A United Nations report released in April noted that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a vital solution helping the world to avoid severe problems as unprecedented heatwaves, devastating storms, and widespread water shortages.

Meanwhile, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, nearly 50 per cent of the world’s population will face serious risks to health and life, including new epidemics.

Due to its natural geographical conditions, Vietnam is assessed by the World Bank as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Extreme weather phenomena appear frequently with stronger intensity in recent years such as storms, droughts, thunderstorms, flash floods, and landslides, adversely affecting the country’s socioeconomic development.

The Mekong Delta is forecasted to be the most affected region, with half of the land at risk of being deeply inundated if the sea level continues to rise in the forthcoming years.

In that context, Vietnam soon set out the National Strategy on Climate Change, with a commitment to achieve the goal of being carbon-neutral by 2050.

Panasonic inspires Vietnamese young people towards a green, wellness and sustainable lifestyle

Realising global commitments

The Panasonic Environment Vision towards 2050, launched in 2017, aims to reduce energy consumption and create a clean energy surplus.

However, with the increasingly obvious and serious impacts of climate change on the lives of people around the world, in January the group announced its commitment to Panasonic GREEN IMPACT, deemed as a transition in the focus of its long-term Environment Vision. It highlights the group’s contributions to addressing global challenges, progressing towards being carbon-neutral and responding to climate change impacts.

Accordingly, Panasonic aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 2050 for its entire value chain at more than 300 million tonnes, equivalent to about 1 per cent of the current total global emissions of 33 billion tonnes.

“We will continue to promote research and development to increase energy efficiency and help reduce CO2 emissions on Panasonic products themselves, while supporting governments and businesses to reduce such emissions through providing energy-saving solutions and clean technologies,” said Yuki Kusumi, CEO of Panasonic Holdings Corporation. “We are determined to do all this not only to improve our lives, but also to create a more sustainable world for future generations.”

As the goal in its commitment to GREEN IMPACT, Panasonic has been working hard to reduce and achieve net-zero emissions in production and business activities at all its member companies by 2030, through the application of clean energy and energy efficiency solutions.

Back in 2019, Panasonic established its first two net-zero factories and, so far, this number has increased to nine factories around the world. As announced in July this year, the group aims to reach the benchmark of having 37 factories to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the end of fiscal year 2025.

Prominent among Panasonic’s models of net-zero production units is the solution on using clean energy to power the entire operation, leveraging a combination of renewable energy and hydrogen fuel cell – one of Panasonic’s exclusive technology solutions.

Inspiring society to go green

After 50 years of presence in Vietnam, Panasonic continues its constant philosophy of contributing to society and realising its vision to become a wellness solutions providing company with strong commitment to bring a healthy, safe, and comfortable life to Vietnamese people, simultaneously addressing social problems rooted in technology and production strengths. In production, with the implementation of green factory initiatives, the company can curtail more than four million KW of electricity per year, equivalent to 1,730 tonnes of CO2.

The Panasonic Vietnam group has also developed many proprietary technologies and initiatives to improve energy efficiency, create eco-friendly products, and reduce emissions in production and all other related activities.

While nanoe™ X and Blue Ag + technology are deemed breakthroughs with bactericidal features, bringing safety and health to users, Panasonic’s familiar proprietary technologies have raised the bar in energy saving for household products.

Typically, Panasonic’s Inverter and EcoNavi technologies help reduce power consumption for air conditioners by 20 per cent; and its TD Inverter and EcoNavi technologies on washing machine products help to reduce electricity consumption by 30 per cent so that the products have been labelled with the highest energy efficiency by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

Besides that, Panasonic’s business-to-business solutions greatly aid businesses on their sustainable development journey, such as its comprehensive indoor air quality management solutions bringing healthy and green living space to all constructions, at the same time ensuring efficient use of energy and saving resources.

In parallel with both production and business activities, Panasonic strives to create sustainable values for Vietnam through corporate social responsibility activities, especially focusing on the environment and future generations.

Over the years, the Japanese firm has planted and donated more than 250,000 trees to many localities across the country, with active engagement of Panasonic employees in Vietnam. Setting the first mark on the next 50-year journey in Vietnam and supporting the government’s one billion trees programme, in October it launched a large-scale tree planting programme in Vietnam called “Live Healthy and Contribute Green with Panasonic”, featuring the engagement of 13 localities nationwide and cooperation from its many customers and partners.

“We hope the programme can inspire a healthy lifestyle and social responsibility to numerous people, especially the young Vietnamese generation,” said Marukawa Yoichi, who is the general director of Panasonic Vietnam. “I believe these activities are in the right direction and contribute to achieving the government’s goals on emission reduction and sustainable development.”

Besides creating more green landscape for Vietnam, Panasonic wishes to inspire future generations to be a part of that journey.

The most recent programme, “Live Healthy and Contribute Green with Gen Z”, was kicked off to inspire young Vietnamese people and all concerned public to lead an environmentally friendly and comprehensively healthy lifestyle, actively contributing to wellness and the sustainable development of Vietnam.

Over the years, many meaningful activities have been launched by Panasonic Vietnam, not only bringing an inspiring and creative playground for students, but also arousing a profound concern for the environment as well as initiating initiatives gearing to a better future. Some of these activities include a green forest painting contest; sponsoring sustainable bookcases at schools in Hanoi and the provinces of Hung Yen and Binh Duong; and a youth film-making programme, to name a few.

In education, the ‘Panasonic for Sustainable Schools’ programme features STEM and STEAM experiential education components and environment classrooms, and are conducted with hybrid models.

After a half year of implementation, the programme has quickly captured the attention of the education community, with more than 12,000 students from 40-plus schools in diverse northern locations.

The wide assortment of awards and accolades from the Vietnamese government and prestigious organisations attests to Panasonic’s enthusiastic contributions to Vietnam’s sustainable development – including the National Environment Award (2017, 2022); Top 100 Sustainable Enterprises (Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry); Highest Energy Efficiency Products (2020, 2021) of the MoIT; and the Tech Awards in 2020.