We participated as a corporate partner in an environmental survey program organized by NPO Earthwatch Japan, as part of educational and social contribution activities and with the aim of expanding environmental and social contribution activities.

Our employees were dispatched as research staff for two survey programs in fiscal 2023: “Satoyama in Fuji no Kuni – The connection between plants and insects,” which was held in September at Chagusaba in Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, and “Revitalization of Kiso Horse Culture and Grassland,” which was held at Kaida Highlands in Kiso Town, Nagano Prefecture in the same month.

Abe, Functional Materials Sales Dept., Functional Materials Sales Dept., Industrial Functional Materials Sales Division

I participated in a survey on insect diversity at a tea plantation designated as a World Agricultural Heritage Site.
In that area, a traditional farming method called the Traditional Tea-Grass Integrated System is used to produce umami-flavored tea, and pampas grass is cultivated together with tea leaves, contributing to the diversity of animals and plants.
Tea produced using the Traditional Tea-Grass Integrated System is sold with a special decal to serve as proof.
By choosing tea leaves that can be seen in the background, I felt that I wanted to be aware of environmental issues and Japanese traditions.

Shindo, Accounting Department, Corporate Finance & Planning Division

In the Kaida Highlands, the Kiso horse, one of the indigenous horses of Japan, is raised with grass from grasslands that have been maintained by mowing and burning used as fodder. This initiative to maintain and manage the grasslands using traditional methods, which we participated in this time, aims to preserve the once-common series of practices (Kiso horse culture) and protect the rare insects that can only inhabit these grasslands. I learned that there is a natural environment that can be maintained by continuous human intervention.

We are working to conserve and beautify the areas surrounding each of our production plants by cooperating with local environmental conservation activities and campaigns against illegal dumping of waste as well as cleaning and beautification events organized by local communities.