リード文
- Analysis and Evaluation of Risks and Opportunities related to Climate Change
- Targets and Progress
- Reduction Policy
- Initiatives to reduce Scope 1+2 GHG emissions
- Initiatives to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions
- External evaluation and awards regarding our measures for climate change
ONO considers global warming and other climate changes to be a major threat to people's health and recognizes them as important issues that affect the continuity of our business activities. For these reasons, the Environment Management Committee, the activity of which covers the entire company, and the Carbon Neutrality Sub-Committee, which was established thereunder, take the initiative to engage in various activities to achieve a decarbonized society.
Analysis and Evaluation of Risks and Opportunities related to Climate Change
Risks and opportunities related to climate change are investigated under the leadership of the Environment Management Committee and the TCFD Study Working Group. They identify, analyze, and evaluate risks and opportunities that may have an impact on business. For more details, please refer to Information Disclosure Based on the TCFD Recommendation.
Targets and Progress
We are moving ahead with activities to achieve our medium- to long-term environmental targets, which were updated in FY2023.
Our medium- to long-term environmental targets | Targets and results for FY2023 | |
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 1+2) |
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Renewable Energy Rate in purchased electricity |
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Scope 3) |
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In FY2023, we achieved all of the fiscal year targets we set for achieving our medium- to long-term targets. Scope 1+2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions do not include the amount of CO2 offset through the use of voluntary credits (carbon neutral city gas purchases). When reflecting the amount of CO2 offset by such credits, FY2023 Scope 1+2 GHG emissions equal 14.4kt-CO2, which is a 51.8% reduction compared to FY2017. Scope 3 emissions are calculated using the previous fiscal year's data since the data on the Scope 1+2 emissions of our major suppliers and pharmaceutical wholesalers used to calculate Categories 1 and 9 have yet to be published when calculations are made.
Scope 1+2 Greenhouse gas emissions
- Covered Locations: Fujiyama Plant, Yamaguchi Plant (added from FY2018), Joto Pharmaceutical Product Development Center, Minase Research Institute, Tsukuba Research Institute, Fomer Fukui Research Institute, Head Office, sales offices and other offices, etc.
GHG emissions are calculated in accordance with Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures.
Energy consumption
- Covered Locations: Fujiyama Plant, Yamaguchi Plant (added from FY2018), Joto Pharmaceutical Product Development Center, Minase Research Institute, Tsukuba Research Institute, Fomer Fukui Research Institute, Head Office, sales offices and other offices, etc.
Electricity consumption and renewable energy utilization rate
Reduction Policy
We have established a policy for reducing GHG emissions based on recent energy market trends, costs, and projected changes in emission factors. Our priority measures are avoidance (creating systems that do not use energy), reduction (promoting energy conservation activities), substitution (switching to renewable energy sources, etc.), and offsetting (offsetting through the use of credits).
In addition, in order to promote low-carbon investments and climate change prevention measures, we have set our own internal price for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, introduced internal carbon pricing to be used for making investment decisions, and are promoting investments geared toward realizing a decarbonized society.
Initiatives to reduce Scope 1+2 GHG emissions
Scope 1+2 GHG emissions Reduction Roadmap
ReducePromotion of energy-saving activities
Operational Improvement
- Recover heat from high-temperature wastewater and use it as a heat source
- Review of operations such as equipment operating hours and temperature settings
Most of our energy consumption comes from air conditioning equipment, so we are reviewing the operating hours and temperature settings of air conditioning equipment to an extent that does not affect the quality of our products. Since FY2022, we have been using energy data collection points (electricity, heat, and steam) installed at more than 700 locations within our Fujiyama Plant to grasp daily energy loss and derive potential areas where we can save energy. Visualizing data analysis results, the economic benefits of reducing energy consumption, and sharing that data with employees has helped to increase each employee’s awareness on this matter. As a result, the company has made significant progress in improving facility operations and other initiatives, leading to a 7.8% reduction in CO2 emissions in FY2022 compared to FY2021, and a further 2.3% reduction in FY2023. In recognition of these efforts, the Fujiyama Plant received the "Shizuoka Prefecture Governor's Award for Global Warming Prevention Activities" in FY2023.
Adoption of energy-saving equipment
- Replacing fluorescent lights with LEDs
- Upgrading heat source facility to module-type heat pump chiller
- Adoption of ultrahigh efficiency amorphous transformer with extremely low standby power
- Adoption of low air volume (push/pull type), ultrahigh speed variable air volume (VAV) local ventilation device
- Adoption of sterile isolator system that can limit the area subject to high-grade washing
Participation in demand response
Demand response is positioned as an "optimization of electronic demand" under the Act on Rationalizing Energy Use and Shifting to Non-fossil Energy ("Revised Energy Conservation Act"). We have been striving to optimize the balance of demand and supply of electricity, in addition to electricity saving during regular time since FY2020 by saving and storing electricity (response) in response to the requests from power companies (demand).
Electrification of Energy
- Adoption of large-capacity power storage system (NAS battery system)
- Switching boilers to electric
Fluorocarbon management
In accordance with the Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons (Fluorocarbon Emissions Control Act), we conduct activities, such as the identification of equipment subject to the Act, simple inspections/periodic inspections, generation of records, and calculations/reporting of leakage, etc. In FY2023, the calculated leakage of fluorocarbons remained at a low level of 56.2 tons-CO2. We will continue to prevent leakage and promote the introduction of non-CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) and low-GWP (global-warming potential) equipment in view of the reduction of fluorocarbons emissions. At the same time, we promote the total abolition of devices using CFCs, which include ozone-depleting substances.
