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Environmental Initiatives

Initiatives to address environmental issues and global warming

Our Group's management policy is "to contribute to the development of society at large through food and housing services", and we view our initiatives to address environmental issues and climate change as essential to our business development and a sustainable society.
We also aim to realize a sustainable society and business development based on the preservation of natural capital. We will comply with the following items and reduce our environmental impact through the services of all of our group businesses.

Reduction of Greenhouse Gases

  • 12.つくる責任、つかう責任
  • 3.すべての人に、健康と福祉を

Management of Industrial waste performance

For proper management of waste, we use manifest vouchers to compile annual performance data on the types of industrial waste and the amount of waste generated. Annual leakage of fluorocarbons, a type of greenhouse gas, is also tabulated and reported to each local government. Through these efforts, we are helping to reduce GHG emissions.

Switch to Energy-efficient Equipment

Air conditioning equipment and heating equipment such as boilers at our business sites consume large amounts of energy. As part of our efforts to reduce GHG emissions, we are systematically replacing our air conditioning and heating with high-efficiency equipment.

Support for Promotion of EVs (Electric Vehicles) and Other Eco-cars

We are striving to reduce environmental impact by supporting the popularization of electric vehicles, for instance by installing EV chargers at some of the Hotel Group's business sites. In addition, we will gradually transition the vehicles we use for business and transportation to eco-cars with lower environmental impact, in line with the future expansion of our vehicle lineup.

Secondary Use of Heat from Hot Springs

A portion of the discharged hot spring water is used for secondary purposes such as preventing road surface icing (road heating) and melting snow on roofs in winter, making effective use of water resources and thermal energy.

Reduction of Single-use Plastics

  • 12.つくる責任、つかう責任
  • 3.すべての人に、健康と福祉を

Review of Amenity Offerings

Disposable plastic toothbrushes and hairbrushes that used to be provided in guestrooms are now available to guests on an as-needed basis, and some of our resort hotels have introduced amenities made of decarbonized materials, thereby reducing the generation of plastic waste that causes ocean pollution.

Effective Use of Water Resources

  • 3.すべての人に、健康と福祉を
  • 12.つくる責任、つかう責任

Cease Routine Changing of Linens (WECO Cleaning for Consecutive Nights)

As part of our eco-friendly hospitality, we offer guests staying for consecutive nights a "No Cleaning & Sheet Changing Required Card" and encourage them to cooperate in the "WECO Cleaning for Consecutive Nights" program, which aims to reduce water used for laundry.

Installation of Water-saving Equipment

To make effective use of precious water resources, we are installing water-efficient facilities and equipment. For example, as showers and toilets are among the highest water-consuming equipment at our business sites, we are reducing water usage by adopting water-saving showerheads and toilets.

Initiatives for TCFD

The Group’s management policy is “contributing to the progress of society as a whole through food and housing,” and the Group positions efforts to address climate change as essential for its own business development and for the sake of a sustainable society. Therefore, in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023, we endorsed the TCFD’s recommendations to assess and disclose the financial impact of climate change-related risks and opportunities on our operations, and we will take an active role in the climate change initiative to disclose this information.

