SUMITOMO RIKO

 

Contributing to a Society in Harmony with Nature

Employees, Local Communities, Global Environment

Basic Approach

The Sumitomo Riko Group conducts its business activities using various blessings of nature, including natural rubber, air, water, and minerals. Recognizing that our business activities must not pollute or eliminate the gifts of nature that we’ve been given, and that we have a responsibility to pass them on to future generations, we have set forth the goal of realizing a society in harmony with nature in our Long-Term Environmental Vision 2050.
Therefore, we are expanding the scope of our activities to include environmental conservation related to our supply chain, in addition to forestation activities and neighborhood beautification activities for the preservation of biodiversity.

Joined the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR)

Sumitomo Riko joined the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) on July 25, 2022.

Biodiversity Risk Assessment

The preservation of biodiversity is a key component of Sumitomo Riko Group Corporate Action Charter. We conducted an assessment to determine whether any of Sumitomo Riko's bases overlap with Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), which are important areas that are key to biodiversity conservation. We surveyed 11 bases in Japan, 16 bases in China, 16 bases in other Asian countries, 9 bases in the Americas, and 18 bases in Europe and Africa, and confirmed that none of our bases overlap with KBAs.

Environmental Preservation Activities for Neighboring Communities

Sumitomo Riko actively participates in environmental preservation activities in neighboring areas, such as cutting down thinned wood in the "Sumitomo Riko Forest", cleaning ditches near the Matsusaka Plant, and beautification activities in Susono City.

Sumitomo Riko's Forest Growing Project

On July 1, 2008, Sumitomo Riko (then Tokai Rubber Co., Ltd.) signed a foster parent agreement with Ikeda-cho, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano Prefecture, in support of the Nagano Prefecture "Forest Foster Parent Promotion Project" philosophy.
The purpose of this project is to create forests as a source of CO2 absorption so as to be a part of the global environmental protection activities. Sumitomo Riko’s Forestry has been certified by the Nagano Prefectural Government as a forest CO2 sink every year. (Amount absorbed in fiscal 2022: 379 t- CO2/year)
In addition to providing financial support for forest conservation, this project dispatches a team of Sumitomo Riko volunteers twice a year in the spring and in the fall. In addition to forest thinning, pruning, and tree planting under the guidance of local residents, the two-day and one-night volunteer activities also include agricultural experience, making local food, and exchange meetings with local residents of the Hirotsu area, in an effort to promote community interaction.

Sumitomo Riko Matsusaka Forestation Project

On August 26, 2010, in Mie Prefecture, Matsusaka City, local residents of the Sezu area, and Sumitomo Riko (then Tokai Rubber) signed a five-year, 24.5ha forest conservation agreement in support of Mie Prefecture's Corporate Forest Project. It was the first time in the prefecture that a four-company agreement had been signed with the cooperation of the local community. It was also the first time that employees had participated in forest conservation activities in the contracted forests. In fiscal 2020, the contract was renewed for the third time.
Forest conservation activities by employee volunteers are held twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, and include thinning and other work as well as exchange programs with local residents.

Tokai Chemical Industries, LTD "Mitake no Mori" Activity

In May 2017, Tokai Chemical Industries entered into an agreement with the town of Mitake and Gifu Prefecture regarding "Forestation through Cooperation with Companies" and began forest conservation activities together. This is a collaborative effort between employees and stakeholders to conserve forests and restore Satoyama (woodlands) in the town-owned forests in Mitake, where Tokai Chemical’s head office and factory are located, with the aim of realizing a sustainable low-carbon society and leaving a rich natural environment for future generations.
The governor of Gifu Prefecture has certified that these forest conservation activities will absorb 290 tons of CO2 over the next 50 years.
In addition to monthly maintenance activities by employees, company-wide events are held three times a year in spring, summer, and fall to promote interaction with local residents.

Neighborhood Beautification Activities

At each of Sumitomo Riko's plants and offices, as well as at group companies such as Tokai Chemical Industries, employees volunteer to clean up the surrounding area on a regular basis.
Regional Cooperation Activities (Matsusaka Plant)
Beautification activities in Susono City (Fuji-Susono Plant)

Extermination of Invasive Alien Species

Following last year, in May 2023, we participated in an extermination activity for the "Lanceleaf tickseed," which is designated as a "Invasive Alien Species" under the Invasive Alien Species Act. This plant could have a serious negative impact on the ecosystem in Japan. About 60 people from Komaki City, citizen volunteers, and volunteers from neighboring companies gathered to conduct extermination activities around the Komaki Athletic Grounds.

Information Sharing with Local Communities

In order to promote mutual understanding and coexistence with the local community through communication with the neighboring community, the Komaki and Matsusaka Plants, which are adjacent to the housing areas, hold community liaison meetings with the neighborhood community association officers. During these meetings, information on local environmental preservation is also exchanged.

Future Issues and Responses

We will clarify the relationship between the Sumitomo Riko Group's business and global resources, nature, and biodiversity, which are directly and indirectly linked to our business, and share this information within the company so that each and every employee is aware that our business activities are not simply social contribution activities.
We will also create a concept for each of our business bases to make the activities more relevant to the local community.
SUMITOMO RIKO

Global
Headquarters

JP Tower Nagoya 1-1-1, Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 450-6316, Japan
Access map

Komaki Head

1, Higashi 3-chome, Komaki-shi, Aichi 485-8550, Japan
Access map