Social & Environmental Conservation Activities
SDGs Statement
We will pass on the business
we have built up over 300 years to the next generation.
We will create happiness and smiles for everyone
across the globe through food.
Since our founding in 1712, for the past 300 years or so the KOKUBU Group has created a culture around food.
On many occasions, the continuation of our business has come under threat from the social landscape,
lifestyle changes, and natural disasters.
However, our predecessors, through their response capabilities and strong will to carry on the business regardless of the difficulties they were facing, passed on their experiences to the present in their pursuit of food sustainability.
We must pass on this DNA of ours to the next generation.
Through food, we will create a society in which the people of the world can rejoice from the heart and be happy.
Materiality
17 Goals to Change the World
「 SDGs ～Sustainable Development Goals～ 」
In September 2019, we established a project team to achieve our ambitious goals.
Over the period of about a year, we had many debates about the world we want to create, and what we can and should do to achieve that, and decided on six important matters. These are the important matters which we need to connect to the future.
Global environment
Our Basic Action Policy
We will continue to protect the global environment which functions as a sufficient food producer.
Targets
We will use all of our resources in a wholesome way to achieve a sustainable global environment.
‘Food’, the product we deliver to our various customers, is supported by the blessings of the earth, from its sources – agriculture, fisheries, and livestock – to the resources and energy for processed foods, packaging, and logistics. We will practice the use of sustainable resources so that earth’s blessings are steadily passed on into the future, and will work towards the realization of a sustainable global environment.
Targets for our Contributions
8.4 12.2 12.4 14.4 15.4
| Purpose | A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions |
|---|---|
| KG | We aim to reduce the entire group’s CO2 emissions by 30% compared to 2017 by 2030, and to achieve zero carbon by 2050. |
| Purpose | A reduction in plastic waste |
|---|---|
| KG |
We will achieve a 40% rate of recycling for plastic waste by methods other than heat recovery by 2030. We will eradicate the single-use plastic used in exhibitions etc. by 2030. We will design all of KOKUBU’s original products with consideration for the global environment by 2050 and create a roadmap to achieve these targets by 2025. |
Food production
Our Basic Action Policy
We will maintain food production that rewards producers and can be passed on to the next generation.
Targets
We will support sustainable food production and create a world in which all people involved in production can receive fair compensation.
Our food, which is produced by cultivating the land, living in harmony with the ocean, and carefully nurturing living creatures, is a treasure born from the toil and sweat of each individual producer. We will pay a fair price for their efforts and labor and get actively involved to ensure the continuation of stable food production and to protect ethical work environments so as to fulfill our mission as a distributor.
Targets for our Contributions
2.4 8.1 8.5 8.7 14.4
| Purpose | The sustainable use of food resources with consideration for the environment and society |
|---|---|
| KG | We will increase the sales of our sustainable category to 10 billion yen by 2030. |
| Purpose | To implement a new strategy towards food that uses sustainable food resources, is healthy, and improves the wellbeing of its producers. |
|---|---|
| KG | By 2030, we will build a system in which we can deliver food and raw materials from distinctive areas to consumers using various methods that make the producers visible. |
Supply chain
Our Basic Action Policy
We will build a supply chain designed with consideration for the environment and saving energy.
Targets
To engage in the reduction of CO2 and waste across the entire supply chain and build sustainable infrastructure functions.
Without collaboration across the entire supply chain, we cannot engage in decarbonization to mitigate climate change or reduce waste, including food waste. Through food, we will fulfil our responsibility as a company by actively engaging in finding a solution to these problems together with everyone and supporting social infrastructure.
Targets for our Contributions
7.2 7.3 9.4 11.6 12.3 12.5
| Purpose | To improve efficiency of energy use in logistics |
|---|---|
| KG | By 2030, we will expand joint distribution and joint warehouses as a main entity together with different industries, without being restricted by our previous style of doing things. |
| Purpose | The reduction of food waste and other waste |
|---|---|
| KG | We will reduce our food waste by 50% in comparison with 2017 by 2030 |
Marketing
Our Basic Action Policy
We will promote marketing that turns all kinds of information into intelligence.
Targets
We will improve the efficiency of our value chain, create new value through fresh and beneficial information, and achieve an abundant lifestyle for everyone from our producers to our consumers.
Our mission is to carry our producers’ hopes together with our products and deliver them to the people of the world with new added value. Through deciphering information, improving value, and adding innovation, we will efficiently deliver better products and better services to our consumers. Through our marketing activities, we will achieve a more prosperous lifestyle for everyone.
Targets for our Contributions
8.3 8.9 12.3 12.8
| Purpose | To transform various information into intelligence and utilize it in our value chain. |
|---|---|
| KG | We will create a system to improve internal-use information for employees to use effectively by 2025. |
| Purpose | To conduct activities for consumers to deepen their understanding of food while having fun. |
|---|---|
| KG |
We will run hands-on food-based learning activities for consumers as a community-based wholesaler by 2030. We will build connections with local administrations and aim to double the sales of our fresh food category by 2030. |
Consumers
Our Basic Action Policy
We will achieve a society in which all consumers have equal access to quality food.
Targets
We will build a supply chain that keeps up with change and delivers healthy food in abundance to all consumers.
Food is a necessity to all people around the world and an important element in maintaining physical and mental health. The supply of food must not stop due to climate change, natural disasters, or any other phenomenon. Along with understanding the importance of food as a lifeline and building a sturdy food supply chain, we aim to achieve a society in which all consumers have access to healthy food in abundance regardless of their social class or economic situation.
Targets for our Contributions
1.5 2.1 2.2 3.4 9.1 13.1
| Purpose | The provision of a system for the procurement and supply of foodstuffs during disasters or emergencies |
|---|---|
| KG | We will generate a business forecast in accordance with TCDF by 2025. |
Human Resources
Our Basic Action Policy
We will create a company in which each individual can work with a sense of pride and fulfillment that enriches their lives.
Targets
We will transform our company into one that practices diversity, where all employees can demonstrate their abilities with excitement, and where individual motivation leads to corporate growth.
All the employees (= talent) that work within the KOKUBU Group are the ones supporting the goals from 1 to 5 in our Basic Action Policy. We will continue to build the foundations to provide a place in which people can accept each other’s individual characteristics, such as age, gender, nationality, and ability, and demonstrate their full potential in every stage of their lives. Employees going about their everyday work with excitement will lead to the growth of each individual and the company. We will support the actualization of a sustainable society with an environment that is favorable for everyone.
Targets for our Contributions
4.4 4.7 5.1 5.4 5.5 8.1 8.5 10.2
| Purpose | The training of the next generation of leaders for sustainable growth |
|---|---|
| KG |
We will increase the number of employees aged in their thirties in senior positions to over 10% by 2030. We will create a method to support, evaluate and train leaders for various challenges. |
| Purpose | Together with establishing diversity and creating a system of management that maintains corporate governance, we will conduct training to foster staff with diverse values. |
|---|---|
| KG |
We will increase the percentage of women in senior roles to 15% or over by 2030. We will increase the percentage of male employees taking two or more consecutive weeks of childcare leave to 5% of all eligible employees by 2030. We will enrich our training regarding diversity and gender to create an environment in which employees feel motivation to work in all workplaces and jobs. |
Structure for the Promotion of Sustainability
The KOKUBU Group established a Sustainability Committee to oversee and manage the entire group.
We have also set up a Sustainability Promotion Office within our Corporate Planning Division and have adjusted our structure to promote sustainability.
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Environmental Management
We have determined our environmental philosophy and basic policy, and will conduct our business activities while paying consideration to the global environment.