Toshiba's Mark Whittard

Toshiba’s Mark Whittard sees no reason why eco-efficiency, technical performance and style cannot coexist in his company’s products.

1. Why is Toshiba so committed to making its products energy efficient?

Companies and consumers will continue to invest in green technology and energy-saving devices over the coming months. With consumer sentiment on the rise around the environment, people are increasingly more interested in finding out practical things they can do to reduce their environmental impact.

Since the 1990s, Toshiba has been a global leader in meeting environmental challenges through innovation. Toshiba believes the key challenge today is achieving environmental sustainability while supporting the projected population and economic growth worldwide during the next several decades.

Toshiba offers one of the most comprehensive environmental solutions of any global company because of its ability to enhance eco-efficiency in both its energy services and electronic products worldwide. Eco-efficiency is defined by Toshiba as a measure of the environmental impact of a business process or product relative to its value. The company plans to continue growing its business while mitigating its environmental impact as well as the impact of society at large.

The goal of Environmental Vision 2050 is to improve the eco-efficiency of all Toshiba’s business processes and products by a factor of 5 by 2025 and by a factor of 10 by 2050, when compared with 2000, which will allow people to “lead rich lifestyles in harmony with the Earth.”

Toshiba aims to make Environmental Vision 2050 a reality by pursuing two complementary approaches: the Energy Approach, which seeks the best energy mix for a stable supply of reliable energy and climate change mitigation, and the Eco Products Approach, which focuses on creating Earth-conscious products based on an overall assessment of customer value and environmental impacts.

These approaches are paired with two actions: Eco Process, which seeks to minimize environmental impacts throughout business and production processes, and Eco Program, a concerted effort to tackle environmental solutions in collaboration with Toshiba stakeholders.

Energy efficient products are just one piece of the overall Toshiba environment strategy and proof of our commitment to our customers to responsibly deliver savings in energy consumption.

Today all of Toshiba’s notebook computers meet or exceed global energy star compliance

2. How is Toshiba contributing in addressing the problem of environmental sustainability?

Toshiba Corporation recently announced an ambitious upward revision of its goal to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions. The initial target has doubled and is now 117.7 million tons of CO2 emissions in FY2025. The new target is equivalent to almost twice Tokyo’s annual emissions.

The company intends to achieve these reductions by eliminating 82 million tons through elements of its Energy Approach and 35.7 million tons of CO2 emissions through more energy-efficient products as part of its Eco Products Approach.

Plans for Toshiba’s Energy Approach include deploying high-efficiency thermal power plants combined with carbon capture and storage, focusing on safe and efficient nuclear power generation, working to advance the efficiencies of power transmission networks, and promoting commercialization of new energy sources.

As one of the world’s largest and most innovative manufacturers, we are convinced that environmental considerations need to be built into every Toshiba product and process, from design and development though to manufacturing, usage and recycling.

3. What impact does Toshiba’s environmental focus have on its products?

Toshiba is leading innovation in mobile computing technology and is leading the charge to preserve the global environment. When it comes to building our award-winning products, we believe less is more. We minimise waste and use recycled materials wherever we can, while constantly looking for ways to reduce energy consumption. Our own recycling programs keep discarded technology from entering landfill, as does our devotion to worldwide environmental initiatives.

Eco-conscious products start with their design, and Toshiba is committed to designing products with minimal environmental impact. Underlying Toshiba’s efforts to create eco-products is its “Factor T” indicator, which enables Toshiba to quantitatively clarify the degree of eco-efficiency improvement compared with previous models. In addition to increased energy efficiency, Toshiba is moving toward the wider use of recycled resources and plant-derived resources in raw materials as well as shifting to the use of fewer materials for containers and packaging. The company also promotes the green procurement of products, parts and components, processed materials and raw materials with a 22-point check list for suppliers. To make it easier for its customers to identify environmentally-conscious products (ECP) that meet the company’s most stringent standards, Toshiba is featuring a new “Excellent ECP” mark.

Striving for optimum customer benefit with minimal environmental impact, the Eco Products Approach includes assessing and reducing the environmental impacts of Toshiba products throughout the product life cycle, from design and manufacturing to logistics and end of life. Key elements of this initiative include recycling, reducing or eliminating potentially harmful substances and creating more energy-efficient products.

In an industry first, Toshiba’s Portégé R600 ultra-portable notebook was ranked the worlds ‘greenest’ notebook according to a recent Greenpeace survey: “The Green Electronics Survey 2008”.

The annual survey, which evaluates the greenest electronic products on the market, scores Toshiba as the highest for the elimination of hazardous chemicals in its Portégé R600 notebook – beating all other manufacturers and winning the notebook category.