Environment-friendly office design
- We have been promoting environmentally friendly office designs, and our Tokyo Building has obtained an S-Class rating under the CASBEE® (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency) *1 certification system. For our U.S. office, we have also selected a building that has received a Gold-level LEED*2 certification. In addition, the administration and welfare building at the Yamaguchi Plant has been designed in an environmentally friendly manner that makes use of energy-saving equipment.
- An evaluation and rating method using the environmental performance of buildings. The quality of buildings is evaluated in a comprehensive manner based not only on considerations for the environment including use of energy-saving and environment-friendly materials, but also on the comfort of the indoor environment and considerations for the surrounding landscape. A class S rating is the highest rating in this five-level rating system.
- An environmental performance evaluation system for buildings and city environments operated by a non-profit organization, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is called LEED, from the initial letters of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
Initiatives That Help to Conserve Resources in Research and Production Processes
Green sustainable chemistry initiatives
In order to develop more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), we adopt the Green Sustainable Chemistry (GSC) concept from the research and development stage. GSC is defined as "chemistry that is friendly to people and the environment and supports the development of a sustainable society." We use Process Mass Intensity* (PMI) as an indicator for evaluating the efficiency of API manufacturing, and are working to develop manufacturing processes for APIs in a manner that is conscious of reducing our impact on the environment from the research-and-development stage.
- PMI is calculated by dividing the total weight of raw materials and materials required for manufacturing APIs by the weight of the API that was manufactured.
Adoption of a continuous manufacturing system
In “batch manufacturing system”, which is the mainstream in pharmaceutical manufacturing, each process is independent, and pharmaceuticals are manufactured by repeatedly isolating intermediate product during each process and moving on to the next process. In “continuous manufacturing system”, on the other hand, multiple processes are integrated into a single process by linking together compact equipment so that production is carried out continuously while each process is controlled for a fixed period of time. Continuous manufacturing therefore offers advantages such as more consistent quality as well as more efficient use of space. We are in the process of converting our wet granulation process from batch manufacturing to continuous manufacturing, and we expect that this transition will enable us to reduce the amount of raw materials (weight) required for development stage by approximately 13%* compared to the batch manufacturing system. In addition, due to space saving, the continuous manufacturing system is expected to be able to reduce facility-operation-related energy consumption by 24.3% compared to batch production. We intend to further expand the scope of continuous manufacturing to achieve further energy and raw material reductions.
- This % value compares how much less raw materials will be needed from using a continuous system for wet granulation (one of the production processes) in contrast to that of a typical batch system.
Continuous manufacturing processes in which we are currently investigated
SubstituteSwitching to Renewable Energy
Adoption of equipment
- Introducing and operating solar power generation facilities: Head Office building (FY2003), Minase Research Institute (FY2015), Tokyo Building (FY2017)
Procuring carbon-neutral energy
- Purchase of electricity under a renewable energy-based electricity menu contract: Minase Research Institute (from FY2019), Yamaguchi Plant (from FY2022), Fujiyama Plant (from FY2023), and Tsukuba Research Institute (from FY023)
Purchased electricity will be changed to 100% renewable energy from FY2023 at Fujiyama Plant, Yamaguchi Plant, and Tsukuba Research Institute. - Purchase of Green Power Certificates (from FY2018), J-Credits (from FY2019), and Non-Fossil Certificates (from FY2021)
We promote the use of renewable energy by purchasing certificates for electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
Green Energy Certificate
CompensateOffset through the use of voluntary credits
- Introducing Carbon offset city gas: Tsukuba Research Institute (from FY2021), Joto Pharmaceutical Product Development Center (from FY2021), and Yamaguchi Plant (from FY2023)
Carbon offset city gas is city gas that offsets (carbon offsets) the GHG produced during the process from raw material mining to combustion with CO2 credits, and is considered to produce no CO2 on a global scale even when burned. The credits are issued by highly reliable international organizations and consist of projects that meet the procurement requirements, quality standards, etc. of the companies that adopt them. These procurement requirements, quality standards, etc., include points such as no significantly adverse effects on the region or ecosystem (in the case of forest projects, avoiding logging and deforestation).
Certificate of Carbon offset city gas Supply
Initiatives to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions
Collaboration with business partners is essential to reducing Scope 3 emissions. That is why we are working together with business partners in our supply chain to solve societal issues by promoting sustainability-related initiatives in areas such as the natural environment, human rights, and working conditions (see here for details). Furthermore, since January 2023, we started jointly distributing ethical pharmaceuticals in Japan in an aim to reduce CO2 emissions by improving transportation efficiency.
External evaluation and awards regarding our measures for climate change
- In the evaluation on climate change conducted by the CDP, a global environmental non-profit organization, we have been selected as an A-List company, the highest rating, for five consecutive years (FY2018-FY2023).
- Under the Act on Rationalizing Energy Use and Shifting to Non-fossil Energy ("Revised Energy Conservation Act"), we have received the highest S rank by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy for nine consecutive years in corporate energy conservation excellence (FY2015-FY2023).
- The Fujiyama Plant received the “Shizuoka Prefecture Governor's Award for Global Warming Prevention Activities” for raising employee awareness on energy saving and improving equipment operation by visualizing energy consumption and other data at the plant (FY2023).
- We were selected as an "Environmentally Sustainable Corporation" in the 5th ESG Finance Awards Japan Environmentally Sustainable Corporation Section (hosted by the Ministry of the Environment) since our information disclosure fulfills the pre-determined standards (FY2023).
- Our offices in Osaka won the “Osaka Governor’s Award for Climate Change Measures” (FY2021).
- The Minase Research Institute received the “Osaka Governor's Osaka Stop Global Warming Award” (FY2020).
- We won an award in the “Activity Implementation and Promotion” category of the Minister of the Environment’s Commendation for Global Warming Prevention Activity (Ministry of the Environment) (FY2019).