Sustainability Management
In 2021, to further promote initiatives aimed at making a sustainable society a reality, we established the Asahi Kasei Group Sustainability Policy.
Asahi Kasei Group Sustainability Policy
The Asahi Kasei Group is contributing to life and living for people around the world. We strive for two mutually reinforcing aspects of sustainability: “contributing to sustainable society” and “sustainable growth of corporate value.” By creating value for “contributing to sustainable society” we seek to gain high earnings that lead to “sustainable growth of corporate value" which enables us to make further contributions in a virtuous cycle.
In order to achieve this, we pursue the optimal corporate governance while practicing the following.
Value creation through contribution to sustainable society
- Resolving issues for People and the Earth through our high value-added businesses (Care for People, Care for Earth)
- Leveraging our strengths of diversity and capability to change for the creation of value (Connect, Communication, Challenge)
Responsible business activities
- Complying with laws/regulations and respecting international standards regarding business activities (Compliance)
- Prioritizing ESH (environment, safety, and health), human rights, and quality assurance throughout all of our activities
- Performing appropriate information disclosure and dialogue with our stakeholders
Empowerment of personnel
- Respecting diversity and inclusion
- Encouraging each employee’s growth, performance, and challenging spirit
Our Group Mission is "contributing to life and living for people around the world," and we have grown by continually contributing to solutions for society. Our commitment has remained constant ever since our founding with the aim of improving people’s standard of living.
Today, discussions about achieving sustainability are taking place around the world. Since sustainability is a challenge that concerns people and the global environment, we believe that the pursuit of "living in health and comfort" and "harmony with the natural environment" as set forth in our Group Vision will lead to sustainability.
"Sustainable growth of corporate value" in conjunction with "contributing to sustainable society" is also important. "Contributing to sustainable society" leads to earnings which enhance the corporate value of the Asahi Kasei Group, which in turn enables further "contributing to sustainable society."
To make this virtuous cycle a reality, we will strive to create value by contributing to a sustainable society, conduct our business activities in a responsible manner, and promote the empowerment of our employees based on our approach of “Care for People, Care for Earth.”
Our ultimate aim is to continue to proactively contribute to the world as a leader in solving challenges for society, carrying on the commitment we have had since the founding of our company.
Management Framework
The Asahi Kasei Group considers sustainability to be an important focus of management and incorporates it into both its medium-term and annual management plans, in addition to discussing it at Board of Directors meetings. We have also established a Sustainability Committee to promote sustainability group-wide.
The Sustainability Committee consists of the President, Executive Officers for Business Sectors, and the Executive Officer for Technology Functions, and is responsible for disseminating information, orienting sustainability-related activities, and so on. The Sustainability Committee coordinates with the Risk Management & Compliance Committee and the ESH & QA Committee, which handle more technical and specific matters.
All three of these committees are chaired by the President of Asahi Kasei. Our Global Environment Committee holds specialized discussions on global environmental measures as a subcommittee of the Sustainability Committee.
- Framework for Sustainability Strategy (as of August 1, 2022)
Asahi Kasei Group effort for the SDGs
Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. The agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets such as ending poverty and inequality, and taking action on climate change.
Through its diverse array of businesses and technologies, the Asahi Kasei Group contributes to achievement of the SDGs in accordance with the Group Vision of providing new value to society by enabling "living in health and comfort" and "harmony with the natural environment"
Asahi Kasei Group's Materiality
In fiscal 2017 we designated the priority issues and subjects to address as the materiality of the Asahi Kasei Group. We revised our materiality in May 2021 amidst the worsening climate crisis and the acceleration of domestic and international sustainability-related trends. We added "Initiatives toward Carbon Neutrality" and "Initiatives toward a Circular Economy" as matters of the highest importance.
Identifying Our Materiality
- 1. Identifying Issues
We referred to international guidelines including ISO 26000 and the GRI Standards, as well as the evaluation items used by major ESG evaluation organizations (FTSE, etc.), to identify issues according to the demands of societies and our mission, vision, and values. - 2. Determining the Impact
We assessed the level of impact on both society and our Group and mapped it onto two axes. - 3. Evaluating Validity
We confirmed the validity of the plan by examining it from a variety of perspectives, such as through deliberations among divisional managers, discussions with other companies, and interviews with outside directors. - 4. Deliberation and Approval
After deliberation by the Management Council, the proposal was approved by the Board of Directors.
The relationships between this materiality and the sustainable development goals (SDGs) are shown in the following table. We will continue to advance our initiatives while incorporating the perspectives of various stakeholders.