The Portégé R600, the world’s lightest fully-featured notebook, has restricted the use of hazardous chemicals such as cadmium, mercury and lead from batteries and other components. The ultra- portable notebook also features the option for a Solid State Drive (SSD) as a storage medium, which results in low energy consumption and long battery life, further reducing its environmental impact.

With the ongoing growth of the PC market, Toshiba also remains committed to notebook recycling. Toshiba’s E-cycle initiative is a program offering businesses and consumers the ability to do the right thing and divert their pre-loved Toshiba Notebooks from landfill.

Locally (ANZ), Toshiba ensures that Notebooks are disposed of in accordance with best environmental practice and government guidelines. By partnering with professional waste management companies such as MRI Australia, we offer an innovative refurbishment, remarketing and recycling program for customers.

4. Will Toshiba’s reputation for innovation suffer under its environmental goals in the midst of a global financial crisis?

During periods of global economic instability and uncertainty, such as the one we are now witnessing, history shows us that conservatism increases in both business and everyday life. This conservatism usually pushes companies to opt for a blatant decrease in R&D and innovation activities for fear of risking valuable profit. However, and using history once again as a guide, companies that have remained committed to innovation during challenging times have also witnessed continued success thanks to a flow of fresh ideas delivering cost effectiveness, productivity gains, valuable tools and differentiated products and services that further enhance their reputation in the market.

When budgets are tight and reservations to adopt new practices and products are strong, innovation in business typically suffers. However, organisational change to help bring about business improvement does not need to be rapid nor radical. Well-managed change in practices leads to sustained growth and development in the longer term.

Positive and measured change now will affect success in the future and Toshiba actively promotes this approach during the good and the bad times. More than 130 years in the business of innovation tells us this is a winning strategy.

Website: www.isd.toshiba.com.au

Herbert Geer Partner and head of the firm’s IP, telecommunications, technology, media and entertainment group Graeme Hodgkinson said the firm works with clients to develop innovative solutions to commercial and legal problems.

“We’re particularly adept at helping clients to charter new territory, whether that is in the legal arena or commercially,” he said. “A key part of that is making sure our clients are positioned to take advantage of new opportunities in the marketplace.”

“We have developed a team of specialist lawyers perfectly suited to meeting the needs of clients in innovative technology spaces. This is born out by the exciting work and results we achieve for our clients.”

Leading the way in telecommunications

In 2008, Herbert Geer’s telecommunications team, led by Partner Graham Phillips, successfully challenged telecommunications giant Telstra in access and rollout disputes before the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Competition Tribunal.

Their work resulted in a landmark 72% price reduction on Telstra’s contract prices backdated to 2004 and overturned a decision by the ACCC to scale back regulation requiring Telstra to allow competitors access to its phone network. Crucially, it is helping competitors such as AAPT, Primus, iiNet, Internode and Macquarie Telecom to obtain reasonable charges and terms of access to declared services owned by Telstra. It has also earned the team an ACOMMS Services to Industry Award – Professional Services Excellence.

“These competition law wins provide our clients with wholesale access at fair prices to the key infrastructure necessary to deliver broadband and telephony products,” said Graham.

“They have also enabled our clients to lead the way in delivering high speed broadband and innovative products. For example, Internode was the first Australian internet service provider (ISP) to deliver high-speed ADSL2+ services and continues to pioneer the development of the internet by launching new products with higher upload and download speeds than traditional ADSL services. iiNet was the first national provider of Naked DSL, which delivers broadband without the need for a landline phone which means consumers can say goodbye to phone line rental bills.”

Spurred on by its success in the telecommunications arena, Herbert Geer is now also representing iiNet in its fight against the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT). The litigation, brought by many of Hollywood’s large film companies, is alleging that iiNet authorised customers to download films from the internet in breach of copyright laws.

The case is the first Australian test of whether ISPs who merely provide infrastructure and facilities can be found liable for film piracy alleged against its customers. “It is like suing Australia Post for carrying parcels,” said Graham. “iiNet is just delivering parcels of data.”

iiNet is leading the push to make legal content available for download from the internet in association with rights owners. Through its Freezone product, a large selection of high-quality legitimate content, such as music, films, sport and games can be downloaded legally without it counting towards download quota limits.

Moving to the digital environment

In the media and entertainment industry, Herbert Geer is advising television broadcasters as they work through commercial and legal challenges arising from the switch from analogue to digital television broadcasting.

Herbert Geer Partner Dan Brush works with Freeview Australia, an initiative launched in 2008 by all of Australia’s major free-to-air broadcasters to help drive take up of the digital television platform in Australia. Freeview’s charter is to establish the cross channel platform for digital media delivery of signal, initially through a proprietary Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). The consortium of broadcasters involved in Freeview includes the Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, the ABC, SBS, Win Corporation, Prime Media, and Southern Cross Broadcasting.

