Materiality
Materiality-Oriented Sustainability Management Initiatives
In 2021, based on the Group Corporate Philosophy, we identified five items of materiality (key issues) that our Group should address to achieve sustainable growth and become a corporate group indispensable to society through providing solutions to the needs of society and promoting value creation over the medium to long term. We have set indicators and targets for each materiality item in order to take more concrete steps toward achieving what we aim for in our Group’s materiality (key issues). The progress of activities is managed by the Sustainability Management Committee.
The environment surrounding our business continues to undergo significant changes. In the past year alone, we have been required to take actions from a variety of perspectives, including further strengthening efforts to address climate change, biodiversity, supply chains and diversity and inclusion (D&I). The Group is working to provide solutions to these issues by tackling the five items of materiality to achieve sustainable growth.
Our Group operates a wide range of businesses and has a diverse employee base at business locations around the world. We are committed to developing diversity, respecting each other’s personality, individuality, and diverse qualities, and creating a work environment where individual employees can work actively while performing to the best of their abilities. We continue to work to address societal challenges and create new value.
We are taking on the challenge of realizing carbon neutrality by 2050. We aim for a sustainable society while comprehensively promoting initiatives for a low-carbon and recycling-oriented society.
We will contribute to the stable supply of energy to local communities, the provision of products that meet customer needs, and the improvement of safety and productivity at customer manufacturing sites.
We will promote digitalization of manufacturing sites and office operations to increase efficiency in production activities.
Along with this, we also strive to solve social issues by creating new value based on diverse human resources and technologies.
We will promote reforms in the workplace environment and organizational culture with the aim of creating a company in which diverse human resources can make the most of their individual abilities.
In addition, we will fully support the growth of all employees and strive to further develop their abilities. We will also actively promote work style reforms, including eliminating long working hours and encouraging employees to take time off.
We recognize that corporate value comprises not only business results and technological capabilities but also the fulfillment of social responsibility to all stakeholders affected by our business activities, such as customers, shareholders, investors, suppliers, employees, and local communities. Earnestly undertaking efforts to improve all these factors leads to the enhancement of corporate value.
The Kobelco Group pursues improvements in corporate value over the medium to long term with the Group Corporate Philosophy, which is positioned as the foundation for all its business activities.