Executive Summary on the Environment
NSK’s Environmental Policy
A sense of crisis is growing over the advance of global warming and climate change, depletion of resources, chemical pollution of air and water, and loss of biodiversity. All of humanity faces the challenge of learning to live sustainably while protecting the global environment.
Back in 1997, the NSK Group established the NSK Environmental Policy to reflect its commitment across all of its business operations to help protect the global environment, as stated in the NSK Mission Statement. In line with this policy, we strive to develop products and services that help reduce environmental impact, and we work to reduce the impact of our own operations and throughout our value chain. In November 2021, we revised our environmental policy in light of the increased worldwide environmental concerns of recent years and the associated expectations of companies.
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The NSK Group practices global environmental management and is careful to ensure environmental compliance. We are making a difference by helping the world reduce its carbon footprint, maximize recycling, and honor the natural environment. Take, for instance, bearings that decrease energy loss. Through these kinds of advancements, NSK products are helping to reduce environmental impact around the world. The NSK Group is also committed to supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by reducing the environmental impact of its business operations to zero.
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Targets and Performance
Sixth Mid-Term Management Plan Targets (FY2019–2021) and the FY2021 Targets and Performance
| Sixth Mid-Term Management Plan targets | FY2021 targets | FY2021 performance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental management | Maintain ISO 14001 certification at all subject sites | Maintain ISO 14001 certification at all subject sites | Maintained at all subject sites | |
| Obtain ISO 14001 certification within 3 years of starting full-scale operations at a site | No applicable site | No applicable site | ||
| No serious violations of environmental laws and regulations | No serious violations of environmental laws and regulations | No serious violations of environmental laws and regulations | ||
| No serious incidents of environmental pollution | No serious incidents of environmental pollution | No serious incidents of environmental pollution | ||
| Creating environmentally friendly products | Create environmentally friendly products with a Neco score of 1.2 or higher (ongoing) | Continue with new developments | Developed 1 environmentally friendly products | |
| Avoid at least 2 million t-CO2 emissions during the use of NSK products | 2.0 million t-CO2 | 2.33 million t-CO2 | ||
| Fighting global warming and climate change | Manufacturing, technology, offices | CO2 emissions*: 7% reduction from FY2017 | 7% reduction | Reduced by 25.0% |
| Distribution (Japan) | CO2 emissions by transport volume: 4% reduction from FY2017 | 4% reduction | Increased by 5.1% | |
| Resource conservation and recycling measures | Development and design, manufacturing | Reduce waste of materials by changing processing methods (ongoing) | Continue reduction initiatives | Conducted reduction initiatives |
| Manufacturing | Achieve a recycling rate of at least 99% | 99% or higher | 98.8％ | |
| Industrial waste per unit of sales: 4% reduction from FY2017 | 4% reduction | Increased by 9.5% | ||
| Water withdrawal per unit of sales: 4% reduction from FY2017 | 4% reduction | Increased by 5.8% | ||
| Distribution (Japan) | Packaging waste per production unit: 15% reduction from FY2017 | 15% reduction | Increased by 45.3% | |
| Reducing use of environmentally harmful substances | Development and design | Full response to the 10 EU RoHS2 substances | Full response | Ensured full response in newly developed products Continued efforts to completely eliminate harmful substances in manufacturing processes |
| Procurement | Obtain consent to NSK Group Green Procurement Standards In Japan: Maintain 99% or higher Outside Japan: Obtain 99% or higher |
In Japan: Maintain 99% or higher Outside Japan: Obtain 99% or higher |
In Japan: Maintained 99% or higher Outside Japan: Obtained 97% |
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| Response rate for inclusion in NSK Survey of Environmentally Harmful Substances In Japan: Maintain 100% Outside Japan: Obtain 100% |
In Japan: Maintain 100% Outside Japan: Obtain 100% |
In Japan: Maintained 100% Outside Japan: Obtained 84% |
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| Manufacturing (Japan) | Handling of PRTR-designated substances per unit of sales: 1% reduction year on year |
1% reduction from FY2020 | Reduced by 11.1% | |
| Biodiversity conservation | Biodiversity conservation | Identify the factors in operations that could have a negative impact on biodiversity | Continue activities | Continued activities |
| Expand social contribution activities related to biodiversity conservation | Continue activities | Continued activities based on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic | ||
| Educate to deepen employee awareness of issues | Continue activities | Continued activities | ||
* Greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalent) are calculated by multiplying emissions from use of an amount of electricity, fuel, etc., by its respective global warming coefficient. In Japan, the global warming coefficients used are given in the Ministry of the Environment's and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Greenhouse Gas Emission Calculation and Reporting Manual. Outside Japan, the global warming coefficients used are released by electricity providers or given in the International Energy Agency’s CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion.
Environmental Risks and Opportunities
The international community has accelerated its efforts to build a sustainable world with the Paris Agreement, ESG Investments, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While upholding its commitment to protection of the global environment, the NSK Group pursues continued growth by analyzing and responding to risks and opportunities associated with these developments. We identify and assess environmental risks and opportunities in each phase of the value chain, reflecting them in our management strategies and environmental action plans. We conduct this analysis of risks and opportunities on a regular basis.
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Material and Energy Balance
The NSK Group works with suppliers to reduce environmental impact via green procurement and other initiatives. We also strive to reduce the environmental impact of our customers and of society as a whole by providing environmentally friendly products.
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