Ushio’s ESG and Materiality
Approach to ESG Management
As stated in our Management Philosophy, Ushio’s ESG management believes that economic value lies beyond the provision of social value. The entire Group is working together to achieve Vision 2030, which defines our ideal state in 2030, by implementing the "Five Management Focuses," which represent our materiality.
By achieving these Five Management Focuses, we aim to become a "light" solutions company that will always be needed by society, align social value with corporate value, share value with all stakeholders, and develop in a sustainable manner.
Materiality (the Five Management Focuses)
Ushio promotes ESG management in order to realize its Management Philosophy alongside the aim of achieving the shared goal to "support human well-being and societal growth."
In order to realize our Vision to become a "light" solutions company that resolves the issues facing society, Ushio has been implementing its Five Management Focuses, centered on ESG management, and has been promoting a balanced management approach that address each of these focuses.
Materiality (Important Issues) Identification and Promotion Structure
This section provides insights into Ushio’s materiality identification process and its promotion structure in practical terms.
Ushio has meticulously examined macro trends in the media and integrated unbiased perspectives from external sources to identify and summarize important issues requiring attention as the foundation of ESG management. This strategic approach aligns with our management vision to become a "light" solutions company, addressing societal challenges.
Identification Process of Five Management Focuses
- STEP 1
- Identifying candidate themes for important issues
- We investigated media, publicly disclosed sustainability information, and expert reports. At the same time, we examined the medium- to long-term direction of our management policy.
- STEP 2
- Evaluating and mapping out level of importance (order of priority)
- We evaluated the importance level of items pertaining to our businesses and mapped these items out based on business and social relevance.
- STEP 3
- Evaluating appropriateness
- We held meetings with external experts to verify our management direction and identified important issues that matched with the expectations of our external stakeholders.
- STEP 4
- Promoting internal approval procedures
- The Corporate Strategy Meeting and Board of Directors held discussions on the Five Management Focuses and relevant KPIs and approved them accordingly.
STEP 3 Meeting with External Experts to Evaluate the Appropriateness of the Five Management Focuses
- Date
- December 2020
- Location
- Head office of Ushio Inc.
- Participants
- Satoshi Ando, OMRON Corporation
Haruka Sakamoto, University of Tokyo
Toshihide Arimura, Waseda University
Adopting the theme of "vision for the world in 2030," we invited experts from the fields of the environment, medical treatment, and integrated management to exchange opinions with us regarding their vision for the world and society in the future based on their respective perspectives and in light of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In our dialogue with these experts, we received a wide range of opinions and instruction on such topics as the accelerating trend toward carbon pricing against the backdrop of climate change, the completely new form of medical care expected to materialize in 10 to 20 years, and the ways that corporations should evolve from a long-term perspective amid a rapidly changing society.
Back row, from left: Naoki Kawamura, Koji Naito, Takabumi Asahi
Promotion Structure for the Five Management Focuses—Important Issues for ESG Management
We have established the Corporate Strategy Meeting, chaired by Ushio’s President and Chief Executive Officer, comprising not only directors, executive officers, and other members of management but also personnel responsible for promoting the Five Management Focuses. The Corporate Strategy Meeting determines the details and direction of initiatives toward ESG management. In accordance with the direction determined by the meeting, the Sustainability Promotion Division coordinates each of the Five Management Focuses to develop relevant plans and measures for each business division, business site, and Group company.
In addition, departments in charge (including specialized committees) disseminate and share relevant information internally on the sustainability initiatives of each base through individual Group committees. Major ESG-related issues are also reported to the Board of Directors.
Five Management Focuses—Important Issues for ESG Management
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Creating Businesses with
Greater Social ValueWe believe our mission is to put the light technologies we have cultivated as a "light innovation company" to use in resolving the issues facing society in the future.
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Sustainably Reducing Environmental Impact
From a long-term perspective, we will pursue efforts to reduce our environmental impact, including within the supply chain.
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Developing Our Diverse Talent to Get Closer to Our Vision
We establish and provide enhanced human capital development programs in order to support the individual growth of our employees. By doing so, we aim to develop our talent on a Group-wide basis with the goal of getting closer to our Vision.
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Building a Robust Management Base
We will work to establish a robust management foundation, which will in turn underpin the four other focus points of management.
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Creating Working Environments Where It Is Easy to Produce Results
To realize our Management Philosophy and achieve Vision 2030, we aim to be a highly engaged organization that embraces contributions from and the development of both the Company and its employees.
Initiatives for the Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations Sustainable Development Summit adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. These SDGs describe goals for 2030 that aim to realize a sustainable world without poverty, inequality and economic disparity, and climate change. At Ushio, we are examining eight possible areas in which we can contribute to achievements among the 17 targets in the SDGs. We will utilize the knowledge we have cultivated as professionals in light technology to conduct activities that are linked to the resolution of social issues.
