonization or zero-carbon emissions became a global trend, and it has always been one of the pioneering companies to engage in advanced environmental initiatives. Going forward, we will collaborate with each other to further Japan’s transformation into a decarbonized society. The other crucial area is to restore biodiversity across the globe. With the support of Sony in conserving forest biodiversity and encouraging sustainable production and consumption, we will together move ahead with the restoration of biodiversity.”
Sony’s Initiatives with WWF Japan
Since 1989
Joined the WWF Corporate Club, made donations associated with employee activities, provided support including product donations
1991
Donated the proceeds of a charity sale
Since 2006
Participated in the Climate Savers programme
Since 2011
Supported the Project for Forest Conservation in Sumatra
Since 2013
Joined the “Consortium for Sustainable Paper Use (CSPU)”* as a founding member
2015
In partnership with WWF, became the first Japanese company to receive approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
2017
Donated the proceeds of a charity auction of the autonomous entertainment robot “aibo”
*“Consortium for Sustainable Paper Use (CSPU)”: In collaboration with Response Ability, Inc. and WWF Japan, this consortium was established in November 2013 by five companies that pursue a wider use of socially and environmentally conscious paper. It aims to increase and spread the use of socially and environmentally conscious paper in an entire society. Another five entities have since joined, and now a total of 12 businesses and organizations take part.
About WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)
WWF is a global environmental conservation organization established in Switzerland in
1961. To build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, WWF is currently
promoting environment projects in more than 100 countries to protect rare wildlife species,
preserve natural environments such as forests and oceans, promote sustainable use of
natural resources, and prevent global warming, among many other things.
[WWF Japan Website] https://www.wwf.or.jp/eng
About Sony Group Corporation
Sony Group Corporation is a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation of
technology. From Game & Network Services to Music, Pictures, Electronics Products &
Solutions, Imaging & Sensing Solutions and Financial Services - Sony's purpose is to fill
the world with emotion through the power of creativity and technology.
[Sony Group Website] https://www.sony.com/en/
