Electronics
Involved in energy infrastructure, power supply and distribution, electronic devices and systems, and diagnostic imaging. Chinese giant Midea bought Toshiba's home appliances business in 2016. Toshiba was acquired by a consortium led by Japan Industrial Partners in 2023.
Company Ownership
Toshiba Corporation
JPN
Japan Industrial Partners Inc
owns 100% of Toshiba Corporation
JPN
Private equity firm
Founded in 2002 with investment from firms including Mizuho Financial Group and Bain & Company. Invests primarily within the electronics industry. Acquired Toshiba in 2023.
Company Assessment
(Last updated Mar 2024)
Praise
Criticism
Information
Toshiba Corporation
Praise
Criticism
Information
In 2023, 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
(2023)
In 2023, 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
(2023)
This company appears on Burma Campaign UK's 'Dirty List' of companies assisting the Burmese military to continue to commit human rights violations and environmental destruction. Its Chinese subsidiary. Toshiba Hydro Power (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. (THPC) supplies turbines to the Upper Yeywa dam in Shan State. The dam is opposed by local residents and will result in displacement and environmental damage. Nang San San Aye, a Shan State MP, has stated: "We urge foreign countries to stop promoting and investing in dams in Burma?s war zones. It is fuelling conflict, and undermining efforts to seek peace."
Source: Burma Campaign UK
(2022)
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 21.5% (Weak).
Source: As You Sow
(2019)
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)
In 2015 it was revealed that Toshiba overstated its operating profits over several years in accounting irregularities involving its top management, according to an independent panel of accountants and lawyers. Eight company officials resigned following the report.
Source: news article
(2015)
The Green Supply Chain Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI) evaluates consumer-facing companies that have a sizeable supply chain in China. The evaluation uses government supervision data and public information to assess the environmental management of their supply chains in China. This company received a score of 22.64/100 (retrieved 24 Nov 2023).
Source: IPE
(2023)
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for the likely use of tax avoidance strategies, and has at least two high risk subsidiaries in tax havens.
Source: Ethical Consumer
(2022)
Toshiba's threat of a lawsuit took a huge repository of their laptop manuals offline, with critics calling the move an abuse of copyright law as a weapon for planned obsolescence. Making repair manuals unavailable sabotages local repair shops, forcing consumers to send broken devices back to expensive manufacturer-authorized service centers for repair. By making it so expensive and inconvenient to repair broken electronics, this policy amounts to planned obsolescence: many people simply throw the devices away.
Source: Wired.com
(2012)
This 2016 investigative report by China Labour Watch reveals poor work conditions for Chinese workers making products for this company. Labour rights violations include excessive overtime, forced labour, low wages, inadequate training and working 3 months without a single day off. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: China Labor Watch
(2016)
In November 2017 the Enough Project published Demand the Supply, which ranked consumer electronics and jewelry retail companies on their efforts to develop conflict-free minerals supply chains from Congo. Companies were ranked on reporting; sourcing conflict-free minerals from Congo; supporting the artisanal mining communities in Eastern Congo; and conflict-free minerals advocacy. This company received a score of 9/120. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: Enough Project
(2017)
Six firms, including this company, were fined a record 1.47b euros (AU$1.89b) in Dec 2012 by EU antitrust regulators for fixing prices of TV and monitor cathode-ray tubes for nearly a decade between 1996 and 2006. Toshiba had a penalty of 28m euros. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]
Source: Financial Review
(2012)
This company and two others agreed to pay a combined US$571m to settle a class action lawsuit over price fixing in the liquid crystal display market. The amount included US$27.5m in civil penalties for eight US state governments. The class action alleged a detailed conspiracy from 1996 to 2006 to fix LCD prices resulting in higher prices for buyers of televisions, laptops and other electronics. The class action could contain 20 million consumers. Toshiba also paid US$87 million in a similar case in 2012. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]
Source: news article
(2012)
A Northern Californian jury found this company guilty of conspiring to fix prices of liquid crystal displays and fined it $87m. Customers brought a civil lawsuit against Toshiba and other LCD providers alleging anti-competitive practices. While most other defendants settled out of court, this company fought the allegations in a San Francisco federal court and is now forced to return $70m to consumers and $17m to manufacturers. [Listed under Information due to age of court finding]
Source: news article
(2012)
This company received a score of 41.1/100 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)
B 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]
The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.
Source: UN Global Compact
(2020)
This company is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (formerly the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative), which helps companies address conflict minerals issues in their supply chains. The RMI provides information on conflict-free smelters and refiners, common tools to gather sourcing information, and forums for exchanging best practices on addressing conflict minerals. Membership is open to companies that use or transact in tantalum, tin, tungsten or gold (3TG). Founded in 2008 by members of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative.
Source: RMI
(2019)
This company has Corporate Social Responsibility claims on its website in the areas of human rights, labour practices, environment and community involvement.
Source: company website
(2020)
This company is a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (formerly the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition), a non-profit coalition of electronics companies which supports the rights and wellbeing of workers and communities worldwide affected by the global electronics supply chain. RBA members commit and are held accountable to a common Code of Conduct and utilize a range of RBA training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement in the social, environmental and ethical responsibility of their supply chains.
Source: RBA
(2022)
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 C- for its recycling efforts in the USA.
This company makes a minority of its revenue from military equipment.
Source: Bloomberg
(2014)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 42/100 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)
Toshiba build nuclear power plants
Source: company website
(2020)
Japan Industrial Partners Inc
Praise
Criticism
Information
This company has Corporate Responsibility claims on its website, mainly in the area of supporting organisations operating in the fields of child education and medical care.
Source: company website
(2024)
Company Details
Type:
Private company
Founded:
1875
Revenue:
24 billion USD
(2023)
Employees:
116,224
(2022)
Subsidiaries:
Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation
(20% owned)
Home appliances business
This is Toshiba's home appliances division, which Chinese giant Midea acquired an 80% stake of in 2016, including a license to use the Toshiba brand worldwide for 40 years.
Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd
Technology wholesalers
Information technology, communication and medical equipment.
Contact Details
Products / Brands
Toshiba
Toshiba
Batteries
Toshiba
Microwaves