Sustainability

Biodiversity Conservation

Policy/Philosophy

Based on the damage done to biodiversity in Japan and overseas due to changes in socio-economic activity, we are more aware of the importance of biodiversity for the creation of a sustainable society. As a member of international society, we intend to promote activities that contribute to biodiversity conservation by sharing roles and responsibilities with all the people and working together with them. For this purpose, we have established the "Nissan Chemical Biodiversity Action Guidelines".

Nissan Chemical Biodiversity Action Guidelines

We, Nissan Chemical Group (“Group”), recognize that our businesses rely on the benefits of biodiversity and, at the same time, affect the variability of life on the Earth. Based on our Corporate Philosophy of "Contribute to the protection of the global environment and the existence/development of humanity, offering the value sought by society", we will conduct business activities that integrate eco-diversity considerations to contribute to global environmental protection, positioning biodiversity conservation as a priority management issue.

1. We promote biodiversity conservation in compliance with eco-diversity-related international conventions and domestic laws and regulations in each country.
2. When conducting business activities near key biodiversity areas, we work to avoid or reduce the negative impacts on biological diversity and conserve or restore it.
3. We assess our dependencies and impacts on eco-diversity and associated business risks throughout our product lifecycle. In addition, by striving to avoid and reduce the negative impacts, we work to conserve biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.
4. We strive to offer products and services that contribute to the conservation and restoration of biodiversity.
5. We strive to promote each employee’s biodiversity consciousness by offering awareness-raising programs.
6. We continue our social action programs to contribute to biodiversity conservation and earn a high reputation and trust from society.
7. We engage in dialogue and collaboration with administrative agencies, neighboring residents, and NGOs to advance our biodiversity initiatives more effectively.
8. We disclose the results of those initiatives to deepen communication with society.

We also request that our suppliers take the same initiatives to conserve biodiversity at each stage of the value chain. Through those efforts, we will strive to achieve Nature Positive (Net Positive Impact).

Date of Revision: June 24, 2024

Activities

Establishment and Operation of Bio-Park and Biotope

We have identified "biodiversity conservation" as one of the materiality factors of mid-term business plan "Vista2027" and set "establish and operate Bio-Parks at Nissan Chemical’s plants" as the KPI up to FY2027. Following Nissan Bio-Park Nishi-Hongo, biotopes were completed at the Sodegaura Plant and the Saitama Plant in FY2022 and at the Onoda Plant in July 2023.

・Nissan Bio-Park Nishi-Hongo

Nissan Bio-Park Nishi-Hongo is a biotope which has been operated by the Toyama Plant since October 2008 for the purpose of "creating spaces with biodiversity, mainly waterfront and community-based forests that are easy for animals and plants to live in with the theme of returning to the lost nature, and providing places where local residents and employees of the plant can relax".

Wetlands, ponds, brooks, lawn plazas and flower fields are arranged on approximately 2 hectares of land, and we are also involved in the cultivation of fireflies and beetles and the breeding of the endangered Nihon Medaka with the collaboration with the "support team" consisting of volunteers from the community and retired of the plant.

In addition, children from neighboring nursery schools pick up tulips, and dig bulbs of them, and elementary school students learn natural observations.

In April 2023, the “Tulip Viewing Mini Concert” was held to commemorate the 15th anniversary of its opening. About 100 people, including local residents, retired and employees of our company, and their families, who cooperate with the maintenance of the facilities on a regular basis, visited the venue. Local brass bands performed and the concert was great success.

・Sodegaura Plant Biotope

As a new nature-creating biotope in the plant, we developed a green area around the Kosode Pond, planted hisakaki, mandarin orange, and longstalk holly to attract wild birds, and newly planted aquatic plants such as Oga lotus, Japanese iris, water lily and cattail around the pond. With this development, the environment has changed to a form close to nature. We are aiming to make this new biotope, which enables to interact with living things, to become a place to raise the awareness of biodiversity among all employees in this plant, as well as a place where they can be relaxed.

・Saitama Plant Bio-Garden

In FY2022, a new bio-garden (a coined word combining biotope and garden) was completed at the Saitama Plant. It is a garden that provides a habitat for living things in a form similar to the nature of a satoyama (woodland close to the living area).

・Onoda Plant Biotope

In July 2023, a biotope was completed at the Onoda Plant. The pond that was originally located in a square in the central of the plant was revamped for this facility. The biotope is divided into two areas. The west side is developed as an area where various waterfront living things can live. Indigenous species are liberated, stones are assembled in and around the pond to serve as a habitat for living things, and trees which produce the fruits that birds and insects prefer are planted. In the east side, on the other hand, to provide a place of relaxation for employees, terraces and benches are set up and flower beds where flowers of four seasons can be pleasing to the eyes are placed by the pond. The carp that used to be the master species in the pond are also living here in good health. Many insects such as butterflies and dragonflies and birds are flying in and out, making this place lively.

Fujimae-Higata Clean-up Activities

Since May 2016, the Nagoya Plant has participated in the Fujimae-Higata Clean-up Activities (once a year in autumn) with cooperation by employees of Nagoya Plant and subcontractors to conserve the tideland registered under the Ramsar Convention.

In 2004, four citizen collectives formed the Fujimae-Higata Clean-up Activities Planning Committee in cooperation with the government and companies to conduct a clean-up activities by river basin citizens and citizen’s groups with the objectives of “making Fujimae-Higata free from shame in the Ramsar Convention,” “restoring tidal flats and rivers that children can play with peace of mind,” and “forming a network to think about the waste and water of the entire river basin”.

As part of our initiatives to conserve biodiversity, we will continue to contribute to the conservation of valuable tidal flat, where migratory birds gather as transit sites for long journeys.

Support for “Kurohama-numa Shuhen no Shizen wo Taisetsu ni Suru Kai” and Dialogues with It

For many years, "Kurohama-numa Shuhen no Shizen wo Taisetsu ni Suru Kai (Society for Cherishing the Natural Environment around Kurohamanuma Pond)", an NPO in Hasuda City, Saitama Prefecture, has been engaged in activities for conserving the biodiversity of the area around Kurohamanuma Pond, which is designated as the No.11 Land for Conservation by Trust (Trust Hozen 11-gou chi) by the Saitama Greenery Trust Association of Saitama Prefecture.

Since FY2016, we have supported this organization, and in an average year, representatives from the Sustainability Promotion Group, Sustainability Promotion & IR Department (formerly CSR & Public Relations Office), the Environment, Safety & Quality Assurance Department, and the Biological Research Laboratories visit the environmental learning center (Kankyo Gakushu-Kan) in Hasuda City managed by the NPO to exchange opinions on biodiversity conservation.

We will continue to support the NPO which conducts the community-based activities.

Participation in the Membership Program of Armand Bayou Nature Center

Conservation and creation of familiar greenery, Conservation of water quality

The Onoda Plant is implementing activities related to (7) the conservation and creation of familiar greenery and (8) the conservation of water quality (clear stream), described in the program 1 "Promotion for Rich Biodiversity Conservation and Regeneration" under the section 3 in chapter 2 "Conservation of Biodiversity that Supports Life and Living" of the Yamaguchi prefecture’s basic plan for the environment (The 4th plan, 2021-2030). As efforts of conservation and creation of greenery in the neighborhood, we have been participating in the planting of prefectural roads, and have been promoting greening of the site and maintaining and improving the biotope. In addition, we have been cleaning the coast of Ariho River as an effort of conservation of water quality.