All of the Sanyo Chemical Group’s approach and initiatives for sustainability are based on the company mission of “Establish a better society through our corporate activities,” which has been cherished since its establishment in 1955. This company mission expresses the spirit of achieving sustainable coexistence between us and society through corporate activities, and is the foundation of all our activities.

Basic Policy

In FY2022, we clarified our vision for the future of our corporate activities, which we have put into practice based on our company mission since our founding, in the form of our Basic Policy on Sustainability. We believe that working together with various stakeholders to improve both economic value and social value will lead to sustainable growth as a company.

Basic Policy on Sustainability

Based on the company mission, “Establish a better society through our corporate activities,” which has been cherished since our establishment, the Sanyo Chemical Group will realize sustainable growth toward the future by enhancing both economic and social values in close cooperation with stakeholders.

Metrics and Targets

We have identified material issues (materiality) that have a significant impact on our medium- to long-term value creation, in order to make the materiality a foundation for more practical sustainable management. In the future, we will address challenges spanning four areas in accordance with the Sustainability Action Plan: environment, life/living, society, and governance.

Sustainability Action Plan

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E Contribution to Carbon Neutrality
  • Direct emissions (Scope 1) + Indirect emissions (Scope 2)
    2030 Target: Reduce CO2 emissions by 50% or more (compared to FY2013 levels)
    2050 Target: Net zero
Contribution to the Circular Economy
  • 2024 Target: Ratio of ecologically friendly products* of 35% or more
  • 2030 Target: Ratio of ecologically friendly products of 50% or more
S

L
Supporting value creation
in local communities
  • Address the community’s challenges, contribute to the expansion of local demand, and revitalize local industries through new value creation with manufacturing technologies
A workplace that recognizes
diverse values
  • Promote DEI, improve psychological safety, and introduce reforms for greater job satisfaction
  • Support people’s sustainable lifestyles, and improve their QOL
G Enhance disclosure of
non-financial information
  • Invest in climate change risks and revenue opportunities, human capital, and intellectual property
  • Establish basic policy on respect for human rights, employee health and work environment, and fair and appropriate transactions
  • Establish basic policy on business portfolio and quality assurance
Ensure diversity and improve the effectiveness of the Board of Directors
  • Disclose the directors’ skills matrix
  • Ratio of independent Outside Directors: at least one-third of Board of Directors, and a majority of the Nomination and Compensation Committee
  • Ratio of women on Board of Directors: 30% or more
  • Separation of management and business execution
  1. Our unique indicator FY2020: 30%

≫ Sanyo Chemical Group Material Issues

Promotion System

We position sustainable management as a high-level concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Sustainable Management Committee, chaired by the President, has been established within the Board of Directors, and the Corporate Social Responsibility Promotion Management Committee has been established as an organization directly under the Management Council.

Promotion system

Sustainable Management Committee

The Sustainable Management Committee examines processes of creating economic and social value for the sustainable growth of the Group. In particular, with regard to the environment, society, and governance, it is responsible for deliberating and deciding on policies and company-wide measures for resolving material issues (materiality) that should be prioritized, and for implementing those measures in relevant departments. The Board of Directors regularly receives reports and conducts monitoring.

[Sustainable Management Committee]

Chairperson President
Committee Member 12 people
Full-time Directors, including the Director in Charge of Sustainability
Nominee for Chairperson
Observer Full-time Auditors
Secretariat Senior Manager of Corporate Planning Dept.

[Purpose]

We will work with stakeholders to improve both our economic value and social value in order to grow sustainably as a company.

[Meetings]

In principle, at least twice a year

[Role]

  • (1) Examine processes for creating economic and social value for the sustainable growth of the Group as a whole.
  • (2) Deliberate and decide on policies and company-wide measures for resolving materialities, and implement those measures in relevant departments.
  • (3) Review the plan, progress, and results of the above measures, and deliberate and decide on improvements and corrections.
  • (4) Disseminate information about our sustainable management in order to proactively communicate not only with stakeholders but also with global organizations such as the United Nations.

Corporate Social Responsibility Promotion Management Committee

The Corporate Social Responsibility Promotion Management Committee aims to link the implementation of the CSR Guidelines (CSR activities) to effective activities. In particular, regarding the realization of carbon neutrality, which is one of our materialities, we have positioned reducing CO2 emissions as our top priority issue, and we are building a system and a mechanism to formulate and implement specific initiatives for that purpose. The activities of the Corporate Social Responsibility Promotion Management Committee are reported to the Sustainable Management Committee once a year.

[Corporate Social Responsibility Promotion Management Committee]

Chairperson General Manager of Responsible Care Division
Committee Member 8 people
(Selected by decision of the President)
Nominee for Chairperson
Observer Full-time Auditors
Secretariat Senior Manager of Responsible Care Dept.

