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17
neling management resources into the product areas where we expect to see future
market growth, particularly in Digital Products and Electronic Devices.
Until recently, we characterized our Social Infrastructure domain businesses, includ-
ing the nuclear power business, as stable performers. But with the growing awareness of
global warming, nuclear power is being reevaluated worldwide, and we now consider it
a growth area. That’s why we acquired the Westinghouse Group. That move established
Toshiba as the world’s No. 1 company in the nuclear power business. I am very happy
that we are developing this business on a global scale at a time when there is a growing
worldwide public mandate in favor of this clean, plentiful alternative energy source.
On the other hand, we still retain companies whose synergies with our core busi-
nesses have been diluted by time. Going forward, it makes sense to remove companies
like that from our business portfolio, and to concentrate on growth and next-genera-
tion businesses. Accordingly, because Toshiba Ceramics, GE Toshiba Silicones and
Toshiba EMI fell into this former category, we decided to sell them.
Concretely put, what kind of corporate group do you want the Toshiba Group to
become when you say that Toshiba as “a corporate citizen of planet Earth” is
deeply committed to helping protect the environment?
That expression indicates that we have a strong
management commitment to act with deep
awareness of the global environment, and that we
endeavor to direct our efforts toward helping to
build a sustainable society. Measures that we can
take to help address critical world environmental
issues include contributing to reduced CO2emis-
sions through our nuclear power business, and
developing consumer electronics that consume
less energy. In addition, we are also committed to
improving the energy efficiency of all of our
Group’s operations and reducing the Group’s
greenhouse gas emissions.
We must always bring a global perspective to management. The Toshiba Group is
boldly moving forward with its business on a worldwide scale. As we work to expand
our global business role, we must be sure to respect the social practices, culture and
history of each country and region in which we are engaged in business, and we must
strive to do whatever we can to contribute the maximum we can to society.
Toshiba wants to continue to be a source of value to all of its stakeholders, including
shareholders, customers, clients, employees and regional societies. In the coming years
as well, we will continue to work for continuous innovation with the goal of building an
even more dynamic Toshiba Group that is filled with vigorous creative energy.