Supplementary Material for Integrated Report 2020

Contribution to Biodiversity

The protection of biodiversity—rich ecosystems living on Earth—is an important theme in environmental activities. The KOBELCO Group has established its own Kobelco Biodiversity Guidelines, which arrange activities it has been working on as environmental management from the perspective of biodiversity. In line with the guidelines, the Group is promoting contribution to biodiversity through business activities and cooperation with local communities.

Kobelco Biodiversity Guidelines

The KOBELCO Group recognizes the importance of preserving biodiversity and will carry out activities accordingly based on the following guidelines.

1.We will make every effort to minimize the impact that our business activities have on biodiversity on an ongoing basis.
2.We will actively develop products, technologies and services that contribute to biodiversity.
3.We will disclose details of our biodiversity initiatives and share information with the public.
4.We will carry out biodiversity activities in partnership with local communities.
5.We will ensure that all of our employees actively take biodiversity into consideration at all times.

The Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) and the Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation have formulated the Declaration of Biodiversity by Keidanren and Action Policy, with the aim of creating a sustainable society by building a society in harmony with nature. Kobe Steel, Ltd. endorsed the declaration in December 2019.

KOBELCO GREEN PROJECT

As an environmental and social contribution activity, we conduct Forest Development Activities and make picture books on the theme of forests (The KOBELCO Forest Fairy Tale Prize).

Forest Development Activities

Since 2011, employees and their families have been working on Forest Development Activities by participating in activities such as the New Hyogo Forest Development Project in Hyogo Prefecture and the Rokko Mountain Range Green Belt Development Project led by the Rokko Sabo Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. We also conduct nature observation tours and co-host events for children with NPOs to get in touch with the forest and nature and learn about their importance.

The KOBELCO Forest Fairy Tale Prize

We launched this prize in 2013 with the aim of nurturing gratitude for forests and nature in children of the next generation through the creation of fairy tales on the theme of forests, which bring so much enrichment to our lives. We collect stories about forests from elementary, junior high and senior high school students, and the gold prize winning stories are made into picture books with illustrations by picture book authors. The finished picture books are donated to schools and libraries in the jurisdictions of local governments from which support is received and used for environmental learning.

Example of a Product that takes Biodiversity into Consideration

Submerged breakwater construction material (Filling material: iron and steel slag hydrated matrix)

Submerged breakwater
construction material
(Filling material: iron and steel
slag hydrated matrix)

Steel slag has earned a favorable reputation from fishermen, since demonstration testing has shown it to be effective in the restoration of the marine environment, including seaweed flourishing due to the nutrients such as iron and minerals that it contains. As a result, iron and steel slag hydrated matrix was adopted as a material for the construction of submerged breakwaters in the Suma district. Going forward, we will continue to promote the use of steel slag products as materials for marine and port construction, drawing on our track record using them as a material for marine environment improvement.

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