Commitment by the Officer-in-Charge
To create a sustainable society
First of all, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the many people who have lost their lives around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and my heartfelt sympathies to those who are still suffering from the disease or suffering from the aftereffects. The SHIONOGI Group has adopted “Protect people worldwide from the threat of infectious diseases” as one of the material issues (materiality) on which it places particular emphasis, and has positioned infectious diseases as a priority disease area in research and development. Since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have focused on research and development of COVID-19 therapeutic drugs and preventive vaccines. We will continue to work together across the entire value chain, from research and development to the establishment of a manufacturing/distribution system, so that we can provide, as soon as possible, new products to society, which is still suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent years, attention to the SDGs has been increasing, and companies are strongly required to contribute to resolving social issues through their business activities and to grow sustainably together with society. In particular, environmental issues are recognized as global issues that transcend generations and cannot be reversed. Initiatives related to climate change are being promoted on a global scale, including the conclusion of the Paris Agreement and the establishment of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). In Japan, starting with the Japanese government’s declaration of “Carbon Neutrality by 2050” in October 2020, the Corporate Governance Code was revised in June 2021, requiring companies listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange to disclose climate-related information in accordance with the TCFD or equivalent framework. Thus, corporate responsibility in relation to climate change continues to expand.
The SHIONOGI Group has identified “Protect the environment” as one of the material issues to realize a sustainable society and support SHIONOGI’s growth, and is steadily advancing its efforts to address climate change in order to meet the demands of society. In fiscal 2021, we obtained approval from the SBTi for our medium- and long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets and announced our support for the TCFD recommendations to begin efforts to expand our information disclosure based on the TCFD framework. Furthermore, with the aim of expanding GHG emissions reduction activities to the entire supply chain, we participated in the Ministry of the Environment’s “Fiscal Year 2021 Model Project for Supporting Achievement of the Decarbonization Targets of the Entire Supply Chain” to consider measures to reduce Scope 3 emissions. Thus, we are strengthening our efforts to reduce GHG emissions.
Some environmental issues are closely related to the infectious disease area, on which the SHIONOGI Group focuses on. Due to the global spread of COVID-19, we have experienced that once a pandemic occurs, society and the economy suffer great damage. If global warming advances due to climate change, it is said that the risk of new pandemic outbreaks will increase. For instance, it is expected that infectious diseases will spread over a wider area in the tropics. Accordingly, we believe that we need to seriously address climate change. The antimicrobials we sell also have the risk of causing the emergence of new AMR strains unless we properly handle them, starting from the manufacturing process, and control the release of them into the environment.
Considering the depth of the relationships with its businesses, the SHIONOGI Group has identified “AMR,”*1 “climate change,” “resource conservation and circulation,” and “water,” which are environmental issues to be prioritized, as its Environmental Materiality. We have also adopted the medium- and long-term EHS Action Targets (2020–2024/2030/2050) to focus on reducing the environmental impact of our business activities.
The SHIONOGI Group contributes to the health of people and the maintenance of the global environment through its business activities, thereby achieving both the realization of a sustainable society and the growth of the Company. Furthermore, we will continue to take responsible action and enhance our information disclosure to strengthen our engagement with all of our stakeholders. We will also work to continuously improve corporate value so that we can become a company that is needed in the future.
