Commitment by Top Management

Commitment by Top Management
The social mission of the Tokyo Electron Group is to recognize theseverity of global environmental issues and make positive contributions
toward solving them through our business operations
Promoting the photovoltaic (PV) cell production
equipment business, together with an ongoing focus
on increasing the energy efficiency of semiconductor
and FPD production equipment
To achieve lower electricity consumption worldwide, alternative
energy technologies need to be developed and commercialized forwidespread use as soon as possible. To make this happen, the Grouphas established a joint venture with Sharp Corporation to launch a PV
cell production equipment business.
We held extensive discussions on which direction the Groupshould go in light of the technological and economic obstacles theworld is now facing. Our conclusion was that we should not limit
ourselves to existing semiconductor and FPD fields but make further
direct contributions to the environment.

Tetsuro Higashi

Developing natural energy technologies is not only a
responsibility but an opportunity

Chairman & CEOTokyo Electron Limited

In the hope of closing the gap with developed nations, emerging
countries are now looking to alternative energy sources that can besupplied efficiently, safely and in sufficient amounts. Solar power

Contributing to the global community throughtechnological breakthroughs that enable a substantial
reduction of our environmental impact—this is theGroup’s mission

and other natural energies must be at the core of such alternative
sources. In order to encourage widespread use of PV cells as thestandard, we need to improve the efficiency of their light energy
conversion and offer related equipment at a lower cost. Making thishappen is our responsibility, but we can also see a great number of

Sixty-one years have passed since the first transistor was invented

At the Tokyo Electron Group, we have a culture that welcomessemiconductors have replaced vacuum tubes to become theactive and open discussion among employees. Our employees aretechnological mainstay, helping achieve significant improvements

passionate about conserving the environment and a mind-set ofin productivity and making society more prosperous. Considering

motivating and inspiring colleagues permeates the entire Group. Our

how much energy would have been required to achieve the current

contributions to global communities continue to expand across wider

productivity level without semiconductors, we realize how big a role

areas. Our efforts to develop and commercialize PV cells have only

semiconductors have been playing in order to sustain the affluent

just begun; metaphorically, we have only accomplished the first 50

and convenient lifestyles we enjoy today. However, because of thismeters of a full marathon.

high productivity and convenience, our energy consumption has alsoThis year will be marked as the starting point of more substantial

risen significantly and the global environment is now heading toward

contributions to the global environment through innovation andthe limit of its sustainability.

growth.

Given the fact that semiconductors serve as a basis for many, if
not all, modern industries, it is imperative that our environmental
impact be reduced at every stage of the product lifecycle, frommanufacturing to consumer use, by improving energy efficiency andtaking other necessary measures. Well aware of this pressing social
situation, we are committed to becoming a part of environmentalsolutions. This is one of the key elements of the TEL Missions (seepages 6 and 7).

4business opportunities in this area.

in 1947 in the aftermath of World War II. During this period,

TOKYO ELECTRON Environmental and Social Report 2008

Steadily accumulating technological capabilities has
given rise to a new PV cell production business
The Tokyo Electron Group has decided to enter the clean technology

Commitment by Top Management

Development and adoption of natural energy products to help solve
energy issues and achieve world peacedevelopment market in full force. Such a bold decision would havebeen impossible without the production equipment technologies wehave developed and manufactuerd over many years.
Semiconductors have been of tremendous assistance in making
our lives more convenient and affluent. However, when we step backand think about what we truly mean by “affluence,” considering
today’s societal problems such as international economic disparities,
we realize that solving energy issues is more urgent than pursuingfurther convenience.
It is not surprising that society’s expectations of the Groupchange over time as contemporary social concerns also change. We
anticipate that the PV cell production equipment business will help
meet present-day societal needs. This new initiative will be developed
based on the solid foundation we have built up over many years,including a variety of improvements and technological solutions weKiyoshi Satohave provided for our customers to help improve the productivity ofPresident & COO
Tokyo Electron Limited

their factories, and semiconductor and FPD production equipment
manufactured at those sites.

We will aim to reduce our environmental imact by halfby 2015

Development of clean technologies is the mostimportant task in solving energy issues
The sheer gravity of global energy issues encouraged us to start a PV

About 80% of the total environmental impact of semiconductor

cell production equipment business in earnest—as an initial step toproduction equipment across its lifecycle is generated when

tap into the clean technology market—in parallel with reducing thethe equipment is in use at customers’ factories. Thus, we will
focus on proposing and implementing measures to improve

environmental impact of existing products.
Discussions at the Davos meeting1, which I have attended for theenergy efficiency of our products. In fiscal 2008, we successfully

past two years, acutely reminded me that the current energy situation

reduced electricity consumption of a certain product by about

has reached a point where unavailability of new energy resources to

50% under a technological partnership set up with client facilities.

replace oil reasonably soon could lead to international conflict.

This accomplishment was recognized as an excellent example

I believe that our initiative to achieve a stable supply of high-of environmentally conscious initiatives, for which we received aperformance yet affordable PV cells in the near future will ultimately

customer award.

help close the economic gap and maintain peace throughout theAs the next step, we aim to develop equipment that enables aworld.

50% reduction of the total environmental impact of new customer

Maintaining a global perspective is important today as a wide

factories scheduled for completion in 2015. This goal is specified inrange of issues need to be addressed. At the Davos meeting, I was

our latest mid-term plan (see page 18).

able to gain a number of fresh perspectives, which I now share withThe Group will continue taking aggressive actions to reduce theenvironmental impact of our products and business.
1	Davos meeting: Annual meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Davos,
Switzerland, where the world’s corporate managers, politicians, and economists
gather to discuss global politics and the economy.

our employees on various occasions.
Recognizing the value of our business in society, we at theTokyo Electron Group will continue striving to establish outstanding
technologies that contribute to the global community.

TOKYO ELECTRON Environmental and Social Report 20085