Adoption of Environmental Management Practices

This case study examines the adoption of environmental management practices by Epson (China) Co., Ltd., the China headquarters of Seiko Epson Corporation. It details the company's efforts to implement ISO 14001 certification, reduce office resource consumption, and establish a printer cartridge take-back system modeled after the parent company's Japanese operations.

• Seiko Epson Corporation implemented a global environmental policy in 1998 focused on creating earth-friendly products, reducing environmental burdens, recycling used products, sharing environmental information, and improving its management system.
• By 2002, Seiko Epson had achieved several environmental milestones, including the total elimination of lead from its electronic component soldering process by 2002 (down from 12 tons in fiscal 1999) and the implementation of a 'zero emissions' goal for waste recycling.
• Seiko Epson faced challenges in reducing total energy consumption due to increased production levels, particularly in device manufacturing (semiconductors, LCDs, and crystals) which required high-spec clean rooms.
• Epson (China) Co., Ltd. obtained ISO 14001 certification in September 2000 at a cost of over 100,000 RMB (approximately $13,000). This certification was part of a broader trend where Japanese parent corporations were early adopters of the standard in China.
• Epson (China) achieved measurable reductions in office resource use: electricity consumption dropped by 4.2% in fiscal 2000 and by 11% in 2001, while paper usage was reduced by 18% in 2001.
• Epson (China) struggled to maintain uniform environmental standards across its branch offices; while Xi’an and Shanghai were diligent, Chengdu and Guangzhou faced implementation problems due to staffing and expertise gaps.
• Epson (China) attempted to replicate the Japanese cartridge take-back system. After a failed trial in 2000 that returned only 40 cartridges, a limited program launched in June 2001 expanded to 99 locations by December 2001, collecting 2,500 cartridges by January 2002.
• A significant difference exists between the Japanese and Chinese recycling processes: while Japan dismantles cartridges for part reuse, the SEPA-authorized recycling center in China only compressed and buried the collected consumables.

APA

Diener, B., & Ming, C. (n.d.). Adoption of Environmental Management Practices. World Resources Institute. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-512-3_full_version_english.pdf

Chicago

Diener, Betty, and Cheng Ming. Adoption of Environmental Management Practices. World Resources Institute, n.d. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-512-3_full_version_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Diener |first1=Betty |last2=Ming |first2=Cheng |title=Adoption of Environmental Management Practices |publisher=World Resources Institute |url=https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-512-3_full_version_english.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dienerndadoption, author = {Diener, Betty and Ming, Cheng}, title = {{Adoption of Environmental Management Practices}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-512-3_full_version_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }