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Environmental Management
Environmental Sustainability Report 2005

Harmonious Co-existence with the Society

The Kobe Steel Group aims at harmonious co-existence and cooperation with society. As an environmentally advanced corporate group, we contribute to local communities and promote international cooperation through social participation either by the Group and its employees.



Contribution to local communities
Kobe Steel's works and plants contribute to the beautification of local landscapes by participating in clean-up campaigns and other activities. In addition, they contribute to communities through social service activities.

In fiscal 2004, for example, we dispatched an environment lecturer to Amagasaki Technical High School in Hyogo Prefecture to support local environmental education.


Environmental education at
Amagasaki Industrial High School

Clean Monday
(Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.)

Renovation of Ikariyama Wind and Solar Power Generation Equipment

Kobe Steel supported the refurbishment of power generation equipment for lights on two mountains, Shishozan and Ikariyama, in Kobe. The equipment was refurbished as the generators had become old. The generators power two illuminations, which represent the port city of Kobe. With a one-propeller wind power generator and two solar panels, about 80% of the power for the illuminations could be covered after the remodeling.
Ikariyama wind and solar power generation equipment

Completion commemorative ceremony

Volunteer Activities by employees
Works and plants, Group companies Activities
Moka Plant "Tochinoki Club," a group consisting of foremen, the Assistant Manager Association, and the Teamleader Group, as well as their families and others, clean up the Kinugawa River riverbed twice a year.
Shinko Moka Sohgo Service Ltd. Participates in the Kinugawa River riverbed clean-up activities twice a year.
Kobelco Logistics, Ltd. Participates in clean-up activities around the plant every month.
Saijo Plant Carries out clean-up activities of roads around the plant every month.
Kobe Welding Wire Co., Ltd. Participates in clean-up activities in the industrial area in May, and mowing and clean-up activities in school zones around the plant with the local Children's Association in June.
Shinko Bolt, Ltd.
Shinko Kohan Kako, Ltd.
Participate in community clean-up activities in Ichikawa City twice a year at 79 locations.
Genesis Technology Inc. Carries out beautification activities around each plant in Nishiwaki, Tokorozawa, and Oita twice a year.
Shinko Engineering Co., Ltd. Carries out beautification activities around the office and the plant twice a year.
Shinko Electric Co., Ltd. The Toyohashi Plant carries out beautification activities around the plant twice a year.
Kobe Special Tube Co., Ltd. Implements clean-up activities of green zones around the plant every month.
Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd. Carries out clean-up activities, or Clean Monday activities, around the head office with nearby Shinko Hospital every Monday.

Chofu Plant receives appreciation award from Governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture

Chofu plant received an appreciation award from the Governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture in August 2004 for contributing to road conservation through clean-up and beautification activities. The award is given every year in August, during Road Fureai Month, which promotes road safety and driving comfort.

"What can we do to contribute to the community?" The clean-up activities started from this question. Since July 2000, around 30 employees have participated in the clean-up of the sidewalks, tree-planted areas, and bus stops along Route 9 in front of the plant.

Road beautification activity

Kobe Steel Group's environmental management activity wins the fiscal 2004 Kobe City Award for Distinguished Environmental Service

Kobe City presented the award in October 2004, for environmental preservation activity in various quarters, such as tree-planting campaign, recycling wastes, promoting energy saving, and establishing funds for supporting environmental preservation activities.

The award is aimed at improving and developing environmental preservation activities and also helping to diffuse and inspire such activities, by praising distinguished services that contribute to improvement and development of Kobe's environmental preservation activities.

Encouraged by this award, Kobe Steel will further pursue group environmental management.

Presentation of Award


Harmonious Co-existence with the Local Society
Shinko Kobe Power Inc. supplies heat from power generation to three sake breweries in the Nishigo area (one of the five areas known for sake brewing in Kobe and Nishinomiya City) in Nada-ku, Kobe.

At the breweries, the steam sent from the power station is used in such processes as steaming rice, washing bottles, and heating. As a result, the breweries do not have to use their own boilers. By effectively using the surplus heat, Kobe Steel contributes to saving energy in the local community.

Steam generator


Supporting Environmental Activities
Kobe Steel established the Kobelco Natural Environment Conservation Fund and the Kobelco Environment Creation Fund in April 2001, to support people involved in activities to conserve the natural environment.

