SOUTHFIELD, MI — DENSO announced a new five-year North American Environmental Action Plan that takes effect in April and will serve as a roadmap for North American environmental activities.

“We recognize that while automobiles are an essential part of our daily lives, they do have a negative impact on the environment,” said Mitsuo “Matt” Matsushita, DENSO International America president and CEO. “We believe it is our responsibility to do everything we can to reduce that environmental burden.”

The environmental action plan is organized into four categories: 
Eco Products: develop products that are lightweight, energy saving and consider environmental improvement. In all of its products, the company will reduce its use of resources; control and reduce environmentally hazardous substances such as mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium; and integrate environmental planning into product design.
Eco Factory: work to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing facilities (including manufacturing and distribution) through reduced water use (to 50% of 1999 levels); reduced CO₂ emissions (by 18% in manufacturing facilities and 6% in other facilities); reduce landfill waste to 75% of 1999 levels; and reduce hazardous substance emissions by decreasing manufacturing facility regulated emissions volume to 30% of 2000 levels.
Eco Management: develop environmental action plans and reinforce environmental partnerships with suppliers through activities such as developing green procurement guidelines and promoting the purchase of environmentally friendly products.
Eco Friendly:  encourage and support employee environmental activities; offer proactive information disclosure and communication with stakeholders; offer environmental education, and environmental and social contributions.

“Our ultimate goal is to prevent global warming, recycle resources and reduce environmentally hazardous substances,” said Matsushita.  “That is how we’ll measure our success rate in each of these four key areas.”

Japan-based DENSO Corp. employs more than 15,000 people in the Americas at 33 companies with sales for fiscal 2005 totaling US$5.4 billion.