Climate Change Data

Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2009-04 to 2010-03, 2022, 2022-04 to 2023-03, 2023)

Reporting Period: 2009-04 to 2010-03

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:2,170,000 t-CO2e/year
Total Energy Consumption:138,511 TJ/year
Water Consumption:34,906,000 t/year

ESG Focus Areas

  • Global Sustainability
  • Food Resources
  • Healthy Living

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced water usage by 1/3 and CO2 emissions by 2/3 since 2002 (per ton of product)
  • Introduced biomass boiler using rice husks in Thailand, achieving carbon-neutral fuel manufacturing

Social Achievements

  • Launched AIN program supporting nutrition improvement in 12 countries, benefiting approximately 70,000 people
  • Developed and launched nutritional care food products for the elderly, improving meal completion rates in care facilities

Governance Achievements

  • Established a corporate governance structure with independent and external directors, and advisory committees for nominations and compensation
  • Implemented a risk management system based on JIS Q standards, including BCP for emergencies

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

  • Non-compliance incidents at Tokai Plant regarding reporting obligations to authorities
  • Voluntary recall of Amino Vital products due to exceeding the permitted level of acesulfame potassium
  • Water and energy usage in amino acid fermentation
  • Securing sustainable raw materials without competing with food resources
Mitigation Strategies
  • Implemented corrective actions and improved management systems following regulatory guidance
  • Strengthened internal quality education, product development processes, and internal check systems
  • Developed water-saving production methods
  • Researching alternative raw materials (e.g., cellulose from corn, non-edible oils)

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Contract farming for corn and frozen food ingredients
  • Utilizing co-products from fermentation

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: UN Global Compact

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 2: Zero Hunger
  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • Goal 13: Climate Action

Initiatives such as the AIN program, sustainable raw material sourcing, and CO2 emission reduction contribute to these goals.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Eco-pouches for Knorr Cup Soup
  • Nutritional care food products for the elderly

Awards & Recognition

  • Japan Philanthropy Award, Earth Symbiosis Award

Reporting Period: 2022

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:12,077,801 tCO2e/year (FY2022)
Scope 1 Emissions:973,780 tCO2e/year (FY2022)
Scope 2 Emissions:611,712 tCO2e/year (FY2022)
Scope 3 Emissions:10,492,309 tCO2e/year (FY2022)
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:32,125 TJ/year (FY2022)
Water Consumption:60,039 m3/year (FY2022)
Waste Generated:25,415 tons/year (FY2022)
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed

ESG Focus Areas

  • Greenhouse gas emissions reduction
  • Water resource conservation
  • Waste 3Rs
  • Biodiversity
  • Circular Economy

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1 and 2) from 2,212,692 t-CO2e in FY2018 to 1,585,492 t-CO2e in FY2022.
  • Reduced water consumption per production volume unit by 79% compared to FY2005.
  • High resource recovery ratio for waste (98.6% in FY2022).

Social Achievements

  • Not disclosed

Governance Achievements

  • Not disclosed

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed
Medium-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed
Short-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed

Environmental Challenges

  • Not disclosed
Mitigation Strategies
  • Not disclosed

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement
  • Not disclosed

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Not disclosed
Transition Risks
  • Not disclosed
Opportunities
  • Not disclosed

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Null

Certifications: ISO 14001

Third-party Assurance: Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited (LRQA)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

  • Not disclosed

Reporting Period: 2022-04 to 2023-03

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:12,077,801 tCO2e/year
Scope 1 Emissions:973,780 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:604,719 tCO2e/year
Scope 3 Emissions:10,492,309 tCO2e/year
Water Consumption:60,039,000 m3/year
Waste Generated:1,784,000 tons/year
Carbon Intensity:3.87 tCO2e per ton of production (Scope 3, excluding Category 11) in FY2022

ESG Focus Areas

  • Health and Nutrition
  • Environment
  • Society
  • Governance

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced GHG emissions by 19% compared to FY2018 (Scope 1 and 2)
  • Achieved 79% reduction in water consumption per production volume unit compared to FY2005
  • Reduced food loss and waste by 39% compared to FY2018 (from raw material sourcing to delivery at customer)

Social Achievements

  • Increased percentage of products with improved nutritional value to 56% in FY2022 (target 60% by 2030)
  • Reached 340 million people annually with products promoting 'delicious salt reduction' and 'protein intake optimization' in FY2022 (target 400 million by 2030)
  • Increased diversity at the leadership level to 17% in FY2023 (target 30% by 2030)
  • Increased ratio of women in management to 27% in FY2023 (target 40% by 2030)

