Our employees are Japanese, Thai, and Myanmar, and we have created and distributed compliance cards in Thai and Myanmar respectively. Compliance training is also carried out regularly to ensure that compliance rules are thoroughly disseminated.

Interactions between employees

After the coronavirus outbreak, we have returned to the pre-coronavirus pace of activities and are actively working on them.
Thai, Burmese, and Japanese people interact in a variety of situations, such as events based on Thai Buddhist culture, in-house sports days, and year-end parties, to foster friendships and increase a sense of cooperation.
We participate in outside activities, including sporting events, and sponsor local events.
Since 2011, we have been conducting a tree-planting campaign to plant 5,000 saplings every year on company grounds, and we have already planted over 60,000 trees.
These seedlings are grown using seeds collected locally by our employees and by creating seedling pots using highly nutritious soil obtained from cleaning natural rubber.
In addition, we distribute the materials free of charge to local residents and farmers who request them, which is greatly appreciated.
Furthermore, starting in 2024, we will also grow and distribute fruit seedlings (durian, jackfruit, rambutan, etc.) in response to the requests of many surrounding residents.

Activities for protecting safety and health

We have set the goal of "zero accidents" and are conducting educational activities to improve safety awareness on a daily basis. For this reason, we conduct daily safety patrols, regular safety education, and risk assessments.
We also regularly review our protective equipment and strive to select appropriate jigs and use them in the best way.
We have installed a new AED, provide training on its use, and are preparing a system that can save lives in an emergency.
We are requesting accident cases from other companies in the same industry, discussing disaster prevention measures tailored to our situation, and proceeding with equipment renovations.
We have made sure that all employees understand that early extinguishing is the most important thing in the event of a fire at a natural rubber processing factory, and we have created a system in which everyone can use a fire extinguisher.
Recently, we have begun inviting employees who live in company housing on the premises, their families, and business operators who come and go from the company to participate in evacuation drills.
We are also putting a lot of effort into traffic safety education, not only requiring employees to wear helmets when driving motorcycles, but also conducting safety education again before long holidays. As part of our efforts to promote traffic safety, we are distributing free helmets to surrounding schools.
We are also actively cooperating with the government-led campaign to eradicate prohibited substances, and strive to maintain the health and healthy living environment of our employees.
We comply with the law regarding medical insurance and regular health checkups, and ensure equal working conditions for Thai and Myanmar nationals.

Environmental data

• FY: January to December
• Greenhouse gas emissions for the overseas site were calculated based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative.
• Since FY2017, the water usage calculation also includes rainwater figures. Water is reused through complete circulation, resulting in zero water discharge.

Energy-saving activities

As a result of promoting energy-saving activities, the amount of electricity and fuel used per unit of production continues to decrease year by year.
We are actively promoting the introduction of LED lighting both in offices and production sites.
The introduction of solar power generation panels from 2024 is expected to make significant progress in decarbonization efforts.

Biodiversity preservation activities

We continue to carry out biodiversity conservation activities by surveying the fish and birds that live in the retarding pond on our premises and the adjacent Tappee River.
In addition to maintaining and managing the water quality of the reservoir, we have maintained mounds mainly around the reservoir, and since 2011 we have been planting 5,000 trees every year.
We take care to ensure that the reservoir and its surrounding areas are a comfortable habitat for birds and fish. Due to the release of young fish and water flowing in from the surrounding area during the rainy season, many types of fish live in the pond.
The reservoir is open to local residents once a year. The participants are very happy because they catch a lot of fish and are free to take it home with them.
Since our founding, we have continued to use a completely circular water usage method in which the water we use in our factories is used in a washing pond, where it undergoes repeated sedimentation over a period of about two months and then reused. Because we are constantly working to maintain and manage the quality of the factory water, the water quality is almost the same as that of the reservoir.
If it becomes necessary to temporarily transfer water from the washing pond to the retarding pond due to increased precipitation, etc., we conduct a water quality test beforehand.
Furthermore, when discharging water from the reservoir into the surrounding river, we do so only after confirming that it meets water quality standards and obtaining approval from the local government.

We conduct fair and impartial transactions based on Yokohama Rubber's procurement policy.
We regularly visit raw material suppliers to maintain and strengthen relationships, while also explaining our CSR philosophy to deepen their understanding.

Promoting agroforestry farming

Agroforestry farming is a form of mixed cultivation. By growing various crops within rubber plantations through utilizing the spacing between the planted rubber trees, small-scale farmers (smallholders) can develop an additional stable income source by being able to harvest and sell produce, etc. By promoting the adoption of agroforestry farming practices, at YTRC we are working to stabilize the businesses and livelihoods of smallholders.
From 2024, Y.T. Rubber will cultivate fruits such as durian and mango from seeds.
We are planning an initiative to provide seedlings free of charge to farmers who request them. We believe that this activity will further support the promotion of agroforestry farming.
In addition, we are collaborating with experts researching agroforestry farming at universities and providing seedlings to experimental farms being developed by Y.T. Rubber.
At Y.T. Rubber, in order to take advantage of the region's rich vegetation, our employees do everything by hand, from collecting and sorting seeds to cultivating the soil and making containers (pots) for raising seedlings. We provide over 10,000 of the seedlings we grow to local schools, facilities, farmers, and individuals throughout the year, and they have been well received.

CSR Farmers Survey

In order to achieve Yokohama Rubber's goal of ``realizing sustainable natural rubber procurement,'' we have been conducting farmer surveys since 2020 to understand the actual state of natural rubber production.
In 2024, we will visit over 750 farmers in total. We analyze the collected data and use it to consider the direction of new initiatives and make improvements.
With an eye toward improving the traceability of raw materials, we have been actively implementing farmer support activities since 2019, including creating educational opportunities for many farmers and providing free fertilizer.

Awareness-raising and support activities for natural rubber farmers

In order to realize Yokohama Rubber's goal of “sustainable natural rubber procurement”, we regularly hold seminars inviting natural rubber farmers in collaboration with RAOT (Rubber Authority of Thailand), which is under the Ministry of Agriculture.
At the seminar, natural rubber experts give lectures on topics such as “proper application of fertilizer”, “quality improvement,”' and “yield improvement measures”. Y.T. Rubber's quality assurance department explains the importance of eradicating foreign material contamination and strives to deepen understanding of the need to maintain the quality of natural rubber raw materials.
More than 100 farmers participate in this seminar each year, and many of them express their gratitude and say that they have deepened their understanding of the importance of fertilizer and quality.
RAOT is distributing “special fertilizer” that is not commercially available, which is uniquely formulated by RAOT, free of charge to farmers who participate in the event.
In order to analyze the effects of fertilizer, we ask farmers to submit cup lamp raw materials every month, and we monitor changes in quality due to fertilizer.
At the same time, we distribute caps and polo shirts with the YOKOHAMA logo to all event participants, in an effort to foster familiarity with YOKOHAMA.

Quality is managed in accordance with ISO9001, and we continue to make improvements every day with zero customer complaints in mind.

In past years we have participated in monthly meetings with local communities to exchange opinions on the environment and company initiatives and to deepen understanding of company activities. In addition, we also participate in meetings with nearby businesses and public institutions (schools, hospitals, and temples) to exchange information and participate in donation activities in order to cooperate with the development of the region.
We are promoting initiatives for local development by volunteering and sponsoring local tree-planting activities and sporting events.
When a flood occurred in the village surrounding the factory, we immediately provided drinking water and rice to all the affected households in two neighboring villages, and they were greatly appreciated.