Responding to Climate Changes

Fujikura Group annually checks the progress of each item set out in its Sustainability Goals 2025. These goals are linked to Fujikura Group Long-Term Environmental Vision 2050, and priority measures include targets for reducing GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and responding to the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures). By checking progress annually and considering future measures, we have established a system that enables appropriate responses.

Identifying and responding to climate change risks and opportunities

We are identifying potential risks and opportunities in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
In order to analyze how climate change will affect business growth of Fujikura Group, we take into account long-term predictions from international research organizations (OECD, IPCC) and other sources, as well as societal concerns and customer requests for responses to climate change.
Identified risks are reviewed appropriately.

risk

Classification Climate change risks Future Actions
2℃シナリオ
(移行リスク)
短期・中期
Policy and legal risks
  • Strengthening of CO2 emission regulations in each country and region, such as the introduction of carbon taxes
    ─Estimating the financial impact of a carbon tax
  • Obligations from customer and operating countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints
  • Based on the long-term environmental vision 2050, we will promote thorough energy conservation, introduction of renewable energy, and utilization of credits, etc., through a roadmap to 100% renewable energy.
  • Promote the use of renewable energy in business activities (head office, factories, etc.)
  • Strengthening response to joining RE100 and supporting TCFD; Regular monitoring and response to ESG evaluation indicators
Technology Risk
  • Disrupting existing technology
  • Minimize energy usage during product manufacturing and use renewable energy
    Demand for renewable energy use, etc.
Market Risk
  • Changes in demand for products and services
  • Temporary increases in capital investment costs due to climate change countermeasures from customer and society
  • Increases in raw material prices and divergence of suppliers due to climate change-related factors
Reputation risk

Requests for disclosure of information and responses to climate change from customer, investors, and various rating agencies

4℃シナリオ(物理リスク)
中期・長期
Acute risks
  • Impact of natural disasters such as floods and major typhoons on operations
    ─ If production facilities are damaged, there will be an impact on business performance, such as reduced production capacity and the need to repair facilities.
    ─ Impact of supply chain disruptions on production plans
    → In 2011, Fujikura Group 's group companies suffered severe damage from the floods Kingdom of Thailand, and it took five years for the company to recover.
  • Disaster prevention measures at target bases
    Learning from the lessons of the 2011 flood damage, the company has decentralized its bases and constructed waterproof walls around business from a BCP perspective.
  • Slope preparation for business sites and storm surge and tsunami response for factories near the sea
    ─Domestic bases affected by flooding and rising sea levels: Head office, Fujikura High Opt (Kiba, Koto-ku, Tokyo), Numazu Copper Melting (Kanaya Izumicho, Shimada City, Shizuoka Prefecture), Nishi Nippon Electric Wire (Kasugaura, Oita City, Oita Prefecture)
    *Investigate hazard maps from each government
Chronic Risk
  • Consideration of the health of Fujikura employee working in areas where we operate due to rising temperatures, etc.
  • Ensuring employee safety due to increased rainfall
  • Impact of future sea level rise on operations

opportunity

Each business Social Trends opportunity
Telecommunication Systems
  • With the advancement of digitalization, the amount of data distributed, accumulated, and analyzed is increasing exponentially
  • New service business utilizing digital technologies such as big data, IoT, 5G, and AI are expanding rapidly
  • Progress of CASE/MaaS
  • Millimeter Wave (wireless communication)
  • Concerns over natural disaster response under the 4°C scenario
  • Development of solutions centered on Wrapping Tube Cable (WTC) (SWR ® /WTC ®)
  • Expansion of green related products
  • Highly efficient IT system related products
  • Promoting the use of digital technology
  • Strengthening the resilience of communication lines as social infrastructure
Electronics
  • The rise of industrial robots
  • Entry into medical products
  • Increase in automotive electronic components
  • Increasing number of mmWave compatible components
  • Promoting CASE-compatible research and development
  • Promoting the use of digital technology
  • Expand green products
  • Increasing demand for industrial and automotive connectors
Automotive Products

