Difference between revisions of "Toshiba"

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'''Toshiba Corporation''' (株式会社東芝 Kabushiki-gaisha Tōshiba?) is a Japanese multinational engineering and electronics conglomerate corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
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'''Toshiba Corporation''' (株式会社東芝 Kabushiki-gaisha Tōshiba) is a Japanese multinational engineering and electronics conglomerate corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
==Background==
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==Education interests==
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Toshiba produces a range of devices for classroom use. It also provides support services to schools that are moving to digital teaching and learning.
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It also has a network of 'Toshiba Ambassadors', who are described as 'leaders and managers in schools' and 'a community of practice of schools and colleges who are implementing mobile and wireless technologies'. Toshiba provides these people with workshops and seminars on information on education technology and Toshiba's offering.
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Toshiba adviser on education, Bob Harrison, says also that Toshiba 'supported over 25,000 teachers in Teach  Mix' in 2016. 'There are tech companies  who are doing a lot of  work, and putting a lot of money into trying to improve teaching'.<ref>'Digital technologies and innovative teaching practices in the classroom: latest thinking and policy options' conference, Westminster Education Forum, 26 April 2016</ref>
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===Lobbying for education reform===
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Toshiba attended a roundtable discussion in October 2013 with [[Matthew Hancock]], then Minister for Skills and Enterprise. Others at the meeting include: [[Elearning Foundation]], [[British Computer Society]], [[Carphone Warehouse]], [[Tablets for Schools]], [[Naace]], [[Blenheim Chalcot]], [[European Electronique]], [[Google]], [[Microsoft]], [[Samsung]] and [[Dixons]].
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===Support for education reform groups===
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Toshiba is described as having 'built its leading position in the schools sector by the many relationships and partnerships it has created over many years of experience in education'.<ref>[http://academy.bcs.org/content/toshiba-qa Toshiba profile], BCS Academy website, accessed July 2016</ref>
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Toshiba is a member of, or supports the following organisations that lobby for school reform:
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*[[Computing for Schools]], a 'grassroots style' lobby group for the introduction of computing on the national curriculum in England.
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*[[Naace]]
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*[[Association for Learning Technology]], conference sponsor.
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===Education people===
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*[[Bob Harrison]], Education Adviser to Toshiba Information Systems Northern Europe. Harrison also advised the UK government as a member of [[ETAG]], a national expert group advising government, to look strategically at technology in education. He is described as a 'writer, presenter and researcher on mobile learning, digital technologies and next generation learning'. He founded the “Toshiba Ambassadors” programme.
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*[[Mark Byrne]], Head of Public Sector at Toshiba. Ex-[[RM]]
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===Former education people===
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*[[Dan Perkin]], until April 2016 Perkin was Education Business lead at Toshiba Northern Europe. He describes his role as: 'Responsibile for the Education Team, and the delivering of a target of £40M+ per annum. This included responsibility for the Education strategy, products and solutions that were taken to each of the education sectors.'<ref>[https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-perkin-18307516 Daniel Perkin profile], Linkedin, accessed July 2016</ref>. From April 2016, Perkin is Sales Director with edtech firm [[Avantis Education Systems]].
  
 
==Nuclear interests==
 
==Nuclear interests==
 
  
 
===Westinghouse majority owner===
 
===Westinghouse majority owner===
In October 2006 [[BNFL]] sold Westinghouse to Toshiba and its partners [[The Shaw Group]] and [[IHI]].<ref> [http://onlinepressroom.net/westinghousenuclear/ Toshiba completes Westinghouse acquisition], Westinghouse Press Release 17 October 2006, accessed 29 August 2012.</ref> Toshiba later sold 10 percent of its interest to [[Kazatamprom]], a company based in Kazakhastan. In September 2011 Toshiba bought out the Shaw Group's 20 per cent stake in Westinghouse and now controls 87 per cent of the firm. <ref> The Associated Press, [http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/sep/06/shaw-group-plans-to-sell-stake-in-westinghouse/?print=1 Shaw Group to sell its stake in Westinghouse], 6 September 6, 2011, accessed 9 September 2012. </ref>
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{{Template:NuclearSpin}}In October 2006 [[BNFL]] sold Westinghouse to Toshiba and its partners [[The Shaw Group]] and [[IHI]].<ref> [http://onlinepressroom.net/westinghousenuclear/ Toshiba completes Westinghouse acquisition], Westinghouse Press Release 17 October 2006, accessed 29 August 2012.</ref> Toshiba later sold 10 percent of its interest to [[Kazatamprom]], a company based in Kazakhastan. In September 2011 Toshiba bought out the Shaw Group's 20 per cent stake in Westinghouse and now controls 87 per cent of the firm. <ref> The Associated Press, [http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/sep/06/shaw-group-plans-to-sell-stake-in-westinghouse/?print=1 Shaw Group to sell its stake in Westinghouse], 6 September 6, 2011, accessed 9 September 2012. </ref>
  
