Environmental Report

Approaches to the Environment

Besides aspiring to harmonization with the environment in our business development and provision of products, the Kuraray Group is engaged in ongoing approaches to preserve the environment in various ways, including operation of an environmental management system in conformance with ISO 14001, promotion of measures to prevent global warming, reduction of emissions of chemical substances, and effective use of resources.

Environmental Management

Kuraray Group Action Guidelines for the Global Environment

Basic Guidelines

The basic guidelines for environmental conservation require that we fulfill our responsibility to future generations through sustainable corporate activities that are in harmony with the global environment and the local community. In order to achieve these basic guidelines, we will undertake the following activities.

  1. We will assign the highest priority to the environment and safety in the course of our corporate operations.
  2. We will work to improve the global environment and ensure its sustainability.
  3. We will develop technologies and products that contribute to the goal of improving the global environment.
Action Principles
  1. Continual reduction of designated chemical substance emissions into the environment
  2. Contribution to the prevention of global warming
  3. Promotion of conservation, reuse and recycling of resources
  4. Development and supply of technologies for improving the environment and products with low environmental impact
  5. Utilization of environmentally friendly products
  6. Public disclosure of environmental information and dialog with the community
  7. Raising the levels of environmental consciousness and environmental management
  8. Cooperation with stakeholders

Promotion Structure for Environmental Preservation

Kuraray's companywide, medium- to long-term environmental preservation activities are facilitated by the Global Warming Prevention Committee and Environmental and Industrial Safety Committee which were established in the CSR Committee. These committees work on promoting global warming solutions, reduction of chemical substance emissions, and effective use of resources for the whole Kuraray Group. The Environmental and Industrial Safety Management Center has been set up in the CSR Division, and Environmental and Industrial Safety Departments and Sections have also been established at each Kuraray plant and affiliated company as companywide generalization function of environmental preservation.
Our plants and affiliated companies have acquired certifications (under ISO 14001) for their environmental management systems and have been taking action for environmental improvement. In fiscal 2009, we began applying our Environmental Activity Management Regulations, which stipulate coordination between our headquarters and plants, and promote activities that are unified companywide.

  • * See page 19 for a list of the Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001) certifications.
Targets and Actual Results
Item Scope Goals for achievement FY2010 FY2011 target
Target Actual results Evaluation
Global warming prevention CO2 emissions (GHG emission equivalent) Kuraray sites 10% reduction cf. FY1990 levels by FY2010 (Emissions: 1,226,000 t-CO2)
[Reduction through measures implemented in FY2010]
1.8% equivalent reduction (25,000 t-CO2) cf. FY1990 levels
[Emissions]
11.8% reduction (1,201,000 t-CO2) cf. FY1990 levels
[Reduction through measures implemented in FY2010]
2.8% equivalent reduction (39,000 t-CO2) cf. FY1990 levels
 achieved
[Emissions]
10% reduction (1,226,000 t-CO2) cf. FY1990 levels
[Reduction through measures to be implemented in FY2011]
2.2% equivalent reduction (30,000 t-CO2) cf. FY1990 levels
Reduction of chemical substance emissions Emissions of chemical substances designated by JCIA's PRTR Domestic Kuraray Group companies 90% reduction cf. FY1999 levels 82% reduction cf. FY1999 levels 75% reduction cf. FY1999 levels further effort required No target set for reduction of total emissions, because measures implemented so far have eliminated emission sources with a big environmental impact that needed urgent action; continued study and implementation of measures for effective reduction of emissions from individual sources
VOC emissions 80% reduction cf. FY2004 levels by FY2010 [All VOCs handled by Kuraray are chemical substances designated by JCIA's PRTR, and approaches are taken as part of PRTR reduction efforts.] 62% reduction cf. FY2004 levels -
Effective use of resources Effective waste utilization rate Domestic Kuraray Group companies Maintain the rate at 90% or over Maintain the rate at 90% or over 96% achieved Maintain the rate at 90% or over
Lower levels of waste materials produced -
[Reduction through measures implemented in FY2010]
1% equivalent reduction (690 t) cf. FY2009 levels
[Amount of waste produced]
75,000 t
[Reduction through measures implemented in FY2010]
3.8% equivalent reduction (2,644 t) cf. FY2009 levels
 achieved
[Reduction measures to be implemented in FY2011]
1% equivalent reduction (745 t) cf. FY2010 levels

Evaluation achieved:achieved largely achieved:largely achieved further effort required:further effort required