Environmental Performance Indicators Analysis

264 Especially, these three items of expenses are investing the highest number of costs in 2008; therefore, it is clear that effects on environmental protection performance in 2009. The company conserves the largest energy and improves efficiency almost happened in year 2009, not only in energy conservation but also in efficiency of environmental load reduction. Hitachi contributes to environmental conservation through business. In fiscal 2009, Hitachi generates electricity by nuclear results in far fewer CO2 emissions than burning fossil fuels at thermal power plants and Wind power generates electricity being a system integrator, to use these in products and service. Hitachi have developed a modular data center that optimizes the layout of air condition and IT equipment for both cooling efficiency and space savings. Power use by air conditioners that cool serves is cut by to 67 percent and CO2 emissions are reduces. Hitachi development of eco-products to decrease emission, for example refrigerator-freezers with vastly improved energy saving which boasts an energy efficiency standard achievement rate of 256 percent 2010 standard conservation, and another wind turbine generating system with reduce environmental burden which help to reduce the environmental burden throughout the life cycle form manufacturing to operation and disposal. At the same time, Hitachi produces some products helping to reduce CO2 emission by improving the environmental efficiency of products. There are three main products contributing to CO2 emission reductions in 2012, for example high-efficiency gas turbine generators power station, the new plant will contribute to an annual reduction in CO2 emissions 37,000 tonnes. Hitachi will continue to develop green products to reduce CO2 emissions, and prevention of global warming. Third, achievement of production indicators analysis. There are three items including research and development, social activity and environmental damage. The ratio of Hitachi invested the highest number of research and development expenses in 2012. In addition to the highest costs of social activity and environmental damage expense were invested in fiscal 2011. Therefore, form production indicators and environmental efficiency index tables are summarizes the results of the survey, it seems to get positive performance in 2012. In respect of research and development expense, this requires some further explanation. The Hitachi Group invested 670 billion yen, approximately 60 percent of the total RD expenditure of 1,100 billion for fiscal year 2010 to 2012, in Social innovation business areas to accelerate RD that promotes growth in the global market for this business area. In fiscal 2013, 89 percent of basic and platform research will be invested in social innovation business research, and the remaining 11 percent in platform research. Technology developments supporting global social innovation business will increase the efficiency of RD, as well as developing recycling technologies and creating and operating systems for the recycling products. 265

4. Conclusion

This case study Japanese company of Hitachi group established environmental protection action very early in 1993, and has promoted environmental protection activities since then. We found that disclosure environmental accounting become an important issue, because it helps company sustainable development. Through disclose environmental accounting, it improves the current status of environmental conservation activities performance as well as economic and environmental conservation effects. In this case study, Hitachi is a good example that had better emphasize major environmental issues on accounting reports. Hitachi has already enforce industries had better implement environmental accounting in production activities was likely to yield good result on increase environmental protection costs. In addition, because in Hitachi’s environmental protection costs table shows that they increase the investment year by year, it is appeared that Hitachi get positive feedback in environmental load index and environmental efficiency index in year 2012. Therefore, Hitachi continues improvement of the production processes and the utilization of all resources not only in Japan but also in global. 266 For example, in Europe, a new distribution center went into operation that is equipped with a solar power generation system which contributions to CO2 emission reduction in Netherlands and at storage system manufacturing center of water conservation in France; furthermore, in Asia, promoting waste recycling on creating eco-factories and development eco-products in Japan and an additional wastewater treatment system promotes water recycling in China. Hitachi also continue on research and development strategy research and development goals RD plan and investment enhancing RD outside Japan noteworthy RD achievements References Ana Murphy. EPA guidelines, November 8, 2010, from http:www.microempowering.orgexternal-blogwhat-are-environmental-costs-part-1 Beth Beloff, Miriam Heller, Devaun Kite, Ajay Maindiratta, David Shields, Christopher Stinson, and Rebecca Todd; 1995 ; Green ledgers: Case studies in corporate environmental accounting form the http:www.wri.orgpublicationgreen-ledgers-case-studies-corporate- environmental-accounting Culture and the Environmental in Japan _ Abstract from the http:link.springer.comarticle10.10072FBF01867110 Environmental Accounting Guideline 2002 ; Ministry of the Environment Japan ; March 2002. Environmental Accounting Guideline 2005 ; Ministry of the Environment Japan ; February 2005. Griffin, J.J. and J.F. Mahon, 1997, The corporate social performance and corporate financial performance debate: Twenty-five years of incomparable research, Business and Society 36, 5-31. Government of Japan ; Environmental Reporting Guidelines-Towards a Sustainable Society Fiscal Year 2007 version. Hibiki, Akira and Toshi Arimura 2004 Environmental policies and firm-level management practices in Japan, from http:www.oecd.orgjapan31650143.pdf.