SustainabilitySustainability Management
Since its founding in 1919, the Daicel Group has upheld the values of co-existence and co-prosperity. By developing and providing a variety of materials and services that meet societal needs, we have contributed to enriching the lives of people. We declared our Sustainable Management Policy in 2020, which outlines our management philosophy and includes the principles we have upheld within the Daicel Group over 100 years.
Currently, values in society and among individuals are undergoing significant changes as we strive to realize a sustainable society, and the speed of environmental changes surrounding the Daicel Group is accelerating. Within this framework, we will continue to focus on selecting and concentrating our business areas without altering our dedication to manufacturing, our primary foundations of Safety, Quality and Compliance, and our commitment to People-centered Management.
This will enable us to simultaneously achieve a sustainable society and expand the Daicel Group’s business, ultimately realizing our Basic Philosophy of being “the company making lives better by co-creating value.”
Sustainable Management Policy
Sustainable Management Policy
- We create and provide people with new values to achieve a better quality of life.
- We construct a circular process with all our stakeholders to make harmonious coexistence with the environment.
- We promote “People-centered Management” that enables diverse employees to grow while establishing their own presence and achieving fulfillment.
Enacted June 5, 2020
Conceptual Diagram of Sustainable Management Policy
Sustainable Management System
In formulating our Mid-Term Management Strategy, Accelerate 2025, the Daicel Group identified key issues, or "materiality," in sustainability that will promote the realization of the strategy, and set key performance indicators (KPIs) for each issue.
In FY2021/3, the Daicel Group established the Sustainable Management Committee (typically meets three times a year), chaired by the President and CEO, to discuss and manage key sustainability issues (materiality) at the management level. In addition, for theme-specific subcommittees established to address sustainability-related topics such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and procurement, the appointed officer acts as the responsible person, working to strengthen initiatives and further enhance information disclosure.
As for the KPIs, we regularly re-identify and modify the impact as necessary through stakeholder engagement. The regular progress evaluation of KPIs by the Sustainable Management Committee ensures implementation of the CAPD* cycle.
In addition, the Board of Directors will receive regular reports from the Sustainable Management Committee concerning the status of the KPIs related to materiality in order to supervise the promotion of sustainability at the Daicel Group.
In FY2025/3, the Sustainable Management Committee met three times, mainly discussing the response to climate change, such as GHG emission reductions, the certification system for contributions to build a circular society (System name: Cyclovia), and DE&I efforts, with the details reported to the Board of Directors.
We will continue to make progress towards resolving issues related to sustainability and elevating our efforts to the next level.
*Instead of a Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) cycle, the most widely known approach to continuous improvement, Daicel Group has adopted a CAPD improvement cycle to avoid the risk of overlooking crucial facts and realities that often lie hidden in the initial planning stage.
Diagram of the Sustainable Management System
*Depending on the topic, participants will be drawn from each SBU, plant production-related departments, Group companies, etc.
Daicel Group Sustainability Promotion Conference
The Daicel Group holds the Daicel Group Sustainability Promotion Conference at the beginning of each fiscal year to promote the realization of a sustainable society and the growth of the Group while maintaining a high level of awareness under the Sustainable Management Policy. The promotion conference is attended by Daicel’s management, representatives of the Daicel Workers’ Union, representatives of SBUs and divisions, and the presidents of Group companies to reaffirm and share their thoughts.
In FY2025/3, approximately 80 attendees gathered at the Tokyo Head Office for the first time in five years, and the event was held in a two-part format. In the first part, messages regarding safety, quality and compliance were delivered by the top management and representatives of the Daicel Workers’ Union, and suggestions were presented by the General Managers of the Corporate Sustainability Division and the Safety and Quality Assurance Headquarters. In the second part, efforts to ensure safety and quality were discussed and shared by the General Managers of each business site, the Environment and Safety Division, the Quality Assurance Division, and the Administration Division.
