Environment

Biodiversity Conservation

Biodiversity Conservation

Basic Concept of Biodiversity Conservation

Furukawa Electric Group has incorporated its efforts to conserve biodiversity into "Basic Environmental Policy". The Group has established comprehensive guidelines for the Group's biodiversity conservation efforts. The Group will carry out its activities based on these guidelines. As beneficial initiatives for the ecosystem, the Group will conserve rare plants and animals and procure based on Green Procurement Guideline*. In addition, the Group will conduct activities of reduction of single-use plastics and community cleanup as efforts to reduce the negative impact on the ecosystem.

* The Group has established "Green Procurement Guideline", which indicates that the Group will preferentially and continuously procure environment-friendly products that lead to conservation of biodiversity and forest ,resource saving, etc..

Furukawa Electric Group Biodiversity Conservation Guidelines

  1. Evaluate the impact that our business activities have on the ecosystem, and minimize the negative impact while maximizing the beneficial one
  2. To sustainably use resources and conserve biodiversity, consider more than ever accelerating measures against climate change, resource saving and recycling and reducing environmentally hazardous substances
  3. Carry out activities in collaboration with local communities to conserve biodiversity

Initiatives

Start of Evaluation by the LEAP approach of TNFD*

Recognizing the impacts of our business activities on biodiversity, we started initiatives not only on climate change but also on biodiversity. The characteristics of biological resources and water vary depending on the region. Therefore, we are investigating “Locate” - Locate your interface with nature - while referencing LEAP (Locate, Evaluate, Assess, and Prepare) approach shown in beta versions of TNFD disclosure framework.

* TNFD: Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures

Cultivation of the Endangered Plant "Pulsatilla Cerna"

Furukawa Research Inc. , one of a Furukawa Group company, began cultivating the flower "Pulsatilla Cerna" listed as endangered class II*1 on the grounds of Yokohama Works in Furukawa Electric in FY2015, as a part of our efforts to contribute to the local community. The cultivation activity also took place at Hiratsuka Works and Chiba Works in FY2016 by separating the roots of the existing plant and the activities continue at each works. Separated root is also grown in Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc. , one of a Furukawa Group company, in FY2020, blooming beautifully through the activities of cultivating teams. Harvested seeds and roots were distributed to each site of Furukawa Automotive Systems Inc. to expand the conservation activity of "Pulsatilla Cerna".

Based in Shiga Prefecture, Furukawa Automotive Systems received recognition for its cultivation of "Pulsatilla cerna" (endangered class II) and cleanup activities in the local community conducted through ISO 14001-based environmental management systems in the "Shiga Biodiversity Initiatives Certification 2020" *2 program, earning the highest rating of three stars.

*1 “Endangered class II” refers to species with an increased risk of extinction.

*2 Shiga Prefecture established the Biodiversity Shiga Strategy in 2015, which is based on the philosophy of “utilizing the inherent strength of nature and protecting life across generations”. The prefecture has been evaluating the efforts of businesses to conserve biodiversity through Shiga Biodiversity Initiatives Certification program since 2018.

  • Yokohama Works

  • Chiba Works

  • Chiba Works

  • Hiratsuka Works

  • Furukawa Automotive
    Systems Inc.(Shiga)

  • Furukawa Automotive
    Systems Inc.(Shiga)

Work on the Plastic Pollution

While the usage of plastics just keeps expanding for their high workability and physical properties, we are facing issues such as plastics in the seas and oceans, constraints on resources/disposals, and climate change. Under the "Environmental Vision 2050", the Group works on cable recycling business, R&D for recycling technology, and environmentally friendly design (use of recycled plastic raw materials, facilitating disassembly and sorting, etc.). In addition, the entire group will work to reduce the amount of new plastic materials and single-use plastics as stated in the "Environmental Targets 2030". 

Initiatives by Group companies

Tree planting by Siam Furukawa Co., Ltd. since 2012

Removing the invasive plant ”Rudbeckia laciniata“ by Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd. since 2018

Wildlife habitat maintenance in the factory site by OFS Fitel, LLC since 2019

Planting 200 trees in 2022 by Furukawa Auto Parts (Huizhou) Co. Ltd.

Other activities (FY2022)

  • Acorn tree planting (Furukawa Electric Advanced Engineering Co., Ltd)
  • Continuous implementation of coast cleanup and green conservation (Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd)
  • Tree planting (Furukawa Sangyo Kaisha, Ltd., Furukawa Battery Co., Ltd)
  • Holding a workshop in collaboration with the ornithological society (Furukawa Electric Technology Institute Ltd.)
  • Donation for the laboratory of ornithology (Furukawa Electric Technology Institute Ltd.)
  • Joining in Ichihara city town beautification program (Chiba works of Furukawa Electric)

External Collaboration

The Group participates in the following initiatives for biodiversity conservation.

  • Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB)
  • Keidanren Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation
  • Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance (CLOMA)
DFF Inc., サステナビリティ推進室, 環境部