Epson scores 4 out of 18 at Rank a Brand: Empowering you to support socially responsible business

Epson Info

Brand Owner: Seiko Epson Corporation
Head Office: Nagano-ken, Japan
Sector: Electronics & ICT Hardware
Categories: Printers, Copiers
Free Tags: Printer, Copier, Inkjet, Laser, Scanner, Projector

Rank a Brand score:

4 out of 18

Widget

EMAIL BRAND

Epson Logo

Find out how green, fair and transparent your favorite brands are.

Compare Other brands

BRAND NAME Brand_name_botline

PERFORMANCE Brand_name_botline

Last Updated: 21 June 2010
Last Verified: 21 June 2010

Epson Score Report

Questions about Carbon Emissions

2 out of 5


1. Does the brand (company) clearly support global mandatory cuts of carbon emissions of at least 50% by 2050 or 30% by industrialized countries by 2020?	Not found in CSR report or on Epson website.	SOURCE
2. Does the brand (company) disclose its carbon footprint produced by its own operations and in the supply / production chain?	Epson publishes its carbon emissions, which are 800.000 tons including production (see page 12 & 43).	SOURCE
3. Has the brand (company) set a target to reduce its ‘own operations’ carbon footprint by at least 20% by the year 2012?	Epson seems to be giving only goals per unit of sales (reducing by 50 % in 2010).	SOURCE
4. Has the brand (company) already reduced its 'own operations' carbon footprint by at least 10% in the last 5 years?	Epson achieved a reduction of 24% (80,7 x 10.000 tonnes, emissions in 2008) / 106,1 (x 10.000 tonnes, emissions in 2004) = 76% (see page 48).	SOURCE
5. Do all new products of the brand meet the latest Energy Star requirements (where applicable)?	Not all Epson products meet the Energy Star requirements (see page 46).	SOURCE

Questions about Environmental Policy

1 out of 7


1. Has the brand (company) eliminated PVC and BFRs in all new products? If not, does the brand give a timeline for achieving this by 2012?	Some BFR's are unconditionally banned, but it is unclear whether PVC and other BFR's are banned or will be banned (see chemical report in link).	SOURCE
2. Has the brand (company) already eliminated PVC and BFRs in all new products?	Some BFR's are unconditionally banned, but it is unclear whether PVC and other BFR's are banned or will be banned (see chemical report in link).	SOURCE
3. Has the brand (company) already eliminated at least 2 of the 3 groups of suspect chemicals (beryllium, antimony and phthalates) in all of its new products? If not, does it give a timeline for achieving this by 2012?	Not found in this chemical report or on Epson website.	SOURCE
4. Has the brand (company) already eliminated at least 2 of the 3 groups of suspect chemicals (beryllium, antimony and phthalates)in all of its new products?	Not found in this chemical report or on Epson website.	SOURCE
5. Does the brand (company) support the principle of Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR), meaning that brands are responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their own products, including take back and recycling?	Epson does not mention Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR), but it supports the same ideas and principles: "As a producer, Epson fully supports the recycling of our products in line with the European WEEE Directive and has ensured that our responsibilities in meeting this directive are fully met in all European countries, either through its own participation in local schemes or through its network of distributors.”	SOURCE
6. Does the brand (company) provide free and easy take back and recycling services for its discarded products in many of the countries where its products are sold?	The services are not free everywhere, for example in the U.S., you pay $ 10 for the recycling service. Also see Recycling Program FAQ.	SOURCE
7. Does the brand (company) source at least 5% of its plastics from recycled plastic streams and does it give a clear timeline to increase this percentage to at least 25% by 2025?	Not found on Epson website.	SOURCE

Questions about Labour Conditions/Human Rights

1 out of 6


1. Does the brand (company) have a supplier Code of Conduct (CoC) which includes the following standards: No forced or slave labour, no child labour, no discrimination of any kind and a safe and hygienic workplace?	All standards are mentioned in 'Epson Group Procurement Guidelines' (see page 11 & 12).	SOURCE
2. Does this CoC include at least two of the following workers rights: 1. to have a formally registered employment relationship 2. to have a maximum working week of 48 hours with voluntary paid overtime of 12 hours maximum 3. to have a sufficient living wage?	1. Not mentioned; 2. No, supplier must comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding work hours, but maximum workweek and hours of overtime is not specified; 3. No, mentioning of minimum and legal wage, not living wage (see page 11 & 12).	SOURCE
3. Does this CoC include the right for workers to form and join trade unions and bargain collectively; and in those situations where these rights are restricted under law, the right to facilitate parallel means of independent and free association and bargaining?	Freedom of association is mentioned, but nothing found about situations in which this right is restricted by law (see page 12).	SOURCE
4. Does the brand (company) have a published list of direct suppliers that have collectively contributed to more than 90% of the purchase volume?	Only Epson Group Companies are given, no list of supply chain companies (see page 31).	SOURCE
5. Is the brand (company) a member of a collective initiative that aims to improve labour conditions, or does the brand (company) purchase its supplies from accredited factories with improved labour conditions?	Not found on Epson website.	SOURCE
6. Does the brand (company) annually report on the results of its labour conditions policy?	Epson says that it annually evaluates it suppliers and conducts detailed evaluations every few years. However, no results found.	SOURCE