Materiality List
Theme | Materiality | Related SDGs |
Supervising organization (Joint supervision: Sustainability Strategy Planning Department) |
Main KPIs |
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Global environment* |
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Strategic Business Units and Core Operating Companies Corporate Research & Development |
Environmental Contribution Products |
Initiatives toward Carbon Neutrality | Corporate ESH, Strategic Business Units, and Core Operating Companies Corporate Research & Development |
GHG emissions | ||
Initiatives toward a Circular Economy | Corporate ESH, Strategic Business Units, and Core Operating Companies Corporate Research & Development |
― | ||
Wastewater | Corporate ESH | Number of accidents involving environmental pollution and number of significant issues | ||
Industrial Waste | Corporate ESH | ― | ||
Biodiversity | Corporate ESH | Awareness-raising Activities | ||
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Health and longevity* |
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Strategic Business Units and Core Operating Companies Corporate Research & Development |
― |
Comfortable life* | Strategic Business Units and Core Operating Companies Corporate Research & Development |
― | ||
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Corporate Governance |
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General Affairs | Effectiveness assessment and improvement |
Compliance /sincerity | General Affairs | ― | ||
Risk management | General Affairs | ― | ||
Safety/quality | Corporate ESH/Corporate Quality Ensurance | Major security incidents Disabling injury frequency rate |
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Human rights | Human Resources/Corporate Procurement & Logistics | Employee survey | ||
Human Resources | Human Resources | ― | ||
Diversity | Human Resources | Number of female managers | ||
Supply chain management | Corporate Procurement & Logistics | Administered CSR Procurement Questionnaire | ||
Communication with stakeholders | Investor Relations/Human Resources/General Affairs and others | ― | ||
Social contribution | General Affairs | Amount of activity (in monetary terms) |
- * Contribution through business
Participation in initiatives (major initiatives)
Global Compact
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The Asahi Kasei Group supports the United Nations Global Compact. |
Business Call to Action (BCtA), a multilateral alliance led by the United |
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), challenges companies to advance core business activities that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Asahi Kasei joined with an initiative to support the fiber industry in India through the creation of a comprehensive value chain for Bemberg™ cupro. |
Clean Ocean Material Alliance (CLOMA)
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The Clean Ocean Material Alliance (CLOMA) is a platform established to accelerate innovation by strengthening collaboration among a wide range of stakeholders across industry sectors amid a need to implement worldwide initiatives to overcome the marine plastic litter problem, a global-scale challenge. |
Battery Association for Supply Chain (BASC)
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The Battery Association for Supply Chain (BASC), established as a general incorporated association on April 1, 2021, is an organization engaged in activities such as the international standardization of the battery supply chain (industries related to battery materials, components, and raw materials) and the creation of a battery ecosystem, with the aim of achieving a decarbonized society. |
White Logistics Movement | The White Logistics Movement is aimed at ensuring stability in logistics needed for people's daily lives and industrial activity and contributing to economic growth in response to the truck driver shortage, which continues to intensify. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries are the advocates of the movement. |
Challenge Net Zero Carbon Innovation (Challenge Zero) |
Challenge Zero is an initiative promoted by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) in coordination with the Japanese government to support companies and groups in their efforts to achieve a decarbonized society. |
RE100
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RE100 is an international collaborative initiative consisting of companies committed to running their business operations on 100% renewable energy. Asahi Kasei Homes is a member of this initiative, and it has announced specific targets and is working to achieve them. |
Keidanren Biodiversity Declaration Initiative |
The Keidanren Biodiversity Declaration Initiative is a support effort by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) to promote autonomous, active efforts by companies to partake in biodiversity preservation activities, with the aim of achieving harmony between the environment and the economy. |
Pinfa (Phosphorus, Inorganic & Nitrogen Flame Retardants Association)
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Through Asahi Kasei Europe, its European headquarters, Asahi Kasei has become the first Japanese resin manufacturer to join Pinfa (Phosphorus, Inorganic & Nitrogen Flame Retardants Association), an organization dedicated to improving the safety and lowering the environmental impact of both non-halogenated flame retardants and plastic products that use non-halogenated flame retardants. |
Clean Fuel Ammonia Association
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Ammonia shows promise as an energy carrier for hydrogen. This association aims to establish a value chain from supply to utilization of CO2-free ammonia through technology development/evaluation, economic evaluation, policy recommendations, international collaboration, and other efforts. |
Japan Hydrogen Association
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The Japan Hydrogen Association advances global collaboration in the hydrogen field as well as the creation of hydrogen supply chains. |
GX League
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The GX League is an initiative led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) involving efforts to transform the overall economic system through measures such as decarbonization and carbon neutrality. Asahi Kasei is a supporter of the GX League. |
30by30 Alliance
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Asahi Kasei and Asahi Kasei Homes are participating in the 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity, a program established by the Ministry of the Environment to conserve natural environments, with the goal of conserving biodiversity in 30% of Japan’s land and sea areas by 2030. |
Membership in organizations (main organizations)
Name of organization | Asahi Kasei's role |
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Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) | Vice Chair Chair of Committee on Environment and Safety, Chair of Committee on Social Security |
Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) | Director |
Relationships with Stakeholders
The Asahi Kasei Group’s business operations depend on relationships of trust with our stakeholders. We believe that corporate value is raised by understanding the requirements and meeting the expectations of various stakeholders such as customers, shareholders and investors, business partners, local communities, the general public, and employees.
We provide many opportunities for communication to enable our business operations to be improved through dialog with stakeholders.
