In fiscal year 2008, Sony began measuring a new category of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the Sony Group, that is, CO2 emissions from employee business trips.

In a study of business trips requiring air travel taken by employees in Japan, Europe and North America, these emissions totaled approximately 107,000 tons in fiscal year 2010.*

Moving forward, Sony will take measures to reduce CO2 emissions on a wide-ranging scale, including expanding the use of teleconferencing, thereby reducing the need for business trips. Some sites are already advancing such measures.

In North America, Sony Electronics Inc. (SEL) of the United States issued guidelines aimed at reducing international business travel by 80% and domestic business travel by 50% in each of its departments. These guidelines encourage departments to send fewer employees on business trips and to instead using teleconferencing whenever possible.

At some sites in Japan and the United States, Sony is also promoting reductions in CO2 generated as a result of employee commutes by providing support for employees who carpool or cycle to work. For example, in the United States -- where commuting by car is popular -- Sony promotes carpooling and provides assistance for the purchase of commuter passes for public transportation.