We have reached a significant milestone as a company, our 100th anniversary of our founding as Mitsubishi Electric.
It has prompted us to look back on our achievements and developments over this time, but also to look forward at this critical time for the planet.
Our original founding president’s statement of: “We manufacture electric products of the highest quality that contribute to society”.
In honour of our next Century, our corporate philosophy has been revised to update the Group’s reason for existence as well as the core values and attitude that all employees are asked to embrace and cherish in serving customers and society as a whole.
The philosophy now reads: “We, the Mitsubishi Electric Group, will contribute to the realization of a vibrant and sustainable society through continuous technological innovation and ceaseless creativity”.
I’m proud to be here at the time of this impressive milestone
Martin Fahey Head of Sustainability – UK & Ireland
A history of innovation
Looking back at our first specific Environmental report 23 years ago in 1998, it makes reference to the COP3 meeting (Conference of the Parties) which was around the time of the Kyoto Protocol that looked to limit and reduce Green House Gases
Now we are looking forward the COP26 event, which this year is being held in Glasgow and will help to keep the focus on the many challenges faced by the planet.
The many innovations we have introduced through these 100 years are too numerous to mention, but some worthy of note from my perspective are the first mass produced product we made being the electric fan, our first wall mounted air conditioner with a line flow fan in 1968, our first Lifts and escalators in 1931, our first car radios in 1955 and our first industrial robots in 1980.
Towards the electric economy
As we look forward to next 100 years, the core principle of contributing to society remains, as we look towards an Electric Economy.
As the generation of electricity increasingly comes from renewable sources and away from the dated technologies that involve the burning of fossil fuels to heat our buildings and power our vehicles.
It is an Electric Economy that is going to be the way we make the changes we need to in society at the pace required as we work collectively to reach the Net Zero goals in 2050 and the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.
On to net zero
As a global manufacturer of some of the key technologies that can help society achieve its net zero goals, we are planning for our role in this challenge.
We start with our renewed purpose as a company ‘We, the Mitsubishi Electric Group, will contribute to the realization of a vibrant and sustainable society through continuous technological innovation and ceaseless creativity’ – and we add the values that will help guide our way.
As we mark our 100th anniversary, we are also marking the move from the many successes of our Environmental Vision 2021 and look forward to our 2050 vision
Confidence in the future
While I will not be in the world of work in 2050, I am heartened by the younger generations coming through and applaud their passion for the planet and all the issues we will face to make a positive difference.
I feel proud to be at the company at the time of this impressive milestone and I am confident that our long history of innovation and awareness of the needs of society and the environment will remain and drive us forward towards ever more impressive innovations in the next 100 years.
Martin Fahey, Head of Sustainability – UK & Ireland