Governance Achievements

  • Established the Sustainability Advisory Council to oversee sustainability initiatives
  • Implemented ASQUA, a quality assurance system based on ISO 9001, in 96 Group companies
  • Established a multilingual hotline for reporting compliance issues

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Achieve net-zero emissions by 2050
  • Reduce food loss and waste by 50% across the full product lifecycle by 2050 (vs. 2018)
Medium-term Goals:
  • Reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 (vs. 2018)
  • Reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions intensity by 24% by 2030 (vs. 2018)
  • Achieve zero plastic waste by 2030
  • Increase diversity at the leadership level to 30% by 2030
  • Increase ratio of women in management to 40% by 2030
Short-term Goals:
  • Reduce water consumption by 80% by 2030 (vs. 2005)
  • Reduce food loss (from raw material sourcing to delivery at customer) by 50% by 2025 (vs. 2018)
  • Increase diversity at the leadership level to 25% by 2025
  • Increase ratio of women in management to 35% by 2025

Environmental Challenges

  • Procuring raw materials sustainably, especially palm oil and paper
  • Reducing GHG emissions across the value chain (Scope 3)
  • Quantifying the effectiveness of salt reduction initiatives at the national level
  • Addressing human rights risks in the supply chain, particularly in high-risk regions like Brazil and Indonesia
Mitigation Strategies
  • Set ambitious targets for GHG emission reduction and renewable energy use
  • Developed and implemented the BRIDGE project to reduce GHG emissions in MSG and nucleic acid production
  • Collaborated with academic institutions on the U20 Healthy Umami Research Project
  • Conducted human rights impact assessments in Brazil and Indonesia
  • Developed and implemented the QAPS questionnaire for supplier compliance

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: 150 audits in FY2022

Responsible Procurement
  • Group Shared Policy for Suppliers
  • Guidelines for Group Shared Policy for Suppliers
  • QAPS questionnaire
  • Sustainable procurement guidelines for palm oil, paper, coffee beans, and soybeans

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Floods
  • Droughts
  • Rising sea levels
  • Changing yields of raw materials
Transition Risks
  • Carbon taxes
  • Tightening of laws and regulations
  • Rising energy prices
  • Changes in consumer preferences
Opportunities
  • Development of low-emission products and services
  • Increased sales from products with low environmental impact

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI Standards

Certifications: ISO 14001 (69 of 100 eligible factories), ISO 45001 (66 of 100 plants)

Third-party Assurance: LRQA Limited

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Goal 2: Zero Hunger
  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
  • Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
  • Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 15: Life on Land

Ajinomoto's initiatives contribute to these SDGs through improved nutrition, reduced environmental impact, sustainable supply chain management, and responsible business practices.

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Plant Answer®
  • 2Protein
  • Pure Select® Koku Uma® mayonnaise
  • Low-fat Marim® creaming powder
  • Products using alternative sweeteners and kokumi

Awards & Recognition

  • Minister of the Environment Award (Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc.)
  • Gold Award at the 2nd sotokoto SDGs Award 2022
  • 2022 Nadeshiko Brand
  • Gold Rating in the PRIDE Index for 2022
  • Low Carbon Logistics Promotion Award (F-LINE CORPORATION)
  • Maritime Modal Shift Grand Prize (F-LINE CORPORATION)

Reporting Period: 2023

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:1,279,736 t-CO2e
Scope 1 Emissions:767,084 t-CO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:512,652 t-CO2e
Scope 3 Emissions:10,187,420 t-CO2e
Renewable Energy Share:38%
Total Energy Consumption:Not disclosed
Water Consumption:58,358,000 m3
Waste Generated:19,389 tons
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed

ESG Focus Areas

  • Greenhouse gas emissions reduction
  • Water resource conservation
  • Waste 3Rs
  • Food loss and waste reduction

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions from 2,212,692 t-CO2e in FY2018 to 1,279,736 t-CO2e in FY2023
  • Reduced water consumption per production volume unit by 78% from FY2005 to FY2023
  • Increased water recycling or reuse proportion to 27% in FY2023

Social Achievements

  • Not disclosed

Governance Achievements

  • Not disclosed

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed
Medium-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed
Short-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed

Environmental Challenges

  • Not disclosed
Mitigation Strategies
  • Not disclosed

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement
  • Not disclosed

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Not disclosed
Transition Risks
  • Not disclosed
Opportunities
  • Not disclosed

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Null

Certifications: ISO 14001

Third-party Assurance: Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

  • Not disclosed