Dan also advised SBS in relation to the upgrade of its play-out operating platform, which is expected to improve the experience of viewers of SBS who use digital, high definition and online services. He took a lead role in negotiating, drafting and advising a proposed outsourcing initiative for the play-out system as well as the broadcasters subsequent hardware, software and services purchase agreement.

Dan and his team also work with 3eep, a provider of social media services for sports coaches, players and administrators, and assisted with the launch of SportsPassion in August 2008. SportsPassion is a sports community social networking site with a range of online team management and collaboration tools.

“My team looks at emerging technology, which is often available overseas, and understands how it can offer opportunities to clients in a way that suits the Australian marketplace,” said Dan.

“For instance, we recently held a client seminar to discuss new 3G enabled applications that provide vendors and consumers with an unprecedented ability to physically track other people online. Our goal is to find a way for clients to embrace new technologies in a cost-effective way, which requires addressing any legal issues early.”

Protecting your intellectual property

According to Graeme Hodgkinson, ensuring your intellectual property is protected and managed appropriately is one area that shouldn’t be overlooked by any business, particularly those working at the cutting edge of their industries.

“We work closely with a range of clients who have businesses that are based on or driven by intellectual property or technology,” said Graeme. “Our aim is to maximise their protection and help them get the most out of their intellectual property as their business grows.”

The team provides specialised advice on the ownership and licensing of intellectual property, trade marks, domain names, copyright and confidentiality. They have experience drafting all types of intellectual property agreements and documents, and offer a comprehensive brand management service to ensure clients meet crucial filing, registration, and renewal deadlines and that portfolio information is readily available for business, taxation, valuation and asset reporting purposes.

“We encourage our clients to proactively manage their intellectual property,” said Graeme.

”We can provide advice on the availability of new brand names and registration before the launch and rollout of a new brand or product, and help them to ensure that their brand is not compromised by conflicting trade mark applications and registrations. This saves money and time in the long run.”

The group has launched an e-newsletter to keep clients up-to-date with the latest developments in intellectual property, telecommunications, technology, media and entertainment. Herbert Geer’s clients also have access to legal advice and expertise in other areas of law, including banking and finance, commercial dispute resolution, construction and infrastructure, corporate, employment and workplace relations, environment and sustainability, financial services, franchising, leasing, property, taxation and workplace services.

With 48 partners and more than 260 staff in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, Herbert Geer has grown into a successful east coast law firm. To subscribe to our e-newsletters, email newsletter@herbertgeer.com.au or find out more about Herbert Geer at www.herbertgeer.com.au.

The company has a ten year history and during that time they have won several international and national awards including:

• Winner – Australian Secrets ICT Innovation
• Winner – ABC New Inventors (Episode and Viewers Choice)
• Finalist – World Technology Awards
• Winner – Hottest Technology Award (ANZA Tech Network)

Digislide has an extensive intellectual property portfolio of video projection products that have been built to address existing and future market opportunities. This portfolio is protected by granted patents, registered designs and trademarks.

The company has developed and is continuing to develop innovative miniaturised projection technologies with broad applications. These include projection devices which can be embedded or used as stand-alone complementary products with a wide range of mobile communication devices such as smart phones, portable media players, game consoles, and hand held gaming devices, digital cameras, and notebook computers.

Digislide’s products and technologies cater for both professional and consumer applications across many industries, including:

• leisure
• education
• medical
• defence
• automotive
• retail
• telecommunications

Digislide’s next product to market, Digishow® will be released in the Asian market within the first quarter of 2009. Digishow® is a compact, hand held companion projector weighing in at only 160 grams. It allows consumers to project from a 21 inch up to 50 inch image at VGA resolution.

Digivision®, planned for release later in 2009, is targeted towards the corporate market. It is a portable, hand held SVGA resolution projector which connects to the user’s mobile device and enables them to project content in one-on-one or group situations.

WeSii, also a hand held projector, is being designed by Digislide for the gamers market. It will be available in VGA resolution and can be used as a stand alone companion projector, and also interfaces with the Nintendo Wii.

The global market for projection technologies either to be embedded in or to be complementary to, is estimated by technology analysts and industry groups to be over US$350 billion. The mobile phone market is the largest, with approximately 1.15 billion units sold in 2007 and expected growth rates of 32% by 2012. The estimated number of laptop and/or notebook computers shipped worldwide in 2007 was around 103 million with an expected growth rate of 16%.

Contact: Tim English
Title:    Marketing Manager
Phone:    08 8262 3115
Email:    tim.english@digislide.com.au