In FY2026/3, to remain true to the Daicel Group’s Basic Philosophy of “the company making lives better by co-creating value,” we adopted a two-part format including a crisis management seminar, with approximately 70 participants. In the first part, messages were delivered by President and CEO Yasuhiro Sakaki, who assumed office on April 1, 2025, and the representative of the Daicel Workers’ Union, emphasizing their commitment to thoroughly implementing safety, quality, and compliance, which are the fundamental principles and the most important foundation of the Daicel Group’s business activities. In the second part for the crisis management seminar, we invited an external expert to deliver a lecture based on successful and failed case studies, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of how to respond in emergency situations. We established this as a venue to bolster safety and quality through the promotion of increased crisis awareness during normal times.
Initiatives for Realizing a Sustainable Society
Recognizing social issues, the Daicel Group considers it is our corporate mission to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society through our products and business processes, and to create new value for society.
Since FY2021/3, besides incorporating a sustainable management curriculum into position-based training, we are promoting various activities, including launching programs such as the SDGs Ambassador activities which support employee volunteering, to make them part of every employee’s mindset.
Contributing to Society Through Our Business: CycloVia* (Certification System for Contributions to Build a Circular Society)
The Daicel Group aims to realize a circular society as outlined in our Long-Term Vision, DAICEL VISION 4.0, and we recognize increasing demand for products and technologies that contribute to building such a society as a key business opportunity. In FY2025/3, to capitalize on this opportunity, we initiated CycloVia, a system that recognizes the products and technologies within the Group that contribute to the development of a circular society. This certification system utilizes the assessment items detailed in the table below for evaluation. Certification is granted by the Sustainable Management Committee, and we will work to foster its development and wider adoption.
In addition, we plan to proactively operate this certification system throughout the Group and explore its use as a metric to quantify our contribution to realizing a circular society, which is central to our vision.
*Formed by combining "Cycle" with "Via” (Latin for "road").
This indicates pathways and actions taken to contribute toward the realization of a circular society.
Assessment Items
| Use of Circular Materials | |
| Reuse of Waste | |
| Reusability | |
| Recyclability | |
| Comparison | Reduction of Carbon Footprint of Product |
| Water Use Reduction | |
| Reduction of Hazardous Substances | |
| Yield Improvement | |
| Application to Business Fields for the Realization of a Circular Society | Contribution to the Renewable Energy Sector |
| Contribution to Environmental Protection and Conservation | |
| Contribution to Energy and Resource Conservation | |
| Others | |
| Environmental Certifications and Accreditations | |
The products and technologies certified to date are as shown in the following table.
CycloVia Certified Products (as of June 2025)
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| Product and Technology | Organization | Rationale for Certification | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMC DAICEL (Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Utilizes circular materials | Utilizes naturally derived pulp (circular materials) as a primary raw material |
| HEC DAICEL (Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Utilizes circular materials | Utilizes naturally derived pulp (circular materials) as a primary raw material |
| CELISH (Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Utilizes circular materials | Utilizes naturally derived pulp (circular materials) as a primary raw material |
| Cellulose Acetate | Daicel Corporation | Utilizes circular materials | Utilizes naturally derived pulp (circular materials) as a primary raw material |
| Acetate tow | Daicel Corporation | Utilizes circular materials | Utilizes naturally derived pulp (circular materials) as a primary raw material Acquired PEFC COC certification |
| TOPAS® COC | Polyplastics Co., Ltd. | Contributes to environmental protection and conservation Contributes to energy and resource conservation | By facilitating the use of monomaterials, contributes to easier recycling processes, leading to waste reduction through plastic packaging recycling, decreased reliance on virgin resin raw materials, and lower energy consumption during packaging resin production Certified by the independent German testing institute Institut cyclos-HTP as a mechanically recyclable additive for mixing and compounding with PE and PP Granted Critical Guidance Recognition by the Association of Plastics Recyclers in the United States, confirming that the material is recyclable without negatively impacting the high-density polyethylene recycling process |
