Efforts for Preservation of Biodiversity
Basic ideas and policies
In order to pass down to the next generation the beautiful scenery and rich natural resources provided by ecosystems, the Resonac Group will make efforts for biodiversity conservation based on the following policies.
- Evaluate and reduce the impact of the Resonac Group’s business activities on biodiversity
- Work to restore threatened biodiversity
- Implement measures through conservation and cooperation with stakeholders
We will work for biodiversity conservation in collaboration with stakeholders, including governmental agencies and regulatory authorities, giving our support to the Initiative based on the Declaration of Biodiversity by Keidanren and joining the Japan Business and Biodiversity Partnership*.
We also regard the issue of ocean plastic waste as one that we must address with leadership as a chemical manufacturer. Accordingly, we joined the Japan Initiative for Marine Environment (JaIME), which was launched in 2018, and have been discussing the measures to be taken, compiling and sharing information, and conducting awareness-raising activities for developing countries in Asia in cooperation with other business associations.
- * Japan Business and Biodiversity Partnership: A multi-stakeholder biodiversity initiative that consists of business entities which endorse “Action Policies of Japan Business and Biodiversity Partnership” and are implementing or planning to implement one or more actions among them, and economic organizations, NGOs, researchers, local/national governments and other public organizations which support those business entities' biodiversity initiatives.
Activities in 2021
We have included firm-wide biodiversity conservation activities in the target of the Environment and safety action plan. Specifically, we have set a three-year plan for 2019 to 2021, under which we aim to make measurable achievements by conducting business activities in consideration of biodiversity and implementing initiatives that contribute to environmental conservation.
Based on this company-wide target, we are making plans for each of the sites to ensure the appropriate maintenance and management of greenspaces, reduce wastewater as part of their proactive environmental impact reduction measures, and conduct environmental conservation activities in consideration of the features of the sites. Again in 2021, we conducted activities to improve the environment in and around our sites, including activities to clean up nearby beaches, rivers and lakes.
At Resonac Materials (Thailand), which is one of the Resonac Group sites outside Japan, a total of 1,850 mangrove seedlings were distributed to employees, who then planted them around the site.
In Omachi area (in Nagano Prefecture), we use local water resources in its business activities. Plant personnel conducted a cleanup activity in cooperation with members of the local fishing cooperative association, which kindly supports the operations of the plant’s hydroelectric power station. They clean Lake Kizaki and Lake Aoki and Lake Nakatsuna every year.
Hikone Kiyosaki Plant has a pond in which wastewater from the manufacturing facilities is stored to check its quality before it is discharged to public waters. The Plant manages the pond as a scenic area as part of its effort to preserve the natural environment on the premises, and through the activity also contributes to maintaining the water quality of Lake Biwa.
We are implementing an environmental rehabilitation project around Kasumigaura in collaboration with the local government and an NPO, with a view to preventing the degradation of the environment and preserving local ecosystems in the Kasumigaura basin area (in Ibaraki Prefecture), which provides the company with a source of industrial water. In 2021, in the face of COVID-19, an online environmental class was held under the project to provide participants with an opportunity to engage with nature.
