Sustainability Management

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The UACJ Group’s approach to sustainability

Positioning sustainability-driven activities as a core element of its management and operations, the UACJ Group recognizes the need to carry out such activities on a group-wide basis. For that purpose, the Group has specified materiality issues as vital factors for growing sustainably with society. Furthermore, promoting sustainability has been positioned as a major policy of the Group’s current mid-term management plan, now underway.

Businesses may not be able to continue operating in the future unless they help build a more sustainable world. Recognizing the seriousness of this risk with a sense of purpose, the UACJ Group is carrying out highly effective measures designed to have a positive impact on the world.

Framework for Promoting Sustainability

Effective from April 2022, UACJ established a new framework for promoting sustainability with a view to clarify responsibilities for sustainability actions, speed up decision-making, and ensure all initiatives make steady progress. Accordingly, executive officers and organizations have been put in charge of each of the six materiality issues, and are responsible for assessing progress based on the KPIs that have been specified for each issue. This progress will be periodically reported and deliberated on by committees assigned to each of the issues in order to improve the effectiveness of relevant measures.

In April 2023, we established a new Corporate Sustainability Division. With this new division taking the lead, we will continue striving to create new business models and deliver value to customers rooted in the resolution of issues the world is facing.

Framework for Sustainability Actions

Materiality Issues Officers in Charge Organization in Charge KPI Monitoring
Committee Frequency
Response to Climate Change Executive in charge of the Group’s response to climate change Climate Change Task Force Department Climate Change Countermeasures Steering Committee 3 times annually
Product Quality Assurance Chief Executive of the “Monozukuri“ Core Manufacturing Innovation Division Quality Management Department Quality Committee Once annually
Occupational Health and Safety Chief Executive of the “Monozukuri“ Core Manufacturing Innovation Division Safety & Environment Department Health and Safety Committee Once annually
Respect for Human Rights Chief executive of the Business Support Division Corporate Legal Department Compliance Committee Once annually
Diversity and Equal Opportunity Chief executive of the Business Support Division Human Resources Department Human Resources Committee Once annually
Human Resources Development Chief executive of the Business Support Division Human Resources Department Human Resources Committee Once annually

Responsibilities to and Methods for Communicating with Principal Stakeholders

  Key Responsibilities Communication Methods
Customers Maintain and improve the quality of products and services

Provide products and services that are good for society

Use a wide variety of technologies and expertise to solve customers’ problems
Dialogue in daily business dealings

Website

Dialogue through technology exhibits

Customer satisfaction surveys
Suppliers Build sound relationships through fair transactions respecting laws and ordinances

Fulfill CSRs throughout the supply chain
Dialogue in daily business dealings
Environment Reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Promote energy efficiency and recycling

Protect biodiversity

Reduce industrial waste

Manage and reduce harmful chemical substances
Operate within laws and regulations

Support the Kyoto Protocol on fighting global warming, the Nagoya Protocol on biodiversity, and other international agreements

Support environmental activities advanced by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment and others
Investors Provide appropriate returns

Make timely and appropriate disclosures

Increase corporate value
General meeting of shareholders

Shareholder communications

Results briefings

Telephone conferences

One-on-one meetings

Shareholder plant tours

Website
Employees Respect human rights

Develop personnel, and provide fair evaluations and compensation

Protect worker safety and health (including mental health)

Support diverse working styles, and employee efforts to meet work and personal responsibilities
Company Newsletter

Intranet
Local Communities Support sports and cultural activities, and efforts to nurture future generations

Participate in and support traditional events

Support and work with local and other NPOs
Plant tours

Local events

Neighborhood clean-up and other social contribution activities by employees

Third-party Assessments

CDP2022 Received B ratings in the Climate Change and Water Security categories

In December 2022, UACJ received a B rating in both the Climate Change and Water Security categories in the CDP 2022 survey conducted by the environmental disclosure initiative Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).

We believe the rating recognizes our efforts to enhance the disclosure of information related to climate change and other areas, which we have set as a materiality issue for our Group,

We consider the B rating as a management level assessment.

ASI PS

Selected as a Sompo Sustainability Index constituent for the second straight year

UACJ was selected as a constituent of the 2023 SOMPO Sustainability Index instituted by SOMPO Asset Management.

Created in 2012, the index consists of approximately 300 companies with outstanding ESG practices selected each year for inclusion in the company’s annual sustainable management fund.

UACJ’s ESG initiatives were once again highly evaluated, earning the company selection as a constituent for a second consecutive year.

SOMPOサステナビリティ·インデックス

Participation in External Initiatives

Joining the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative

The UACJ Fukui Works and consolidated subsidiary UACJ (Thailand) Co., Ltd. became the first Japanese aluminum rolling companies to join the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)*, a global aluminum industry organization.

The company’s have been certified as fulfilling the Performance Standard of enhancing sustainability and transparency in corporate governance, the environment, and social responsibility and the Chain of Custody Standard for sustainable development through the processing and distribution processes. The certifications were the result of a full two years of efforts since joining the ASI in July 2020.

As a top aluminum manufacturer in Japan, we will continue to actively participate in forming global standards for the aluminum industry and providing feedback to our business. We will also continue contributing to the sustainability of society as an active member supporting ASI initiatives,

*The ASI is an international undertaking that aims to boost sustainability initiatives across the entire aluminum supply chain and to maximize ESG-oriented social contributions. Membership includes the International Aluminum Institute, and aluminum producers, processors and manufacturers, end-users, and other aluminum-related companies and organizations representing various perspectives. Established in 2012, the ASI began conducting audits and third-party verification in fiscal 2018 and now has a membership of over 300 companies and organizations around the world.

ASI PSASI CoC

Participation in the Japan Hydrogen Association (JH2A)

On March 4, 2021, UACJ joined the Japan Hydrogen Association, which is dedicated to furthering global cooperation in the field of hydrogen and advancing the formation of a hydrogen supply chain.

We anticipate that aluminum materials made by UACJ will be used for distribution and storage in the hydrogen value chain and, therefore, decided to participate in the JH2A and support its aim of promoting the construction of one of the world’s first hydrogen societies. UACJ will contribute to this goal by working with other member companies to provide high-quality aluminum materials.

JH2A

Endorsement of the United Nations Global Compact

In April 2021, UACJ became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), an international initiative for realizing sustainable growth in international society.

Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General at the time, advocated for the UNGC at the 1999 World Economic Forum (the Davos Forum) and it was formally implemented by the UN Headquarters in July 2000. Since then, it has been endorsed by 160 countries and over 12,000 companies and other organizations. The latter must agree to ten human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption principles and implement initiatives aimed at promoting improvement in these areas.

As a comprehensive aluminum manufacturer pursuing business globally, UACJ will contribute to greater sustainability for society.

UNGC

Support of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

In September 2021, UACJ announced its endorsement of recommendations by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TFCD) and joined the TFCD Consortium. Based on the TFCD recommendations, UACJ will proactively advance information disclosure on climate-change-related risks and opportunities for its businesses from four perspectives: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets.

TCFDロゴ

Responses to climate change

The 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity

The 30by30 initiative is a commitment of G7 countries to effectively conserve more than 30% of land and ocean areas as healthy ecosystems with the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. UACJ supports this mission and participates in the 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity established by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.

30by30アライアンスロゴ