Toshiba Group promotes biodiversity conservation activities as an important measure for the activity area of "consideration of ecosystems," alongside water resource and chemical substance management. We promote activities based on Toshiba Group Biodiversity Guidelines established for Toshiba Group companies, and we aim to contribute to the realization of the 2050 Vision of a world of living in harmony with nature, and the 2030 mission of realizing a nature positive world*1, which must be fulfilled to achieve this Vision, set forth in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework*2.
- To halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature back on the path to recovery.
- Global goal for biodiversity conservation formulated at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) held in December 2022. It consists of 2050 Vision, 2030 Mission, and 2030 Global Targets (23 activity targets to achieve the 2030 Mission).
Activity results for FY2023: Employee-participatory activities in collaboration with local communities
In FY2023, we promoted biodiversity conservation activities at approximately 60 sites around the world under the themes: "Building of ecosystem networks," "Conservation of rare species, promotion of ex situ conservation," "Response to marine plastics issues," "Response to climate change (mitigation, adaptation)," and "Conservation of water." Together with local stakeholders, we carried out initiatives in response to each region’s characteristics and issues, inside the premises and in the neighborhood. In addition, we incorporated the viewpoints of "Collaboration," "Publicity," and "Education" into our activities to further expand and deepen them. These activities are mainly planned and carried out by employees themselves, and the activities lead to conservation of local ecosystems and improvement of environmental awareness at the respective sites.
Based on the five themes, activities were promoted at approximately 60 sites in Japan and abroad
At Fuchu Complex, employees including those certified as nature observation instructors have been conducting monitoring surveys of the site’s biotope and green spaces since 2013. We have confirmed the presence of various plants and animals, and this has become a place where we can reaffirm the connection between the Complex and its surrounding ecosystems.
- Fuchu Complex Living Creatures Picture Book (Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation) (Japanese Only)
Activity plan for FY2024: Contributing to the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework
For the Eighth Environmental Action Plan, which began in April 2024, Toshiba Group selected 7 targets from among the 23 activity targets of the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework. The targets were selected based on the activities that Toshiba Group is already promoting on an ongoing basis and activities that should be newly addressed in line with the global trends, and the Group is now promoting activities based on these targets as shown in the figure below. We aim to expand and deepen our activities by incorporating the viewpoints of 'Collaboration,' 'Publicity,' and 'Education' following the Seventh Environmental Action Plan, as well as repeating a flexible PDCA cycle at each site, which involves setting an activity target and evaluation indicators, implementing and monitoring actions, and repeated reviewing of target achievement.
- The activities described are examples of initiatives by the Toshiba Group
< Topics > Contribution to the "30by30 target"
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework includes a target that aims to effectively conserve at least 30% of land and sea areas as sound ecosystems by 2030, commonly known as the "30by30 target" (Target 3). Since Toshiba Group has sites around the world and recognizes the sustainable use of land to be an important issue, we participate in the "30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity" established by the Ministry of the Environment as a first step toward directly contributing to the achievement of the "30by30 target." Against this backdrop, Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation’s Imabari Complex in Ehime Prefecture is working with the local community to preserve Odagahama Beach, and in October 2023, the beach was certified as one of Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Sites*, then registered in the World Database on OECMs in August 2024 as an internationally important area for biodiversity conservation. Going forward, we will aim to contribute to expanding the number of such sites through nature conservation activities inside the premises and in the neighborhood in Japan, as well as collect information and consider how we can contribute to the target through our sites abroad.
- Areas certified by the government as a place where biodiversity is conserved through private-sector initiatives. Certified areas, excluding those that overlap with protected areas, are registered in the World Database on OECMs (Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures; locations other than protected areas that contribute to biodiversity conservation).
Toshiba Group Biodiversity Guidelines
In 2009, Toshiba Group established Toshiba Group Biodiversity Guidelines as internal guidelines to promote activities aimed at conserving biodiversity, and we have been carrying out activities based on these guidelines. In response to recent global trends and the Group's various activities, we revised these guidelines in June 2024.
Basic Policy states that the Group will promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, recognizing that healthy and stable natural capital is an important foundation for business, and that we will contribute to realizing a "nature positive" world by reducing negative impacts on nature and creating positive ones, based on an understanding of the relationships between all of our corporate activities and biodiversity.
Specific Actions state that we will: identify and disclose the impacts and dependencies of our business activities on nature, as well as the risks and opportunities associated with these impacts and dependencies; reduce our environmental impacts by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and chemical emissions as well as using resources efficiently; contribute to the restoration and regeneration of nature through community-based biodiversity conservation activities; strive to create products, services, and technologies that contribute to the realization of a "nature positive" world; and promote cooperation with various stakeholders, including local governments, NPOs/NGOs, local communities, industry organizations, and our employees. We will continue to raise awareness of these guidelines.