The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is the world's largest sustainability initiative, in which the United Nations and the private sector (companies and organizations) join hands to build a healthy global society. We and our consolidated subsidiaries, including the railway track business, was the first corporate group to sign the UNGC, in April 2019. We support the ten principles of the Compact in the four areas of human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption, and will continue to promote further sustainability initiatives.
The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted as an action plan for people, planet and prosperity by the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015, and represent the international development goals from 2016 to 2030. They consist of 17 goals and 169 targets to realize a sustainable world, and pledge to "Leave no one behind" throughout the implementation process. We will contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by identifying material sustainability themes from the SDGs and other social issues, as well as through sustainable management that addresses these themes and community development to "create beautiful living environments."
The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) was established in 2015 by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) to identify and disclose the financial implications of the risks and opportunities posed by climate change with a view to global economic stability.
In September 2020, we and our consolidated subsidiaries announced its endorsement of the TCFD, and is working to anticipate the impact of climate change on its business, strengthen its risk management, and integrate measures into its business strategies to address risks and opportunities, as well as to disclose information based on the TCFD recommendations.
RE100 is an international initiative run by the Climate Group, an international NGO on climate change, and CDP to promote 100% renewable energy use by companies. Many companies around the world are participating in the initiative, with the goal of 100% of the electricity consumed by the business activities coming from renewable energy sources by 2050.
In October 2019, we and our consolidated subsidiaries became the first corporate group in Japan engaged in the railway business to join RE100. As part of our "challenges for the future," we are working to create "A City Adored by People around the World," envisioning the future from the perspective of 2050 by providing social value that only our company, with its wide range of business operations, can offer.
Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) is a network committed to strengthening communication and exchange of strategies and solutions among diverse entities other than national governments, including companies, local governments, research institutions, and NGOs that are actively working to address climate change, under the Declaration "Joining the front line of global trend for decarbonization from Japan."
Challenge Zero (Challenge Net Zero Carbon Innovation) is a new initiative by Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), in collaboration with the Japanese government, aiming to proactively publicize and support actions to create innovation taken by companies and organizations toward a "decarbonized society," which the Paris Agreement (the international framework on climate change) sets as the long-term goal.
By endorsing the project in September 2020, we have expressed that we will undertake specific challenges to develop, actively deploy, disseminate, and finance net-zero emission technologies (including transition technologies).
COOL CHOICE is an initiative to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO₂ by making all kinds of "smart choices" in our daily lives, such as replacing products, using services, and choosing lifestyles that contribute to the creation of a decarbonized society.
The GX (Green Transformation) League is a forum for cooperation actively involved in decarbonization to discuss the transformation of the entire economic and social system and to promote the creation of new markets in order to achieve carbon neutrality worldwide. Following our endorsement of the GX League basic concept announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in February 2022, we have participated in the GX League, which began in FY 2023. We will actively participate in discussions on the detailed design and demonstration of initiatives to have the League fully operational together with other supporting companies.
The Tokyo Zero-emission Innovation Bay aims to make the Tokyo Bay Area the world's first zero-emission innovation hub. We promote developing and actualizing the concept as a member company.
In December 2021, we expressed our endorsement of the Declaration of Biodiversity formulated by Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) and the Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation, and joined the Keidanren Biodiversity Declaration Initiative. We will continue to promote environmentally and ecologically conscious initiatives with the aim of “realizing a sustainable society through building a society in harmony with nature.”
The IkuBoss Corporate Alliance is a corporate network that recognizes the need for a new era of diversification and actively raises awareness among its own managers to develop ideal bosses (IkuBoss) in this regard.