Toshiba, a global infrastructure services company that makes full use of CPS technology, is marking the fifth anniversary of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), towards raising awareness of SDG implementation, and the challenges and innovations needed to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Over the last five years, Toshiba’s Sustainability Management Team, comprised of Toshiba's corporate divisions, has played a central role in coordinating with stakeholders in order to clarify the relations between business and the SDGs. It examined the company’s impact on society across the value chain, and identified 10 goals that the Toshiba Group can particularly contribute to through its corporate activities, while eventually aiming to cover all 17 goals. This commitment to the SDGs is an integral part of the Toshiba Next Plan, Toshiba’s blueprint for growth.

“2020 marks the start of the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs,” says Mr Iwasuke Shimada, Managing director of Toshiba Africa (Pty) Ltd. “With only 10 years to go to reach the goals, Toshiba Africa believes that people-centric technology is important for realising a sustainable future. The cornerstone of our Basic Commitment is ‘Committed to People, Committed to the Future.’ This underlines our timeless commitment to contribute to the development of society through our activities, and it is consistent with the SDGs’ aim of realising a sustainable future.”

Toshiba Africa operates businesses in energy, infrastructure and office solutions in sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on its expertise in the energy and infrastructure fields, Toshiba enthusiastically contributes to the achievement of a range of SDGs, including affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action, and confronts problems that are difficult to solve, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

In our office solutions, our environmentally friendly products offer technology that contribute to reduce unnecessary use of resources. For example, a Toshiba-developed erasable toner and an erasing device allow paper to be reused and so reduce consumption and waste.

“While progress in some areas and countries is encouraging for the SDGs, sub-Saharan Africa will need to redouble its efforts if it is to achieve the goals by 2030, underlining the urgent need for companies like Toshiba to accelerate its efforts. Toshiba is currently partnering with governments, business and communities in the region, to provide our expertise and support development, and to close the gap towards accomplishing the SDGs.”

According to Mr Shimada, one of Toshiba Africa’s flagship programmes contributing to the SDGs is its Energy and Environmental Workshops, which are held at LEAP science and maths schools in South Africa.

Hosted by Toshiba Africa employees, since 2018, these three-hour workshops allow students whose schools do not have science lab facilities to experiment with different types of power generation, including wind, solar, hydro and thermal.

“Toshiba Africa believes math and science education are key in human resource development in our sector. The workshops cultivate an understanding of the uniqueness of each generation type and allow the learners to experiment making energy from different sources; understand how electricity is delivered and used; and how to minimize environmental impacts in relation to power generation.”

More than 150 students have participated in this energy and environmental programme over the past three years.

“Toshiba Africa always acts with integrity and has a passion for changing the world for the better, envisioning a future for generations to come and joining with partners to turn on the promise of a new day. Based on the Essence of Toshiba, a shared commitment, and the purpose and values of Toshiba Group, we will continue to tackle social issues through the technological expertise we have built up over the years, and to support sustainable development in Africa,” Mr Shimada concluded.