Environment
In accordance with our Purpose, to make people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling, it is our responsibility to protect the environment and its natural resources, upon which we all depend. As part of our contribution to a green Earth, we take a responsible, sustainable approach to our use of resources, technology and in the development of product solutions for our customers.
Building environmental awareness and commitment among our employees
During the annual Olympus Environment Month each June, we foster knowledge transfer for our employees, in order to build their environmental awareness and commitment.
The focus is on how small steps by an individual can make a big difference to protecting the environment. Over the course of the month, our employees are invited to try out environmentally friendly products such as electric cars or e-bikes, receive tips about sustainability in everyday life and participate in other activities.
Operational environment management
We work continuously to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in our activities and at our sites.
We have set a goal for our operating sites to achieve net-zero carbon emissions for emissions defined under Scope 1 and 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and to switch power procurement to renewable energy by 2030.
We recognize the importance of reducing the environmental impact throughout the supply chain, and are continuing to work on relocating means of transport, improving logistical efficiency, reducing energy consumption and product weights, as well as making procurement more environmentally friendly.
Find out more here.Sustainable construction
By making our sites more sustainable, we as a medical technology company are making a key contribution to energy efficiency and staff satisfaction.
The state-of-the-art office complex, where the Olympus Europa head office is based, and the European development and production centre Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe (OSTE) in Hamburg hold a certificate from the German Sustainable Building Company (DGNB) in the "Gold" category. The energy consumption of all production systems in the building at OSTE is continuously monitored and minimized by means of a state-of-the-art building control system. With its combined heat and power plant in Jenfeld, Olympus generates its own power and uses the waste heat to heat and provide hot water to the building.
The headquarters of Olympus Medical Products Portugal in Coimbra is a modern industrial building designed for repairs of medical devices from all over Europe and is subject to the highest environmental and social standards. For example, the building uses a pioneering water treatment plant, one of the first of its kind in Portugal, which cleans used water so that it can be reused to water green spaces. This saves drinking water and reduces the environmental impact. Find out more here.
Management of the product lifecycle
We strive to develop innovative, long-lasting and reusable products to minimize our ecological footprint and improve our ecological balance throughout the whole value chain. Our transport packaging is either recyclable or made from renewable resources.
Industrial Batteries
As a producer of industrial batteries under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, we KeyMed (Medical & Industrial Equipment) Ltd produce Lithium batteries. We are obliged to take back free of charge, waste industrial batteries supplied to an end user for treatment and recycling. We are required to do this in any calendar year we place new industrial batteries on the market. If any of our customers or in certain cases other end users, require us to take back Industrial batteries, they should contact us on 01702 616333. We will agree the necessary arrangements for the return, proper treatment and recycling of the waste industrial batteries.