Hitachi Australia

OVERALL
Owned	JPN
Rating

Consumer and business electronics

Imports and distributes electronic products including air conditioning, power tools, automotive, IT, industrial, logistics, mining and construction.

Company Ownership


Hitachi Australia Pty Ltd	AUS	website		facebook	twitter
Hitachi Ltd owns 100% of Hitachi Australia Pty Ltd	JPN	website	email
Engineering and electronics Highly diversified company that operates eleven business segments. Part of the DKB Group of companies.

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Hitachi Australia Pty Ltd

4/5 for packaging performance

This company received a packaging performance level of 4 (Leading) in its 2022 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2022)

Hitachi Ltd

CDP Climate Change Score of A

In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A.
Source: CDP (2022)

CDP Water Security Score of A

In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of A.
Source: CDP (2022)

14.1% in conflict minerals rankings

As You Sow's 2019 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 215 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was 14.1% (Weak).
Source: As You Sow (2019)

Forced labour in China

The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including brands owned by this company. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's 2020 report estimates (somewhat conservatively) that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of Xinjiang to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, and some of them were sent directly from detention camps.
Source: ASPI (2020)

27/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark

In 2020/21 KnowTheChain benchmarked over 180 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to address forced labour and human trafficking in their supply chains. This company received a score of 27/100.
Source: KnowTheChain (2021)

16.8% in Human Rights Benchmark

The 2022 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 127 companies in the food and agriculture, ICT and automotive manufacturing sectors on their human rights performance. This company received a score of 16.8%. The overall average score was a disappointing 17.3% and the highest score was 50.3%.
Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2022)

US recycling report card

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition's Recycling Report Card evaluates takeback and recycling programs for computer, TV, printer and game console companies. The report card focuses on the programs available to consumers in the US, and relies on publicly available information, as of Sept 2010. This company received a grade of F for its recycling efforts in the USA.
Source: Electronics TakeBack Coalition (2010)

Military involvement

Hitachi provides products and services for the Japanese military.
Source: company website (2021)

Price fixing

In March 2009 Hitachi admitted to fixing prices of the screens sold to Dell for use in desktop monitors and notebook computers from 2001 to 2004, in violation of US anti-trust laws. Three other major producers of LCD panels including LG and Sharp had already admitted their involvement in price-fixing. Hitachi was fined US$31 million. [Listed under information due to age of court finding]
Source: news article (2009)

Price fixing in USA

In 2011 Hitachi-LG Data Storage, a joint venture of Hitachi Ltd and LG Electronics, pleaded guilty to 15 criminal counts in connection with a long-running probe of price fixing in the sale of optical disk drives to computer companies. The charges were brought by US prosecutors in the District Court (Northern California) and the joint venture company was sentenced to a US$21m fine after admitting conspiring with others to eliminate competition or fix prices for drives sold to computer companies dating back to 2004.
Source: The Guardian (2011)

Nuclear - direct involvement

Hitachi and General Electric operate a joint venture which builds nuclear power plants.
Source: company website (2022)

Climate action commitments

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)

63.5% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017

This company received a score of 63.5/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2017)

Sustainability claims

This company has sustainability claims on its website, including environmental and social issues.
Source: company website (2020)

Supply chain practices in China

This company received a score of 43.5/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)

C grade at Behind the Barcode

C grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's Behind the Barcode 'Ethical Electronics Guide 2016', which grades companies on their efforts to mitigate the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation throughout their supply chains. Assessment criteria fall into four main categories: policies, traceability & transparency, monitoring & training and worker rights. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: Baptist World Aid Australia (2016)

Modern Slavery statement

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2017)

BHRRC company profile

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
Source: BHRRC (2022)

41/100 S&P Global ESG Score

This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 41/100 in the Industrial Conglomerates category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2022)

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Company Details

Type	Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue	47.6 million AUD (2021)
Employees	50 (2021)

Contact Details

Address	Suite 801, Level 8, 123 Epping Rd, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia
Phone	02 9888 4100
Freecall	1800 448 224
Website	www.hitachi.com.au

Products / Brands

Hitachi Australia

Hitachi Televisions
Hitachi Fridges & Freezers

Hitachi Australia

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