Environmental Management
In the Sumitomo Pharma "Declaration of Conduct: Item 6. Positively Address Global Environmental Issues" and the "Compliance Standard: Item 11. Protection of the Environment," we clearly state our commitment to observance of environment-related laws and regulations as well as internal rules and to conducting business activities in a manner that is considerable of the effects on the global environment and the environment of local communities. We recognize responsibility for the environmental impact through our business activities and strive to reduce negative environmental impact in all aspects of our business operation.
Environmental Management
Environmental issues such as climate change are serious global problems that threaten
the health and wellbeing of people worldwide. Through all of its business activities, Sumitomo Pharma will
actively work on preserving the environment and creating a recycling-oriented society, and aim to resolve
these issues in order to realize a sustainable society. We use energy, water resources, and various chemical
substances for research and development and for manufacturing products, and we believe it is important for us
to be aware of the impact of our business activities on the environment and to address environmental issues.
Therefore, we have established an environmental management system with reference to ISO14001, and are
operating the system at all of our sites in Japan. Especially for production sites, Suzuka Plant and Oita Plant have acquired
ISO14001 certification.
Moreover, with regard to risks and opportunities related to climate change, we
have
promoted initiatives based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
(TCFD) and disclosed relevant information in April 2022. Starting from fiscal 2022, based on this disclosure, we
have promoted
dialogue with stakeholders to advance our ongoing initiatives and ensure preparedness for climate change. We
will continue to value dialogue with stakeholders, reassessing the risks and opportunities presented by
climate change from various perspectives. By considering both "mitigation" and "adaptation" aspects of climate
change, we aim to further reduce climate-related risks and effectively seize opportunities.
ISO 14001 Certified Facilities
| Company | Facility |
|---|---|
| Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. | Suzuka Plant |
| Oita Plant |
Basic Environmental Policies
At the time of the Company's establishment in 2005, we established the Basic Environmental Policies that set forth our ideal vision and the matters to be addressed to realize it. Subsequently, in light of growing social demands for the environment, the Management Committee and the Environmental and Safety Committee discussed the stance we ought to take as a company, and the Board of Directors decided to revise the Basic Environmental Policies at the meeting held in May 2021. In this revision, we have clarified the proactive disclosure of environmental information, the promotion of dialogue with stakeholders, and our stance on undertaking initiatives over our entire value chain.
For more information on Basic Environmental Policies, please see "Basic Environmental Policies."
Environmental Goals
We have formulated our Medium- to Long-term Environmental Goals and Medium-term Environmental Plans and annual implementation plans under our Basic Environmental Policies. Meanwhile, the Environmental and Safety Committee evaluates the initiatives we have undertaken.
For more information on details of our Environmental Goals, please see "Environmental Goals and Performance."
Environmental Management System
Under the Basic Environmental Policies established by the Board of Directors,
Sumitomo Pharma has established the Environmental and Safety Committee (meeting once yearly) chaired by
the Executive Officer, Environmental and Safety to tackle environmental issues at the corporate
level. The Environmental and Safety Committee consists of the environmental management supervisor at each
site plus the head of Human Resources and the head of Corporate Governance. They discuss and formulate Medium- to Long-term
Environmental Goals, Medium-term Environmental Plans and annual implementation plans based on their
understanding of issues, and review various activities. We have also established the Environmental and
Safety Managers' Conference (meeting twice yearly) chaired by the head of Corporate Governance to discuss
these agendas in advance and consider practical issues. Additionally, we have a system for proactive
management of issues at all sites, through actions such as regularly scheduled meetings of environmental
committees at each site.
Our initiatives for the environment conducted under the environmental management
system are reported to the Board of Directors at least once a year as part of our sustainability efforts.
Also, we report important matters related to environment to the President and the President provides
appropriate instructions for addressing these matters. If it is necessary, the matters are discussed at
the Management Committee.
In addition, we regularly conduct internal environmental and safety audits at all
sites to review their status of legal compliance, their environmental performance and others.
Environmental Management Structure
Environmental Accidents and Legal Violations
In fiscal 2024, there were no environmental accidents or serious violations of environmental laws and regulations. We have not paid any significant environment-related criminal fines nor non-criminal fines in the past five fiscal years.
Development of Environmental Conservation Systems
To minimize environmental impact throughout the entire product lifecycle (procurement, production, marketing, logistics, usage, disposal, and transportation), we have established policies and guidelines and actively promote green procurement, logistics, product development, and facilities design.
Green Procurement
In line with our Green Procurement Basic Policy, we operate the Sumitomo Pharma's Green Procurement Guidelines for office supplies and other items, prioritizing the selection of environmentally friendly products. In fiscal 2024, the green procurement ratio of office supplies reached 50%. We will continue to promote the use of environmentally friendly products by encouraging green purchasing among employees and expanding the range of applicable items.
Green Logistics
Based on our Green Logistics Guidelines, we are working to reduce environmental impact during transportation and storage processes at our distribution centers and production sites. In fiscal 2024, we implemented 43 initiatives, including the provision of external power supplies for the air conditioning of refrigerator trucks, requests to turn off vehicle engines while on premises (distribution centers), efficient distribution of shipped products (Suzuka Plant), and the use of ships for transportation and combined shipping to reduce CO2 (Oita Plant).
Green Product Development
We have set out Green Product Development Rules and Manuals, and our Research and Development Division and Supply Chain Division are advancing environmentally conscious product design and manufacturing. In fiscal 2024, we implemented 26 initiatives, including process optimization, reducing energy and organic solvents usage through the application of high-speed methods in liquid chromatography analysis (Research and Development Division), improving production efficiency and reducing environmental impact by increasing batch sizes in existing manufacturing processes, reducing the waste of protective gear by establishing new cleaning methods for use in the facility for handling highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (Suzuka Plant), and reducing packaging material usage by standardizing outer cartons for our products (Oita Plant).
Green Facilities Design
We apply our guidelines for green facilities design at the Supply Chain Division, research laboratories, and the Osaka Head Office to enhance energy efficiency and promote effective resource utilization in our facilities.
In fiscal 2024, we implemented 16 initiatives, including updating the post-processing section of the PTP packaging line, replacement of equipment dryers (Suzuka Plant), introducing a membrane separation method for producing high-purity water (Oita Plant), replacement of a gas absorption chiller (Central Research Laboratories), replacement of a steam absorption chiller, and switching to LED lighting (Osaka Research Center).