Our environmental preservation activities attach importance to various technical approaches that transcend conventional business segment boundaries within the Kobe Steel Group and activities at the popular level. Kobe Steel will continue to support wide-ranging environmental conservation activities that contribute to society.





Tree planting in Mongolia

Name Kobelco Natural Environment Conservation Fund Kobelco Environment Creation Fund
Target Community-based environmental conservation activities by local residents
Relatively large-scale environmental preservation activities with great potential and great contribution to the environment
Activities in
fiscal 2004
Supported a total of 31 environmental conservation activities including conservation activities of woodlands near cities, research on fallen trees by typhoons, nature observation, biotope making, tree planting and afforestation activities, environmental education, and global warming prevention activities
  1. Forest conservation and recovery support project
  2. Support of environmental education in Hyogo Prefecture


Providing facilities for the community
Shinko Kobe Power Station opened an educational facility for the community called Nadahama Science Square within the premises of Kobe Works on April 1, 2004. This interactive center is a museum of steelmaking, power generation, energy, and the environment. Nadahama Science Square has a biotope where insects and wild birds gather and wind power generation facilities are installed, with photovoltaic panels located on the rooftop. The facility is primarily intended for elementary and junior high school children, and the 30 exhibits in seven corners help visitors experience the joy and wonders of science and technology by viewing, touching and experiencing. The most popular corner is the "Ride Machine" where you can experience steelmaking and power generation through projected images and vibrations.

Together with the adjoining Nadahama Garden Baden and Nadahama Sports Zone, Nadahama Science Square serves as a community center for local residents.


Nadahama Science Square



Nadahama Science Square


Exchanges with the community
To introduce Kobe Steel's business operation and environmental efforts and to show how energy-saving and recycling are important, our works and plants have expanded their communication with local communities by organizing facility tours and holding open houses for the public on specific days. Furthermore, our works and plants are actively striving to communicate with local communities through environmental events.
Kakogawa Works was opened to the public for the 14th Shinko Kakogawa Festival. About 130,000 people attended the event held in October 2004. Kakogawa was opened to the public, and refreshment booths were set up by local neighborhood associations and groups and Kobe Steel employees. Various events including a product exhibition also took place. Visitors participated in talent shows and enjoyed plant tours of Kakogawa Works.
In addition, a summer festival is held at Fujisawa Industrial Operations every August, while the Ibaraki Plant opens its playing field to youth baseball teams every weekend.

The Shinko Kakogawa Festival


Summer festival at Fujisawa Industrial Operations


Greening of Works and Plants
To improve the quality of the surrounding environment and contribute to the absorption of CO2 in the air, Kobe Steel's works and plants are building green zones around the facilities and growing plants on their premises.
Greening of plant


International Cooperation
The Kobe Steel Group is promoting international cooperation initiatives through providing trainees from abroad with opportunities and technical training, capitalizing on its broad experience in environment and energy fields.

Trainees of East Asia acid rain monitoring network
(Kobelco Eco-Solutions Co., Ltd.)

Cooperation Country / Region Organization concerned
Accepted EMECS (International Center for the Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal Seas) trainees Middle East, Southeast Asia, others JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)
Accepted trainees for preventing air pollution including acid rains
Southeast Asia, others Air Pollution Control Division, Hyogo Prefectural Government
Accepted environmental protection technology trainee group from Guangdong province China Environmental Policy Division, Hyogo Prefectural Government
Accepted professors' visit from Tsinghua University China Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Accepted trainees of East Asia acid rain monitoring network Southeast Asia JICA
Hyogo Environmental Advancement Association
Accepted JICA energy saving training program Iran JICA
The Energy Conservation Center


Aluminum can collection and recycling
As Japan's largest producer of rolled aluminum products, Kobe Steel launched the Shinko Aluminum Can Back program in 1990 at all divisions, offices, works and plants. For example, Moka Plant and Shinko Moka Sougo Service, Ltd. hold demonstrations eight to 10 times a year at local government and companies in Tochigi Prefecture.

The quantity of aluminum cans recovered has been decreasing since 1998 as the local government recycling system gains popularity, but in fiscal 2004, about 12 million cans were collected, and the cumulative total up to fiscal 2004 has exceeded 250 million cans.

Kobe Steel will contribute to recycling resources by continuing these efforts.


Aluminum can collections