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 measures and waste management have been consistently managed well, and even higher targets have been set from fiscal 2021. We are continuously implementing measures eyeing the target fiscal years of each plan. Results for fiscal 2023 are as follows:
Results of fiscal 2023
| Item | Goal | Fiscal 2023 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: 203 kilotons) [1.5℃ target] | Ratio to base year 40% decrease  (Emissions: 122 kilotons ) |
| Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 3) by 37.5% by fiscal 2030 (Base year: fiscal 2015) [well below 2℃ target] | Ratio to base year 19% decrease (Emissions: 1,121 kilotons  ) | |
| 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 65% 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 23% improvement |
| Biodiversity | Quadruple the biodiversity index by fiscal 2025 from the fiscal 2005 level | Ratio to base year 4.9 times |
*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
In fiscal 2023, heavy rainfall during construction work being carried out at the Takahagi Technical Center caused an incident in which Astellas exceeded standard values as provided for in an ordinance setting forth effluent standards in accordance with the Water Pollution Control Act. The company promptly reported to the government and worked to take action. Over the past five years, there was an incident in which Astellas exceeded the upper limit of agreed values specified in a pollution prevention agreement with a local government. Astellas reported the incident to the local government and is implementing response measures based on its instructions.
● Tsukuba Research Center: Water (fiscal 2022)
Environment-Related Accidents and Complaints
Astellas had no environment-related accident over the past five years, including fiscal 2023.
Regarding environment-related complaints, a resident adjacent to the Yaizu Technical Center consulted with Astellas about noise from construction vehicles. An appropriate measure was later taken with the equipment.
Soil Contamination Assessments
In fiscal 2019, a limited part of the Toyama Technology Center was designated as a contaminated area on the basis of the Soil Contamination Countermeasures Act. In the construction of new facilities, Astellas has taken appropriate action to prevent the spread of pollution in consultation with the governmental authorities.
The substances that were discovered to be present in levels that exceeded the standards are as follows:
● Lead and its compounds
● Arsenic and its compounds
● Fluorine and its compounds
Drawing on the results of soil contamination assessments completed over the past five years, there have been no sites where contamination has been found.