Asahi Glass | Actions for Biodiversity Conservation

The AGC Group states that it will give consideration to the influence of its activities on the natural environment including biological diversity in the AGC Group Basic Environmental Policy. Also in April 2010 we created a document titled "Consideration for Biodiversity" and shared important criteria on biodiversity in the course of business activities across the entire AGC Group. Asahi Glass is also a Promotion Partner for the Declaration of Biodiversity by Nippon Keidanren.
The AGC Group is also engaged in forestation activities, including planting trees in Thailand and Indonesia, and promotes the use of paper made from thinned trees in Japan.

The AGC Group's Forestation Activities

Major Group companies and bases engaged in forestation activities

Expanding the Forest Volunteer Activity (Japan)

Since fiscal 2008, the AGC Group (Japan) has been conducting a Forest Volunteer activity to help employees increase their awareness of the importance of forest and biodiversity conservation through tree thinning. In fiscal 2010, with the cooperation of NPO, the Institute for Forest of ISEHARA, we conducted it twice in September and November with participation of a total of 65 employees and their families. Participants thinned trees*1 with instructor's guidance and increased their environmental awareness. This enjoyable activity has increased interest in forestation and biodiversity among employees, leading to the expansion of the activity to several regions in Japan.

*1 Thinning trees that are crooked or weakened from among densely spaced trees allows sunlight to reach deep through the forest, contributing to the sound growth of remaining trees.

Thinning Trees in an In-house Recreation Activity

Lopping off branches

The AGC Intellectual Property Center conducted a "forest volunteer" event in Tokyo in November 2010 as an in-house recreation activity, in response to relevant measures taken by the AGC Group. On the day of the event, about 40 employees and their families gathered to participate. The participants thinned trees helped by the staff of an NPO named "Juon Network" and also cut unnecessary branches from trees. Participants commented, "By taking part in the activity, I was able to understand the necessity of thinning trees," and "I would like to continue doing this activity."

Tree-Planting Activity

Asahi Glass Osaka Plant has been maintaining a forest, named "Asahi Glass Inochi-no Mori", it established in July 2007. At the time of the original planting, the 8,300 seedlings of 53 species including Castanopsis, Machilus, and Quercus were only about 20 centimetres tall. They have now grown higher than the employees, who have been removing weeds during their lunchtime, watering and fertilizing, and repairing damaged trees. The forest attracts butterflies and dragonflies and is alive with birdsong.

Just after planting

Grown taller than a man's height

Contributing to Biodiversity Conservation through Tree Planting Projects (the Philippines)

AGPH members participating in a tree planting activity

AGC Flat Glass Philippines (AGPH), which manufactures and sells a range of flat glass products including those used for buildings and photovoltaic devices, contributes to biodiversity conservation through tree planting. In February 2009, AGPH actively participated in Pasig City's Simultaneous Tree Growing Project. Headed by the president of the company, a total of approximately 30 employees, along with members of NGOs and local residents, participated in planting 200 trees on the banks of the Parian Creek. Inspired by this endeavor, AGPH initiated successive tree planting projects in 2010, with the end view of preserving biodiversity. These projects were all conducted inside the plant with regular employees and contractors as participants. For 2011, AGPH aims to widen its reach by initiating tree planting projects in different communities and biodiversity hotspots in the Philippines.

Sustainable Planting of Mangroves and Releasing of Young Fish (Thailand)

AFT employees and other participants planting mangroves

AGC Flat Glass (Thailand) Public (AFT), which manufactures and sells various float glass, recognizes itself as the natural energy intensive company. In 2003, AFT started the planting of mangroves and releasing of young fish by employees and their families with the purpose of being eco-conscious. This activity which started with very few people now grows to engage not only employees and their families but also neighborhood residents and even customers. In fiscal 2010, about 5,000 mangrove trees were planted in the sea in Rayong in August, and more than 100,000 young fish were released to water sources such as rivers and water reservoirs in Samut Prakan, Chonburi and Rayong Provinces, where AFT has plants, in December. AFT will continue this activity to restore the natural resources.

Planting Trees to Raise Environmental Consciousness of Employees and Their Families (Indonesia)

P.T. Asahimas Flat Glass (AMG) manufactures and sells float glass for buildings and automobiles in Indonesia. AMG aims to reform its plants into "greener and cleaner" ones by reducing the environmental impact from its manufacturing processes and actively contributing to the global environment with the participation of its employees. In addition, AMG believes that this activity will contribute to biodiversity and reduce the emission of CO₂ that can cause climate change.
On January 31, 2010, the AMG Jakarta Plant held the event, "One person, one tree" and gave out various kinds of trees to the participants, including employees and their families, to plant in their gardens. This was also aimed at raising the environmental awareness of the employees and their families. In addition, trees were planted within the plant premises and a competition, based on the growth speed of the young trees planted by each department, was held.
AMG has also been holding a similar event, "One person, two trees, three biopori" in the Cikampek Plant since November 2009; and "Family gathering for plantation" was held in the Sidoarjo Plant on May 23, 2010. In these events, we planted approximately 8,600 trees.


Jakarta Plant	Cikampek Plant	Sidoarjo Plant

Using" Simple Pallets" to Improve Transportation Efficiency

AGC Group (Asia including Japan) has introduced a returnable steel pallet known as a "simple pallet" for the importing and transporting of raw glass for automotive products. AGC Group independently developed the simple pallet as a packaging method replacing conventional wooden transportation boxes, and introduced this pallet in 2000. At present, these pallets are used for transportation from Thailand, Indonesia, and China to Japan and in fiscal 2009, they were used for about 90% of imports of raw glass from these countries. In Thailand, these pallets are also being increasingly used for delivery of products to customers. We will further make improvements to our simple pallet so that it can be used for various other products, which helps us reduce the use of wooden materials and contribute to biodiversity conservation.

Simple pallets that can be used repeatedly

Empty pallets compactly stacked together upon their return

Use of "Forest Thinning Support Paper" within the Company (Japan)

Some 70% of Japan's land area is covered by forest, of which about 40% is artificial forests. Many of the artificial forests are left untended due to the lack of funds for thinning, and vital forest functions, including CO₂ absorption through photosynthesis, watershed protection, prevention of sediment runoff, and protection of wild birds and animals, are deteriorating. Office Chonai-Kai, an environmental NPO, is implementing the Morino Chonai-Kai (Forest Neighbourhood Association) project to promote thinning and the use of thinned wood. Supporting companies agree to purchase paper made from thinned wood at prices higher than those of similar paper available on the market, thereby helping to foster the use of thinned wood and indirectly contributing to sustaining healthy forests.

The AGC Group is a regular purchaser and user of the "Forest Thinning Support Paper" produced by the Morino Chonai-Kai, based on the Group's basic environmental policy of giving consideration to the influence of its activities on the natural environment, including biodiversity. In fiscal 2010, we used as much as 29.5 tons of this paper as a result of adopting it for external communications such as our CSR report and corporate brochures as well as for internal communications including the Group's in-house magazine and training guidebook. The amount used is equivalent to about two hectares of thinned forest, which is nearly 0.4 the area of Tokyo Dome (Baseball stadium in Tokyo, Japan). We will continue to contribute to the promotion of thinning through the proactive use of this paper.


CSR Report 2011	AGC Report 2011	The Group's in-house magazine, "We are AGC!"

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