| BELLOCEA® S7 | Daicel Corporation | Utilizes circular materials | Confirmed to decompose in the ocean, these spherical particles, derived from cellulose acetate, present a solution for reducing environmental impact |
| QLIP, food bag clip which is highly sealable, reusable, and freezer safe.(Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Environmental certifications and accreditations | Product certified under the Biomass Mark scheme of the Japan Organics Recycling Association |
| “RAKU-POI” Ring, product for easy and hygienic waste disposal around the kitchen sink and its exclusive bag. (Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Environmental certifications and accreditations | Product certified under the BiomassPla. Certification system of the Japan BioPlastics Association |
| “RAKU-POI” Self-Standing Drain Bag, product for easy and hygienic waste disposal around the kitchen sink.(Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Environmental certifications and accreditations | Product certified under the Biomass Mark scheme of the Japan Organics Recycling Association |
| “RAKU—CHIN” Easy-Place Drain Bag, product for easy and hygienic waste disposal around the kitchen sink. | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Environmental certifications and accreditations | Product certified under the BiomassPla. Certification System of the Japan BioPlastics Association |
| "SANKAKU-Corner irazu," product folding detachable sink drain and its exclusive disposable drain bag (Link to Japanese website) | Daicel Miraizu Ltd. | Environmental certifications and accreditations | Product certified under the Biomass Mark scheme of the Japan Organics Recycling Association |
Initiatives Aimed at Promoting an Understanding of Sustainability
We believe that it is important for every employee to understand the need for a sustainable mindset, recognize how it applies to their work and act with awareness of how they can contribute to its implementation. To promote employee understanding, the Corporate Sustainability Division works in collaboration with related departments to raise awareness throughout the company on various initiatives.
Implementation of Program on Sustainable Management in Position-based Training
A sustainable management-themed program was incorporated into the position-based training targeting advancing employees, including new recruits and newly appointed managers. We strive to promote the connection between the Daicel Group’s policies and awareness of sustainability among employees through practical programs, including group discussions, on Basic Philosophy, Sustainable Management Policy, HR policy and materiality in collaboration with CSR-related divisions such as Corporate Compliance Program and Responsible Care, and Human Resources Division. In FY2026/3, a total of 520 employees across the Group participated in the program. In the future, we will systematically develop human resources who will be responsible for sustainable management from the time they join the company to when they are assigned to a managerial post.
Implementation of Sustainability Awareness Survey
Since FY2020/3, we have been conducting a sustainability awareness survey to verify the results of initiatives for promoting in-house awareness. In February 2025, we conducted our sixth survey, with approximately 5,100 respondents, including employees of domestic Group companies (response rate of 81%). The survey showed that over 90% of respondents feel the importance of connecting the Daicel Group’s sustainability with their own work. Going forward, we will continue to promote in-house awareness in encouraging every employee to practice sustainability on a personal level.
Sustainability Week 2024 (Company-wide Event)
Since FY2021/3, the Daicel Group has been hosting the Daicel Group Sustainability Week, a company-wide event that was also held online, as an opportunity to think about sustainability. The fifth Sustainability Week, held from November 20th to 29th, featured a message from the President and CEO, alongside contributions from each site manager regarding their sustainability initiatives. During the event, Professor Masaharu Nakamura of Kyoto University, with whom we are jointly conducting research, gave a clear and insightful presentation from a researcher's perspective on our Group's efforts to achieve a circular society, held at the Biomass Green Innovation Center (BGIC) located within Kanazawa University.
We also simultaneously held Diversity Week as an opportunity to consider “Sustainable People,” which is one of the pillars of our Sustainable Management Policy. As part of that collaborative project, we hosted a presentation by Mari Okajima, an Outside Director. She discussed various approaches to work based on personal experiences, centered around the theme of “proactively envisioning the future and independently considering what ‘working’ means.” Prior to this presentation, a blind football experience session was held, providing an opportunity to consider diversity from various perspectives.
