Satisfaction for the Global Environment
Via resource recycling initiatives that use limited resources and energy without wasting them, we will take on climate change and other challenges confronting a sustainable society, and strive to create a resilient society that preserves the beautiful global environment.
Materiality
- Engaging with climate change issues via corporate activities
- Developing goods, services and mechanisms to encourage the recycling of resources
- Investigating and reducing hazardous chemical substances
Related SDGs
Individual thoughts on Satisfaction for the Global Environment
Engaging with climate change issues via corporate activities
Environmental Philosophy/ Environmental Policy of PLUS Group
We engage in a variety of environmental conservation activities while understanding the environmental impact of our business, based on the PLUS Group Environmental Philosophy and Environmental Policy.
Environmental Philosophy
Realization of socially optimality system
PLUS Corporation omits the unnecessary duplication from raw material procurement to manufacturing, sales, use, disposal, collection and recycling based on the corporate philosophy "Unique Values - Higher Satisfaction." stated in "PLUS no kokoro".
PLUS contributes to the sustainable development of a recycling-oriented economic society in which resources and energy are effectively utilized without waste by discovering and creating "social optimality system" which reconstructs businesses in a rational and simple manner.
- Product Development
As a manufacturer, we strive to develop unique, ecological and user-friendly products which create a new value for consumer. - Distribution Development
From a social point of view beyond the scope of a company, we work on reconstruction of the business structure to improve efficiency of distribution by sharing functional capabilities in distribution network.
Environmental Policy
We put our Environmental Philosophy into action according to the following principle.
- We consider the environmental impact of our business activities, products and services, and strive to prevent pollution.
- We develop unique environmentally friendly products and services that create new value.
- We promote environmental conservation activities in all areas of our business activities.
- We reduce the environmental load by eliminating any overlapping operation.
- We comply with all relevant environmental laws and regulations, and requirements agreed upon by each department.
- We will grasp the environmental impact of our business practices, set environmental objectives and targets for improvement, operate plans, review them, and strive for continuous improvement of our environmental management system.
- We strive to conserve energy and resources as well as to reduce and recycle waste in our business practices.
- We seek to raise awareness of environmental conservation among employees through environmental education.
- We share this environmental policy with all employees working in PLUS and people working with PLUS, and make it accessible to the general public.
Conceptual Life Cycle Diagram
Engaging with climate change issues via corporate activities
Recognizing that measures against climate change are an important challenge in the creation of a sustainable society, the entire Group will endeavor to gain a grasp of the volume of greenhouse gas emissions generated through all business activities, including procurement, manufacturing, sales, and delivery, and strive to reduce them.
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1. Calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and set reduction targets
calculate and reduction CO2 emissions
In 2020, PLUS Corporation published environmental performance data for the stationery business field. In 2021, the scope of our calculations was expanded and we published environmental performance data for the furniture business field.
In the environmental performance data we calculate and publish Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions (CO2 equivalent) and the material balance for each business field, as well as the environmental impact intensity, waste product breakdown, recycled content ratio, volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions, and chemical substances consumption. Our environmental performance data is subjected to independent third-party assurance to boost the reliability of the data.Environmental Performance Data
Reporting period: FY2022 (2022.1.1~2022.12.31)
Guidelines: Ministry of the Environment "Environmental Reporting Guidelines FY2018"/ ISO 26000Reportable organizations:
Furniture business field PLUS Corp. Furniture company Maebashi Plant Stationery business field PLUS Corp. Stationery company Yorii Plant PLUS Corp. Stationery company Tokorozawa Plant PLUS Corp. Stationery company Osaka Plant Nippon Notebook Corp. Okayama Plant PLUS VIETNAM INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.(Dong Nai Province, Vietnam) PLUS Stationery Shanghai Co., Ltd.(Shanghai City, China) SHANTOU PLUS INSTRUMENTS CO., LTD.(Shantou City, China) Independent third-party assurance report
Environmental performance data for PLUS Corporation's furniture and stationery business fields has been third-party verified by Sustainability Accounting Co., Ltd. for the reliability of information disclosure.
Independent third-party assurance report
click on the thumbnail to enlargeGHG emissions (CO2 equivalent) for Furniture business field + Stationery business field
Scope1 4,464 t-CO2 Scope2 23,407 t-CO2 Scope3 136,105 t-CO2 Forest absorption -37 t-CO2 Total 163,939 t-CO2 -
2. Engage in initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions
Initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions from our businesses and plants
With the aim of achieving a low-carbon society, we implement energy-saving action in locations such as our offices and plants, as well as other initiatives against global warning.
Action Location Content of the initiative Installation of solar panels Maebashi Plant In November 2013, we installed solar panels on the roof of Center Factory※1 and established the PLUS Maebashi Plant Power Plant. It has a power generation output of 500 kW. The annual power generation in fiscal year 2022 was 543,565 kWh (106.9% compared to the previous fiscal year), and the annual CO2 emission reduction was 243 t※2. All the generated power is sold to TEPCO. - ※1
Center Factory is a metal furniture factory that produces desks and cabinets.
※2Calculation based on the TEPCO CO2 emission coefficient (0.000447) submitted to the website of the Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan in fiscal 2022.
Yorii Plant We have installed solar panels on the roof of the facility where we are tenanted. There are instruments that display the daily amounts of power generated and power used, and the sunlight intensity, and energy-saving measures are thoroughly enforced. Reuse of Waste Heat Maebashi Plant Atelier Factory※3 in PLUS LAND effectively uses the exhaust heat from the large dust collector in the factory. The warm air discharged during product processing is purified and circulated for air conditioning (heating) in the factory. - ※3
Factory for wooden furniture production, furnished with a studio for researching prototypes and handling custom-made orders.
