Using ICT to reduce
the burden on the
environment
Michinori Kutami
General Manager, Corporate Environmental
Strategy Unit
Fujitsu Limited
Combating global warming is an urgent task for us
all. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) recommends that, worldwide, we must aim
for the target of reducing greenhouse-gas emissions
to half the current levels by 2050 — but this will be
difficult to achieve using conventional approaches.
Innovation will be required in a variety of fields. We
need advanced technologies, new social systems,
and a new market system. We have to change our
lifestyles and our use of resources and energy. At
Fujitsu, we consider that information and communi-
cation technologies (ICT) can play a significant role in
promoting these changes.
Fujitsu’s Green Policy Innovation
The Fujitsu Group, as a provider of ICT products
and services worldwide, believes that it is extremely
important to leverage the key characteristics of these
technologies for the benefit of society overall. ICT
have the ability to improve efficiency and cut the
use of material goods, thus reducing energy de-
mands and the burden upon the environment. ICT
will be key in, for example, reducing the amount of
paper used in offices and the need to move people
14 ITU News  10 | 2009  December 2009
Fujitsu
or goods about, and in making possible the transi-
tion from mechanical systems to software. Solutions
such as videoconferencing, e-learning, or integrated
point-of-sale systems can all help to lessen the envi-
ronmental load.
While working towards reducing the environmen-
tal impact of our own factories and offices, Fujitsu
must help to reduce the impact of society as a whole.
For this purpose, in December 2007 the Fujitsu
Group launched its Green Policy Innovation project
(see Figure 1). Its aim is to cut the carbon footprints
of our customers by means of green ICT.
The project has two approaches: “of ICT” and “by
ICT”. The former means reducing the environmental
impact of ICT equipment itself, while the latter involves
introducing many kinds of environmentally-friendly
solutions through using ICT in customers’ activities.
We have put all of the Fujitsu Group’s technologies
and know-how into developing green ICT, and our so-
lutions include software and services, as well as equip-
ment such as networks, electronic devices, semicon-
ductors and data centres. In Japan, the Fujitsu Group is
aiming, through its Green Policy Innovation project, to
achieve a 7-million-ton reduction in greenhouse-gas
 Using ICT to reduce the burden on the environment
emissions by our customers for the four-year period
from 2007 through 2010.
Visualizing the reduction of emissions
It is important for clients to be able to visualize
how ICT can help in a practical way. At Fujitsu, we
evaluate CO2 emissions before and after the intro-
duction of an ICT solution, so as to calculate and
demonstrate its efficacy. Environmental effects are
classified into seven categories, covering such areas
as consumption of material resources, transport of
people or goods, office and warehouse space, ICT
equipment, and data communication networks.
These are converted into carbon emission figures,
and the totals compared before and after use of the
ICT solution.
Figure 1 — Fujtsu Group’s “Green Policy Innovation” project
Using ICT to reduce customers’environmental impact
Fujitsu Green ICT
Green policy solutions
By ICT Software/Services
(Outsourcing and consulting)
Green policy products
Of ICT Platforms, networks, software,
Ubiquitous and electronic devices, semiconductors
Research and development, design, manufacturing,
procurement, logistics, recycling, etc
© Fujitsu Limited 2008.
Relevant departments within Fujitsu check for
solutions estimated to be capable of producing a
reduction in CO2 emissions of 15 per cent or more.
These certified solutions are then announced on the
Fujitsu website as being environmentally friendly. To
make it easier to evaluate solutions, Fujitsu calculates
CO2 emissions per square or cubic metre in the case
of materials, for example, or per piece of equipment
in the case of components or products.
Examples of ICT solutions
One example of an environmentally friendly solu-
tion is e-learning. With traditional face-to-face educa-
tion, there are many environmental loads, including
the CO2 emissions caused by people having to travel
to training facilities and by the distribution of ma-
terials such as paper texts. These
are avoided with the digital solu-
tion of e-learning. We calculate
that, for a training programme
for 5000 employees, for instance,
a 93-per-cent reduction in CO2
emissions could be achieved.
The digital tachograph made
by Fujitsu is a second example.
When attached to vehicles, this
device automatically records such
data as the distance traveled,
speed, operational route, and op-
Green know-how
by incorporating
green practices
erating time. The information can
be used to promote more eco-
friendly driving. Estimates show
that a reduction in CO2 emissions
of approximately 19 per cent is
made possible by introducing dig-
ital tachographs.
ITU News  10 | 2009  December 2009 15
 Using ICT to reduce the burden on the environment
Figure 2 — CO2 reduction through ICT solutions
Local government office internal information system
Pre-installation
All settlements processed
with paper documents
Pre-installation
100
CO2 emission (%)
80
60
40
20
0
© Fujitsu Limited 2008.
Another example is the IPKNOWLEGEE internal
information system first offered by Fujitsu in 2000
and installed in some 300 local government offices
in Japan. This package integrates multiple systems,
such as document management, financial account-
ing, general administration, electronic settlements,
and staff salaries. By way of example, Figure 2 shows
the results achieved at one office. Before introducing
IPKNOWLEDGE, a conventional client-server system
was used. Documents were created by hand and all
forms were processed on paper — and thus occu-
pied storage space. The new system is web-based us-
ing servers. It has achieved a paperless workflow and
has reduced the amount of space needed for docu-
ment storage. A comparison of the total environ-
mental impact before and after introduction of this
system showed that, overall, a 45-per-cent reduction
had been achieved.
16 ITU News  10 | 2009  December 2009
Post-installation
90% or more settlements
computerized
Post-installation CO2 reduction effect
45%
IT/Network equipment
Human movement
Warehouse space
Resource consumption
Protecting Earth
Fujitsu now has more than 160 certified solutions
by which ICT can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
The company will continue to pursue its basic goal
of cutting the carbon footprint of its own offices
and factories, but it believes that its most significant
role is helping to reduce the burden placed upon the
environment in a variety of fields, through the use
of green ICT solutions. Step by step, we would like
to reduce the environmental impact of society as a
whole, through utilizing the potential and possibili-
ties of ICT. Cooperation to reach this goal is needed
beyond the borders of countries, regions, industries,
and companies. We strongly believe that it is our
duty to hand a beautiful Earth to the next generation.