26 November, 2024
On the 20th anniversary of the establishment of OISCA Metropolitan Branch, a talk event was held on November 26 at the Congress Square, Nihonbachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo with the participation of about 60 people on site and additional 80 persons on line.
In the talk event, entitled “A Sustainable world created by Circles and Harmony: Nature positive initiatives required of Japanese Companies”, Dr. Takehiko Ota, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, and OISCA Advisor, delivered a keynote speech and acted as facilitator, while Mr. Masahiro Hoshino, Manager, Sustainability Department of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd, and Mr. Toshichika Kobashi, General Manager, Sustainability Division, Corporate Planning Dept., of TokioAside from mangrove plantations, we are also involved in various global environmental protection activities, including support for eelgrass bed conservation activities. In addition to the company’s environmental protection activities, we hope to expand our activities by encouraging employees to volunteer so that they can understand the significance of our activities and communicate them to society. The president of the company and the board of directors also participate in these volunteer activities, which we regard as an important initiative for the company. In the same manner, we promote all employees to engage in activities that contribute to society once a year as good corporate citizens, not limited to the Green Gift Project. Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., presented the sustainability strategies implemented by their respective companies. In addition, Ms. Kumiko Hayashi, Director, International Cooperation Division, representing the OISCA side, made brief remarks about what OISCA is doing.
In his keynote speech, Dr. Ota elaborated on global environmental issues by dividing them into two major areas: “underground resource use” and “land and water issues”. He argued that the issue of underground resource use is a matter of waste used to get underground resources out of the ground, while the issue of land and water use, on the other hand, is a matter of land and water use above the earth. He went on to say that the worst problem of underground resource utilization is global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions. The problem of land and water use is centered on forests, but he stated that all the wrinkles are causing a loss of biodiversity.
In 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity were decided, and now we finally have to do something about it. There were the Kyoto Protocol and the Aichi Targets, but the circumstances were such that they did not work out very well at the time. Now, the situation has become more serious, and measures have been taken in the Paris Agreement.
According to Dr. Ota, forests are involved in two major goals. The carbon cycle around forests is carbon neutral. Since forests are home to more than two-thirds of the plants and animals that live on land, it is not surprising that forests are involved in biodiversity. Vegetation must be restored to the land. Where there is no vegetation, shrubs can be used. What OISCA is doing, such as the Coastal Forest Restoration Project along the coast of Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, is precisely to restore vegetation.
He concluded his speech by saying that the forestry industry of the future must do everything from timber production to flood control, biodiversity conservation, and climate change response.
Then, Mr. Masahiro Hoshino, Manager of Sustainability of Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., took the podium. He said that the company has been committed to the concept of Responsible Care and has been a pioneer in its implementation. 1995 saw the establishment of this activity in Responsible Care, and the company has taken on the responsibility to protect the environment, including biodiversity. As for “Responsibility”, it is an effort to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions to zero. The initiative to switch from coal and heavy oil to LNG, which has a low CO2 emission coefficient, is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 890,000 tons annually at the two plants in Ehime and Chiba.
Next, in terms of “contribution” initiatives, Sumitomo Chemical is working on the development of a technology called bulbomycetes, which improves the soil environment. Bulbous fungi are useful microorganisms that exist in the soil and promote plant growth by coexisting with plant roots. They can increase the amount of carbon compounds in the soil by receiving carbon compounds produced through plant photosynthesis. In other words, it reduces CO2 in the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the Sumitomo Chemical Group hopes to contribute to the environment by providing product technologies that contribute to plastic resource conservation, solving the plastic waste problem, and reducing GHG emissions.
The company is working to conserve biodiversity by maintaining Miyoshima (originally an island, but land reclamation at the plant made it land-locked) on the Ehime Plant grounds as a green space within the plant.
Third, in “Social Contribution Activities,” there is a coastal forest restoration project in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, which is being conducted in collaboration with OISCA, and we are also promoting a mangrove planting project in Thailand. For 11 years, OISCA has been conducting reforestation activities to restore mangroves that have been depleted by the construction of shrimp farms, mineral extraction, and other activities.
Lastly, we are carrying out clean up activities. Plastic and littered garbage is washed into the ocean from rivers by rain and wind and is also a cause of the ocean plastic problem. The Sumitomo Chemical Group has designated the cleanup campaign as the Global Cleanup Challenge and is promoting it throughout the Group.
Afterward, Mr. Toshichika Kobashi of Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., delivered his presentation. In addition to customers, society, employees, shareholders, and investors, which have traditionally been our representative stakeholders, we have clearly positioned future generations as our stakeholders. In order to promote sustainability initiatives while looking one step into the future, we have clearly identified future generations as our main stakeholders.
We believe that climate change is a global and human-historical issue that poses a threat to the safety and security of our customers and society and that worsening disasters will have a direct impact on the insurance industry. In our insurance products, we are supporting the transition to a decarbonized society through insurance supporting offshore wind power generation and insurance for solar power producers.
In addition, in order to reduce CO2 emissions from its own operations, the company has set a goal of converting 100% of its main sites to reーenergy and 100% of its company-owned vehicles to electric vehicles by 2030.
As part of our insurance product services, we are engaged in global environmental protection activities such as mangrove planting through the “Green Gift” project. The Green Gift Project is a project to contribute to environmental protection activities by using a portion of the reduced amount of paper resources used by customers who choose to view our website (e.g., web-based policies) instead of receiving paper policies and policy clauses at the time of contracting insurance. In FY2030, the number of contracts in which customers have selected web-based policies and terms and conditions will amount to approximately 14.3 million, resulting in a paper reduction of approximately 3,300 tons.
