Environment: Strategic Resilience through Scenario Analysis

To verify the strategic resilience of our business, Panasonic Group initially analyzed their impacts of climate change risks and conducted a scenario analysis based on the result of the impact analysis.

In the course of the impact analysis, we listed every possible impact on our business from climate change or measures against climate change, and then identified the risks and opportunities brought by such impacts by Panasonic Group's major businesses. The following table lists risks and opportunities by business, and integrated results of the different impacts of climate change (Table 1).

Table1 Extracted Risks and Opportunities

Risks Opportunities
Transitional risks Policies/laws and regulations Acceleration of carbon pricing - Energy procurement costs increase.
- Competition from low-carbon businesses intensifies toward carbon neutrality.		 - Energy procurement costs stabilize because of increased demand for renewable energy.
- Businesses related to fuel cells, energy-saving products, solution services, and energy management expand.
Accelerated shift to electric vehicles - As more firms enter the automotive business, competition intensifies.
- Increased demand for automotive batteries intensifies material procurement competition.
- Higher cost of automotive batteries production reduces car business profitability and pressurize costs of components.		 - Electric vehicle-related markets expand.
Reputation Increased environmental awareness among consumers - Insufficient environmental efforts and promotion lead to unsupported by consumers..
- Value shift from purchasing to leasing decreases sales.		 - Recognition as a sustainable company and of sustainable products attracts more customers.
- Businesses related to low-carbon products, eco materials, and energy management expand.
Increased risk to reputation - Insufficient efforts in decarbonization reduce business opportunities. - Recognition of environmental technologies and products increases business opportunities.
Technologies Expansion of renewable energy usage - Investment in facilities with renewable energy increases. - Highly efficient solar cells open new markets.
Expansion of carbon-free power generation - Production energy procurement costs increase.
- Regional disparity of carbon-free power generation lead to review the strategies of production sites.
 - CO2 emissions reduction throughout product lifecycles encourages shift to electric vehicles leading to related market expansion.
Spread of ZEH/ZEB - Low-carbon products in housing equipment become mere commodities. - Increased opportunities to provide energy management & total solution services through housing equipment and home appliances.
- Demand for heat insulation materials increases.
Replacement with low-carbon products - Increases development costs of lightweight and robust materials for competitive low-carbon products. - Increases demand for materials that contribute to reduction of energy consumption.
Streamlining of supply chain - Expanded capital investment puts stress on balance sheet. - Demand for energy management systems increase.
- Lowered prices from reduced production costs increase sales.
Markets Response to depletion of resources - Delay in recycling and reuse technologies increases costs.
- Resource recycling does not suit consumers'tastes.		 - Business models change to circular economy-based models.
- Demand for recycled resources increases.
Physical risks Chronic Constant temperature rise - Poor health of employees reduces productivity.
- High energy consumption from excess usage of air conditioners puts off consumers.		 - Businesses related to healthcare, air conditioning and ventilation, energy management, housing, and cold chain expand.
Acute Physical risk management related to climate change - Suspension of operations at our factories.
- Negative impact on supply chain.		 - Demand for needs of resilient infrastructure increases.
- Fuel cell business with resilience expands.
- Disaster-resilient manufacturing by managing risks with BCPs.

The following figure shows the impact analysis results of climate change risks (Figure 1) regarding the results of analyzed factors based on the identified risks and opportunities and analyzed impact on our businesses.

Figure 1 Impact Analysis of Climate Change Risks

As a result of analyzing the impact of climate change risk on our business, the categories that were classified as "very strong" were "cResponse to depletion of resources," "progress of electric vehicle shift," and " promotion of ZEH / ZEB." "Progress of electric vehicle shift" and "promotion of ZEH / ZEB" are combined as "promotion of clean energy". The categories between "very strong" and "strong" are "acceleration of carbon pricing," "expansion of renewable energy use," "replacement with low-carbon products," "improvement of supply chain efficiency," and "increasing consumer awareness of the environment", "increased reputation risk," and "physical risk management for extreme weather." "Strong" were classified as "expansion of non-CO2 emission power generation" and "chronic temperature rise".

We extracted "response to depletion of resources" and "prevention of global warming" from the climate change viewpoint and identified their materiality as factors that have an extremely high impact on our business. Setting these two factors as the axes of a matrix, we created four scenarios toward 2030 in the following quadrants (Figure 2). We defined a society in which global warming is prevented and response to depletion of resources is taken as 'the 1.5°C scenario', and a society in which global warming is advanced and resources are depleted as 'the 4°C scenario'.