Yorii Plant Effective use is made of waste heat from compressors. In the summer, warm air is released to the outside through ducts in the plant to adjust the air conditioning (cooling) inside, and in the winter, it is circulated indoors (for heating). The Top Light system Maebashi Plant As part of our initiatives to conserve energy, we have installed large lighting windows in key areas of the Atelier Factory ceiling. The top light system utilizes openings in the ceiling, and can be expected to let in three times more light than windows installed in walls. It is particularly effective for large buildings such as plants where light from wall openings does not penetrate as far as the central areas. Use of roof insulation Maebashi Plant
Yorii PkantThe roofs of the Atelier Factory and the Tokorozawa Plant, which is the production base for stamps, are covered with heat insulating material to save on energy used by the air conditioning equipment. It reduces the impact of outside temperature, and thus decreases the consumption of energy sources such as electricity, gas, and oil used for the air conditioning. Installation of Electric Energy Meters PLUS VIETNAM INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD We are working to reduce power consumption by changing from fluorescent and high voltage lights to LED lights in the plant and improving the efficiency of energy use at existing manufacturing facilities. In order to measure the effectiveness of these measures, electricity consumption is being monitored by watt-hour meters installed in each electrical box. Application of insulation PLUS VIETNAM INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD Electricity consumption and CO2 emissions were successfully reduced by applying insulation to the T-dies※4 of inflation molding machines and heavy extruders, and to the screw sections of the injection molding machines.※5 - ※4
Molds used for film production
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Machine that molds thermally melted plastic by pouring it into a mold
Application of Inverter PLUS VIETNAM INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD We have successfully reduced power consumption and CO2 emissions by using inverters※6 instead of magnetic starters to modify the output of hydraulic pump motors on the plastic crushers and injection molding machines. - ※6
Device for fine control of motor rotation
Light-Down Campaign PLUS Corporation
Group companies in JapanFollowing on from the "CO2 Reduction/Light-Down Campaign" launched by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan in 2003, we are intensifying our PLUS Light-Down Campaign. We are implementing it in tandem with work style reforms and have set a target that "all employees leave work and switch off the office lights by 19:00." On July 13, 2022, we called upon employees at 11 locations, including our Toranomon Headquarters, to leave work by 19:00, and the lights were all switched off simultaneously. As a result we achieved a 3,663 kWh※7 reduction in power consumption, and a 1,623kg-CO2※7 reduction in CO2 emissions. - ※7
Calculated for lighting equipment only. The calculation is for the three hours between 19:00 and 22:00, on the assumption that lights which are usually on until 22:00 were switched off by 19:00.
Plus/Minus One Degree Campaign PLUS Corporation
Some Group companies in JapanAs an energy-saving initiative in our offices, we implemented our Plus/Minus One Degree Campaign where the office temperature setting is moved by one degree centigrade. During the summer months from June to September 2022, the standard temperature setting was changed from 25℃ to 26℃, and in the winter months from November 2022 to March 2023 it was changed from 26℃to 25℃.※8 These efforts were to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions. - ※8
During the period from November 2022 to March 2023, the Toranomon Office implemented the Plus/Minus Two Degrees Campaign where the standard temperature setting was lowered two degrees from 26℃ to 24℃.
Reducing CO2 emissions via reductions in plastic raw materials
We are striving to reduce CO2 emissions via reduced use of plastic raw materials. PLUS VIETNAM INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. is our production hub of stationery products. At the Bien Hoa Plant, plastic resin offcuts generated during product molding are put into a crusher with a robot arm and recycled for use as raw materials, and the Nhon Trach Plant has taken steps to reduce the amount of plastic resin wasted when changing polypropylene sheet rolls.
Amount of recycled plastic used
Of the 4,426 kg of plastic used at the Nhon Trach Plant and the 1,707 t used at the Bien Hoa Plant, roughly 300 t is recycled for use
Developing goods, services and mechanisms to encourage the recycling of resources
In order to make efficient use of limited resources, we promote resource-saving design and reuse waste materials such as offcuts and used products to reduce the amount of raw materials utilized and waste generated, while also promoting the creation of products with a view to recycling. We carry out in-depth research from the perspectives of materials, design and recycling technology, and propose new systems and services.
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1. Galvanize initiatives aimed at a circular economy
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2. Promote a total recycling system for used office furniture
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3. Develop environmentally friendly products
Investigating and reducing hazardous chemical substances
We will switch from raw materials which contain chemical substances that may cause water, air, or soil contamination, or may have a worrying impact on the human body, to safer raw materials. We strive for appropriate disclosure of information regarding chemical substances to our employees and customers, and provide safe and reliable products that pay due consideration to the global environment.
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1. Thoroughly control chemical substances and hazardous substances in products
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2. Provide information for the safe use of products
It is necessary to know the volume of CO2 emissions before reducing them. We first calculated and disclosed the volume of emissions from our plants in 2020. Since then, we continue to expand the scope of our investigations. Henceforward we must enter the reduction phase, so our company has carried out organizational restructuring for that purpose.
Going forward, we are also looking at reductions and disclosure of information on the part of the entire Group. We will work on both product development and sustainability implementation to fulfill our responsibilities as a member of society, and to become a Group of which the next generation of young people will say, "I want to work for a company like that."
Sustainability implementation, CSR Division, Stationery Company