Currently, society faces various issues such as the depletion of natural resources, climate change, and the destruction of ecosystems, and all business activities have an impact on the environment. Furthermore, it is also a fact that changes in the environment can lead to major risks involving business continuity. For this reason, Yokohama Rubber works to minimize its environmental footprint in all of its business processes. As part of these efforts, assessments are conducted with respect to global warming prevention, resource recycling, resource conservation, and safety and comfort in the design review process for new products, and we provide customers with environmentally friendly products.

This way of thinking, and these activities, have been clearly stated in the Yokohama Rubber Environmental Policy as declarations both inside and outside of the company of our position as a top-level environment-friendly company. In addition, the actions that should be taken by employees are stipulated in the Yokohama Rubber Group Action Guidelines.

With the aim of achieving harmony with the global environment in line with international agreements, and in order to achieve sustainable business management, the Yokohama Rubber Group is promoting the homogenization of global environmental management aimed at the realization of a low carbon society, the realization of a resource recycling oriented society, and the preservation of biological diversity. For the realization of a low carbon society, we deliver environmentally friendly products that are assessed through our new product design reviews to customers, and work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) throughout the entire value chain in accordance with the medium to long-term targets. For the realization of a resource recycling oriented society, we have promoted the recycling of regenerated rubber and reduction of industrial waste, and aim to achieve zero emissions at all of our production bases. In regard to the preservation of biological diversity, we are conducting surveys and preservation activities in order to reduce water risks in environments near our domestic and overseas production bases as well as to help ensure the stable supply of natural rubber overseas.
Furthermore, we believe that the tree planting and seedling activities in local communities and disaster areas as part our Yokohama Forever Forest Project reflect our intent to work together with local communities in order to continue protecting our blue earth.
We will promote these activities in coordination with Group companies in locations including China, Asia, North America, and Europe.

Shuichi Fukutani
General Manager,
Head of Environmental Protection Promotion Department, Corporate Social Responsibility Division

• We will maintain all of our products as environmentally friendly ones.
• Achieve net zero CO2 emissions (carbon neutrality) in our activities by 2050
• Reduce CO2 emissions from company activities by 28% by 2030 compared to fiscal 2019
  *Equivalent to a 38% reduction compared to 2013
• We will promote the effective use of water resources in line with the characteristics of water risks.
• We will implement biodiversity preservation activities at production bases.
• Plan 1.3 million trees under the YOKOHAMA Forever Forest Project by 2030
• Promote CSR procurement of resources including natural rubber, etc.
• Achieve zero environmental risks

In the event of a caution, guidance, or recommendation from the government, we should take action in accordance with the emergency response standards in the Company-wide guidelines. The Environmental Protection Promotion Department will provide advice on countermeasures while receiving advice from the Legal Department, and the entire Group will cooperate in response. Local residents in the vicinity of the plant, we have a system that allows anyone to file a complaint. External environment related information gathered at each business location that could involve environmental risks and opportunities is entered in the External Information Acceptance Ledger, and it is determined whether the information constitutes an external complaint based on the external information standards of the company-wide guidelines.
If such information is certified as an external complaint, it is handled in accordance with the emergency response standards of the company-wide guidelines. For information that is not certified as an external complaint, the relevant department will be contacted as appropriate if deemed necessary by the environment representative of each business location.
In the event of warning, guidance, or recommendations from the government, an External Information Acceptance Form will be issued and simultaneously sent to the Environmental Protection Promotion Department, other business locations, and the Tire and MB (industrial products) Production Environmental Task Force.
If an environmental management representative has deemed that there has been an external complaint, an External Information Countermeasures Form will be issued and simultaneously sent to the Environmental Protection Promotion Department, other business locations, and the Tire and MB Production Environmental Task Force.
The Environmental Management Task Force of the business location will submit an answer form to an external information provider after reporting and gaining approval from the manager of the business location for all documents from complaint receipt to response.
We have decided on internal monitors and external monitors for each business location to gather information through regular visits, etc. conduct communication, and check that the complaint handling system is operating effectively.

External information and complaint handling flow

Based on the document on "Preparation and Response to Emergencies", the environmental management representative of the sites concerned compiles a list of accidents and emergencies that may have a significant impact on the environment into a "List of Accidents and Emergencies", which is updated every year. In addition, each base verifies and trains in the procedures for responding to the accidents and emergencies identified at each site, and confirms the effectiveness of the response procedures in accordance with the relevant guidelines.
In the event of an environmental accident or emergency, the base shall take preventive and emergency measures in accordance with the "Preparedness and Response to Emergencies" document, and shall report to the local government authorities in the event that environmental standards are exceeded.
Immediately after the occurrence of an incident, the information is communicated to the relevant departments by means of a "Zero Report" in accordance with the "Management Guidelines for Responding to Emergencies" stipulated by the department in charge, and the information is communicated to the relevant departments by means of an "Environmental (1) Accident, (2) Trouble, (3) Serious Near-Fire, (4) Near-Fire" incident report within 24 hours of the occurrence.
The environmental manager of the site will follow up on the status of corrective measures after an accident or emergency situation to ensure the prevention of a recurrence and the prevention of similar accidents, and the plant manager will review the procedures after an accident or emergency.
The Environmental Protection Promotion Department takes a professional and company-wide view of countermeasures and prevention of recurrence.
Environmental managers at other sites who receive this information will use it to take measures to prevent similar accidents from occurring at their own sites.
In addition, the Company-wide Environmental Management Committee investigates the causes of accidents and emergencies, implements countermeasures, and follows up on measures to prevent recurrence, and makes these findings available for reference, which will be used as reference in the ISO 14001 requirements management review.

The following items have been established as the main action items that the Yokohama Rubber Group will address first in consideration of the level of impact of business activities and the level of social interest.

The Environment (300KB)