Approaches to ESG & SDGs
What are the SDGs?
The Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, were unanimously adopted at the United Nations Summit in September 2015. They consist of 17 goals and 169 targets to be achieved between 2016 and 2030, based on a vow to “leave no-one behind.”
Message from the President
Under the Uyemura Group slogan of “Growing together with 
,” our aims are to grow and prosper together with our stakeholders and to be a company that is able to contribute to society.
In our particular business domain of the plating industry, environmental pollution has become a global challenge. Since the 2000s, environmental regulations have been established one after the other, including the European Union’s ELV (end-of-life vehicles) Directive, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive, and RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive, which restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. At Uyemura, we have continued to engage in the development of products and technologies in response to these various environmental regulations. We have also undertaken environmental assessments of each stage of our business, from the manufacture of our products to their transport and disposal, and pursued measures aimed at mitigating their burden on the environment. Making the most of our strengths as a technology-intensive company, we will continue to be proactive in our approach to the mitigation of environmental problems through the development of products that are free of hazardous chemicals, the extension of the life cycle of our products, and the improvement of resource recycling efficiency.
Further, in our response to globalization, instead of merely pursuing profits, we strive to realize sustainable growth and development while responding to changes in the business management environment, by ensuring the diversity of our people and taking maximum advantage of the individual character and abilities of each and every one of our employees. We are also engaged in the development of workplace environments that will enable all Group employees to work energetically.
Positioning approaches to the SDGs as a key challenge of management, we will continue to fulfill our contributions to a sustainable society.
Uyemura’s Initiatives
Development and expansion of sales of environmentally-friendly products and technologies
Our initiatives in this area include the development and expansion of sales of products that are free of harmful chemicals (e.g., cyanide, lead, formalin), the extension of chemical shelf life, the development of electroless nickel recovery systems, and the proactive use of precious metal recovery and recycling technologies.
Development and delivery of products that will lead to the development of society and improvement of the environment
Along with the provision of products needed for clean technologies such as environmentally friendly vehicles, the development of products suitable for self-driving vehicles and nursing-care robots, the total automation of wafer plating equipment, and proposals for remote servicing and predictive maintenance of equipment, we are strengthening our collaboration with suppliers and between industry, academia, and government.
Automation of factory processes from order receipt to shipment
We are pursuing initiatives such as the adoption of IoT and robots in production equipment, the automation of quality control, simultaneous and rapid connection of multiple devices using 5G telecommunications, the adoption of AI in inventory management and production planning from receipt of orders, and the adoption of traceability systems for raw materials from receipt to shipment.
Thorough compliance with laws and regulations and respect for human rights
Our efforts in this area include not using conflict minerals, harassment prevention training, strengthening of compliance awareness through the establishment of the Uyemura Group Code of Conduct, fostering and penetration of understanding through ongoing staff education, and five others.
Promotion of social and community contribution activities
Some of the ways we contribute to society and to local communities include cooperation with blood donation drives, donation of disaster-readiness emergency food supplies to foodbanks, fund-raising for the Central Community Chest of Japan, cooperation with local community activities (shrines, schools, etc.) in the neighborhoods of our business locations, and online publication of UYEMURA TECHNICAL REPORTS, and one other.
Use of clean energy and reduction of electricity consumption
Initiatives include roof and wall greenification, installation of solar power generation, air circulation systems, promoting the adoption of cargo trucks fitted with exhaust gas purification systems (NOx SCR systems), delivery efficiency improvements, and seven others.
Reduction of waste and water consumption
Initiatives include the promotion of 3R (reduce/reuse/recycle), in-house management of waste water and exhaust gas (water quality improvement, water consumption monitoring), adoption of “Link” containers for liquid chemicals, reduction of water use when washing a plating equipment, expansion of use of heat pumps, and eight others.
Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
Some of the ways we are engaged in BCP include making pipes earthquake-resistant, measures to prevent products falling from high shelves in our multi-tier storage warehouses during earthquakes, installation of waterproof barriers at factory openings to prevent flooding, installation of generators for use in the event of power disruptions, multiple sources for procurement of raw materials, expansion of know-how and installation of equipment for in-house manufacture of raw materials, and two others.
Development of workplace environments where employees can work energetically
Initiatives include a total ban on smoking in the workplace, mental health support for employees through the establishment of an external advice hotline, encouragement of dental and medical check-ups, encouragement of attendance at health seminars, and seven others.
