Environmental management
Yakult Basic Policy on the Environment
We established organizational units focused on environmental conservation measures in November 1991, and instituted the Group-wide Yakult Basic Policy on the Environment in June 1997. In accordance with our Environmental Philosophy and Guidelines for Activities, we are promoting environmental conservation activities throughout all our business fields. From fiscal 2001 to fiscal 2020, we established the Yakult Environmental Action Plan and conducted environmental activities with the participation of all departments, including research and development, manufacturing, marketing, and office units. In fiscal 2021, we established the Yakult Group Environmental Vision , and the entire Yakult Group now works together on initiatives to reduce our burden on the environment.
Environmental Philosophy
Recognizing that environmental preservation and harmony with society are among the most important corporate management objectives, Yakult Honsha and all the Yakult Group business units will give due consideration to environmental preservation with regard to all types and aspects of its corporate activities
Action Guidelines
1.
To realize the measures determined by the CSR Promotion Committee within Yakult Honsha, all Yakult Group business units will work concertedly, proactively, and in a sustained manner to address environmental issues associated with business activities.
2.
Each business unit will build environmental management systems and systematically work with the participation of all employees to realize the objective of reducing environmental impacts and will also seek to realize sustained improvement in environmental performance by periodically checking the implementation of associated measures, auditing such measures, and reevaluating environmental activities.
3.
Besides maintaining rigorous compliance with environment-related laws, regulations, and agreements, each business unit will autonomously set its own environmental standards, and strive to further improve the level of its environmental management and eliminate environmental pollution risk factors before they occur.
4.
In all business activities, business units will give due consideration to the environment as well as biodiversity by promoting the reduction of environmental impacts.
(1)
We strive to design containers and packaging based on due consideration of such objectives as reducing the volume of resource usage and waste associated with containers and packaging, optimizing disposal, and promoting resource recycling.
(2)
Regarding product manufacturing, we make efforts to thoroughly prevent environmental pollution as well as to reduce waste, greenhouse gases, and other harmful substances through resource and energy conservation measures. In addition, to promote the creation of a recycling oriented society, we strive to recycle waste and utilize green purchasing methods.
(3)
Regarding product distribution and marketing, we endeavor to reduce environmental impacts stemming from motor vehicles and other transportation equipment, recycle resources associated with product containers and packaging, and reuse marketing-related equipment and materials.
(4)
All Yakult Group offices will strive to conserve resources and energy and thereby reduce their generation and emission of waste, greenhouse gases, and other harmful substances. In addition, we will make efforts to recycle waste and utilize green purchasing methods.
(5)
Regarding research activities, we endeavor to reduce environmental impacts and to thoroughly manage substances with the potential for causing environmental pollution or safety hazards.
5.
All employees will be thoroughly provided with environmental education, and we make efforts to increase environmental awareness.
6.
Information related to environmental activities will be appropriately disclosed, and we strive to communicate effectively with society at large.
7.
The Group will act as an exemplary corporate citizen by proactively supporting and cooperating with activities aimed at protecting the global environment.
Established: June 24, 1997. Revised: March 8, 2004 / January 25, 2010
Environmental management structure
The CSR Promotion Committee is responsible for formulating Environmental Targets 2030 and Environmental Actions (2021–2024) as short- and medium-term milestones for Environmental Vision 2050, and for monitoring and evaluating the progress of environmental activities. Every half-year, the secretariat of the CSR Promotion Committee conducts a review of the results and performance of the corporate environmental activities, and uses the findings in developing plans for the following fiscal year.
A committee has been established at each of Yakult Honsha’s plants and bottling companies, chaired by either the plant manager or bottling company president. The committees oversee environmental activities, including formulating annual plans, promoting environmental management programs based on ISO 14001 standards and other guidelines.
Instead of each of our facilities working on their own, each year a general meeting brings together representatives of all production facilities to share good practices within the Group and to promote such good measures at all the facilities.