[Purpose]

Contribute to the creation of a sustainable society by responding to the demands and expectations of society and practicing the company mission.

[Meetings]

In principle, at least twice a year

[Role]

  • (1) Build a system and a mechanism to formulate and implement specific initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality.
  • (2) Monitor progress and propose improvement measures.
  • (3) From the perspective of ensuring the effectiveness of CSR activities, monitor and propose improvement measures for the formulation and implementation of annual promotion plans by the person in charge and the promoting department.
  • (4) Constantly review basic policies (CSR Guidelines, etc.) to meet the needs and expectations of society.

CSR Guidelines

We have comprehensively summarized how the Group addresses social issues and have established nine CSR Guidelines.

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Items of CSR Guidelines Content of guidelines
1. Safety and Accident Prevention We will prioritize safety and accident prevention in all business activities.We will continue to operate without accidents or injuries, contributing to the safety of society, and strive to protect the safety and health of all individuals engaged in work, and to create a comfortable working environment.
2. Compliance All Directors and employees of the Group will thoroughly take actions with an awareness of the questions listed in the Advice on Compliance, such as “Is this an act that we can be proud of in society?”
3. Reduction of Environmental Impact We will voluntarily and steadily implement effective measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, plastics, industrial waste, and other materials.In particular, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we will actively promote energy conservation and switch to renewable energy.
4. Product Development By combining the strengths we have cultivated and newly acquired with external knowledge, we will aim to develop products that are useful to society that are compatible with the “realization of a sustainable global environment” and the “improvement of convenience and comfort.”
5. Sustainable Purchasing We will establish a separate Sustainable Purchasing Policy and steadily implement it to contribute to achieving a sustainable global environment throughout the entire supply chain, including business partners, and to avoid complicity in human rights violations.
6. Product Safety and Quality Reliability To ensure proper safety throughout the product lifecycle, from development, manufacturing, use and disposal, we will provide accurate product information to external parties.In addition, to improve the reliability of product quality, we will conduct strict quality control internally.
7. DEI and Human Resource Development We will respect the diversity, personality and individuality of our employees and ensure a safe and comfortable work environment.Furthermore, we will cultivate human resources who demonstrate autonomy and creativity on top of achieving relaxation, abundance, and physical and mental health, leading to self-fulfillment.We will eliminate harassment and strive to respect human rights in the workplace.
8. Dialogue with Stakeholders We will proactively and fairly disclose our financial and non-financial information and promote dialog with our stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, investors, business partners, local communities, governments, mass media, and employees, in order to ensure that they accurately recognize the corporate value of the Group and to understand their expectations and evaluations of the Group and reflect them in our corporate activities.
9. Social Contribution Activities With the aim of promoting science and technology, art, culture, education, and welfare, we will voluntarily and continuously engage in activities that contribute to education and research institutions, medical institutions, local communities, NPOs, NGOs, and other organizations.

Supported Initiatives

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Initiative Target/description Organizer
UN Global Compact Human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption UN
Responsible Care Global Charter Responsible care International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA)
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Climate change Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
Challenge Zero by Keidanren Climate change Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)
GX League Green transformation Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Keidanren Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation Biodiversity Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)
Ikuboss Corporate Alliance Work style reform NPO Fathering Japan
“Declaration on Action” by a group of male leaders who accelerate “A Society in which Women Shine” Promotion of women’s empowerment Cabinet Office
Keidanren aims to achieve a 30% ratio of female executives by 2030 with the “Challenge Initiatives for 30% of Executives to be Women by 2030” Promotion of women’s empowerment Keidanren (Japan Business Federation)
Business for Marriage Equality LGBTQ Marriage For All Japan : Freedom of Marriage for All, Lawyers for LGBT & Allies Network and NPO Nijiiro Diversity

ISO Acquisition Status

The Environmental Management System (ISO14001) was obtained by Sanyo Chemical and its domestic subsidiaries and affiliates from 1999 to 2001 and maintained for about 20 years. However, as the company has established a system to build a management system in line with ISO requirements and continuously promote improvements internally, it was determined that the system could be sufficiently operated in-house, leading to the decision to relinquish domestic certification in FY2020. However, our overseas subsidiaries and affiliates will continue to maintain this certification. In addition, our quality management system (ISO9001) has been certified both in Japan and overseas. The Biotechnology & Medical Division has obtained ISO13485 (Medical Devices and In-vitro Diagnostic Medical Products) certification, a quality management system specialized for pharmaceuticals.

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Location map
  • The four Sanyo Chemical factories and domestic subsidiaries and affiliates (1) through (4) discontinued their ISO14001 certification in FY2020. (4) San-Petrochemicals Co., Ltd. also discontinued its ISO9001 certification in FY2020.
    (1)(6)(7) and (8) decided to withdraw from the business in March 2024, and are scheduled to be dissolved or are under consideration for transfer (transfer of equity) accordingly.