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Conserving Biodiversity

Initiatives for Conserving Biodiversity

Basic Concept

To help build a sustainable society, ESPEC provides products and services to customers who are committed to biodiversity conservation as one of their business activities. Also we are working to train personnel who consider and act for the environment in order to develop the human resources needed to support the future.

ESPEC 50 Year Forest

The ESPEC 50 Year Forest is a biodiversity conservation activity intended to create a forest over a period of 50 years. It is one part of events commemorating the 75th anniversary of our founding. In September 2022, the Forestry Agency's "Corporate Forest System*" was utilised to lease 3.68 ha of forest land owned by the national government in Mita City, Hyogo Prefecture for this project.
Around 200 individuals including employees and officials from the ESPEC Group and its suppliers participated in the first tree planting festival that was held in November 2022, planting around 4,000 commercially useful Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) and broad-leaved trees that were selected with consideration for local environmental characteristics. A total of three tree planting festivals will be held, planting around 12,000 trees.

First tree planting festival in the ESPEC 50 Year Forest

* This is a system (shared forest system) for joint creation and development of a forest by a corporation or other entity and the national government, as well as sharing the profits at a fixed ratio after harvesting.

Creating Offices Where People and Animals Live in Harmony

On the grounds of the Kobe R&D Center (Kita-ku, Kobe City), we have the ESPEC forest (a forest grown by employees planting native seedlings), a biotope, and a green roof covered with native species. These efforts and necessary work are planned and implemented by ESPEC MIC, our environmental conservation business. In FY 2023, it also began rearing Japanese honey bees and launched ex situ conservation activities for an endangered species, Nippon Baratanago (Japanese rosy bitterling). In August 2022, the center acquired ABINC Certification from the Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC) and then, in December 2022, received the Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Director-General’s Award from National Award for Greenery Factory. In October 2023, its site was also certified by the Ministry of the Environment as a Natural Symbiosis Site, or an area where biodiversity is conserved through initiatives.

* Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC): An organization whose objective is to create mechanisms for harmony between nature and people, verify them scientifically and technologically, and commercialize them

全国みどりの工場大賞

ABINC

自然共生サイト認定 30by30

• Protecting and Cultivating Rare Endangered Plants

The Technology Development Building at the Kobe R&D Center includes rooftop greenery that is composed 100% of species native to that area. In the grasslands where people can enjoy the many seasonal changes, we are protecting and cultivating rare endangered plant species that were provided through joint research with the Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo. These include Taraxacum japonicum, Cynanchum paniculatum, and Japanese bellflower.

Conclusion of an agreement concerning the promotion of the SDGs with the University of Hyogo
Collaboration and cooperation for conserving biodiversity and resolving environmental and energy problems

In August 2022, we concluded an agreement with the University of Hyogo for collaboration and cooperation aimed at helping to achieve the SDGs.
Based on this agreement, both parties will collaborate and cooperate utilizing their respective knowledge and technologies in four areas: conserving biodiversity; education, learning, and human resource development; the environment and energy; and other research, technical development, and community contributions.

SDGs Agreement Conclusion Ceremony
Mr. Isao Ota, Former President, University of Hyogo(right)
Masaaki Ishida, Chairman ESPEC

Public Trust "ESPEC Foundation for Earth Environmental Research and Technologies"

In 1997 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our foundation and also set up the charitable trust "ESPEC Foundation for Global Environment Research and Technology"; fiscal 2017 marked 20 years since its establishment. This foundation funds research and technological development related to global environmental conservation, as well as education and enlightenment on reforestation. It has been involved in 291 projects so far and disbursed a total of ¥147.40 million. In fiscal 2021, we funded 18 projects out of 80 proposals.
In September 2022, we held a ceremony to commemorate the 25th anniversary of this fund at the Imperial Hotel Osaka.

ESPEC Green School

ESPEC introduced the ESPEC Green School as a place to train environmentally-minded leaders. This school holds seminars and other events across Japan and is classified as a human resource certification or similar business under the Act on Enhancing Motivation on Environmental Conservation and Promoting of Environmental Education. More than 18,000 people have attended seminars at this school. The school also distributes green curtain seedlings each year.

