Messages from Sustainability officers
Director and Executive Officer
Human Resources, HR Development,
Group Sustainability and Group Risk & Compliance
Kazuo Murohashi
Role awareness and focus policies as the officer in charge of group sustainability
When I was appointed to my current position, the Company changed the title of the position from “sustainability promotion” to “group sustainability.” The goal of this change was to establish a clear, unified direction for the entire Group, moving away from a system in which each group company addressed issues individually. The intention is to promote activities toward sustainability through same objectives and a common language, and my role is to create awareness and disseminate this intention throughout the entire Group.
How can our Group contribute to the sustainability of society as a whole, and what should we do to ensure the sustainability of our own business? We believe it is necessary to have these two perspectives, both internal and external. These two perspectives are not separate entities, as by ensuring the steadily continuation of our own business, we are also able to contribute to society. However, solely focusing on our own business will not allow us to meet the expectations of society with an increasing awareness of sustainability.
Therefore, it is important for us to establish a culture throughout the entire Group that collects and disseminates information on global trends and new developments for the future, and to consider and revise our activities as necessary.
Operating Officer
Sustainability Development and Group Quality Assurance
Tomoaki Kaneko
Mid- to long-term environmental targets, the Eco Action Plan 2030
In 2021, Toyo Seikan Group has significantly raised its mid- to long-term environmental targets, the Eco Action Plan 2030, formulated in 2019. Announcing our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, we have set new targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030: 50% less from our operations (Scope 1 and 2) and 30% less from our supply chain (Scope 3), compared to fiscal 2019 levels.
Some may view the upward revision of our goals, which demands strenuous efforts, as a risk factor in our operations. However, we see this not as a risk, but as a bold objective. By setting ambitious goals and striving to achieve them, we are certain to attract partners who resonate with our vision and are willing to collaborate with us. Forming a “scrum” with like-minded partners is one of key missions in our environmental initiatives.
Employees of Toyo Seikan Group are not just workers, but also consumers in their daily lives. For instance, when their children learn about environmental issues at school, it sparks conversation like, “Your mom’s or dad’s company makes cans and PET bottles, right?” These everyday occurrences serve as a significant motivation for each employee to tackle environmental issues and technological improvements. I believe that this kind of consciousness is what truly brings about change in the world.
Operating Officer
General Manager of Human Resources Department
Masahiko Ichino
What Toyo Seikan Group considers as human capital management
The concept of human capital management is not something new or special for our group. We have always had a corporate culture and environment that values "people," and as a group, we have been promoting the development and success of our employees. Since transitioning to a holding company structure in April 2013, we have standardized the personnel systems of each company, advanced the development of IT infrastructure, and worked on strategic personnel management for the entire group. In 2018, we established Toyo Seikan Group Personnel Policy and have been creating an environment where each employee can work with a sense of fulfillment by promoting health management, achieving autonomous growth, fostering diverse collaboration among talents, reforming work styles, and permeating our philosophy and vision. From 2021, we have been conducting joint recruitment of university and graduate school graduates by the holding company and major group companies, hiring them as group employees, and creating a foundation for talents to thrive across the group. This direction that the group has naturally had and the concept of human capital management that society demands are very closely aligned, and we will continue to prioritize human capital management as an important initiative going forward.