At all events, a total of 500 employees participated in real time, including both on-site attendees and online viewers. In addition to Group-wide initiatives such as "My Sustainable Product," which introduces the products we handle, and the donation drive "Mottainai Challenge 2024," individual sites also held their own unique events. Event highlights, including videos, are now available on the intranet’s dedicated Sustainability Week 2024 special website, enabling employees who could not attend to access the content. The website was accessed approximately 2,000 times by the end of 2024, and Sustainability Week offers employees a valuable chance to engage with sustainability in a way that resonated with them.
SDGs Ambassador Activities
The SDGs Ambassador initiative was launched in the Daicel Group in FY2021/3 as a community of self-motivated volunteers interested in sustainability and the SDGs regardless of their worksites, job types and positions. The aim is to deepen the ambassadors' understanding and promote awareness throughout the Group. In FY2026/3, the sixth year of the program, a total of 170 employees (74 in FY2021/3), including those at Group companies and overseas, are actively involved in the program. Specifically, they conduct sustainable initiatives beyond workplaces through monthly lectures and networking events (nine times in FY2025/3), basic courses, and team activities. Nine of them who are particularly passionate about sustainability are working as Sustainability Key Persons to lead the penetration of the concept of sustainability within the company at business sites and divisions by linking it to their work.
Members interested in the 17 SDGs gather and form teams for each goal to carry out activities. In FY2025/3, a diverse group of members gathered across affiliations and locations to delve deeper into their goals through local experiences and discussions and shared the results of their year-long efforts at an online SDGs Ambassador's Networking Event in March 2025.
SDGs Ambassador Activities
SDG Goal 3 Team Activities
The team working on SDG Goal 3 has been continuously active since its launch in FY2022/3, consistently adding and modifying themes and members. The main focus for FY2025/3 was “To Till the Soil and Grow a Circle of Unity,” and the team sought to build a social framework allowing all individuals to engage with one another, irrespective of minority background. Core activities revolve around working with the soil and farming, including vegetable gardening in a high-rise office building and providing farm work experience and social interaction opportunities at supported employment facilities for individuals with disabilities.
Additionally, during our internal DAICON2024 (Daicel Group Business Contest), these activities were showcased as a business proposal that links social value and revenue generation. Communicating our vision has resonated with people beyond our SDGs Ambassador network, leading to a substantial growth in the reach of our initiatives.
SDGs Ambassador’s Initiative: Activities of Aboshi Plant Members
To boost sustainability efforts, the Aboshi Plant collaborated with the Himeji Branch of the Daicel Workers’ Union and SDGs Ambassadors to implement a joint initiative during Sustainability Week 2024. The plant held an exhibition and sales event featuring a confectionery company actively working towards the SDGs. To enliven the event, the SDGs Ambassadors prepared a three-option SDGs quiz challenge related to the Aboshi Plant, with SDG-themed products given away as prizes. They also solicited ideas for recycling waste filter tow at the sign-up desk for the quiz challenge. Although waste filter tow from the Aboshi Plant is currently categorized as industrial waste, its recycling and effective use could lead to a reduction in industrial waste generation. The event saw over 150 attendees, each deepening their understanding of sustainability.
Stakeholder Engagement
The Daicel Group aspires to increase engagement by forging highly reliable, collaborative relationships with all stakeholders involved in our business, including customers, suppliers, shareholders and investors, local communities, employees, industry and academia. We will strive to accurately understand stakeholder demands and expectations for the Daicel Group and reflect them in our business activities.
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| Stakeholder | Details | Main Methods of Communication |
|---|---|---|
| Customers | Corporate customers and general consumers to whom we provide our products and solutions |
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| Shareholders and Investors | Shareholders, individual and institutional investors |
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| Suppliers | Suppliers and subcontractors of raw materials, fuel, parts, etc. |
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| Employees | All of the Daicel Group’s employees |
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| Local Communities | Locations of the Daicel Group’ s offices and plants |
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| Industry and Academia | Partner companies, universities and research institutions with whom the Daicel Group conducts joint research and development |
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