(1)Governance
  • ①Organizations responding to climate change
    The Group has integrated climate change into its governance process, and the Board of Directors, as the governing body for risk management, is involved in the process of managing climate change-related risks and opportunities. The Sustainability Promotion Committee, which is subordinate to the Board of Directors, collects and classifies climate change-related information and develops and implements climate change-related policies under the Sustainability Policy.
    The Sustainability Promotion Committee, chaired by the President of the Company, discusses specific measures for enhancing long-term corporate value, reports regularly to the Board of Directors, and promotes initiatives to address climate-related issues at the request of the Board of Directors. For a diagram of the governance structure, please refer to “II Overview of Business, 2 Approach and Initiatives for Sustainability, 1. Approach and Initiatives for Sustainability, (1) Governance.”
  • ②Sustainability Promotion Committee
    The Sustainability Promotion Committee met twice in the first half and twice in the second half of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 (enhancement of sustainability items in the Annual Securities Report, disclosure of the TCFD framework in the CG Report, aggregated report on greenhouse gas emissions, development of various policies, etc.). In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, the Sustainability Promotion Committee is expected to hold a meeting about once a quarter, and will plan, consult, discuss, manage and supervise the policies, specific actions, and disclosures regarding climate change measures, and report the results to the Board of Directors.
(2)Strategies
  • ①Risks and opportunities
    The Group recognizes that a 4°C rise in the global average temperature due to climate change will have a huge impact on society and believes that it is important to contribute to the movement to limit the temperature rise to less than 2°C.
    We believe that the risks associated with climate change that will impact our group are as follows. First, if the average temperature rises by 4°C by 2100 (hereinafter referred to as the “4°C scenario”), in the acute and chronic “physical risks” that emerge from disasters, etc., the risk of damage to offices and tourist spots is considered to be a priority risk. On the other hand, if the temperature increase is controlled to below 2°C (hereinafter referred to as the “less than 2°C scenario”), in the “transition risks” in terms of policies, laws, technologies, markets, etc. that arise in the process, the increase in indirect costs due to the introduction of a carbon tax is considered to be a particular priority risk. The promotion of energy conservation is important as a risk reduction measure, and we will promote the installation of high-efficiency equipment that is expected to conserve energy and consider the use of renewable energy sources. The opportunities that climate change presents to the Group include the development of business models that are adapted to the situation, enhanced performance of energy-efficient equipment through technological innovation, and cost reductions in green energy.
  • ②Climate-related impacts
    (a)Scenario
    In measuring the impact of climate change on the Group, we are considering underlying scenarios based on STEPS (IEA) and RCP6.0 and 8.5 (IPCC) for the 4°C scenario and SDS (IEA) and RCP2.6 (IPCC) for the less than 2°C scenario.
    (b)Financial impacts
    The introduction of a carbon tax, which is assumed in the future, and fluctuations in electricity prices, which are a prerequisite for procuring renewable energy, will be considered to affect finances. For estimating the financial impact, after identifying risks and opportunities, we will attempt to quantify particular areas of focus, such as taxation costs from the carbon tax and electricity prices which are expected to soar.
  • ③Countermeasures
    The majority of the Group’s greenhouse gas emissions are derived from the use of electricity and gas, and we believe that efficient energy use and a switch to fuels derived from renewable energy sources are important in our initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    For efficient energy use, replacement with energy-efficient equipment, such as energy-efficient air conditioners, is considered an effective means. For the shift to renewable energy, we will continue to gather information and introduce renewable energy sources while looking at their cost-effectiveness. All of these initiatives must be planned from a long-term perspective.
    In addition, the Group will take measures assuming what may happen in the future from a broad perspective from a medium- to long-term viewpoint under both the 4°C scenario and the less than 2°C scenario. Therefore, in the future business strategy, we will formulate appropriate measures to avoid negative risks, while flexibly responding to positive opportunities and viewing them as growth opportunities for the Company.
(3)Risk Management
  • ①Identification and evaluation
    The Group recognizes that climate change is an important issue for the survival of corporations and believes that responding appropriately to climate change, not only in terms of risks but also opportunities, will lead to sustainable growth. The Group will discuss priorities within the Sustainability Promotion Committee, which is delegated by the Board of Directors, by comprehensively evaluating the impact on management in terms of both financial impact and likelihood of occurrence. We will identify risks and opportunities in our business based on a comprehensive review of the Group’s issues, the requirements and expectations of stakeholders, and the results of impact assessments of environmental aspects of our business, and manage the risks and opportunities in future plans, and address them throughout the Group.
  • ②Management
    In response to a request from the Board of Directors, the Sustainability Promotion Committee will discuss various policies, targets, and measures related to sustainability, and report regularly to the Board of Directors on the progress of these discussions.
    The Administrative Office will support the Sustainability Promotion Committee.
    The ESG Promotion Office will receive instructions from the Sustainability Promotion Committee and, in addition to promoting ESG measures, will collect information, provide information, and conduct awareness activities from the Group.
  • ③Process
    The Group believes that it is important to consider climate change from two perspectives of risk and opportunity. Therefore, we are not only monitoring climate change risks, but also evaluating them in terms of opportunities by strengthening horizontal cooperation among related departments and Group companies. The ESG Promotion Office and the Sustainability Promotion Committee conduct their deliberations, which are then reported to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors makes decisions from the perspective of improving corporate value and issues instructions to the relevant departments.
(4)Indicators and Targets

The Group has expressed its support for the TCFD recommendations and has set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 + 2) to net zero by FY2050, and we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions with “decarbonization” as the keyword. The Sustainability Promotion Committee will examine greenhouse gas emissions, reduction targets, and interim targets, and report the results to the Board of Directors. We will work to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. The targets will be announced as soon as they are ready. Our greenhouse gas emissions are as follows.

CO2 emissions covering the Company’s hotel business are shown below.

Greenhouse gas emissions from Kyoritsu Maintenance Co., Ltd. (t-CO2)

Fiscal year ended March 2022 Fiscal year ended March 2023 Fiscal year ended March 2024 Fiscal year ended March 2024
/Fiscal year ended March 2023
Scope1(t-CO2) 47,380 49,222 50,449 102.50%
Scope2(t-CO2) 73,707 76,363 86,010 112.60%
Total(t-CO2) 121,088 125,585 136,459 108,70%

Emissions for the entire Group and Scope 3 are still being compiled.

Greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1+2) for the fiscal year ended March 2024 are 136,459 t-CO2 (108.7% increase compared to the same period last year). The main reason for the increase was emissions from the hotel business.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the hotel business (t-CO2)

Fiscal year ended March 2022 Fiscal year ended March 2023 Fiscal year ended March 2024 Fiscal year ended March 2024
/Fiscal year ended March 2023
Scope1(t-CO2) 37,725 39,672 43,314 109.2%
Scope2(t-CO2) 55,829 57,461 68,879 119.9%
計(t-CO2) 93,554 97,133 112,193 115.5%
out of the whole New building 6,218 3,712 11,887 320.2%

Greenhouse gas emissions from the hotel business in the fiscal year ended March 2024 were 112,193t-CO2 (115.5% increase compared to the same period last year). This is due to an increase in the number of guest rooms due to new openings, and the number of guest rooms in the fiscal year ended March 2024 will increase by 1,931 rooms to 20,628 rooms. On the other hand, at existing offices, although we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions to a certain extent by switching to high-efficiency equipment with high energy-saving effects, there has been an increase due to factors such as recovery of operations from the novel coronavirus infection.