Figure 2 Four Scenarios

With "clean energy becoming widespread" as the horizontal axis and "the transition to the circular economy (CE) progressing" as the vertical axis, we formulated social scenarios for each of the four quadrants. We envisioned a society in which clean energy is widespread and the transition to a circular economy is progressing as a "1.5 ° C scenario." It is a society where clean energy and CE serve as social foundations, and achieving a temperature rise of 1.5 ° C is a common recognition, and it is a society that realizes sustainability. We are positioning it as a "decarbonized recycling society". There are three opportunities in this society: clean energy regulation and technological innovation accelerate decarbonization, clean energy infrastructure is improved, and CE regulation and technological innovation shift to a business model that assumes long-term use of goods. On the other hand, there are three risks for this society: loss of opportunity due to delays in responding to clean energy + CE society, commoditization of energy systems in general, and competition for recycled materials. In the society where clean energy is widespread and the conversion to the circular economy is not progressing, the trend of mass consumption remains and resource depletion is predicted, and the cost is high, but clean energy is the basis. It is a society and is positioned as a "low-carbon mass consumption society." Opportunities in this society include accelerated decarbonization due to clean energy regulations and technological innovation, and development of clean energy infrastructure. Risks include opportunity loss due to delays in responding to a clean energy society, and commoditization of energy systems in general. A society in which clean energy is not widespread and the transition to a circular economy is progressing is a society in which the conversion to CE has been achieved and the business model has shifted to a business model that assumes long-term use of goods, even though the infrastructure development of clean energy is delayed. We are positioning it as a "Fossil-dependent recycling society". The opportunity in this society is the shift to a business model (distribution solution, material) that assumes long-term use of goods due to CE regulations and technological innovation. The risk includes opportunity loss due to delay in responding to CE society, and competitions for acquisition of recycled materials. We envisioned a "4 ° C scenario" in which clean energy is not widespread and the transition to a circular economy is not progressing. It is a society in which natural disasters become chronic due to temperature rise and lifelines are desired to be stabilized, and we position it as an "entropy-increasing society. "There are two opportunities in this society: stabilizing lifelines, increasing value related to health, increasing food-related factories and distribution, and improving efficiency. There are two risks: opportunity loss due to delay in responding to lifeline stabilization, equipment / human damage, and energy acquisition competition.

The society named as a (A) Decarbonized Circular Society is equivalent to the 1.5°C scenario. If (A) continues to deplete resources, society becomes a (B) Low-Carbon Society with Mass Consumption. If (A) increases global warming, society becomes a (C) Fossil Fuel-Dependent Circular Society. Scenario (D) a Larger Entropy Society is equivalent to the 4°C scenario.

Fuller descriptions of each set of social conditions are given below.

A Decarbonized Circular Society

●Impact on industries
Concurrent progress of legislation and technological innovation related to preventing global warming and creating a circular economy help to form a related infrastructure for a carbonneutral society and Circular Economy. This encourages investment in decarbonization in automotive and real estate industries, and advances the shift to business models that assume long-term use of goods in industries involved in the supply chain. It is also expected that not only products but also the construction of sustainable towns designed for carbon neutrality and Circular Economy will attract investment.

●Changes in customer value
Consumers: Eco-consciousness, cost reduction, ethical, on-demand usage, etc.
Corporations: Eco-consciousness, cost reduction (energy saving, asset-light approach, better fuel efficiency, etc.), effect and efficiency enhancement (maximization of customer value, i.e. better experience value, etc.).

B Low-Carbon Society with Mass Consumption

●Impact on industries
Progress of carbon-related legislation (NEV/ZEV laws and ZEH/ZEB subsidy policies, etc.) and technological innovation (reduced cost of renewable energy and storage batteries, etc.) encourages standardization for decarbonization in the automotive and real estate industries and attracts investment. This helps the shift to electrification and a renewable energy infrastructure.
Adoption of renewable energy and hydrogen also expands.

●Changes in customer value
Consumers: Eco-consciousness, cost reduction (energy saving, better fuel efficiency, etc.).
Corporations: Eco-consciousness, energy saving and better fuel efficiency (downsizing, weight-reduction, high density and capacity, high efficiency, etc.).

C Fossil Fuel-Dependent Circular Society

●Impact on industries
Progress in technological innovation of waste plastic and for a circular economy (data linkage, material recycling, etc.) and their related legislation eliminate waste in the supply chain and encourage a shift to a circular economy. Corporations involved in the supply chain (manufacturers, distributors, etc.) change their business models from sales and consumption-based models to those that assume long-term usage of goods, including leasing, sharing, and repair. Products made of recycled resources become mainstream backed up by the formation of waste collection networks and material recycling systems.

●Changes in customer value
Consumers: Eco-consciousness, ethical, on-demand usage, etc. Corporations: Effect and efficiency enhancement (maximization of customer value, i.e. better experience value, etc.), cost reduction (energy saving, asset-light approach, etc.).

D Larger Entropy Society

●Impact on industries
Changes in rainfall amounts and patterns make it difficult to control the yield and quality of agricultural products. This encourages a shift to demand and supply matching consumption, which eliminates waste in distribution. Deterioration of living and working environment and increases in illness due to constant temperature rises expand demand for companies related to indoor environments and health (building, home appliances, healthcare, etc.). In response to the increase in natural disasters, investment in infrastructure resilience to maintain the supply chain will increase.

●Changes in customer value
Consumers: Lifeline stabilization and resilience enhancement, health.
Corporations: Productivity enhancement, demand and supply matching, supply chain resilience.

We can address the risks and opportunities corresponding to the above scenarios through any of our seven main operating companies shown below.

