In conformance with its medium-term targets, Sony maintains stringent control over the chemical substances it uses. This enables Sony to minimize the risk of chemical substances it uses causing serious harm to human health and the environment.

Sony gathers information on restrictions in different countries and on environmental impact from Sony Group companies around the world, as well as from industry associations and specialized agencies in Japan, the United States and Europe, among others. Group technical committees then investigate relevance to Sony electric and electronics products, specific applications and instances of actual use.

Based on information thus obtained, as well as on risk assessment information from specialized programs such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Design for the Environment partnership program*1, Sony classifies individual chemical substances as either to be eliminated or to be controlled. Sony also monitors information on controlled chemical substances used in parts and finished products, eliminating use in specific applications that assessments have identified as high-risk. Considering the interests of its various stakeholders, Sony adopts a precautionary approach and takes steps to eliminate the use of substances considered to be high-risk, even in cases where scientific evidence is insufficient, thereby reducing potential impact on the environment.

Similarly, regarding chemical substances used at Sony manufacturing and nonmanufacturing sites, Sony specifies the types of substances and applications and has designated standards for managing individual substances assessed to be high-risk, classifying them as "prohibit use," "eliminate use by a specified date" or "reduce amounts released and transferred."