CASE Progression

  • Increase in Wire harness due to increase in electronic components
  • Progress of EV adoption in the 2°C scenario
  • Increasing demand for lightweight Wire harness
  • Lightweight Wire harness
  • Promoting CASE-compatible research and development
  • Combining knowledge of the automotive business with information and communications, energy, and other business to create new EV-related business
  • Strengthening support for automotive parts other than Wire harness and EVs
  • Expand green products
Power Systems
  • Economic growth, urbanization, and population growth are driving increased demand for energy, especially electricity, primarily in developing countries.
  • Utilizing digital technology to stabilize and streamline power supply and promote energy conservation under the 2°C scenario
  • Diversification of both energy supply and demand among companies and individuals, and increase in renewable energy in the 2°C scenario
  • Concerns over an increase in natural disasters under the 4°C scenario
  • Compliance with the Law to Promote the Elimination of Utility Poles (disaster prevention, etc.)
  • Expanding the use of renewable energy
  • Expand green products
  • High-efficiency power system related products
  • Promoting the use of digital technology • Strengthening the resilience of social infrastructure such as electric wires and cables
Real Estate

Promoting the use of digital technology

  • Needs for environmental considerations such as ZEB
  • Attracting and retaining environmentally-conscious tenants

Responding to risks

Responses to identified risks and future considerations are approval and decided by the Global Environment committee, chaired by the the chairperson of the committee in charge of the Environment. Along with reporting on the results of action plans established in the CSR priority measures, the Global Environment committee shares information, considers and approval response plans, and reports to the Sustainability strategy Meeting. In addition, environmental data such as electricity usage, water, and disposal from each Fujikura Group site is entered, evaluated, and analyzed, and the Global Environment committee confirms results and reviews plans twice a year.

Investing in opportunities

フジクラグループの主力製品である光ファイバケーブルは、世界的な情報通信量の増加から需要増が見込まれています。また、地球温暖化に端を発した温室効果ガスの排出削減要求の高まりにより、製造時における温室効果ガス排出量のより少ない製品が顧客より求められてくると予想しています。これらをフジクラグループの重要な機会ととらえ、佐倉事業所にSWR®新工場を建設・稼働を開始しました。この新工場は屋根置き太陽光パネルを導入し、カーボンニュートラルを実現しています。

佐倉事業所 SWR®新工場
佐倉事業所 SWR®新工場

Financial impact

Fujikura Group has made the following investments to date in preparation for future disaster risks.
Fujikura Sakura business has experienced a slope collapse accident caused by heavy rain in the past. In recent years, the frequency of heavy rain has increased due to climate change, so the plant has been working on slope improvement from 2016 to 2019 (cost: 580 million yen).
Nishi Nippon Electric Wire's Oita Factory faces Oita Bay and is at risk of damage from storm surges and tsunamis during typhoons. In response to this, in fiscal 2017 we constructed a new office building where 500 employees can take refuge (cost: 460 million yen).

Sakura business slope construction
Sakura business slope construction
West Japan Electric Cable's Tsunami Evacuation Tower
West Japan Electric Cable's Tsunami Evacuation Tower

CO2 Emissions Reduction policy and guideline

Fujikura Group has established its Environmental Management Action guideline for 2025. As a RE100 target, the Group has set a CO2 reduction target of "achieving a renewable energy rate of 45% by fiscal 2030," and has set this as a common target for its overseas bases as well.
To reduce total CO2 emissions, we will obtain SBT certification in July 2023, with targets of reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33% by fiscal year 2030 (compared to fiscal year 2020), and reducing Scope 3 emissions by 15% by fiscal year 2030 (compared to fiscal year 2020).

Calculation method for CO2 emissions

  • Fujikura Group 's CO2 emissions are calculated by multiplying the amount of energy consumed by each type of energy each fiscal year by the CO2 emission coefficient for each type of energy.
  • Compliant with the market-based approach outlined in the GHG Protocol's Scope 2 Guidance
  • Base year Domestic and overseas: Fiscal year 2020
  • Emission Factor
    Domestic electricity: Adjusted emission factors by electricity business for the most recent fiscal year published by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
    Overseas electricity: Residual mix emission factor for the most recent fiscal year by country and grid. If no applicable factor exists, average emission factor.
    Domestic and overseas fuels: Emission coefficients for the most recent fiscal year published by the Ministry of the Environment

Total GHG emissions

Total 236,000 tons
Domestic emissions: 105,000 tons
Overseas emissions: 131,000 tons
Amount of CO₂ offsets through non-fossil fuel certificates both domestically and internationally
Domestic: FIT non-fossil certificate 14,000 tons
Overseas: (Kingdom of Thailand) I-REC 35,000 tons (China) Green Power Certificate 9,000 tons

Changes in CO2 emissions

Supply Chain Emissions (Scope 3)

Upon obtaining SBT certification in July 2023, Fujikura expanded the scope of Scope 3 calculations and disclosure from the domestic group to the overseas group*1. We have reviewed our category classifications and are now calculating emissions from downstream categories that we had not been able to calculate before. "Category 11: Use of sales products*2" is the largest, but this is emissions due to transmission losses in the electric wires and cables sales by Fujikura Group companies.

