Sustainability Guides a Memory Manufacturer’s Growth

The mission of KIOXIA—one of the largest producers of flash storage, which is a key component of nearly all consumer electronics—is to “uplift the world with ‘memory.’” Not only does the international company seek to achieve this through its semiconductor chip products, which fuel everything from smartphones to servers, but it also supports this mission via robust sustainability efforts, which help elevate our planet.

This dedication to the environment starts with KIOXIA’s initiatives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. In 2020, the company set a long-term goal of using 100% renewable energy across its organization by 2040, and net zero carbon for scope 1 and 2 by 2050. And it’s already well on its way: KIOXIA has installed abatement equipment for gasses with high global warming potential in target facilities, which has reduced about 90% of its scope 1 since 2011. The business is also committed to continuously decreasing harmful emissions by 1% year over year, and is introducing AI and IoT into its facilities to boost efficiency and save more energy.

KIOXIA is increasing its renewable energy usage by installing large-scale solar power generation systems on the rooftops of its Kitakami and Yokkaichi Plants. The new solar power systems will be among the largest of their kind at any semiconductor plant in Japan.

But KIOXIA doesn’t stop there. The company values resource efficiency, prioritizes biodiversity preservation, and considers the impact of its own products on a global scale. Whether it’s evaluating water risk by reusing 55% of its intake in 2021; cultivating cherry blossom trees and participating in an owl protection project; or reducing the electricity its chips require by 19% in four years and developing packaging that’s easy to recycle: KIOXIA’s approach to sustainability is truly holistic.

This conscientiousness is even more impressive given KIOXIA’s plans for growth. After acquiring the corporation in 2018, the Bain Capital Private Equity team helped the business boost sales by bringing big-name cloud computing companies, like Amazon Web Services, to its roster sheet. Now, as it invests ¥1 trillion to expand two of its plants, this focus on sustainability will continue to guide KIOXIA as it grows.