Sustainability
Reducing the Burden on the Environment
Concept
We are currently facing enormous risks from powerful natural disasters, etc., such as increasing temperatures, torrential rain and flooding caused by global climate change.
The ITFOR Group has accepted the challenge to halve greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030 by moving ahead with initiatives for strengthening emission standards both directly and indirectly based on international frameworks. We believe that establishing disaster-prevention measures against the risk of climate change is imperative, and we will provide solutions for BCP from the viewpoint of business sustainability.
Promoting Activities Against the Risk of Climate Change
Not only are we promoting various activities within the company against the risk of climate change, such as moving ahead with paperless operations, we are also providing companies with solutions that are effective in reducing CO2 emissions.
Detailed Initiatives
Digitalization of Certification Using Blockchain Technology
ITFOR, together with the Kyushu Institute of Technology and Chaintope Inc., conducted a demonstration experiment on the electronic issuance of university course completion certificates with the use of blockchain technology. Enabling students to obtain their certificates without having to visit the university registrar’s office will cut down on traveling by car and indirectly result in the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Contributing to Reducing the Burden on the Environment Through Cashless Payments
Providing regional financial institutions, etc., with cashless payment platforms enables ITFOR to support the promotion of cashless payments in rural areas. Whereas it was necessary up until now to actually deliver cash in person by car or, in the case of offshore islands, by ferry boats in a cash-payment society, this is no longer necessary with cashless payments, which indirectly results in the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Establishing New Work Spaces by Eradicating the Use of Paper
Amid an environment in which companies are reducing the size of office space in alignment with work-style reforms, ITFOR has newly increased its floor space in the Tokyo head office building. This new space has taken a firm stance on being completely paperless and is therefore not equipped with copy machines or shredders so that we can reduce the amount of paper used and the amount of garbage that needs to be disposed of. It is also a free-seating area in which employees are able to sit in any seat they wish, and there are no cabinets for storing documentation, etc. In this way, we are moving ahead with our initiatives for reducing waste by establishing numerical transparency on the amount of paper used.
Office Initiatives to Reduce Environmental Impact
A variety of environmentally friendly products are used in the newly expanded workspace in the headquarters building.For example, approximately 654㎡ of used carpet tiles were recycled. The amount of recycled raw materials used amounts to approximately 2,623 kg.The amount of greenhouse gas emission reduction from the office expansion is approximately 1,877 kg, which is estimated to be equivalent to the amount of CO₂ absorbed by about 213 40-year old cedar trees in one year.
In addition, an office vegetable garden has been started on the head office veranda for the purpose of greening the company.This initiative will also serve as a demonstration test for future support of local agriculture and will be expanded to more efficient and environmentally friendly initiatives utilizing IoT sensors and AI in the future.
Click here for further details(Office Vegetable Garden Initiatives)
Utilization of “terraced rice fields in Aso Mizukake” for groundwater recharge
In recent years, there has been concern about the decline of the groundwater table due to increasing urbanization and a decrease in the area of rice paddies.As an effort to prevent this, ITFOR has begun sustainability promotion activities by leasing a 310-square-meter plot of terraced rice paddies in Aso Mizukake, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture.We will actively promote groundwater recharge through rice planting and harvesting by our employees.