Responding to Water Risks
Shareholders and Investors, Suppliers and Other Trade Partners, Local Communities, Global Environment
Basic Approach
The Sumitomo Riko Group consumes large quantities of water for cleaning and surface treatment of metal parts used in its products, cooling of manufacturing equipment and resin molded products, etc. We recognize that water is an important resource.
Meanwhile, "water risk" is consistently ranked high in the "Global Risk Report" published by the World Economic Forum.
To address this issue, we not only reduce water consumption by improving production processes and recycling wastewater, but also strive to understand the risks in each region in order to continue our business activities.
Meanwhile, "water risk" is consistently ranked high in the "Global Risk Report" published by the World Economic Forum.
To address this issue, we not only reduce water consumption by improving production processes and recycling wastewater, but also strive to understand the risks in each region in order to continue our business activities.
Efforts to Reduce Water Consumption
When washing products with our cleaning equipment, we strive to save water by adopting a counter-current multi-stage water rinse system. In most cases, water is selected as the refrigerant used to cool equipment that generates heat during processing, such as rubber kneading machines and extruders. In this case, water is used endlessly if it is poured over the equipment. Therefore, cooling towers and chillers are used to cool and circulate the water that has absorbed heat, leading to significant water savings.
Amount of water intake and wastewater discharge (Sumitomo Riko Group)
*1 The denominator of the intensity is the sales amount (after elimination of internal transactions) in the scope of aggregation.
Examples of Water Consumption Reduction
Reuse of domestic wastewater
Tokai Rubber (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd. (TRJ) in China has been using recycled water purified by reverse osmosis (RO) membrane-based water treatment facilities in its production processes since 2018, after new regulations made it impossible to discharge domestic wastewater directly. This has resulted in a 20% reduction in water purchased by TRJ.
Understanding and Reducing Water Risks
We use the international water risk assessment tool AQUEDUCT3.0 to evaluate water risk in the regions where all of our production bases are located, both in Japan and overseas every year. The 2022 survey did not identify any bases with significant risks that need to be addressed immediately. Based on the results, we are strengthening our efforts to address various water risks such as depletion of water resources, deterioration of water quality, flooding, and tightening of regulations.
Future Issues and Responses
Water risk is an important issue for us, a company with global bases, as each region faces different risks, such as water shortages due to population growth and increased risk of flooding due to global warming.
The Sumitomo Riko Group is promoting water savings, prevention of leakage, and reuse of wastewater in production processes, as well as creation of new process designs that do not use water.
We will also continue to share information with our global bases to identify future risks and create action plans to reduce water risks.
The Sumitomo Riko Group is promoting water savings, prevention of leakage, and reuse of wastewater in production processes, as well as creation of new process designs that do not use water.
We will also continue to share information with our global bases to identify future risks and create action plans to reduce water risks.