Fujikura Group 's Scope 3 emissions

Calculation results including category 11
Calculation results excluding category 11

*1 The calculation scope for Fujikura Group was determined by application the GHG Protocol's control criteria to organization boundaries, so emissions from the AFL Group are not included in the calculation.

*2 Emissions from Category 11 transmission losses are calculated from power losses due to Joule heat generation. Estimates were used for the calculations because it was difficult to obtain data on cable usage rates. To make it easier to see the transition of Fujikura's Scope 1, 2 and main category emissions, we have created graphs that include and exclude Category 11.

FY2024 Activity Results

As part of Fujikura Group 2025 Environmental Management Activity guideline (25 Environmental guideline), we worked towards the goal of "reducing CO₂ emissions by 13.2% or more compared to fiscal 2020" in fiscal 2024. We are continuing to implement energy-saving activities across the entire company, contributing to reducing emissions. For measures that result in particularly large reductions, we are promoting information sharing and application at other bases to maximize the reduction effect. CO₂ emissions (market standard) for the entire Fujikura Group, including offsets through non-fossil fuel certificates, were 236,000 tons, a 31% decrease compared to fiscal 2020.

Major Initiatives for Fiscal Year 2024

  1. 1. Reduction of CO2 emissions from our company

    • Energy conservation: Develop innovative Monodukuri to improve productivity and business competitiveness, and actively promote conventional energy conservation activities
    • Energy creation: Decision made to introduce renewable energy using solar power generation (3 locations)
      Start of operations: 2 (Sakura business SWR® new factory, new real estate business building)
      Currently in use: 3 (Sakura business parking lot, Fujikura Electronic Components (Thailand) Ltd., Fujikura Conec (THAILAND) LTD.)
    • Energy Procurement: Procurement of appropriate environmental certificates and renewable energy that meet the requirements of RE100, etc.
  2. 2Reducing CO2 emissions in the supply chain

    • Promoting resource reuse
    • Conducted a survey of major raw material manufacturers regarding carbon dioxide emissions reduction
  3. Transportation and mobility activities

    Regarding the improvement of energy intensity associated with Butsuryu activities, we had targeted a 4% improvement in fiscal 2024 from the actual figure of 41.2 KL/kiloton in fiscal 2020, but due to the transfer of a high-proportion group companies, we set the target at 61.5 KL/kiloton, the same as the previous year, excluding the impact.In contrast, the actual figure for fiscal 2024 was 60.9 KL/kiloton, achieving the target with a 1% improvement.
    We also continue to promote the efficient use of resources, and are promoting the reuse of packaging materials and wooden drums.Furthermore, we are actively promoting the use of a two-tier stacking jig (official name: electric wire drum pallet), which was developed to improve loading efficiency.

    Reuse of packaging materials and wooden drums

    Reuse of packaging materials and wooden drums
    Electric Wire Drum Pallet
    Reuse of packaging materials and wooden drums

Energy saving initiatives

Promotion of Cool Biz and Warm Biz

As an environmentally friendly corporate group, Fujikura Group promotes Cool Biz in the summer and Warm Biz in the winter, striving to achieve both seasonal comfort and energy conservation.

Updated air conditioners, updated lighting to LED

In fiscal 2024, we will continue to work on updating air conditioners and converting lighting to LED.
Air conditioner renewal is being actively promoted in Thailand, where energy consumption is high.
The conversion to LED lighting has begun at multiple locations, but we are particularly moving ahead with the conversion to LED lighting at our Sakura business.

Initiatives at group companies

Many bases are seeing an increase in production volume in fiscal 2024. As a result, domestic and overseas group companies are further promoting holiday mode (a mode that reduces power consumption of equipment on holidays), narrowing air-conditioned areas with partitions, creating equipment downtime by adjusting production, shortening idle time, changing operating conditions, and other measures to actively eliminate wasteful energy use.