 
Nearly half of all nuclear power plants operating globally, and nearly 60 percent in the United States, are based on Westinghouse technology. In 2006 Westinghouse’s AP1000 became the first Generation III+ pressurised water reactor to receive Design Certification from the US [[Nuclear Regulatory Commission]].<ref> [http://westinghousenuclear.com/Our_Company/history/Timeline/2000_2007.shtm Timeline 2000-2007], Westinghouse website, accessed 29 August 2012.</ref>
 
Nearly half of all nuclear power plants operating globally, and nearly 60 percent in the United States, are based on Westinghouse technology. In 2006 Westinghouse’s AP1000 became the first Generation III+ pressurised water reactor to receive Design Certification from the US [[Nuclear Regulatory Commission]].<ref> [http://westinghousenuclear.com/Our_Company/history/Timeline/2000_2007.shtm Timeline 2000-2007], Westinghouse website, accessed 29 August 2012.</ref>
  
===Fukushima===
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===Buying majority stake in UK new nuclear build===
In 1970 Toshiba, along with [[General Electric]] and [[Hitachi]] built the three reactors at the [[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/daiichi/daiichi.htm|title=Nuclear Reactor Maps: Fukushima-Daiichi|accessdate=March 21, 2011|publisher=Nuclear Transparency in the Asia Pacific}} </ref> which suffered a triple meltdown in the massive earthquake and tsunami on 14 March 2011.  
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In October 2013, Toshiba through Westinghouse was in the final stages of negotiations to buy a more than 50 percent stake in [[NuGeneration]], a major project to build a nuclear reactor at Sellafield, for £64 million. <ref> Lucy Alexander in Tokyo, [[[http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/utilities/article3888406.ece Toshiba Group nears deal on Sellafield reactor]], ''The Times'',  October 7 2013 12.01am BST </ref>
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===Fukushima non-liability===
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Toshiba, [[General Electric]] and [[Hitachi]] were responsible for designing, building and servicing the reactors which directly contributed to the disaster at the [[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/daiichi/daiichi.htm|title=Nuclear Reactor Maps: Fukushima-Daiichi|accessdate=March 21, 2011|publisher=Nuclear Transparency in the Asia Pacific}} </ref>when a massive earthquake and tsunami struck on 14 March 2011.
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Two years later, Greenpeace accused all three firms of continuing to dodge their responsibilities over Fukushima.
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:...companies deeply involved in the design, construction and running of the reactors involved in the triple meltdown are not being held accountable. Shockingly in some cases, they are making more profits out of the disaster recovery. These companies, namely GE, Hitachi, and Toshiba who designed and built reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, have special rights under the Nuclear Damage Liability Law that protect them from product liability should there be a nuclear disaster. Essentially this means they can profit without worrying about the risks of a meltdown, since the public pays the damage should an accident happen.
  
Despite the disaster, Toshiba CEO [[Norio Sasaki]] has declared nuclear energy would 'remain as a strong option'.<ref>Maki Shiraki, [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20110422n1.html Silver lining in sight for makers of solar panels], 22 April 2011, [[The Japan Times]] online|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5y9cK8XNe|archivedate=April 23, 2011|</ref>
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:The estimated cost of the nuclear disaster is $250 billion US, an impossible figure for any single company - even [[TEPCO]], one of the largest power companies in the world. It is why compensation and life support for the people affected is not what it should be, and why 3.2 trillion yen ($43.7 bn) of Japanese taxpayers money has been injected into the company.
  
Greenpeace has accused all three companies of dodging their responsibilities in relation to Fukushima.
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:We have been talking with GE, Hitachi and Toshiba, however, when it comes to a question of their responsibility, they simply point to their existing Corporate Social Responsibility webpage or report, where they present their charitable activities in response to the earthquake and tsunami. They have avoided explaining their responsibility in the Fukushima nuclear disaster as a supplier of critical equipment. <ref>Hisayo Takada, [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/how-can-the-nuclear-industry-profit-from-nucl/blog/44192/ General Electric, Toshiba & Hitachi hide from their responsibilities in Fukushima], Greenpeace blogpost, 5 March 2013, acc October 2013 </ref> <ref>[http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/getinvolved/They-profit-you-pay/ Fukushima disaster: Nuclear industry profits, while people pay!], Greenpeace Action, 17 January 2013 </ref>
  