In 1999, as part of our 120th anniversary project, we started mangrove planting. Under this project, we have planted trees in nine countries, mainly in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Fiji, India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia). The cumulative area of afforestation has exceeded 12,000 hectares.
We commissioned a third party to conduct a survey to quantify the results of 25 years of mangrove plantations since 1999. The study, based on various approaches to ecosystems and biodiversity, and estimates based on this, resulted in a cumulative economic value generated over the 25 years to March 2023 of 202.3 billion yen.
TALK SESSION
Following the three speeches, the event moved to a talk session with Dr. Ota acting as facilitator.
Dr. Ota
At Sumitomo Chemical, it seems that “contribution” covers product development to solve social issues, and “responsibility” is to reduce CO2 emissions as a company, please talk more about this part.
Mr. Hoshino (Sumitomo Chemical)
One of our company’s unique initiatives is the Triple S, which stands for “Sumitomo, Sustainable, Solutions. We are promoting this initiative with the goal of achieving sales revenue of 1.2 trillion yen in fiscal 2030 from Triple S product technologies.
Dr. Ota
The Circular Economy, an economic system that effectively uses resources for environmental purposes in order to realize a sustainable world, is attracting attention around the world. Sumitomo Chemical is working on a system to circulate resources without using underground resources as much as possible, with consumers and producers working together, and sometimes incorporating natural resources. Would you tell us the details about it?
Mr. Hoshino (Sumitomo Chemical)
We would like to contribute to solving social issues by offering recycled plastics, including technologies under development, to the world under the brand “Meguri. The name “Meguri” was chosen by a group of young employees of Sumitomo Chemical after much discussion. There are three thoughts that we put into this brand: “resource diplomacy,” “encounters with people,” and “returning to the starting point of solving social issues through our business.
In our plastic resource recycling efforts, we provide the world with recycled plastic and promote initiatives to solve the plastic waste problem and the ocean plastic problem, positioning this as a modern-day practice of “self-interest and altruism, public and private, in harmony”.
Dr. Ota
Tokio Marine & Nichido is implementing environmental activities together with various stakeholders. What kind of efforts are you making to promote activities within the company to help employees and agency personnel understand social issues through volunteer activities?
Mr. Kobashi (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.)
Aside from mangrove plantations, we are also involved in various global environmental protection activities, including support for eelgrass bed conservation activities. In addition to the company’s environmental protection activities, we hope to expand our activities by encouraging employees to volunteer so that they can understand the significance of our activities and communicate them to society. The president of the company and the board of directors also participate in these volunteer activities, which we regard as an important initiative for the company. In the same manner, we promote all employees to engage in activities that contribute to society once a year as good corporate citizens, not limited to the Green Gift Project.
Dr. Ota
You mentioned educational support for children, please elaborate on this.
Mr. Kobashi (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.)
Employees and insurance agents use the knowledge and experience gained through environmental protection activities such as the Green Gift Project to serve as lecturers, visiting elementary schools and other schools to give classes. The total number of participants has exceeded 150,000, and we believe that this initiative is now well accepted.
Dr. Ota
I understand that Tokio Marine & Nichido is constructing a new building with wood and that it will be made of wood. Could you tell us more about it?
Mr. Kobashi (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.)
Our headquarters building, a unique red brick building in Marunouchi, was built in 1974 and is now being rebuilt. The pillars and floors are currently being constructed using Japanese timber. We are taking on the challenge of reconstructing an eco-friendly building, as it is believed that lumber can reduce CO2 emissions by about 30% during its growth process.
Dr. Ota
Tokio Marine is collaborating with OISCA to create forests not only in Japan but also around the world. Why OISCA, including its relationship with OISCA? Please tell us about the benefits of working with OISCA.
Mr. Kobashi (Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.)
In formulating an implementation plan for a mangrove reforestation project, it is necessary to coordinate with various parties involved in the reforestation project, including the administration and local government of each reforestation area, local organizations in charge of reforestation, and local residents. OISCA, which has various local networks in various countries, is taking on this task.
Secondly, OISCA has rich know-how and expertise in environmental conservation, not only in mangroves but also in forests and environmental conservation.
Thirdly, we do not only want to plant mangroves but also to provide various values to the people in the afforestation area through the provision of ecosystem services based on mangroves. In this respect, I believe that there is an overlap with the vision that OISCA has set forth.
Dr. Ota
Two representative companies that have supported OISCA for a long time presented their specific activities regarding nature positive and carbon neutral measures. Ms. Hayashi of OISCA will now talk about the characteristics of OISCA.
Ms. Kumiko Hayashi (OISCA)
I really admire Sumitomo Chemical’s efforts to match donations from its employees for OISCA’s “Children’s Forest” program（CFP). I also feel that Tokio Marine is a company with strong involvement in the future generation, as they are stakeholders in the company and are very active in communicating their views to the outside world. We, as an NGO, are weak in public relations and in expanding our network of friends, but we are very grateful for the help of our member companies who support us.
OISCA is able to develop its activities in Japan and abroad because of the people who support us. I feel that we must continue to expand this circle of support. Although the representatives of large companies came over this time, OISCA has 13 branches throughout Japan, and each branch has many member companies that are really small but support our activities with their ingenuity.
I feel that we are all friends and colleagues in this effort to create a sustainable world, and I hope that all of you here today will share your thoughts and ideas with us.
POST-TALK EVENT RECEPTION
After the talk event, an informal get-together party was held at the same venue. Some 50 people including the speakers of the talk event, representatives of the OISCA member companies and organizations, general participants, and OISCA staff, attended it.
