As an energy company, we engage in global activities to lead society toward a sustainable path. Since February 2007, we have been dispatching researchers to the University of Tokyo Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (currently Institute for Future Initiatives), with the aim of helping craft sustainable energy strategies.
As a part of these efforts, we run the Energy Sustainability Forum. This new framework for collaborative research between business and academia promotes sustainability science with the aim of solving global environmental and energy problems and realizing a sustainable society. On February 25, 2019, we jointly held the 14th Energy Sustainability Forum’s public symposium entitled, “A Sustainable Energy Society that Aims to Achieve the SDGs.” Through panel discussions and lectures featuring experts and business veterans, we got people talking about their vision for a sustainable energy society that aims to achieve the SDGs and initiatives to help create that kind of society.
In addition, we are conducting activities to co-create new value aimed at building sustainable communities on Niigata Prefecture’s Sado Island, which has highly isolated natural and social systems. We are working with various stakeholders to implement a wide range of initiatives, including using solar power for 100% Sado-made sake brewing, solar sharing, low-carbon terraced rice farming, and sustainability education. These initiatives are part of a social project aiming to reduce carbon emissions, revitalize the region, and solve regional issues through the integrated use of the area’s natural resources, such as renewable energy, agriculture, forestry, and tourism.
Idemitsu will continue to take these various measures going forward with the aim of creating a long-term energy vision and strategy to realize a sustainable society.
Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) Website
Institute for Future Initiatives Energy Sustainability Forum Website
Since fiscal 2020, Idemitsu has participated in Chuo University Graduate School’s Project to Research and Promote Work-Life Balance and Diversity. The project was launched in 2008 with the aim of exchanging information and assessing specific measures for achieving work-life balance and realizing workplaces and communities where diverse human resources can reach their full potential. With the aim of promoting diversity and inclusion within the company, Idemitsu is gathering data on companies taking progressive measures related to work-life balance, work styles, and the promotion of diversity and inclusion as well as hearing advice from experts and networking with other companies.
On September 17, 2020, the Carbon Recycling Fund Institute,* which has 61 member companies, including Idemitsu Kosan, J-Power, and Mitsubishi Chemical, held an online career seminar for students.
The purpose of this seminar was to explore the future of the global environment with undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers through an online panel discussion and a group discussion. In the first part of the seminar, the panel discussion, Mr. Sagishima, Managing Executive Officer and Chairman of the Planning Committee of the institute, spoke about the Idemitsu’s carbon recycling efforts and exchanged opinions with other speakers on measures to improve the global environment. In the second part of the seminar, mid-career employees from the our company’s Corporate Sustainability Department, Innovation Strategy Planning Department, Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, and Coal & Environment Research Laboratory participated in a lively group discussion with the students about protecting the Earth for the next generation. The students—generation from which future leaders will arise—were able to deepen their understanding of our initiatives.
The Hokkaido Refinery has started a joint research project with the National Institute of Technology, Tomakomai College. The purpose of this project is to find and improve on technologies in such areas as the prevention of external corrosion at oil refining facilities and improving the performance of wastewater treatment facilities by bringing together both our own and the National Institute of Technology’s advanced expertise. With the goal of completing the project in FY2021, we will continue our research and aim to apply these results to other social infrastructure facilities.
