From the very beginning, Print Green has focused on cooperation with the climate protection organisation myclimate. As a partner, Kyocera supports three international carbon offset projects in which CO2 offsetting is combined with an improvement in the living conditions of local people.
After customers were initially able to register the systems they use for offsetting of the respective CO2 emissions from 2011 onwards, Kyocera made the toner sold in Germany and Austria climate-neutral in 2013 and all printing and multifunctional systems in October 2019. The ecological footprint of the toners and systems is considered over the life cycle and the amount of CO2 generated during raw material generation, production, transport and recycling is offset.
Three certified climate protection projects
The CO2 footprint of the systems and toners is currently offset through three specific myclimate carbon offset projects in Kenya, Nepal and Madagascar, which are certified by the Gold Standard. This means that they demonstrably contribute to the reduction of emissions and at the same time are good for the local environment and social concerns of the local people.
In the Kyocera-supported climate protection project in Kenya, regionally produced, efficient cookers are being installed in rural communities in the Siaya region in the west of the country to replace open fireplaces. In Nepal, simple but very efficient biogas plants enable cooking with biogas and replace the burning of firewood and the use of chemical fertilisers. In Madagascar, Kyocera is supporting the production and distribution of efficient energy-saving and climate-friendly solar cookers to reduce CO2 emissions and counteract rapid deforestation.
«Every company and every person can make a contribution to climate protection», explains Stefan Baumeister, Managing Director of myclimate. «Kyocera has been successfully supporting carbon offset projects with Print Green for ten years and is thus making an important contribution to climate protection and sustainable development together with its customers.»
Avoid - reduce - offset
Kyocera's sustainability strategy follows a clear principle: avoid, reduce, offset. This is why the company does not only focus on offsetting when it comes to climate protection, but also starts with product development in order to keep CO2 emissions as low as possible from the very beginning. Waste avoidance, stand-by optimisation, low power consumption and polystyrene foam-free packaging are just a few keywords. In addition, the company also invests in the avoidance and reduction of CO2 emissions through the use of renewable energies and the purchase of 100 per cent green electricity, as well as through optimisations of facilities and processes.
«We are very proud of our multi-award-winning sustainability strategy, in which we place a great deal of emphasis on a consistent and holistic approach to climate protection, even beyond Print Green», adds Dietmar Nick, Managing Director of Kyocera Document Solutions Germany. «That's why I'm particularly pleased that more and more specialist trade partners are following our example and joining us on the path towards climate neutrality.»