The Sanyo Chemical Group recognizes that its business activities that manufacture and sell chemicals have a negative impact on biodiversity, such as the consumption of natural capital and the emission of GHGs and hazardous substances, but also have a positive impact by contributing to the reduction and improvement of environmental impact by the products it provides.
In our production activities, we will strive to reduce the burden that may indirectly lead to the loss of biodiversity, such as reducing the content of hazardous substances, using biodegradable materials, and not using environmental hormone substances.
In addition, for genetically modified organisms handled in product development, we ensure biosafety so that organisms do not spread to the environment.
Policy
We will deepen our understanding and awareness of biodiversity conservation and promote activities that take biodiversity into consideration. (From the Management Policy Concerning Responsible Care)
≫ Management Policy Concerning Responsible Care (RC)
Action Policy Concerning Biodiversity
Recognizing that business activities affect biodiversity, the Group will deepen our understanding and awareness of biodiversity conservation and promote activities that take biodiversity into account.
- We will strive to develop environmentally friendly products and contribute to the conservation of biodiversity through the provision and dissemination of these products.
- We will strive to consider biodiversity conservation in the procurement of raw materials, materials, office supplies, etc.
- We will strive to reduce the impact on biodiversity by reducing the environmental impact of our business sites, such as emissions of greenhouse gases, use of water resources, and the discharge of chemical substances and waste.
- We will strive to raise the understanding and awareness of biodiversity among all employees and to raise awareness of biodiversity conservation.
- We will promote initiatives in collaboration with the local community.
Participating initiatives
In order to fulfill our social responsibilities as a company, respond to the demands of society, and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, the Group participates in the following initiatives.
Declaration of Biodiversity by Keidanren, Japan Business Federation
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
System
The activities related to the initiatives above in which we participate are incorporated into the sustainability management promotion system.
Education and Training
The Sanyo Chemical Forestry, which is organized by employee volunteers, promotes awareness of biodiversity through forest maintenance, biological observation, and forest learning. In addition, since 2010, we have incorporated a curriculum on forestation activities into the training of new employees, so that they can experience it at least once after joining the company. Since the start of the program in 2009, a total of 2,142 employees have participated in the training, including 613 new employees. In addition, we are raising awareness of biodiversity by distributing the in-house newsletter Forest Maintenance News , which contains basic articles on activities and biodiversity, posted on our intranet.
Actions toward Activity Policy
Contribution through products
We develop and market product groups that contribute to reducing the impact on biodiversity in the product life cycle with aspects such as energy saving and energy efficiency, high durability and longevity (resource saving), water conservation, removal of harmful substances, non-use of hazardous substances, and biodegradability.
Even at the product development stage, protein synthesis using genetically modified organisms ensures biosafety so that organisms do not spread to the environment. In the field of agri-nutrition (agriculture) we are newly expanding into, we are considering ways to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides with high environmental impact by delivering the components (peptides, amino acids, etc.) necessary for plants in an efficient way and maximizing the yield and quality potential inherent in plants. Reducing the use of fertilizers and pesticides not only reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing them, but also mitigates the impact of excessive use on organisms other than the target organism.
Consideration in raw material procurement
Since our founding in the surfactant industry, we have handled bio-based raw materials such as fats and oils.
Afterward, as we expanded into the petrochemical industry, the proportion of bio-based raw materials decreased, but we still use a considerable amount of bio-based raw materials today.
We know whether the raw materials we use are bio-based or not, and the biological species they originate from.
We purchase oils and fats, high-end alcohols, and fatty acids (derivatives) derived from oil palm, coconut palm, rapeseed, soybeans, cattle, and pigs.
Starting in FY2023, we began procuring palm oil-derived raw materials that have been RSPO-certified as raw materials for cosmetics.
Our Group presents biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines to suppliers for their understanding, and checks the status of suppliers through CSR questionnaires.
Reduction of environmental impact
We are striving to reduce risks to biodiversity through activities to reduce environmental impact in line with our Environmental Action Plan, environmentally friendly chemical composition design of our products, and the provision of compliant products.
Raising employee awareness and partnering with local communities
Support for forest cultivation, forest maintenance, and nature conservation
We fund to the Forest Creation Fund of the Kyoto Model Forest Association and contribute to the healthy development of forests through a tree thinning project in the Yubune area of Wazuka Town, Soraku-gun, Kyoto Prefecture.
This project, which is being carried out in Kyoto Prefecture where our Head Office is located, contributes to the conservation of species, increase in CO2 absorption by forests, water source cultivation, and flood prevention.
In collaboration with local governments such as Wazuka Town, our employees, their families, and former employees participate as volunteers in the forest maintenance of Yubune Forest Park to raise awareness of biodiversity and communicate with local communities.
San Chemical Co., Ltd. has been engaged in nature conservation activities through rice cultivation in Futago Tanada (Futago terraced rice fields) in Chiba Prefecture.
In addition, we make annual donations to the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund through the SANYO CHEMICAL Foundation for Social Contribution to support nature conservation projects by NGOs that contribute to biodiversity.
≫ The Sanyo Chemical Forestry / Terraced Rice Field Conservation Activity