:Meanwhile, companies deeply involved in the design, construction and running of the reactors involved in the triple meltdown are not being held accountable. Shockingly in some cases, they are making more profits out of the disaster recovery. These companies, namely GE, Hitachi, and Toshiba who designed and built reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, have special rights under the Nuclear Damage Liability Law that protect them from product liability should there be a nuclear disaster. Essentially this means they can profit without worrying about the risks of a meltdown, since the public pays the damage should an accident happen.
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[[Greenpeace International]]'s executive director in March 2013 called for the 'creation of a real nuclear liability system, one that makes both nuclear operators and their suppliers pay all the costs of their failures, not taxpayers', such as in India:
  
:The estimated cost of the nuclear disaster is $250 billion US, an impossible figure for any single company - even TEPCO, one of the largest power companies in the world. It is why compensation and life support for the people affected is not what it should be, and why 3.2 trillion yen ($43.7 bn) of Japanese taxpayers money has been injected into the company.
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:Big energy giants, such as General Electric, Toshiba and Hitachi, pay nothing if one of their reactors causes a disaster. All three built reactors based on GE's flawed Mark I reactor design. Concerns that the reactor containment would fail during a major accident proved correct – this is exactly what happened. The flaw was revealed decades earlier, but the problem wasn't fixed.
  
:We have been talking with GE, Hitachi and Toshiba, however, when it comes to a question of their responsibility, they simply point to their existing Corporate Social Responsibility webpage or report, where they present their charitable activities in response to the earthquake and tsunami. They have avoided explaining their responsibility in the Fukushima nuclear disaster as a supplier of critical equipment.
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:But the protection system means that GE, Hitachi and Toshiba and other big companies with enormous wealth are not held liable when their equipment contributes to a disaster. ...Absurdly, the powerful nuclear industry has greater protection and rights than the public – the ones at risk of radiation in a disaster. It's high time for that liability to be given back to the industry.<ref> Kumi Naidoo, [http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/fukushima-disaster-holding-the-nuclear-indust/blog/44306/ Fukushima disaster: holding the nuclear industry liable], theguardian.com, 11 March 2013 </ref> <ref> Antony Froggatt, [http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2013/mar/11/nuclear-reactor-operators-financially-liable-disasters Nuclear reactor operators must be financially liable for disasters],  theguardian.com, 12 March 2013 02.18 EST, acc 11 October 2013 </ref>
  
 
==Affiliations==
 
==Affiliations==
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[[Category:Nuclear: UK]]
 
[[Category:Nuclear: UK]]
 
[[Category:Pro-nuclear companies]]
 
[[Category:Pro-nuclear companies]]
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[[Category:Education Industry]]

Latest revision as of 15:05, 25 July 2016

Toshiba Corporation (株式会社東芝 Kabushiki-gaisha Tōshiba) is a Japanese multinational engineering and electronics conglomerate corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Education interests

Toshiba produces a range of devices for classroom use. It also provides support services to schools that are moving to digital teaching and learning.

It also has a network of 'Toshiba Ambassadors', who are described as 'leaders and managers in schools' and 'a community of practice of schools and colleges who are implementing mobile and wireless technologies'. Toshiba provides these people with workshops and seminars on information on education technology and Toshiba's offering.

Toshiba adviser on education, Bob Harrison, says also that Toshiba 'supported over 25,000 teachers in Teach Mix' in 2016. 'There are tech companies who are doing a lot of work, and putting a lot of money into trying to improve teaching'.[1]

Lobbying for education reform

Toshiba attended a roundtable discussion in October 2013 with Matthew Hancock, then Minister for Skills and Enterprise. Others at the meeting include: Elearning Foundation, British Computer Society, Carphone Warehouse, Tablets for Schools, Naace, Blenheim Chalcot, European Electronique, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and Dixons.

Support for education reform groups

Toshiba is described as having 'built its leading position in the schools sector by the many relationships and partnerships it has created over many years of experience in education'.[2]

Toshiba is a member of, or supports the following organisations that lobby for school reform:

Education people

  • Bob Harrison, Education Adviser to Toshiba Information Systems Northern Europe. Harrison also advised the UK government as a member of ETAG, a national expert group advising government, to look strategically at technology in education. He is described as a 'writer, presenter and researcher on mobile learning, digital technologies and next generation learning'. He founded the “Toshiba Ambassadors” programme.
  • Mark Byrne, Head of Public Sector at Toshiba. Ex-RM

Former education people

  • Dan Perkin, until April 2016 Perkin was Education Business lead at Toshiba Northern Europe. He describes his role as: 'Responsibile for the Education Team, and the delivering of a target of £40M+ per annum. This included responsibility for the Education strategy, products and solutions that were taken to each of the education sectors.'[3]. From April 2016, Perkin is Sales Director with edtech firm Avantis Education Systems.

