Protecting biodiversity
with new technology
Sony Group actively promotes the maintenance and recovery of biodiversity through its business activities and contributions to local communities, and strives to conserve and sustainably use ecosystem services. We develop technologies that contribute solving to environmental issues, and promote activities for maintenance and recovery of biodiversity in response to local needs.
Synecoculture™*1
- *1. Synecoculture is a trademark of Sony Group Corporation.
What is Synecoculture?
Synecoculture is a method of mixing and densely planting a wide variety of plants to create a rich ecosystem, and utilising the natural self-organising ecosystem functions, such as the material cycle, in a multifaceted way. It is advocated by Dr.Masatoshi Funabashi, a researcher at Sony Computer Science Laboratories.
- Overcoming the trade-off between productivity and environmental damage
Agriculture has conventionally involved a trade-off between food production and environmental degradation, with increased food productivity leading to a reduction in ecosystem richness. Synecoculture aims to overcome this trade-off by producing food without ploughing, fertilisers and pesticides while comprehensively considering the impacts on the environment and health.
[2] Productivity (Efficiency of food production)
[3] The aim of Synecoculture
- From Research to Social Implementation
-
Synecoculture aims to achieve a state of higher biodiversity than the natural state through human intervention. In practice it is important to understand the vegetation currently on-site, and what ecosystems have been established. A team led by Dr. Funabashi is conducting research on assigning scores to vegetation using artificial intelligence, and simulating what kind of species are supporting ecosystem services.
Blue: plant species; orange: animal species; yellow: fungi; green: others
Promoting biodiversity
conservation and augmentation of ecosystems
Using Synecoculture to serve local communities
Here we introduce some of the Synecoculture activities within Sony Group. We aim to expand these activities going forward.
Activities of Sony Group companies in Mainland China
Since their introduction at Sony Group companies in mainland China in fiscal 2020, with internal and external assistance, Synecoculture farms have been developed at various sites in mainland China. Five Synecoculture farms of over 6,000 m2 are now established and have harvested approximately 2,000 kg of vegetables in the past three years. In recognition of their social contribution, these farms were awarded a commendation by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce (led by the Shanghai government) in FY2022.
- Sony/Taiyo
-
Sony/Taiyo Corporation in Japan set up a Synecoculture farm in FY2022 with more than 100 species of plants. Since then, the plantation’s diverse vegetation has grown steadily and a healthy ecosystem has been established, with the harvested vegetables such as radishes and potatoes being served in the staff canteen.
- Synecoculture in practice in educational settings
-
A year-round series of Syneco Portal*2 Workshops let elementary and junior high school students create a planter-scale version of Synecoculture, allowing them to learn about its principles.The experience of observing a wide variety of plants and living creatures, and eating harvested fruits and vegetables, creates an opportunity for awareness of the richness of nature and ecosystems. Another aim is to get children to think together about what people can do to increase biodiversity, and have their curiosity motivate them to learn even further, beyond the workshops.
*2. The Syneco Portal: Synecoculture Principles Learning Kit is a first-hand planter-scale experience kit used in these workshops.
- For further dissemination of Synecoculture
-
SynecO, Inc. was established with investment from Sony Innovation Fund: Environment to promote the social implementation and spread of Synecoculture research, which aims to support both human activities and natural capital.
By extending the diverse functions of ecosystems, SynecO provides solutions that aim to balance food production and biodiversity. Additionally, SynecO offers solutions aiming to create a new value of ecosystem services such as building green infrastructure in urban/living spaces, as well as conducting education to enhance ecological literacy. Introduction of Synecoculture by Sony China and Sony/Taiyo were also supported by SynecO.
For more information about SynecO, please refer to the following link:
Interview
- Zhang Xuan
- Senior Manager, China Sustainability Division
Sony(China) Limited
Synecoculture promotion in Mainland China
As a member of the Synecoculture team in mainland China, I have been involved in the development of Synecoculture for the past four years. Sony China personnel were very interested in the features of Synecoculture such as no tillage, no fertilisers, and no pesticides, and were able to introduce the Syneco Portal in their offices*3. In addition, a Synecoculture demonstration experiment was conducted in Suzhou, with personnel from each business site participating in hands-on cultivation activities. In 2024 we continue to host workshops with experts in Synecoculture to spread the word, and we are actively introducing Synecoculture within mainland China and Hong Kong. For example Dr. Funabashi, a Synecoculture researcher, was invited to give a presentation at Sony Expo*4 to increase awareness of the benefits of Synecoculture. Sony will continue to promote Synecoculture in mainland China and Hong Kong, and contribute to the realisation of a more environmentally conscious society through Sony’s technology.
*3. Locations where Syneco Portal was introduced in mainland China and Hong Kong (as of January 2025):
Shanghai Suoguang Visual Products Co., Ltd., Sony Digital Products (Wuxi) Co., Ltd., Sony (China) Limited, Sony Global Information System (China) Co., Ltd., Sony Semiconductor Solutions (Shanghai) Limited, Sony Interactive Entertainment (Shanghai) Limited, Aniplex (Shanghai) Ltd., Sony Music Entertainment China Holdings Limited, Sony Pictures Consulting (Beijing) Company Limited, Sony Corporation of Hong Kong Ltd., Sony Music Entertainment Hong Kong Limited, Sony Pictures Television (Hong Kong) Limited.
*4. 2023 event held in mainland China to introduce the latest information on products, technologies, services, sustainability, and other aspects of each Sony Group business.