Sony's biodiversity initiatives and
local communities
At Sony Group, biodiversity is one of four environmental perspectives that we have determined to be of key importance since our global environmental plan "Road to Zero" was announced in 2010, and we continue to implement a wide variety of biodiversity initiatives. Sony Group considers the impact of its business activities on, and promotes activities to conserve and restore biodiversity in, ecosystems surrounding its business sites and green areas in response to local needs.
Factory in the forest
Kohda site: factory with a forest
At Sony we aim to protect the green areas around our factories. At the Sony Global Manufacturing & Operations Corporation Kohda site in Japan, employees learn how to manage the green space and come up with their own management methods, creating and nurturing the structure of the forest. These efforts have been well regarded by local communities.
- A forest fit for owls
Rich forests are home to their ecosystem's apex predators, birds of prey, and provide a habitat and food for small animals that speak to the rich ecosystem pyramid below. In the Mikawa area in Japan, owls now live in the forest, partly as a result of our efforts including planting acorns and placing nest boxes.
- Working with local communities
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The forest is open to the community. Walking trails have been built, and athletic facilities and observation decks have been constructed so that people of all ages can use the area to learn about the environment.
Kumamoto TEC working with the community for groundwater
- Kumamoto TEC: recharging groundwater
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Since 2003 Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, Kumamoto Technology Center (Kumamoto TEC) has been recharging groundwater, as proposed by the nonprofit organisation Kumamoto Mirai Net (previous name: Kumamoto Environmental Network) at a 2002 environmental summit held by Sony's Semiconductor Business Group.
![Illustration of groundwater circulation, with labels [1] Kumamoto TEC; [2] rice fields; [3] groundwater](./biodiversity/img/block02-1.jpg)
- Safeguarding groundwater
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Under the slogan of "returning the water we use" Kumamoto TEC recharges more groundwater every year than is taken from the ground (with the exceptions of 2005 and 2019, which were drought years).
- Solving local issues together
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Through the unique idea of borrowing farmland before and after planting crops, we are recharging more groundwater than is extracted from the ground. We are also working together with local residents to protect Kumamoto Prefecture's precious water resources. We are implementing community-based initiatives, such as allowing employees to purchase locally grown farm products, and providing rice harvested from groundwater recharge rice fields at the staff cafeteria.
Sony UK working with the local community on biodiversity
UK Technology Centre: diverse initiatives
At the Sony UK Technology Centre we've built an environmental centre on the premises where people can learn about biodiversity in person. We are also running a variety of related activities, including small-scale agriculture and maintaining nine honeybee colonies that boost pollination in the local area.
- Community engagement
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Our team has turned its hand to forest management as well as building bird, bat and bug houses installed at the site's environmental centre and donated to local schools and businesses to help increase biodiversity awareness in the local community.
Protecting the bees
We have nine bee colonies producing honey, and ten employees who have been trained as beekeepers by a local beekeeping charity looking after them regularly. This activity supports biodiversity and pollination, and the honey produced is sold at the staff cafeteria with all proceeds from those sales going to charity.
Interview
- Rob Wilson
- Managing Director
Sony Europe B.V.
UK Technology Centre
Caring for our local environment's biodiversity is key to building a sustainable future. At our UK Technology Centre manufacturing site, we've seen how educating and engaging people can drive real change—some of our efforts even earned recognition at the 2024 International Green Apple awards. Back in 2006, we built an environmental centre at our premises, which is now a space where our teams and the community can connect with nature. The grounds house nine bee colonies (~120,000 honeybees) that boost local pollination, which are cared for by 10 beekeeper-trained team members. The centre also features allotments where our team can grow food, and it serves as an outdoor classroom for local schools, helping to spark children's interest in biodiversity early. During a recent teambuilding event, our team members built 165 bird and insect boxes which have now been installed at the centre or donated to local schools and businesses to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity. To keep this momentum, we also established a voluntary sustainability network, which continues to generate ideas and drive actions towards a sustainable future for all.