Nuclear interests

Westinghouse majority owner

Nuclear spin.png This article is part of the Nuclear Spin project of Spinwatch.

In October 2006 BNFL sold Westinghouse to Toshiba and its partners The Shaw Group and IHI.[4] Toshiba later sold 10 percent of its interest to Kazatamprom, a company based in Kazakhastan. In September 2011 Toshiba bought out the Shaw Group's 20 per cent stake in Westinghouse and now controls 87 per cent of the firm. [5]

Nearly half of all nuclear power plants operating globally, and nearly 60 percent in the United States, are based on Westinghouse technology. In 2006 Westinghouse’s AP1000 became the first Generation III+ pressurised water reactor to receive Design Certification from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.[6]

Buying majority stake in UK new nuclear build

In October 2013, Toshiba through Westinghouse was in the final stages of negotiations to buy a more than 50 percent stake in NuGeneration, a major project to build a nuclear reactor at Sellafield, for £64 million. [7]

Fukushima non-liability

Toshiba, General Electric and Hitachi were responsible for designing, building and servicing the reactors which directly contributed to the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant[8]when a massive earthquake and tsunami struck on 14 March 2011.

Two years later, Greenpeace accused all three firms of continuing to dodge their responsibilities over Fukushima.

...companies deeply involved in the design, construction and running of the reactors involved in the triple meltdown are not being held accountable. Shockingly in some cases, they are making more profits out of the disaster recovery. These companies, namely GE, Hitachi, and Toshiba who designed and built reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, have special rights under the Nuclear Damage Liability Law that protect them from product liability should there be a nuclear disaster. Essentially this means they can profit without worrying about the risks of a meltdown, since the public pays the damage should an accident happen.
The estimated cost of the nuclear disaster is $250 billion US, an impossible figure for any single company - even TEPCO, one of the largest power companies in the world. It is why compensation and life support for the people affected is not what it should be, and why 3.2 trillion yen ($43.7 bn) of Japanese taxpayers money has been injected into the company.
We have been talking with GE, Hitachi and Toshiba, however, when it comes to a question of their responsibility, they simply point to their existing Corporate Social Responsibility webpage or report, where they present their charitable activities in response to the earthquake and tsunami. They have avoided explaining their responsibility in the Fukushima nuclear disaster as a supplier of critical equipment. [9] [10]

Greenpeace International's executive director in March 2013 called for the 'creation of a real nuclear liability system, one that makes both nuclear operators and their suppliers pay all the costs of their failures, not taxpayers', such as in India:

Big energy giants, such as General Electric, Toshiba and Hitachi, pay nothing if one of their reactors causes a disaster. All three built reactors based on GE's flawed Mark I reactor design. Concerns that the reactor containment would fail during a major accident proved correct – this is exactly what happened. The flaw was revealed decades earlier, but the problem wasn't fixed.
But the protection system means that GE, Hitachi and Toshiba and other big companies with enormous wealth are not held liable when their equipment contributes to a disaster. ...Absurdly, the powerful nuclear industry has greater protection and rights than the public – the ones at risk of radiation in a disaster. It's high time for that liability to be given back to the industry.[11] [12]

Affiliations

People

Contact, Resources and Notes

Contact

Website:

Resources

Notes

  1. 'Digital technologies and innovative teaching practices in the classroom: latest thinking and policy options' conference, Westminster Education Forum, 26 April 2016
  2. Toshiba profile, BCS Academy website, accessed July 2016
  3. Daniel Perkin profile, Linkedin, accessed July 2016
  4. Toshiba completes Westinghouse acquisition, Westinghouse Press Release 17 October 2006, accessed 29 August 2012.
  5. The Associated Press, Shaw Group to sell its stake in Westinghouse, 6 September 6, 2011, accessed 9 September 2012.
  6. Timeline 2000-2007, Westinghouse website, accessed 29 August 2012.
  7. Lucy Alexander in Tokyo, [[Toshiba Group nears deal on Sellafield reactor], The Times, October 7 2013 12.01am BST
  8. Nuclear Reactor Maps: Fukushima-Daiichi.  Nuclear Transparency in the Asia Pacific.  Retrieved March 21, 2011.
  9. Hisayo Takada, General Electric, Toshiba & Hitachi hide from their responsibilities in Fukushima, Greenpeace blogpost, 5 March 2013, acc October 2013
  10. Fukushima disaster: Nuclear industry profits, while people pay!, Greenpeace Action, 17 January 2013
  11. Kumi Naidoo, Fukushima disaster: holding the nuclear industry liable, theguardian.com, 11 March 2013
  12. Antony Froggatt, Nuclear reactor operators must be financially liable for disasters, theguardian.com, 12 March 2013 02.18 EST, acc 11 October 2013