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Environmental Management
EnvironmentOur Basic View
Environmental management is our responsibility as we conduct business on this Earth. The YKK Group established the "Group Environmental Pledge" in 1994 to promote environmental activities in all areas of business operations.
YKK Group Environmental Pledge
It is recognized today as being a most important duty for all humankind that we preserve the abundantly endowed global environment and that we transfer it to the next generation in a sound condition.
Striving to be an Earth-friendly company, the YKK Group proclaims that it will address and promote "harmony with the environment" as the highest priority of its business activities.
YKK Group Environmental Vision 2050
To achieve an even higher level of environmental management throughout the YKK Group, in April 2019, we formulated the "YKK Group Environmental Vision 2050", which sets the long-term direction of our environmental initiatives. We established key objectives in YKK AP's environmental policy for each of the 4 categories - "Responding to climate change","Utilization of resources", "Sustainable use of water", and "Symbiosis with nature" to select and identify challenges and to reflect them in our environmental action plan, keeping in mind our future projections for 2050 and the vision we aim to achieve.
The climate change that is occurring on a global scale has become a serious problem for all organisms living on Earth. Considering it our responsibility as a member of the society to take actions to mitigate this problem, the YKK Group is striving to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, including CO2, and to adapt to climate change.
While water is an essential resource for sustaining life and all types of industry, the amount and quality available vary widely depending on the country and region. For those of us who aim to have prosperous coexistence with the society, joining our communities in sustainably utilizing water resources is essential. Therefore, we are taking actions, such as cutting back the volume of water intake and reducing burden of waste water on the environment.
Since the YKK Group manufactures many products, including zippers and windows, various types of resources that constitute raw materials are essential to us. To ensure that we will be able to stably continue supplying our products well into the future, we are acting to maximize effective utilization of non-renewable resources and also taking initiatives to recycle the waste materials generated throughout the entire life cycle of our products.
Nature provides resources essential to an affluent lifestyle, such as a stable atmosphere, clean water, and supply of food, and places for recreation. To leave the possibility of an affluent lifestyle for the generations to come, we are engaged in activities to protect the natural environment and reduce our environmental impact.
Environmental Initiatives
YKK Group has established the "YKK Group Environmental Vision 2050," which maps out the long-term orientation of our environmental initiatives. Under this vision, YKK AP has established a goal for 2050 of "achieving zero environmental impact in our business activities throughout the entire product lifecycle."
In the Mid-term Environmental Policy for FY2025 to FY2028, we have set environmental targets for the entire value chain with the aim of resolving and contributing to the resolution of the four environmental issues of "climate change," "resource recycling," "water conservation," and "biodiversity," and are working to achieve them.
As the system for promoting these activities, the "YKK AP Environmental Policy Board Committee," chaired by the president, formulates and approves environmental policy and strategy from a management perspective. Under that policy, the "YKK AP Environment Committee" incorporates the environmental policy into sales, research & development, manufacturing, management, and overseas divisions.
In addition, to confirm the progress of these environmental policies and in environmental compliance, we conduct annual internal environment audits. We have also acquired ISO 14001 certification at all locations in Japan and at 11 locations overseas, and are continually working to increase the level of environmental management.
YKK AP Environmental Management Policy (FY2025 to FY2028)
Contributing to the Global Environment through Environmental Value Creation
～ Towards Achieving Carbon Neutrality ～
YKK AP contributes to the realization of rich lives for current and future generations and to the global environment by reducing environmental impact and creating environmental value.
- We will work to develop technologies and reduce the environmental impact in order to realize a decarbonized, recycling-oriented society.
- We address climate change, resource circulation, water conservation, and biodiversity throughout the entire life cycle.
- Based on a diverse workforce, we will work to create new environmental value with an eye to the future.
![[History of YKK AP's environmental efforts and its goals for 2050]](/en/sustainability/environment/management/asset/image/55-cont-03.png)
Disclosure of Information under the TCFD Recommendations
In 2019, YKK AP endorsed the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations, and in 2021, it received "Well below 2°C" certification from the SBT (Science Based Targets) initiative, an international organization. YKK AP assesses the impact of its business activities in terms of both climate-related risks and opportunities, and reflects them in its Management Strategy.
| Governance |
YKK AP has a Board of Directors as the decision-making and oversight body for important matters such as management policy, an Audit & Supervisory Board as the company’s auditing organization, and has introduced an Operating Officer System to help the company promote the execution of business and operations. In particular, sustainability issues are addressed by the "Sustainability General Meeting," chaired by the president, which conducts cross-functional activities by formulating policies from a company-wide perspective and rolling them out to related divisions and affiliated companies in Japan and overseas. The "Environmental Policy Board Committee," which is chaired by the president and has jurisdiction over the environmental area within the Sustainability General Meeting, formulates and approves environmental policies and strategies, including on climate change, from a management perspective, and monitors their progress. The "Environment Committee" rolls out these environmental policies and strategies to our manufacturing and sales sites in Japan and overseas, and confirms how they are being implemented through mutual internal environment audits. |
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|---|---|---|
| Strategy | In line with the TCFD recommendations, we are identifying and assessing the significant risks and opportunities that the issue of climate change poses to the AP Business. | |
| Risk management | Business risks as a whole are assessed and reviewed once a year, prioritized by "severity" and "likelihood of occurrence," and each risk is managed by the relevant committee or division. Climate change-related risks (natural disasters, inadequate response to environmental regulations, etc.) are also identified as key risks and incorporated into the management process, with policies developed and monitored on a global basis by the Environment Committee and the BCM Committee. | |
| Indicators and targets | In order to achieve carbon neutrality, we have set medium- to long-term goals certified by SBTi and formulated an environmental action plan to achieve them in conjunction with our mid-term business plan. In addition, under the "Evolution 2030" Vision announced in March 2023, we have brought forward our targets to reduce the company’s own CO2 emissions by 80% in FY2030 and by 100% in FY2040 (both relative to FY2013). Progress with respect to these indicators and targets is disclosed in the Integrated Report and the Environmental Report. | |
