TOKYO, April 26, 2021 -- Ube Industries, Ltd. (hereafter "Ube Industries;" President: Masato Izumihara) announced today that the UBE Group, comprising Ube Industries and its Group companies, has announced its policy for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The policy calls for the UBE Group to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from its business activities. The Group will also strive to help the broader society become carbon neutral by pursuing R&D for products and technologies that are beneficial for the environment and the practical application of eco-friendly innovations.

In October 2020, the government of Japan declared its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Corporations are expected to dramatically change their conventional mindset, seeing climate change as an opportunity to achieve sustainable growth, rather than as a constraint on economic activities, and to take more proactive measures to mitigate climate change. As measures based on this government policy move forward, CO₂-free energy supply and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies are expected to become economically viable and to be widely adopted.

In May 2020, the UBE Group unveiled its Environmental Vision 2050, which publicly conveys its medium- and long-term commitment to pursuing corporate activities in harmony with nature to maintain an abundant global environment. In light of recent social trends, the UBE Group is focused on becoming a leading solutions provider for a decarbonized society, taking its efforts to reduce and utilize GHGs to a whole new level and actively working to create products and technologies that contribute to the global environment.

UBE Group Policy for Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050

The UBE Group will pursue carbon neutrality by the year 2050 by taking the following steps.

1. Achieve carbon neutrality for the Group's business activities (minimizing GHG emissions and developing innovative technologies), by:

1. Practicing rigorous energy conservation and making process improvements
2. Maximizing the use of CO₂-free energy
3. Realigning the business structure to reduce dependency on fossil resources (minimize the use of fossil resources)
4. Pursuing R&D and bringing products to market in fields such as CO₂ utilization technology and non-fossil raw materials

2. Help the broader society become carbon neutral, by:

1. Supplying products that, when used, contribute to reduction of CO₂ emissions
2. Contributing to reduction of CO₂ emissions in customer supply chains (supplying products such as biomass-derived polymers, biodegradable polymers, and polymers with both of those properties, as well as recycled and re-used chemicals)