Communication with stakeholders
Main stakeholders | Basic premises | Main opportunities for communication |
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Customers | We believe that it is by maintaining customer satisfaction and providing reliable and enjoyable products and services that we contribute to society. |
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Shareholders and investors | We strive to disclose information in a timely and fair manner to enable our domestic and international investors to gain an accurate understanding of the Asahi Kasei Group. |
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Suppliers | A relationship of mutual trust with our suppliers is fostered through fair and principled purchasing practices based on regulatory compliance and respect for the environment and human rights. |
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Local communities and the general public | We work to honor and respect the local culture of each community where our operations are based, and to maintain effective dialog and communication with community members. |
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Employees | The Asahi Kasei Group considers fulfilling and satisfying working conditions and workplace culture, in which employees feel motivated to achieve and take pride in their career, to be a key to business performance. |
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Materiality and SDGs
Asahi Kasei Group effort for the SDGs
Product name | Reason for certification | SDGs contributed to |
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Lithium-ion battery (LIB) Separators
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The separator is one of the four main components (cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator) that make up the batteries (LIBs) for electric vehicles (EV/HEV/PHEV). As a result of their growing popularity, electric vehicles are contributing to a reduction in CO2 during driving, compared with gasoline vehicles. Improving the battery performance (extending range and ensuring safety) is essential to the popularization of electric vehicles, and our development of separator technology is playing a part in this. |
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Caustic soda and chlorine are manufactured through the electrolysis of brine. The methods of electrolysis are the mercury process, the diaphragm process and the ion-exchange membrane process. The ion-exchange process is an environmentally-friendly method that does not use mercury or asbestos. Asahi Kasei is the only manufacturer in the world that manufactures and sells ion-exchange membranes, electrolytic cells, and electrodes, and boasts the top share of the global market. We have engaged in continual development to enable electrolysis using even less electricity, and our latest ion-exchange membrane grade has the lowest power consumption (compared with Asahi Kasei products: approximately 2% less than the current grade). |
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Xyron™, a type of engineering plastic, is an environmentally-friendly material with non-halogen flame retardance and reduction of resin usage due to its low specific gravity. Its properties also include dimensional precision, mechanical strength, and resistance to electrolyte solution. Widely used for electric vehicle battery packs and modules, it has played a major role in the spread of electric vehicles. |
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ASACLEAN is a cleaning agent (purging agent) for use in plastic molding machines. At plastic molding work sites, when switching between production of different colors and resin types, it is necessary to keep the materials flowing to a certain extent, which inevitably results in loss. By using ASACLEAN during the production switching process, it is possible to make the switch using about 1/3 to 1/10 the amount compared to not using ASACLEAN, which contributes to conserving resources and reducing CO2 by decreasing plastic waste. |
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This product is used as an additive for the modified asphalt used in road surfaces. This original elastomer specially designed by Asahi Kasei can improve road durability and decrease the frequency of maintenance and repairs. |
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This compact, highly accurate, energy-saving gas sensor can detect the concentration of CO2 in the air. Equipping this product to industrial air-conditioning systems and optimizing the amount of ventilation while monitoring the CO2 density will contribute to reductions in power consumption for air conditioning. |
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S-SBR is used for the tread (the part in contact with the road) on passenger vehicle tires. Based on the development of original technology, it balances low fuel consumption and braking performance of tires at a high level, contributing to dramatically increasing the fuel efficiency of automobiles. |
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Long Life Homes and Net Zero Energy Houses: Compared with regular housing, our homes contribute to reduction of CO2 during manufacture of all components and construction by meeting the standards for Net Zero Energy Houses, which balance household energy usage at zero or lower through power generation, advanced insulation, and energy conservation, and providing Long Life Home products with a basic structural life of at least 60 years. |
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This product boasts top-class insulating performance, providing high insulation even with little thickness and maintaining its insulating properties for long periods of time. In addition, this insulation material is eco-friendly in a variety of ways, such as by being the first in the industry to succeed in not using any CFC or CFC substitutes as foaming gases. |
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Contributing to Value Chains
Technology | Reason for certification | SDGs contributed to |
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Manufacturing process for Acrylonitrile |
Acrylonitrile, which is the raw material for ABS resin and acrylic fiber, is manufactured by making propylene (or propane) react with ammonia using a catalyst. Asahi Kasei has continually developed catalysts that enable the efficient manufacture of acrylonitrile from less raw materials. Asahi Kasei’s catalysts can not only reduce raw material consumption compared with manufacturing acrylonitrile using other, ordinary catalysts (in the model case) but can also reduce emissions of by-products, particularly CO2, and the CO2 emissions associated with waste processing. These catalysts, therefore, make a significant contribution to the manufacture of acrylonitrile with a low environmental impact. |
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Other Environmental Contribution Products
■Contributes to resource and energy conservation for customers
- Microza™ water filtration modules
■Use of materials with low environmental impact
- ECORISE™ bio-PLA nonwoven fabric (for coffee cartridges)
- Biogreen Promax™ (for plastic cups)