  1. Panasonic Corporation
    (Home appliance business, Air quality and air conditioning business, Food distribution business,
    Smart Energy System business, Electrical facility materials business)
  2. Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.
  3. Panasonic Connect Co., Ltd.
  4. Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd.
  5. Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd.
  6. Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., Ltd.
  7. Panasonic Housing Solutions Co., Ltd.

For each type of society, we have formulated strategies for our seven operating companies from the viewpoint of climate change. Some of the strategies are listed below, with the applicable society type indicated by the corresponding scenario from (A) to (D).
The total sales of the respective operating companies for fiscal 2024 are also shown as financial information.

1. Panasonic Corporation

Sales for fiscal 2024: 3,494.4 billion yen

1-1 Living Appliances and Solutions Company

  • Build a circular value chain with customers through products and services.
A
B
C
  • Achieve extension of the product life cycle and improve customer engagement looking ahead of circular economy.
A
C

1-2 Heating & Ventilation A/C Company

  • Provide the optimum and highest air and water quality values with low environmental impact, not found in conventional air conditioning, with a combination of our unique air and water technologies.
A
B
C
D
  • Create unprecedented value with water and air heating systems with heat pump (A2W), chillers, and combination of air quality and air conditioning in the air conditioning business of water circulation type to contribute to improvement for decarbonization and air quality values.
A
B
C
D

1-3 Cold Chain Solutions Company

  • Promote energy conservation offering comprehensive support for our energy monitoring system covering from system installation to operations and maintenance.
    Our equipment refurbishing service prolongs system usage while contributing to a circular economy.
A
B
C
  • Accelerate development of natural refrigerants with lower environmental impact through wider use of CO2 refrigeration equipment.
A
B

1-4 Electric Works Company

  • Provide a sustainable and safe and secure facility infrastructure based on our wiring fixtures to contribute to electrification and disaster-resilient society with zero environmental impact in the world.
A
B
C
D

1-5 Direct Control (Hydrogen Related Businesses)

  • Achieve local production for local consumption of energy by developing a decentralized energy package business utilizing hydrogen.
A
B
D

2. Panasonic Automotive System Co., Ltd.

Sales for fiscal 2024: 1,491.9 billion yen

  • Contribute to electrification of vehicles through power chargers with high voltage/output using power electronics technology and devices that improve vehicle's weight saving and rate of electricity consumption.
A
B
C
D
  • Promote to make own products more energy efficient and further expand the range of products that use recycled resin materials.
A
B
C
  • In our sites that achieved net zero CO2 emissions, we are further reducing energy usage through energy-saving activities and increasing the ratio of non-external dependency on renewable energy supply. Start operation using renewable energy purchased from a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA), and raise our nonexternal dependency rate of renewable energy to 10% by 2025.
A
B

3. Panasonic Connect Co., Ltd.

Sales for fiscal 2024: 1,202.8 billion yen

  • Reduce waste energy and waste goods by supply chain orchestration, including streamlining corporate customers' logistics and responsive tuning of demand and supply.
A
B
  • Offer solutions to improve energy efficiency and automation at corporate customers.
A
B

4. Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd.

Sales for fiscal 2024: 1,042.6 billion yen

  • Develop and supply products that contribute to electrification of vehicles and improvements in vehicles electricity consumption rate and milage.
A
B
  • Reduce environmental impact through development and provision of products that contribute to product/equipment downsizing, light weight, low energy loss, and longer product life.
A
B
C
  • Reduce CO2 emissions by promoting energy conservation and increasing use of renewable energy in manufacturing activities.
A
B

5. Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd.

Sales for fiscal 2024: 915.9 billion yen

  • Increase avoided CO2 emissions, by increasing the number of electric vehicle users through improving the competitiveness of our automotive batteries and enhancing our production capacity, and promoting electrification of power equipment such as construction machine through modularization and systematization of batteries for industrial use.
A
B
C
  • Reduce to half the carbon footprint in fiscal 2031 comparing the fiscal 2022 level by making Zero- CO2 Factories at own sites, locally procuring materials for lithium ion batteries, and establishing circular economy business models.
A
B
C

6. Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., Ltd.

Sales for fiscal 2024: 243.1 billion yen

  • Promote energy-saving per product category by introducing devices with high energy efficiency, improving their control methods, and the like.
A
B
  • Promote circular economy through expansion of refurbishing businesses, acceleration for using recycled resin, adoption of eco packaging, and the like.
A
C

7. Panasonic Housing Solutions Co., Ltd.

Sales for fiscal 2024: 446.1 billion yen

  • Reduce CO2 emissions in our value chain by thorough implementation of energy-saving initiatives and electricity generation, and at the same time, enhance product ranges that contribute to CO2 emissions reduction in society.
A
B
  • Increase use of recycled materials, plant-derived materials, and the like for resource circulation.
A
C

The scenario analysis found that either of the businesses in our group can respond to the situation even if any of the 4 scenarios of the societies is achieved. In other words, the analysis successfully verified the resilience of our business strategies. The analysis also helped us understand that we can contribute to building a sustainable society through our businesses. We continue our efforts to build the 1.5˚C world, represented by our society (A).