Relevant SDGs
At the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) held in December 2022, a new set of global goals for biodiversity called the “Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework” was adopted. All businesses will have to increase their environment-related efforts in order to achieve these goals.
As a company whose business activities benefit from and at the same time affect the ecosystem, the Seiko Group believes that biodiversity conservation is a vitally important issue for environmental management. Some of our business units are located adjacent to national or prefectural parks, which emphasizes all the more our need to pay attention to biodiversity conservation.
Each business unit is actively promoting biodiversity activities tailored to its own location and the surrounding environment. Activities include land use that takes into account biodiversity, awareness-raising campaigns, and incorporating biodiversity considerations into product design. The goal is to contribute to the realization of a “society in harmony with Nature.”
Summary of Fiscal Year 2022
During the fiscal year, each business unit promoted biodiversity activities tailored to that company’s unique situation. These initiatives included greening activities (as part of land use that pays attention to biodiversity), protection of endangered species, wildlife monitoring, and awareness-raising campaigns, such as organizing Nature observation events. Employee participation in these activities contributed to a deeper understanding of biodiversity.
Seiko Group also continued its efforts in line with the Green Product Certification system, ensuring a sustained focus on developing and making environmentally conscious products.
Land use considerations for biodiversity
Greening activities
Seiko Instruments (Thailand) Ltd. has two factories, which planted a total of 320 trees as part of the factory site greening activities. The planting involved many of the company’s employees. The firm will continue to promote greening while monitoring the growth of the trees. This planting initiative also aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the trees’ natural CO2 absorption.
Continuing its commitment to green initiatives, Dalian Seiko Electronic Co., Ltd. in China pursued greening efforts in fiscal year 2022. Their goal was to achieve a multi-layered green environment, and started by planting 12 trees. Dalian Seiko Electronic has consistently worked to create green spaces that take into account biodiversity. They always minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides in maintaining these green areas, and compost dead branches and fallen leaves to promote on-site recycling.
Protection of endangered species
At the Seiko NPC Nasu-Shiobara Plant, three Cephalanthera falcata (Kinran) orchids have been discovered in one corner of the facility, and nearby, numerous Cypripedium macranthos (Ginran) have also been identified. While it was once common to see these orchids thriving in the forest, their population has declined substantially in recent years, leading to concerns about potential extinction. The Ministry of the Environment has designated them as “Endangered II” species. The Nasu-Shiobara Plant keeps them under careful observation and looks forward to their flowering every year. In the spring of 2023, new blossoms were confirmed in another part of the facility. In addition, the company has confirmed the presence of other unusual species such as Cymbidium goeringii, Liriope muscari and Plantain lily. The facility has also promoted greening efforts by planting moss phlox and blueberries to provide bird feed.
Since February 2016, as part of a restoration project in Chiba Prefecture, three Seiko Instruments, Inc. facilities* located in the prefecture have been registered as “Supporters of Pinus pumila Conservation.” Pinus pumila is a type of dwarf pine that the prefecture has designated as a quasi-endangered species, and the company is happy to help support its growth. The firm reports to the prefecture every October on the health and status of the plants. By nurturing seedlings, the company not only deepens its understanding of Pinus pumila, but also helps to preserve its genetic heritage. The conservation of biodiversity is not only a corporate effort, but also involves cooperation with various stakeholders such as local communities, municipalities, and non-profit organizations.
* The three Seiko Instruments facilities in Chiba Prefecture: Makuhari Office (Chiba City), Takatsuka Unit (Matsudo City), Ohno Unit (Ichikawa City).
Education and awareness-raising activities
Monitoring of living organisms and awareness-raising activities
Birdhouses and bird baths have been installed at each Seiko Instruments facility as part of the company’s commitment to provide habitats for living things. Additionally, the firm uses sensor-activated cameras to conduct animal surveys that deepen our understanding of the creatures inhabiting the facility grounds. The survey results are then used for employee awareness activities. At the Sendai facility, the sensor camera videos are publicly displayed at the entrance of the employee cafeteria as part of these awareness initiatives.
Nature Observation Event
In July 2023,Seiko Group Corporation and Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.held a joint Nature observation event on the latter’s grounds. This event, which has been held continuously since 2012, involved the cooperation of SHIMIZU CORPORATION as well as the collaboration of experts in various fields to support the conservation of biodiversity. The 12th edition of the event saw 29 individuals participate, including government officials and environmental representatives from our Group.
The main themes of the Nature observation event were forest management for the next generation and environmental education. Based on a structural analysis of the forest resulting from conservation activities to date, the participants gave advice on future maintenance and renewal options. Additionally, the insect hotel installed in the forest was disassembled, and the participants learned about the kind of insects that used the hotel. Through this Nature observation event, people came to appreciate that biodiversity has been significantly improved as a result of conservation efforts. We plan to continue these activities in the future.
In addition, Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc. and Seiko Group Corporation regularly conduct something called the Seiko Environment School, in which children are taught the importance of biodiversity through activities such as building insect hotels and conducting creature surveys in biotopes.
Insect hotels are created using discarded materials, fallen branches, bamboo tubes, etc., aiming to establish a diverse ecosystem by providing a place for insects to breed and survive the winter.
Products and Biodiversity
The Green Product Standards include consideration for biodiversity as one of the environmental criteria. Specific measures, such as minimizing the impact on ecosystems by eliminating lead use, are set for each product. The product standards are reviewed every two years, with a focus on enhancing biodiversity considerations for all products.
