Sony Pictures Entertainment has set new environmental goals targeted for completion in 2020 including reductions in operational carbon emissions by 15 percent, compared to 2012 levels.
The company also says it will encourage consumers to acquire films digitally, which it expects to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 75 percent against a 2012 baseline. Through a DVD packaging redesign and other supply-chain efforts, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has, as of 2012, eliminated 22 percent of CO2 emissions in DVD packaging, compared to 2006 levels, the company says.
The studio in 2011 become a zero-waste lot and as of last year cut overall carbon emissions more than 20 percent from 2006 levels.
In addition to cutting operational CO2 emissions and promoting the transition from physical to digital production and distribution, Sony’s second-generation sustainability goals include achieving sustainable status on film and TV productions.
The company says it will also use the studio’s global reach to raise environmental awareness and inspire sustainable practices among employees and beyond. This effort will include on-air and online marketing.
In 2010, Sony Pictures received LEED Gold certification for the studio’s Lot and Office Transformation (LOT) Project, which includes the construction of two new 100,000-square-foot office buildings and a parking structure.
In addition to its own 232 kW solar array on the roof of the Jimmy Stewart building on the company’s Culver City, Calif., studio lot, Sony Pictures has incentivized the purchase of home solar systems and fuel-efficient vehicles for employees. To date, more than 260 vehicles have been purchased and 55 employees have installed solar on their homes, saving over 200,000 gallons of gasoline and generating 563 MWh of clean energy, the company says.
Sony Pictures’ efforts contribute toward Road to Zero, Sony Corporation’s global environmental plan, which aims to achieve a zero environmental footprint throughout the lifecycle of the company’s products and business activities by the year 2050.
Also this week, Unilever announced it has reduced CO2 from its manufacturing and logistics operations by more than 1 million metric tons since 2008, saving the company more than €300 million ($394.8 million). For manufacturing, this represents a reduction of 31.5 percent per metric ton of production, a company spokesperson told Environmental Leader.