Sony Achieves Over 30% Reduction in Global CO2 Emissions

Sony Corporation (“Sony or the “Company”) today announced that the company has achieved or exceeded the majority of the targets set out in the "Green Management 2010" (“GM2010”) mid-term environmental plan, including an over 30% reduction in global CO2 emissions across its business sites compared with fiscal year 2000 levels. Sony’s GM2010 plan, introduced in 2006, aimed to reduce the Company’s environmental impact over the five-year period spanning fiscal years 2006 through 2010. The results of these initiatives have been confirmed through third-party verification.

Reduction of Greenhouse Gases

GM2010 included a series of aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets. Through the implementation of various innovative initiatives designed to achieve these goals, Sony successfully reduced CO2 emissions[1] across its business sites to 1.53 million tons in fiscal year 2010. This represents a reduction of 31% compared to fiscal year 2000 levels, far surpassing the original 7% target specified in the GM2010 plan. Sony’s initiatives included the use of alternative substances to replace substances with high global warming potential in its manufacturing processes, and the reduction of energy-related CO2 emissions through the installation of advanced energy systems, which have been optimized by Sony’s in-house energy conservation specialists to deliver maximum energy efficiency at Sony offices and manufacturing sites around the world. Sony was also instrumental in the introduction of the Green Power Certification System for renewable energy in the UK, and remains one of its largest users.

Other Achievements (compared with fiscal year 2000):

• Reduced waste generation at business sites by 54% (target 40%)
• Reduced water usage at business sites by 41% (target 20%)
• Reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from business sites by 35% (target 40%)
  • Semiconductors are the main area of production in which VOCs remain in use. With semiconductor production continuing to increase, some VOCs have been difficult to replace, while others emit such low levels of gas, it has proved difficult to implement technically and economically viable alternatives. Sony will continue to take steps to reduce its VOC emissions, including measures such as installing VOC treatment systems
• Achieved 100% of targets in relation to annual electricity consumption of products across each Sony product category
  • The annual electricity consumption of core “BRAVIA™” LCD TV models[2] declined by approximately 30% between 2008 and 2010

Regional Achievements

Europe

Sony Europe has made consistent progress, with all GEMS[3]-certified Sony sites throughout Europe being powered by electricity from 100% renewable sources3 since fiscal year 2008. In terms of waste management, recycling levels have increased from 73% in fiscal year 2000 to 99% in fiscal year 2009, meaning that currently 99% of the waste generated by Sony Europe manufacturing facilities is either reused or recycled. In addition, as part of its measures to further increase producer responsibility, Sony Europe is also a founding member of the European Recycling Platform (ERP). Fully operational in 12 European countries, the ERP effectively manages end-of-life collection and recycling for all consumer electronics products across these countries.

Since April 2011, Sony has been working on a new range of initiatives to achieve the targets set forth in its “Green Management 2015” (“GM2015”)[4] program, the successor to its GM2010 plan. The GM2015 targets correspond with Sony’s “Road to Zero”5 global environmental plan – which includes the long-term vision of achieving a zero environmental footprint by 2050 – and have been calculated back from 2050, to determine specific mid-term environmental targets for the next five years in line with that goal. Furthermore, specific targets have been set for each stage of the product life-cycle, from R&D to product recycling, to ensure the achievement of the next set of Sony mid-term environmental goals.

-Ends-

[1] Sum total of direct and indirect emissions

- Direct emissions: Emissions from combustion boilers, furnaces, vehicles etc. which Sony directly owns or controls.

- Indirect emissions: Emissions that physically occur outside of Sony sites but are deemed attributable to the company, such as electricity purchases

[2] Comparison between “BRAVIA” V1 series (2008) and EX703 series (2010). (Both 40” and 46” models). Calculated based on the Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy in Japan effective at the time of sale.

3 Data for fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010 has been verified by leading global certification organization Bureau Veritas Certification (BVC).

4For more information on “Green Management 2015”, please refer to:

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/csr/environment/management/gm2015/index.html

5 For more information on the Sony Group’s eco activities and "Road to Zero" program, please refer to:

http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/csr/eco/RoadToZero