Beyond Solar Panels: Why Supply Chains Drive Real Sustainability
By Mukesh Bector
Switching to solar power is a good start, but it’s not enough.
If companies want to make a real difference, they must look beyond their energy use and focus on how products are sourced, manufactured, and transported from start to finish.
The Hidden Emissions Problem
Most emissions don’t come from offices or factories—they come from supply chains. Transport, logistics, and resource extraction often produce more emissions than a company’s direct operations. Yet because these emissions come from third parties, they’re harder to measure and easier to overlook.
That needs to change.
Epson’s Approach: Every Link Counts
At Epson, we believe sustainability must extend through every link of the value chain. Here’s how we’re making it happen:
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Cleaner shipping: Using biodiesel and green methanol has cut 220 tonnes of transport emissions.
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Smarter routing: Shifting to east-coast shipping routes in North America saved another 320 tonnes while improving delivery times.
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Compact design: Creating lighter, smaller products reduces shipping volumes and makes transport more efficient.
Each step matters. Together, they multiply impact.
Beyond Renewables
Renewable energy is vital—and Epson is proud to be the first Japanese manufacturer to achieve 100% renewable electricity across all factories, offices, and R&D sites worldwide.
From solar-powered warehouses in Türkiye to international renewable energy certificates (I-RECs) in global offices, renewables are now our baseline.
But the bigger challenge lies deeper—in logistics and materials, where most emissions occur.
The Philosophy That Drives Us
Our guiding principle, Sho-Sho-Sei which means “efficient, compact, precise” pushes us to reduce waste, shrink energy use, and design products with circularity in mind.
This philosophy shapes everything we do: metal powder recycling, water-saving innovations, and tree-planting projects across Africa and beyond.
It’s not about one-off initiatives; it’s about embedding sustainability into every decision.
Why Integration Wins
The most resilient companies of the future won’t just rely on solar power. They’ll rebuild their supply chains, close resource loops, and design for reuse from the start.
The rewards are clear, lower costs, stronger resilience, and greater trust from customers, investors, and employees. Because sustainability isn’t just good ethics; it’s good business.
The climate challenge is too big for isolated solutions. What we need is integrated action that links energy, logistics, and design under one vision.
Solar panels light the way, but it’s what happens across the value chain that will truly power a sustainable future.
The author is Epson’s Regional Head for East and West Africa.
