We made these identifications in light of international trends, including the growing popularity of ESG investing as well as more emphasis being placed on the SDGs and the adoption of the Paris Agreement.
The social issues affecting our businesses, as well as stakeholders’ expectations and demands, have changed rapidly amid the growing global importance of sustainability, particularly the problem of climate change. In response to these circumstances, we re-identified 11 ESG material issues for manufacturing, the environment, employees, and the management foundation of the Group.
Identification Process
STEP1: Identify ESG Issues
ESG Issues are identified based on a comprehensive consideration of international frameworks, external initiatives, and guidelines related to sustainability.
STEP2: Perform a 2-axis Evaluation of Importance
The importance of ESG issues to stakeholders is plotted on the vertical axis, based on weights assigned by research organizations such as the FTSE, MSCI and SASB. The importance to the Group is plotted on the horizontal axis following a management review. A materiality map is created based on these results.
STEP3: Identification of ESG Materiality
We set our 11 ESG materiality by adding elements that support the people who are essential for our business activities. As well, we will drive growth through those issues that are important to both stakeholders and the Sanwa Group (shown above). At the same time, we integrated and reorganized the content of our priorities and put that into words.
STEP4: Setting Targets (KPIs) / Disclosure of results
In May 2022, we established targets (KPIs) to be achieved over the medium and long term that are linked to each ESG materiality, with the aim of realizing the Sanwa Global Vision 2030. Our progress against these targets is disclosed annually.
ESG Materiality
| Theme | ESG Materiality | SDGs to which we can contribute |
|---|---|---|
|
Manufacturing  |
Mitigate/adapt to climate change, prevent disaster loss through products and services |  |
| Quality Assurance and Enhancement | ||
|
Environment  |
Initiatives Towards a Decarbonized Society |  |
| Water Resources Conservation | ||
| Waste Reduction | ||
|
People  |
Respect for Human Rights |  |
| Human Resource Development | ||
| Promotion of Diversity | ||
| Health and Safety | ||
|
Management  |
Corporate Governance |  |
| Compliance |
The Sanwa Group has been protecting lives and property from disasters and crime while contributing to the realization of a safe, secure, comfortable society. We do this by supplying fenestration products globally that prevent, protect, and separate, including shutters, doors, and partitions.
When the Sanwa Group was first founded, shutters were widely used to prevent crime, but there has since been gradually growing demand for protection against fire, smoke, and earthquakes. In recent years, demand has been growing for products that improve a building’s energy efficiency (to help decarbonize society), so has demand been growing for waterproof and wind-resistant products in response to more intense rain and typhoons due to climate change. We are helping to address societal issues with proven technology and quality to create both a sustainable society and to fulfill increasingly diverse requirements.
Mitigate/adapt to climate change, prevent disaster loss through products and services
Quality Assurance and Enhancement
To contribute to the transition to a decarbonized society, the Sanwa Group is proactively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by making all business processes more energy efficient and by using renewable energy. In May 2022, the Group set a FY2024 reduction target of 10% (Sanwa Shutter Corporation) from the FY2019 level, in addition to the existing FY2030 reduction target of 30% (Sanwa Shutter Corporation) from the FY2019 level.Furthermore, the Group aims to achieve virtually zero CO2 emissions from business activities by 2050,promoting efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.
We will also supply products and services that conserve resources to help convert our existing mass production/consumption economy into a circular economy. We will do this by reducing the use of raw materials, increasing production yields, extending product lifespans, streamlining packaging, promoting green purchasing, and designing for easier recycling.
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Initiatives Towards a Decarbonized Society
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Water Resources Conservation
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Waste Reduction
The Sanwa Group regards our people, the source of our competitiveness, as the most important management resource. The Group will achieve sustained growth in corporate value by offering a pleasant, fulfilling employment experience to every employee; by respecting human rights and diversity; by providing equal growth opportunities and evenhanded performance evaluations, regardless of gender or age; and by ensuring a safe, accommodating work environment.
In particular, the installers that support our access systems are aging. In response, we are now recruiting workers and improving safety in several ways: offering more educational opportunities, increasing employee benefits, reducing the labor required for installing products, and using management systems for installation processes.
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Respect for Human Rights
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Human Resource Development
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Promotion of Diversity
Health and Safety
The Sanwa Group will contribute to attaining the SDGs’ goals by proactively addressing the three themes mentioned above.
To build the foundation for these activities, we believe that developing transparent, sound management systems and conducting business activities with fairness and integrity through strict compliance and risk management are essential for supporting our operations and contributing to reaching the SDG’s targets.
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Corporate Governance
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Compliance
ESG Materiality and Contributing to SDGs
In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and set 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that included 169 targets.
As a Group with operations in 27 countries/regions and one that uses the earth’s limited resources, we believe that a part of the mission of the Sanwa Group is helping to attain the SDGs through our business processes, products, and services.
In the Sanwa Global Vision 2030, announced in May 2022, we outlined our intention to achieve a virtuous cycle of increased earnings and resolving social issues through our core business by providing high-performance solutions to important social issues, such as climate change.
