Topcon Positioning Systems has announced a series of new developments and initiatives as part of its ongoing sustainability efforts. First has been the formation of a new global team dedicated to sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been announced. This is being led by Michael Gomes as vice president of Global Sustainability and CSR. Much of his career with Topcon has been dedicated to the advancement of more sustainable agricultural practices. He will now lead a global team dedicated to sustainability for all markets and product lines, which will connect into Topcon’s parent organisation, Topcon Corporation, in Japan to support the corporation’s multiple divisions.
“Sustainability has long been a part of the fabric of Topcon and is something we take very seriously as we take actions to support our global initiatives,” said Gomes. “As we look ahead, we’ll endeavor to support, at every level, the advancement of the industries and communities we serve. The work we do is modeled on the sustainable development goals adopted at the United Nations Summit in 2015 and has been part of Topcon’s vision statement since 2016.”
Topcon’s dedication to sustainability is further demonstrated by the inauguration of a new Research & Validation Center at its global headquarters in Livermore, California. Our team has worked closely with Alameda County in the approval and development of this expansive, ecologically diverse location that will support the increasing needs for research and validation of new technologies.
The site was planned in collaboration with students and faculty from the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The team employed a multi-disciplinary approach, providing a site analysis with soil evaluations and recommended crops, maps for planting, and additional site development recommendations.
This new facility joins global validation centers in Concordia, Italy, and Adelaide, Australia, all working on research and validation of innovative precision technologies. “Through these three centers, there is research and testing underway at Topcon, somewhere in the world, any time of day,” Gomes said.
Another recent initiative is the conversion to solar power for the Livermore campus. Initial planning began in October 2022, and the project is underway. Once the project is completed, the campus, including multiple buildings, manufacturing facilities and electric car charging stations, will be powered by solar energy.
“This is a great opportunity for us to reduce our Scope 2 emissions and energy costs,” Gomes said.