● Conducting Green Curtain Classes at Schools

The Green Schools project conducts classes at elementary schools and other schools across Japan regarding “green curtains,” during which the students actually plant bitter melons to help prevent global warming.

● Training Seminar for Leaders the Creation of Forests
● Hold biodiversity seminars for companies

Since FY2011, we have organized "ESPEC Green School": A Seminar to Train Leaders to Promote the Planting of Forests That Protect Life, in cooperation with Kwansei Gakuin University, using the ESPEC Forest* in Kobe R&D Center as the training venue.
This seminar, which consists of classroom lectures and practical training, is held three times a year (spring, summer, and autumn) and is part of the curriculum of Kwansei Gakuin University.
Since FY2017, we have opened our doors to corporate environmental protection officers, NPOs, NGOs, and members of the general public. Going forward, we will continue to publish information regarding our biodiversity activities through the forests that protect life.

* ESPEC Forest: Forest grown from native seedlings originally found on the premises of Kobe R&D Center.

Nature education for local elementary schools

The Kobe R&D Center offers nature education programs to local elementary schools and implemented them in October 2022 and March 2023. After learning about biotopes, the children visited the center’s biodiverse biotope and green roof to observe a variety of plants and insects.

Kewara Forest Creation Initiative

ESPEC has signed an agreement for the usage and conservation of forests with the Kewara community association in Ōe Town in Fukuchiyama City, and together we are working to conserve forests in the area through the Kewara Forest Creation Initiative. Since 2007, approximately 1,000 employees, including volunteers, have participated in this activity.

● Certification as an affiliated business by the Japan Committee for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity

In March 2018, the Kewara Forest Creation Program was certified as an affiliated business by the Japan Committee for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB-J).

* Certified as a recommended business by the Japan Committee for the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB-J).

Development of a diagnosis program for Kigyo no Mori forests and green areas

Together with ESPEC MIC Corp., we have developed a new program which aims at providing a diagnosis on Kigyo no Mori (forest of companies) and green areas and provide advice on future biodiversity conservation activities. It is possible to identify the unique charm and challenges of such areas from the perspective of nature restoration experts and create an action plan that can best support such restoration. Services will be provided as a simple program that is easy to implement so that it can be used to spearhead biodiversity conservation activities and support company initiatives.

Participation in the 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity

ESPEC and ESPEC MIC are participating in the 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity* that is led by the Ministry of the Environment. As a corporate member of 30by30, the ESPEC Group is contributing to conserving biodiversity by utilizing the technologies and expertise of ESPEC MIC, a company that works in environmental conservation.

* 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity: A volunteer coalition that was established for the purpose of achieving the target of “conserving and protecting a minimum of 30% of land and sea areas in each country by 2030” that all countries committed to at a G7 Summit in June 2021

30by30

Participation in a Biodiversity Working Group

Starting from FY 2015, ESPEC has participated in the Biodiversity Working Group of the Environmental Strategy Liaison Committee, which is composed of 4 electrical equipment and electronics organizations. This working group carries out activities for biodiversity conservation as a collaboration among industry organizations, and ESPEC has used its advanced activities as a reference for further improving the level of its own projects.

ロゴ:生物多様性アクション大賞2018つたえよう部門優秀賞

● The Biodiversity Working Group Awarded the Excellence Award at the Biodiversity Action Awards

In December 2018, the Excellence Award in the Communication Category at the Biodiversity Action Awards 2018 was awarded to the"Let's Try Biodiversity(LTB) the first biodiversity conservation activity for companies" project of the Biodiversity Working Group of the Environmental Strategy Liaison Committee, which is composed of 4 electrical equipment and electronics organizations.

ロゴ:国産ジビエ認証

Building Awareness for Damage Caused by Animals

In recent years, there has been a serious increase in forest damage caused by wild animals. Among other damaging activities, deer eat and destroy agricultural crops and peel off the bark from trees to eat it. Since 2013, the employee cafeteria of the Fukuchiyama Plant has offered a lunch menu that sometimes features wild venison caught locally.This initiative aims to make employees think about damage caused by wild animals as an issue that also affects them.