Astellas believes that maintaining a healthy global environment is an essential theme for building a sustainable society, and it is also an important element in ensuring the continuation of business activities. In order for Astellas to achieve sustainable growth, Astellas must fulfill its corporate social responsibilities regarding issues that impact on the local environment, including climate change problems, environmental pollution, and waste disposal. Astellas will strive to develop its aspirations for the company based on a long-term timeframe and global perspective. At the same time, we will continue efforts to address regional social issues and pursue corporate activities in harmony with the global environment.
Environmental Action Plan
Our Environmental Action Plan sets out short-term and medium-term targets for our activities regarding the key points of the Astellas Environment, Health & Safety Guidelines. We renew our action plans on a rolling basis, by reviewing progress and conditions during the previous year and incorporating our findings into our action plan for the following year.
In November 2018, the Environmental Action Plan involving Climate-Related Measures obtained Science Based Target (SBT) certification from the SBT Initiative, which recommends that private companies set reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entered into force in 2016, and Astellas operated under that, but reviewed GHG emission targets towards achieving the targets of 1.5℃ (Scope 1 and 2) and well-below 2℃ (Scope 3). In January 2023, the SBT Initiative approved the targets as a science-based initiative, and Astellas has moved forward on a new environmental action plan (Climate Change Mitigation Measures). Our environmental action plans for natural resource conservation and waste management have been effectively managed, and even more ambitious targets have been established starting from fiscal 2021. We are continuously implementing measures eyeing the target fiscal years of each plan. Results for fiscal 2024 are as follows:
Results of fiscal 2024
| Item | Goal | Fiscal 2024 Results |
|---|---|---|
| Measures to Address Climate Change | Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1 + Scope 2) by 63% by fiscal 2030 (Base year: fiscal 2015) (Emissions in the base year: 201 kilotons) [1.5℃ target] | Ratio to base year 46% decrease (Emissions: 108 kilotons) |
| Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 3) by 37.5% by fiscal 2030 (Base year: fiscal 2015) [well below 2℃ target] | Currently being calculated | |
| Measures for the Conservation of Natural Resources | Enhance water resource productivity *1 by around 20% of the fiscal 2016 result by the end of fiscal 2025 | Ratio to base year 86% improvement |
| Waste management | Improve waste generated per unit of revenue *2 by around 10% of the fiscal 2016 result by the end of fiscal 2025 | Ratio to base year 45% improvement |
| Biodiversity | Quadruple the biodiversity index by fiscal 2025 from the fiscal 2005 level | Currently being calculated |
Data related to Scope 3 GHG emissions and Biodiversity Index are scheduled to be disclosed in late August.
*1 Water resource productivity = Revenue (billions of yen)/Water resources withdrawn (1,000 m3) (For research and production sites in Japan and overseas)
*2 Waste generated per unit of revenue = Volume of waste generated (tons)/Revenue (billions of yen) (For research and production sites in Japan and overseas)
Response to Accidents and Emergencies
Being prepared for emergency situations caused by an accident or natural disaster can help to prevent an environmental catastrophe and minimize damage. Accordingly, we have developed specific measures and procedures. Moreover, we conduct regular education sessions and training drills, and reconfirm and test the validity of our procedures, communication networks and the division of roles focusing on risks that are recognized as a high priority. In this manner, we continue to work diligently to reduce environmental risk.
In particular, the discharge of harmful substances could lead to the pollution of rivers as well as cause problems at public sewage treatment plants. This in turn could have a grave impact on regional communities. In preparation for accidents and emergency situations, we are therefore systematically implementing measures for the prevention of environmental pollution, including the installation of backup equipment, while working to reduce the risk of pollution. In addition, in order to avoid accidents and other problems, we are bolstering efforts to optimize the operation and management of wastewater treatment systems, and to monitor and measure the quality of water draining out of our plants to confirm compliance with relevant effluent standards.
Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations
There was no incident in which Astellas exceeded the upper limit of agreed values specified in a pollution prevention agreement with the local government. Over the past five years, there were two incidents as below. Astellas reported these incidents to the local government and implemented response measures based on its instructions.
● Takahagi Technology Center: Water (fiscal 2023)
● Tsukuba Research Center: Water (fiscal 2022)
Environment-Related Accidents and Complaints
There was no environment-related accident over the past five years. Regarding accidental fugitive emission of fluorinated gases, annual emission data (in CO2 equivalent unit) is disclosed on page “Environment Initiatives”. The numbers of environment-related fine payments and complaints are summarized in the table below.
| FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | |
| Fine payment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1*1 |
| Complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1*2 |
*1 It turned out that an outsourced vendor did not test one of parameters on discharged wastewater in one of periodic tests and Astellas paid 145 USD.
*2 There was a complaint about the sound of the emergency fire alarm during its periodic test.
Soil Contamination Assessments
Drawing on the results of soil contamination assessments completed over the past five years, there have been no sites where contamination has been found additionally.