Japan's OKI Data Corporation is using a carbon offset program in its three main manufacturing facilities in Asia by purchasing verified emission reductions.

The three main manufacturing facilities are located in Ayutthaya, Thailand; Shenzhen, China; and Fukushima, Japan. These three locations all manufacture printers shipped to the global market. Starting October 1, 2009, the company plans to offset the total CO2 emitted through their ""CarbonZero" program from these facilities during the previous fiscal year by way of purchasing VER credits that are held by CO2 balance. The offsetting will continue until 2012 which is in line with the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol.

For this year, the company will take fiscal year 2007 CO2 emissions from these facilities, 11,230 tonnes, as the baseline to determine the amount to purchase. The carbon offsetting projects that OKI Data are supporting includes co2balance's established "African Energy Efficient Stove Project". The project builds brick stoves for families in Kenya, reducing the amount of firewood and carbon emissions by half.

The VERs purchased will be retired on respective registries by December 2009. OKI Data will assess its emissions for fiscal year 2008 and should there be differences in the amount purchased, the company will adjust this with fiscal year 2009 purchase amount.