Sustainability Management Materiality and SDGs

The UBE Group identifies and focuses on addressing material issues (materiality) that impact its sustainable growth by comprehensively considering global environmental issues and other various risks faced by the Group, as well as international consensus on sustainable social development and our own technological capabilities to lower environmental burdens.

Participating Consensuses

  • SDGs
  • UN Global Compact
  • Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
  • Global Human Rights Declaration
  • Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
  • ISO 26000
  • GRI

Identifying Materiality

Highly important risks with a large potential impact on operations are separated into four different groups: Growth, Environmental (E), Social (S), and Governance (G). As a company responsible for large volumes of GHG emissions, we recognize that the most important risks fall under the Environmental classification, and use this understanding as a base for active initiatives toward lowering the volume of GHG emissions and continuously expanding our provision of environmentally friendly products and technology, thus going beyond simply reducing environmental risks to strive toward turning risks into opportunities. By comprehensively considering global environmental issues and other various risks facing the UBE Group, as well as international consensus on sustainable social development and our own technological capabilities to lower environmental burdens, the UBE Group identifies and focuses on tackling materiality (important issues) that impact its sustainable growth, and reports these to the Board of Directors.

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Materiality within the UBE Group

Highly Important Risks with Large Potential Impacts on Operations Materiality The UBE Group’s Measures SDGs Items to Which We Contribute
Growth Expanding the specialty chemicals business

By increasing the weight of specialty chemicals businesses in our business portfolio, we are striving to build an operating structure that generates stable growth regardless of economic trends and improve profit margins. Specialty chemicals businesses encompass many operations that generate minimal GHG emissions. We look to lower emissions rates by increasing the proportion such businesses comprise in our portfolio.

Additionally, to position ourselves as a leader among specialty chemical businesses, we are focusing on R&D activities and strategies in the intellectual property field.

  • *Polyimide, separation membranes, ceramics, semiconductor gases, separators, composites, C1 chemicals, high-performance coatings, pharmaceuticals, phenol resin
  • SDG 3
  • SDG 7
  • SDG 9
  • SDG 13
Environment Addressing global environmental issues

Global environmental issues are those whose damage and repercussions go beyond national borders or regions to affect the entire planet, and are considered to stem from the growing impact of such human activities as population growth, high consumption volume, and international trade.

UBE Group has organized its responses to global environmental issues within the following three groups, under which it proceeds with relevant efforts.

  1. Addressing Climate Change (Carbon Neutrality)
  2. Contributing to a Recycling-Based Society (Circular Economy)
  3. Contributing to the Conservation and Restoration of the Natural Environment (Nature Positive)

Efforts toward the realization of carbon neutrality by reducing GHG emissions across the value chain are especially intensifying. In addition, by providing products, technology and services connected to the circular economy and Nature Positive initiatives as well as engagement such as dialogue and cooperation with stakeholders, we contribute to resolving global environmental issues.
  • SDG 6
  • SDG 7
  • SDG 12
  • SDG 13
  • SDG 14
  • SDG 15
Society Hiring and cultivating talent

Talent will be the engine for the UBE Group’s medium- and long-term growth. We will hire more women and foreign nationals while educating employees to cultivate talent with diverse values and perspectives, thereby enabling us to respond swiftly to changes in the business climate and pursue sustainable growth.
  • SDG 5
  • SDG 8
Governance Strengthening management foundations (promoting governance and DX)

To accelerate our initiatives to expand the specialty chemicals business and address global environmental issues, we are implementing DX among all employees in every line of work. Based on our medium-term management plan, “UBE Vision 2030 Transformation ~1st Stage~,” we are improving our renewed management structure within the UBE Group. While we transition to specialty chemicals within UBE Corporation, a chemical business company, we have built systems to carry out proper governance as shareholders of the machinery and cement business companies under it. Furthermore, we are continuing to establish diversity within our Board of Directors and delegate authority to its executive side and build systems to conduct deeper discussions on materiality.
  • SDG 12