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We are not only producers but consumers. As an enterprise committed to harmony in society and nature, we consider the environment when procuring and purchasing materials and parts.

Olympus defines green purchasing and green procurement as follows:

Green Purchasing	Purchasing of OA (office automation) equipment, office supplies, lighting fixtures and motor vehicles, produced to minimize their impact on the environment, for business use by our employees
Green Procurement	Purchasing of raw materials and parts, produced to minimize their impact on the environment, to be used for manufacturing Olympus products

We have established these two categories because there are two different viewpoints - consumers' and producers'. We have environmentally conscious viewpoint in all of the purchasing activities that support Olympus' business activities.

Olympus procures various materials and parts from suppliers around the world for its various kinds of products such as cameras and equipment for medical use. We have made efforts of encouraging green procurement aiming to carry out fair and impartial trade that contributes to the mutual development of all involved enterprises, standing on an equal footing with our suppliers, based on the Procurement Policy.

The RoHS regulations and other restrictions on the use of certain chemical substances in electrical and electric equipment have been tightened in recent years. In 2003, Olympus adopted the Environmental-related Substances Used in Product Control Rules.
These rules define control levels for each substance on the basis of regulatory requirements, social trends and other factors in each country. Substances are rigorously managed according to these control levels.

Olympus is also adapting its systems to conform with the new REACH regulations, which were introduced in Europe in 2007 and will take effect in stages.

Olympus clearly communicates its environmental concepts to all suppliers with which it has transactions by means of the Olympus Environmental Charter, Environmental Protection Declaration and Environmental Action Guideline for Environmental Protection Declaration. Olympus also works with its suppliers to expand environmental initiatives by conducting surveys of environment-related substances and environmental management systems.

Olympus conducts surveys of environment-related substances contained in materials and parts used for products according to the list of environmental-related substances. The substances examined are those identified in the Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI) ^Note1. We ask suppliers to analyze environment-related substances in their materials and parts, and to provide information. We also conduct in-house analyses when necessary.

These surveys produce information on procured materials, which is stored in a dedicated database. After verification by design, development and purchasing staff, the information is used to select or change materials, parts and suppliers as part of our efforts to ensure that our products do not contain environment-related substances.

Note1: The Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI) is an organization established for the purpose of standardizing green procurement surveys. Many major Japanese manufacturers participate in the JGPSSI.

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