Water Risk Management policy and guideline

To address water risks, Fujikura Group has set "minimizing water usage in factories and managing wastewater" as a challenge item in its Long-Term Environmental Vision 2050. Regarding minimizing water usage in factories, we are working under the slogan "Don't use it, use it repeatedly, clean it and return it to nature." Regarding wastewater management, we recommend that domestic manufacturing sites install constant monitoring systems for "pH," "oil content," and "turbidity" in the final wastewater basin.
In addition, in Fujikura Group 2025 Environmental Management Action guideline, which are based on the Long-Term Environmental Vision 2050, we have set a target of improving water usage per unit of production by 5% or more in fiscal 2025 compared to fiscal 2020 at consolidated company in Japan and overseas, and are working toward this goal.

Understanding water risk areas and their relationship to Fujikura Group 's business development

The United Nations Water Conference, held in March 2023, discussed "urgently scaling up activities to ensure equitable access to water for all." The resulting "Water Action Agenda" included over 700 commitments to promote the transformation from a water-critical world to a water-secure world. In its 2021 report*, the United Nations Water committee (UN-Water) noted significant changes in surface water levels in one-fifth of the world's river basins over the past five years, highlighting climate change-related impacts such as the drying of lakes in arid regions and the expansion of lakes due to melting glaciers and permafrost. Furthermore, in its 2021 report**, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) identified northern China, South Asia, and the Mediterranean coastal region as hotspots of water stress. Fujikura Group, which business in China, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, continues to recognize the need to address water risks.

At each domestic base, we check hazard maps and take into account past disaster situations to assess the risk of water disasters such as floods, inland water, and tsunamis, as well as the risk of drought, and then consider and implement countermeasures.Specifically, bases with relatively high risks are prepared for water disasters, with the Fujikura Butsuryu West Japan Distribution Center equipped with emergency drainage pumps and the Nishi Nippon Electric Wire & Cable Oita business and Hasama business equipped with waterstops.

Additionally, at our overseas manufacturing sites, we conduct actual risk assessments for river flooding, coastal flooding, and drought after checking Aqueduct. Fujikura Electronics Vietnam Ltd. (FEVL) and Fujikura Conec (THAILAND) LTD. (FCTL), which have been determined to be at high risk of flooding, have established emergency measures and clarified policy for water stoppage and evacuation to prepare for disasters.

* Progress on Freshwater Ecosystems 2021:
https://www.unwater.org/sites/default/files/app/uploads/2021/09/SDG6_Indicator_Report_661_Progress-on-Water-related-Ecosystems_2021_EN.pdf 
**2021 STATE OF CLIMATE SERVICES
https://library.wmo.int/doc_num.php?explnum_id=10826
***Water stress: The amount of water resources required for agriculture, industry, energy, and the environment is said to be 1,700 m3 per person per year. When the amount of available water falls below 1,700 m3, it is considered to be in a state of "water stress," when it falls below 1,000 m3, it is considered to be in a state of "water shortage," and when it falls below 500 m3, it is considered to be in a state of "absolute water shortage."

Past water risks that occurred at Group sites

In 2011, Fujikura Group 's manufacturing bases in the Kingdom of Kingdom of Thailand suffered major damage (water damage) from a flood that occurred in Kingdom of Thailand, said to be a once-in-50-year event. Although the company declared recovery from the flood in 2016, the experience has led to the decentralization of manufacturing bases to neighboring countries and the installation of waterproof walls. Since then, the company has been working on flood and drought as part of its BCP activities in Thailand. In addition, the selection of new bases is decided after thorough research into past floods and altitude.

Initiatives for fiscal 2024

Total water withdrawals in Japan and overseas, and water withdrawals and usage by water resource

Fujikura Group aims to ensure that the amount of water withdrawn and used in its business activities is equal.
Regarding water intake, there is no water stress caused by drought in Japan, but preventative measures against flooding are being implemented, such as improving slopes, strengthening stormwater gutters, and reinforcing seawalls.
Due to expanded production, total water usage in fiscal 2024 will increase from fiscal 2023 both domestically and overseas. By water source, there will be an increase in tap water, and slight increases in industrial water and well water.

Water withdrawal by source
Total water withdrawal

Domestic wastewater volume

Domestic wastewater volume in fiscal 2024 is expected to increase by 6.2% compared to fiscal 2023. The volume of wastewater also increased due to increased well water usage at restarted factories. Almost all domestic bases automatically monitor the pH, turbidity, and oil content of wastewater at the final drainage basin.