Biodiversity
Approach to Biodiversity
SHIONOGI is committed to protecting biodiversity. We endorse the Keidanren Declaration on Biodiversity and Action Guidelines (revised version), and have published our ambitious action policies for and specific activities on biodiversity as part of the Initiative based on the Declaration of Biodiversity by Keidanren.
Keidanren: Initiative based on the Declaration of Biodiversity (External website)
Consideration for ecosystem diversity
Quality water brought about by the diversity of ecosystems is an important resource that is indispensable for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The SHIONOGI Group works to decrease the impact of soil contamination on the ecosystem by setting criteria for the quality of wastewater, which are stricter than those imposed by related laws and regulations, and to reduce the consumption of limited water resources by recycling most of the water we use back into the environment.
* See the section Water for details.
As a countermeasure against AMR, which has become a global issue, we inactivate antimicrobials in wastewater discharged from antimicrobial-manufacturing plants and confirm that the level of antimicrobial content in the wastewater has no environmental impact. We require our suppliers both in Japan and overseas to thoroughly manage antimicrobials in wastewater to contribute to the resolution of the AMR issue and the conservation of the ecosystem.
* See the section AMR for details.
Initiatives at the Aburahi Botanical Gardens
There are many pharmaceuticals of plant origin. Even today, plants are important specimens for pharmaceutical research and are used as raw materials for pharmaceuticals.
The Aburahi Botanical Gardens was established in 1947 within the Aburahi Research Center located in Koka City, Shiga Prefecture. Initially, plant cultivation was carried out for the purpose of cultivating origin plants and searching native origin plants for pharmaceutical drug discovery. However, it has now been refurbished as a facility for promoting environmental initiatives and conducting community and social contribution activities. At the Gardens, more than 1,000 species of plants, including threatened and rare species, are managed and maintained.
Contribution to the conservation of threatened species
At the Aburahi Botanical Gardens, we are involved in conserving threatened species and rare plants. We are also attempting to breed species of plants that are in danger of extinction ex-situ or at the Gardens and then return them to their own habitat.

Conservation status of threatened species by category
|
Threatened species |
Categories specified by the Ministry of the Environment (Endangered Class IA, Endangered Class IB, Endangered Class II, Near Threatened Class) |
76 species |
Categories specified by Shiga Prefecture (Endangered species, vulnerable species, rare species, species requiring attention, important species in terms of distribution, other important species) |
71 species |
Categories specified by Koka City (Endangered species, vulnerable species, species requiring attention, local species) |
43 species |
Environmental education for stakeholders
Results
Educational support for the next generation (total number of students) |
185 people |
Number of garden tours |
7 times |

Aburahi Botanical Gardens has received three stars in the Shiga Prefecture Certificate of Biodiversity Initiatives
The Aburahi Botanical Gardens received three stars, the highest rank, in the 2021 Shiga Prefecture Certificate of Biodiversity Initiatives because its community and social contribution activities, stated above, were evaluated as effective initiatives for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Reforesting Kombu Project
Shionogi Healthcare Co., Ltd., our Group company, manufactures and sells health foods that use fucoidan, a component extracted from Gagome kombu (kelp). However, due to a combination of reasons, such as an imbalance of supply and demand in the sea caused by the recent increase in sea urchins and abalones that feed on seaweed, and overfishing caused by the Gagome kombu boom, natural Gagome kombu, which mainly inhabits the waters near Hakodate, Hokkaido Prefecture, is facing a crisis of possible extinction in the area.
As a company that handles products using Gagome kombu, we have started the Reforesting Kombu Project to restore natural Gagome kombu to its former state in which it grew thickly like a forest. The purpose of the project is to switch its use from natural to farmed. To this end, we are collaborating with Hakodate City and local universities and companies to establish a stable supply system for farmed Gagome kombu, as well as a system to grow Gagome kombu while improving its quality. By expanding our project to other areas, we aim to promote the spread of farmed Gagome kombu, and conserve and restore natural Gagome kombu. Shionogi Healthcare has begun switching its product raw materials from natural to farmed Gagome kombu since 2019, aiming to reduce the use of natural Gagome kombu to zero by 2024.
This project is conducted under the “Project for Promoting the Launch of Business Based on Local Community-Company Partnership” subsidized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and we intend not only to create a production system and improve work efficiency for the kombu farming business but also to contribute to the revitalization of the area by encouraging job creation there.
