Environment

Approaching the Sony building, you hear a humming and buzzing accompanied by bleating and baaing. That’s the sound of biodiversity!

Protecting biodiversity is a central part of our corporate philosophy at Sony DADC. For this reason, we offer a home and shelter to twenty bee colonies – which is around 80,000 bees – and to our mowing sheep – grazing on a pasture area of 8,000 square meters.

Sheep “mow” much slower and not nearly as thoroughly as lawnmowers or mulchers. This leaves enough living space on the meadow for insects and other small animals. Without a lawnmower, late flowering plants that are incompatible with pruning will be able to resettle in the future. The seeds of the plants can also spread more easily and better by getting caught in the wool of the sheep and being carried around.

All in all, with this so-called extensive grazing, we promote the diversity of flora and thus also the preservation of insects, especially our bees.

The bees not only have a home with us but are actually cared for by our employees. In a detailed, well-founded beekeeping course, interested employees have learned everything that is important for expert care and can thus actively participate in our biodiversity measure.

Biodiversity is an essential step on our Road to Zero.

When it comes to renewable energies, we go a step further than all our programs require: not only have we already been keeping our promise to purchase electricity exclusively from renewable sources since 2007, but we actually produce it ourselves.

With our photovoltaic system, we have been producing up to 1 million kWh of emission-free electricity per year since 2019 with a peak output of 1,020 kW. There are 3,190 solar cells on 11,000 square meters on the roof of our plant and the electricity generated contributes in parts to our electricity needs, which are covered 100% with renewable energy.

In addition to energy for production, it also supplies the 20 charging stations for electric cars. Since 2023, the entire fleet of our company cars has transitioned to e-mobility. To further support sustainable commuting, we offer climate-friendly alternatives for employees through initiatives like subsidized annual public transport passes via the Klimaticket.

A major project in recent years has also significantly reduced our gas consumption. Since 2021, a state-of-the-art heat recovery system combined with a high-efficiency heat pump has reliably met the heating needs of the entire building whenever the outdoor temperature exceeds 4°C. As a result, gas consumption has been reduced by an impressive 80%, significantly lowering our environmental footprint and advancing our sustainability goals.

The use of renewable energies is an essential step on our Road to Zero.

Principle 1 – Reducing the negative environmental impact

Sony DADC is committed to environmental issues on the basis of ISO 14001 environmental management system. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as water consumption, electricity usage, chemical inventory and waste are carefully monitored on a monthly basis. In addition to the wide range of internal Eco driven projects, Sony DADC offers customers programs and initiatives targeted at offsetting product life‐cycle related CO₂ emissions.

Principle 2 – Increasing resource efficiency

Eco‐thinking influences our whole product cycle, from the materials we source, recycle and reuse in manufacturing, to the development of thinner packaging that takes up less space for more energy efficient transportation. We have integrated a comprehensive Life‐Cycle and Carbon Management initiative into our daily business, thereby reviewing and monitoring not only manufacturing efficiency but the entire value chain, from responsible purchase and usage of raw materials to distribution of finished products.

Principle 3 – Controlling use of environmental related substances

The materials we use in our products are crucial to minimizing impacts on the environment. We strictly comply with regulations on the use of harmful substances like REACH and ROHS.

Sony Corporation launched its „Road to Zero” global environmental plan in 2010. The plan, which includes a long-term goal of achieving a zero environmental footprint by 2040, uses back casting methods to set specific mid-term environmental targets on a five year rolling basis in line with this goal.

Sony’s definition of zero environmental footprint is not only limited to the neutralization of carbon emissions, but also extends to waste and use of finite materials such as oil-derived virgin plastics. Targets are based on four environmental perspectives – climate change, resource conservation, control of chemical substances and biodiversity, and  across all product lifecycle stages, from research and development to recycling.