Conservation of Biodiversity
Guidelines for Biodiversity
Recognizing the conservation of biodiversity as a critical global challenge, Niterra Group identifies it as a material environmental issue for us to address, along with global warming mitigation and resource recycling.
For this reason, in April 2013 we established the Niterra Group Biodiversity Action Guidelines, which outline our policy on biodiversity conservation.
Environmental Policy <Appendix>
Niterra Group Biodiversity Action Guidelines
Basic Philosophy
The Niterra Group recognizes that biodiversity is essential for a sustainable society and that the use of energy and resources and emissions of environmentally hazardous substances have an impact on biodiversity. We will work with our suppliers and external organizations to reduce environmental impact in all our business activities and promote actions to conserve biodiversity.
Major Initiatives
- Basic stance
We comply with laws and regulations related to biodiversity. - Business sites
In addition to giving due consideration to the impact on the ecosystem when opening, expanding or closing a business site, we will strive to reduce energy and resource consumption, emissions of environmentally hazardous substances, and noise and vibration in all business activities. - Products
We will strive to develop and market products that not only contribute to reducing energy and resource use and environmentally hazardous substance emissions but also are easy to recycle at the time of disposal. - Procurement
We will promote green procurement that takes biodiversity into consideration and ask our suppliers for their understanding of and cooperation in the conservation of biodiversity. - Awareness
We will raise awareness of biodiversity among all employees and encourage them to engage in conservation activities on a voluntary and continuous basis.
Initiatives for Biodiversity
Based on the "Niterra Group Guidelines on Biodiversity," we recognize that activities such as energy and resource use have an impact on biodiversity, and we will work in cooperation with our business partners and external organizations to reduce that impact in all our business activities.
Provision of closed-type land-based aquaculture systems
Niterra AQUA, a group company, offers a closed-type land-based aquaculture system that utilizes water quality control sensing technology to recycle and reuse aquaculture water. This system aims to reduce reliance on natural marine resources and curb overfishing, while also reducing environmental impact through the recycling and reuse of aquaculture wastewater. Furthermore, it supports water temperature management using waste heat from nearby factories and power plants, as well as unused heat sources such as hot springs and geothermal energy, and can be installed on existing idle land such as former factory sites and parking lots.
Implementation of a closed system
At the Ise Plant, a "closed system" for production wastewater has been implemented to protect the rich natural environment of the surrounding area. Production wastewater is not discharged outside the plant premises, but is purified and reused on-site.
Planting mainly native species
In the area surrounding the "SUISO no MORI hub" in a corner of the Komaki factory, native tree species such as Japanese evergreen oak, Japanese holly, and Japanese laurel have been planted to create an environment that harmonizes with the local natural environment.
Furthermore, at the Satsuma Plant, as part of its tree management on the premises, after felling trees, they select and plant tree species that were previously planted there, such as plum trees.
Eradication of Coreopsis lanceolata
As one of our initiatives outside of our regular business activities, we participate every year in an activity to eradicate the invasive alien species "Coreopsis lanceolata" in Komaki City, in collaboration with Komaki City's Natural Environment Observers (citizens registered with the city through a public application process) and neighboring companies.
Furthermore, starting in fiscal year 2024, we participated in the eradication of Coreopsis lanceolata in the Kukuri district of Kani City at the Nittoku Spark Tech WKS Nino Plant. We plan to continue these efforts in the future.
Disclosure of information regarding nature-related risks and opportunities.
To further advance our efforts in biodiversity conservation, we joined the Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) Forum in October 2023.
Then, in January 2024, we expressed our intention to disclose information in line with the disclosure recommendations (TNFD Recommendations) published by TNFD in September 2023 by fiscal year 2025, and completed registration as a TNFD Early Adopter. Through this, we will promote highly transparent information disclosure regarding nature-related risks and opportunities and fulfill our accountability to our stakeholders.
Education and awareness-raising regarding biodiversity
To raise employees' awareness of the relationship between our group's business activities and biodiversity, we conducted video-based training for employees of our company and domestic group companies in fiscal years 2023 and 2025. Employees watched videos about the importance of biodiversity, global trends, understanding its dependencies and impacts in our group's value chain, and our group's stance on biodiversity, and then took a check test to confirm their understanding. These videos are also posted on our intranet so that they can be viewed at any time.
Participation in industry associations and initiatives
Our group is participating in the following initiatives to promote biodiversity:
- Business and Biodiversity Initiative (JBIB)