Biodiversity
Sumitomo Pharma is taking action in accordance with the policy that states, "we recognize that our business activities benefit significantly from biodiversity, while the environmental impacts associated with these activities can adversely affect it. We are committed to mitigating both our nature-related dependencies and impacts." These efforts are summarized in the table below.
Additionally, in our medium-term environmental plan (FY2024-FY2026), we have set a goal to "provide timely and appropriate information disclosure and engage in active dialogue." We are working toward disclosing information based on the TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) recommendations.
Our policy and goals are compatible with Keidanren Declaration for Biodiversity and Guideline (Revised Edition)*1, which aims to realize a sustainable society through building a society in harmony with nature, and we endorse its aim.
- *1Keidanren Declaration for Biodiversity and Guideline: https://www.keidanren.or.jp/en/policy/2023/082_proposal.html
Relationship between Our Business Activities and Biodiversity
We have summarized the relationship between our business activities and biodiversity, along with our related initiatives, in the table below.
Moving forward, we plan to conduct detailed analysis in line with the TNFD recommendations, followed by the identification and assessment of related risks and opportunities.
| Indicator*2 | Business Activities | Relationship with Biodiversity | Our Efforts to Mitigate Dependency/Impact | Details of Initiatives | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dependency/ Impact | Explanation | ||||
| GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Emissions | Raw material procurement Transportation (upstream) Research & development, production (direct operations) Transportation (downstream) Usage |
Impact | Climate change due to the increase in GHG in the atmosphere is deteriorating the living environment of organisms. | Sumitomo Pharma Group has obtained certification from the Science Based Targets initiative in November 2023, and has developed a roadmap for reducing GHG emissions in Scope 1 and 2, and is working towards achieving the targets. For Scope 3, we are also working toward achieving our targets by collecting primary data from suppliers and collaborating with our business partners. | Carbon Neutrality Information Disclosure Based on TCFD Recommendations (Response to Climate Change) |
| Water Resource Utilization | Raw material procurement Research & development, production (direct operations) |
Dependency/ Impact | There is a dependency on water quality and supply volume, and excessive water usage can lead to the deterioration of water sources and impact the surrounding ecosystem. | Water resources are essential for our business activities, including pharmaceutical manufacturing. We have set a Medium- to Long-term Environmental Goals of "reducing water withdrawal to below the fiscal 2020 level by fiscal 2030," and are working to reduce water withdrawal. | Water・Resource Circulation |
| Emissions to Air and Water | Raw material procurement Research & development, production (direct operations) |
Impact | Soil, air, and water pollution caused by chemicals can deteriorate the living environment of living organisms. | We have installed recovery equipment for major chlorinated solvents to prevent leakage into the environment. We have also set voluntary standards that are stricter than the environmental standards for wastewater from our main production and some research sites to prevent environmental pollution. | Pollution Prevention |
| Emissions to Water/ Waste Generation | Raw material procurement Production (direct operations) |
Impact | Antibiotics released into the environment as wastewater or other waste cause antimicrobial resistance (AMR), potentially leading to more widespread disease outbreaks. | We regularly conduct internal audits of our manufacturing site based on the Antibiotic Manufacturing Standard *3 published by the AMR Industry Alliance as a benchmark for responsible antibiotic manufacturing, to ensure that there are no issues. | ー |
| Waste Generation | Raw material procurement Transportation (upstream) Research & development, production (direct operations) Transportation (downstream) Usage |
Impact | Improper disposal of waste, especially hazardous waste, can cause pollution and deteriorate the living environment of organisms. | We have set numerical targets for the recycling rate and final disposal rate of waste, and have also set a target for the recycling rate of waste plastics, actively working on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) of waste. | Water・Resource Circulation |
| Utilization of Energy Resources, Biological Resources, etc. | Raw material procurement Research & development, production (direct operations) |
Dependency | Overexploitation or overconsumption of resources can lead to species extinction and irreversible degradation of ecosystem services. | We are working on resource conservation and effective use of resources through the implementation of green procurement guidelines for office supplies, converting waste into valuable materials, and entrusting recyclable waste to recycling contractors, as well as promoting energy conservation. We also request our business partners to work on efficient use of resources and sustainable procurement through the "Sustainable Code of Conduct for Business Partners," and conduct surveys on the initiatives of our major suppliers. |
Carbon Neutrality Water・Resource Circulation Together with Business Partners |
| Use of Genetically Modified Organisms | Research & development (direct operations) | Impact | Genetically modified organisms, depending on their characteristics, may cause a rapid decline in wild animals and plants, and are of concern for their potential impact on biodiversity. | When conducting gene recombination experiments for drug discovery research, we comply with the Act on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity through Regulations on the Use of Living Modified Organisms (Cartagena Act) and ensure their safety management. | Drug Discovery Research / Product Development Research |
- *2 Indicators on which the pharmaceutical sector has a potentially high dependency/impact in the assessment tools of ENCORE*4(2024 update) and WWF Biodiversity Risk Filter *5
- *3 Antibiotic Manufacturing Standard：https://www.amrindustryalliance.org/antibiotic-manufacturing-standard/
- *4 ENCORE（Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure）：https://encorenature.org/en
- *5 WWF Biodiversity Risk Filter：https://riskfilter.org/biodiversity/home
Owls Forest Conservation Project at the Sumitomo Pharma Forest
Shortage of manpower for the proper maintenance of forests in Japan today is a serious problem, sounding an alarm to deterioration of forests' biodiversity conservation function. Invasion by pervasive bamboos is particularly serious in many places, and is adversely affecting conservation of biodiversity. The importance of collaborative forest restoration efforts among the government, business and local communities is strongly felt for sustainable maintenance of healthy forests.
Between October 2015 and September 2020, Sumitomo Pharma participated in the Owls Forest Restoration
Project,
which was promoted by the City of Kishiwada, Osaka. Within the framework of Osaka Prefecture's "Adopt
Forest"
program, we worked together with a local NPO called Konoyama Conservation Club.
We named a 0.45-hectare-large portion of satoyama natural woodland in Sangayama-cho, Kishiwada City as
"Sumitomo Pharma Forest" to rejuvenate and maintain the rich natural environment where owls--the apex
predator
of the ecological pyramid in this area--can live. With this aim in mind, we responsibly endeavored to form a
sound satoyama environment through a five-year plan. As a result, Sumitomo Pharma Forest and its surrounding
forests have been improved, with owls returning to nest boxes installed near the Forest and restoration of
the
ecosystem being observed.
In order to maintain and improve this ecosystem, we engaged in environmental conservation activities in this
area as part of “Owls Forest Conservation Project” from October 2020 to September 2023.
The status of Sumitomo Pharma Forest activities in which employees and their families have participated is as follows.
| Fiscal year | Participants |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 60 (The project came to a close in September 2023 due to some positive outcomes observed.) |
| 2022 | 63 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2019 | 128 |
| 2018 | 127 |
| 2017 | 187 |
| 2016 | 166 |
| 2015 | 136 |
Splints were installed using felled bamboo to clearly distinguish between planted trees and weeds (April, 2023)
At the start of each activity, explain the purpose of the activity and safety measures (May, 2023)
Installing a fence using felled bamboo around a pond in the Sumitomo Pharma Forest (June, 2023)