Sustainability Promotion Framework｜Japan Pulp & Paper Company Limited

Home
Sustainability
Sustainable Management
Sustainability Promotion Framework

Approach to Promoting Sustainability

Yasushi Takei

Executive Vice President Administration,
Planning & Sustainability

Japan Pulp & Paper was founded as a wholesaler of paper, an environmentally friendly material, and will celebrate its 180th anniversary in 2025. Today, as a global corporate group operating under five business segments, we are contributing to the development of a circular economy through business activities such as wastepaper and plastic recycling, paper manufacturing using wastepaper as the primary raw material, and power generation using renewable energy. In 2022, we established our Sustainability Policy and strengthened our sustainability promotion framework, including the establishment of the Executive Sustainability Committee. In OVOL Medium-term Business Plan 2026, launched in 2024, we identified key priorities such as expanding human capital investment, reducing GHG emissions over the medium-to-long-term, responding to business and human rights, strengthening environmental and occupational safety compliance systems, and strengthening risk management. We are accelerating specific initiatives in these areas and making sustainability-related investments as part of our growth strategy. Going forward, we will continue to promote sustainability in order to achieve sustainable growth and improve our corporate value over the medium-to-long-term, while contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.

Sustainability Promotion Framework

We define “sustainability” as business activities that realize both economic and social value, and have established the Executive Sustainability Committee to promote sustainability-related initiatives. Chaired by the representative director, president, the committee is in charge of formulating sustainability-related policies and strategies, resolving ESG-related issues,* and managing the achievement of the group’s goals. In addition to the Risk Management Meetings, we have established the OVOL Sustainability Promotion Meetings and the OVOL Environment & Safety Meetings, whose membership spans the entire group, as subordinate organizations under this committee. The Corporate Sustainability Division, which is responsible for implementing policies related to sustainability throughout the entire group, serves as the secretariat for the OVOL Sustainability Promotion Meetings and the OVOL Environment & Safety Meetings.
In fiscal 2023, we formulated a goal for each of the group’s material issues, and in fiscal 2024, we developed concrete action plans by backcasting from these goals. Going forward, we will manage progress using key performance indicators (KPIs) and advance specific initiatives aimed at achieving our goals.

ESG-related issues refer to a wide range of environment (E), society (S), and governance (G) issues such as the following:
Environment (E): Issues related to climate change, resource depletion, waste, pollution, deforestation, etc.
Society (S): Issues related to human rights, modern slavery, child labor, working conditions, employee relations, etc.
Governance (G): Issues related to bribery and corruption, executive pay, Board diversity, political lobbying and donations, tax strategies, etc.

Sustainability and Governance Structure

Executive Sustainability Committee and Various Meetings

Organization	Chairperson	Members	Number of Meetings Held*	Objective/Role
Executive Sustainability Committee	Representative director, president	Members: Full-time directors and executive officers who are in positions controlling major areas of the business (Observer: Full-time Audit & Supervisory Board member)	15	This committee is in charge of formulating CSR and sustainability-related policies and strategies, resolving ESG-related issues, and managing the achievement of the group’s goals. It serves as the command center for group-wide sustainability initiatives.
Risk Management Meetings	General manager, Finance & Administration Division	Vice chairperson: General manager, Corporate Planning Division Members: Appointed from the Internal Audit Office, Corporate Sustainability Division, Finance & Administration Division, Corporate Planning Division, and other related divisions (Observers: CFO, full-time Audit & Supervisory Board member, executive vice president in charge of Administration, Planning & Sustainability, and CIO)	11	Based on the Basic Rules on Risk Management, the meetings will identify, analyze, evaluate, and prioritize risks; formulate measures to address specific risks; and work to reduce risks.
OVOL Sustainability Promotion Meetings	General manager, Corporate Sustainability Division	Vice chairpersons: General manager, Finance & Administration Division and general manager, Corporate Planning Division Members: Appointed from divisions, branch offices, and group companies in and outside of Japan (Observer: Executive vice president in charge of Administration, Planning & Sustainability)	11	Members work to strengthen and promote group-wide sustainability initiatives. Members promote sustainability initiatives within each department and group company, including addressing human rights issues, legal compliance, social contribution activities, and implementing measures to achieve social value through business activities. They also serve as liaisons with the head office in the event of a disaster or other emergency.
OVOL Environment & Safety Meetings	General manager, Corporate Sustainability Division	Vice chairpersons: General manager, Finance & Administration Division and general manager, Corporate Planning Division Members: Appointed from divisions, branch offices, and group companies in and outside of Japan (Observer: Executive vice president in charge of Administration, Planning & Sustainability)	2	Members work to strengthen and promote environmental and occupational safety throughout the group. They also promote environmental and occupational safety compliance and environmental measures and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.