Promote 3R through effective use of resources!
—Message for the start of Environment Month—
Masatoshi Kimata, President and Representative Director
As we enter into the Environment Month, I would like to say a few words to all Kubota employees. In our current term management policy, we declare that our top priority is to endeavor to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). With the objective of realizing our mission statement , and management philosophy of “For Earth, For Life,” the Kubota Group also strives for the achievement of continued, compatible development to aid our society. To this end, as shown in the figure on the right, the Kubota Group focuses on both business growth and contributions to environmental conservation by providing environmentally benign products, technologies, services and business activities.Our global environmental conservation efforts, such as, those tackling climate change, working towards a recycling-based society, conserving water resources, controlling chemical substances and conserving biodiversity, are closely related to the SDGs. Therefore, the Kubota Group intends to passionately pursue these environmental conservation efforts to help attain the SDGs.
In the Environmental Management Rankings reported by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun Inc. in January 2018, Kubota was ranked 12th in the overall ranking of manufacturers, successfully achieving the goal of becoming a top 20 manufacturer. As the president of the Kubota Group, I would like to express my deep appreciation to all of you for your spirited efforts, while at the same time sincerely asking for more active, accelerated environmental initiatives. The Environment Month is just around the corner; therefore, I would also like to request you to confirm that you will embrace an environmentally-friendly attitude in daily work operations and everyday life.
Toward the creation of a recycling-based society
The Kubota Group has focused on the promotion of global environmental conservation by reducing environmental burden/risk factors in the process of business activities and expanding its green product lineup. As part of such efforts, the company has implemented programs to prevent and reduce/reuse/recycle waste, with the aim of helping create a recycling-based society. These programs are intended to assist in the support and creation of a recycling-based society and are consistent with the SDGs No. 12 (“Responsible consumption and Production”), which have become increasingly important in helping the promotion of a SDG campaign worldwide. With a strong desire and commitment to further expand our environment programs, the company has decided this year’s theme of Environment Month as, “Working toward a Recycling-based Society,” in continued support of last year.
Promotion of the Environment Month Campaign
Every year, June 5th is World Environment Day established by the United Nations. To enhance global awareness of the importance of environmental conservation and to promote more environment protection activities, a wide variety of events are held on that day throughout the world.
In Japan, every June is designated as Environment Month by the Ministry of the Environment. This year, under the slogan of “A little consideration for the protection of life and the environment,” various environment awareness-raising campaign programs will be conducted throughout the country. To protect life and the natural environment by a little consideration, it is essential for us to strive to reduce waste and recycle/reuse resources in our daily work operations and everyday life, thereby helping prevent the exhaustion of natural resources and loss of biodiversity caused by mass production and mass consumption. In light of this, the company has decided to adopt the same slogan as last year for this year’s Environment Month, “Promote 3R through effective use of resources!” In conducting individual environmental efforts, I would like to ask all Kubota employees to work together in eliminating wastefulness, keeping in mind “on-the-spot” and “immediate practice” principles, which are the philosophies of the Kubota Production System (KPS) and a fundamental way of thinking of Kubota as a manufacturer.
The company will distribute the 3R activity example poster and the checklist (3Rs, energy conservation and power-saving) for your reference, so please use them in your daily operations. The Kubota Eco-Challenge program is also scheduled in the same way as last year for all Kubota Group employees and their family members around the world. The company looks forward to receiving as many pictures/posters with comments as possible showing their creative, original ecological activities at their individual workplaces and homes. It is my sincere hope that all the employees and their family members can increase their environmental awareness through a wide variety of activities conducted during the coming Environment Month, leading to the realization of our ultimate goal of “Global Major Brand Kubota.”
Thank you.
