Climate Change
SoftBank endorses the TCFD recommendations and strives to disclose information concerning climate change. We have set contributions through technology and business for climate change as one materiality (important issue) for us, as well as work to spread and expand renewable energy businesses and services in order to realize an affluent society through the spread of natural energy.
Support for the TCFD recommendations
In April 2020, SoftBank announced its support for the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures)* recommendations. Based on the TCFD recommendations, we will strive to proactively disclose and enhance information in accordance with the “Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, Metrics and Objectives” framework recommended by the TCFD for companies. For details on disclosure in accordance with the 11 items recommended for disclosure by the TCFD, please review “Disclosure Based on TCFD Recommendations”.
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- *Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures: an international initiative established by the Financial Stability Board in 2015 which recommends that companies disclose information about the financial impact of climate-related risks and opportunities on businesses.
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Major initiatives
Climate change mitigation
Initiatives to achieve Net Zero
We are working to achieve “Net zero” to reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) from the entire supply chain to virtually zero by 2050.
Renewable energy for base station
SoftBank's primary business is in mobile communications, and about half of the electricity it consumes is used to power its base stations.
More than 50% of the base station power was converted to real reenergy by FY2021. The plan is to increase the ratio to 70% by FY2022, and we will promote the phased conversion to renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Group company initiatives
Z Holdings has announced the “2030 Carbon Neutral Declaration” to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the business activities of all ZHD Group companies, including its subsidiaries Yahoo, LINE, ASKUL, and ZOZO, to virtually zero by fiscal year 2030 In June 2022, we joined “RE100,” an international initiative to declare that 100% of the electricity used in our business activities will come from renewable energy sources.
Tree planting activities by employees
With the cooperation of the “NPO CCC Furano Nature School” led by Mr. Satoshi Kuramoto, we hold an original program “Summer Holiday Nature School for Parents and Children” for our employees with the themes of “building healthy relationships between parents and children” and “thinking about the environment and nature”.
Since its inception in 2007, a total of more than 250 parents and children have participated in activities such as planting trees on former golf course sites and returning them to their original forests for the future.
Smart forestry R&D
In collaboration with the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, we have started a demonstration experiment to realize smart forestry through the use of quadruped robots.
We will work to resolve issues such as the declining domestic supply-demand ratio of lumber due to the aging of Japan's forestry industry, labor shortages, lack of price competitiveness, and other factors, as well as the negative impact on the environment caused by the resulting reduction in CO2 absorption by forests.
Demonstration test of electric quadruped robots for use in transporting cargo, etc., toward realization of smart forestry.
External evaluation
CDP Climate Change 2021
“A-” rating
For the second year in a row, CDP (headquartered in London, UK), an international non-profit organization that conducts environmental assessments of the world's major corporations and cities, gave the company an “A-” rating for its strategy and response to climate change.
International Climate Change Initiative “SBT” certification
Greenhouse gas reduction targets were recognized as Science Based Targets (SBT) by the international climate change initiative SBT i (Science Based Targets initiative) in June 2021.
Adaptation to climate change
| Responding to Larger Natural Disasters |
SoftBank endeavors to fulfill its infrastructural responsibilities as a telecom service operator in response to natural disasters that have grown in scale in recent years. To this end, we have identified the construction of a high-quality network for society as a material issue and are regularly implementing measures focused on maintaining our telecommunications infrastructure during times of disaster. |
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Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
A range of energy saving measures such as controlled lighting levels and optimized air conditioning timing in accordance with the Act on the Rational Use of Energy (Energy Saving Act) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Environmental Preservation Ordinance are being implemented at the building where SoftBank Corp. headquarters are located.
In addition, at its headquarters and network and data centers, SoftBank has received ISO14001, an international certification for environmental management systems, and is actively working to reduce its electricity consumption. We optimize temperature settings of air conditioners at base stations and network centers to enable normal operation of equipment, proactively use equipment that is best-in-class for energy conservation, and promote optimal energy use through the periodic replacement of old or outdated equipment. At data centers in particular, a reduction in energy consumption is being seen through the implementation of heat analysis visualization and localized air conditioning, among other efforts.
Reduction of CO2 emissions
SoftBank obtains Eco ICT mark
SoftBank supports the aims of the ICT Ecology Guideline Council and have acquired the ICT echo mark, which is awarded to corporations that meet certain criteria set by the ICT Ecology Guideline Council. The mark was acquired following a self-assessment by the companies of initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions at their businesses, such as the formulation of procurement criteria for equipment and services that focus on reducing CO2 emissions.
Required item
| Creation of a voluntary environmental action plan, etc. | |
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| Evaluation item | Implementation status and initiative details |
| Have you formulated and put into operation a voluntary environmental action plan which describes various initiatives for the purpose of reducing CO2 emissions through energy conservation? | In addition to enacting environmental action guidelines to engage in the maintenance and preservation of the environment, we have established environmental targets for the entire company which include the reduction of the amount of energy usage, the promotion of the use of recycled paper, the proper disposal of industrial waste, and the implementation of green procurement and environmental education programs. |
| Does the voluntary environmental action plan incorporate specific initiatives which describe various numerical targets for the purpose of reducing CO2 emissions through energy conservation? | As an environmental target, we have established a numerical target for the reduction of power consumption which is being undertaken by the entire company. |
| In addition to internally and externally publicizing the voluntary environmental action plan, are you engaging in activities to educate and communicate with employees to strive to improve their environmental awareness? | We have published the environmental action guidelines and environmental targets on this web site. Moreover, we have posted this information on the CSR page of the company intranet for the employees while also striving to improve the awareness of each individual employee by providing regular e-learning and the dissemination of educational information about environmental awareness. |
| Are you releasing information about the status of implementation and achievement of various initiatives described in the voluntary environmental action plan? | We have published such information about our environmental initiatives under the “Environment” section of this web site. |
| Procurement-related initiatives | |
| Evaluation item | Implementation status and initiative details |
| Have you created any procurement standards for ICT equipment and data centers based on the evaluation criteria stipulated in these guidelines, and are you conducting procurement in accordance with those standards? | In order to promote the introduction of products which help encourage a reduction in CO2 emissions, we enacted a set of “Green Procurement Guidelines” for all of our business partners which describe our basic approach to green procurement, and we are carrying out procurement activities in accordance with these guidelines. |
| Are you conducting green procurement and other forms of procurement which consider energy conservation for business machines used in the office, goods, and distribution? | We have adopted recycled paper products which conform with the Eco Mark standard for our copier paper. Moreover, we are promoting the purchasing of low environmental load products for our stationery supplies such as Eco Mark products and products which conform wiGreen Purchasing Act. |
| Promotion system | |
| Evaluation item | Implementation status and initiative details |
| Have you established a department or person in charge of initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions through energy conservation? | We are reducing greenhouse effect gases across the entire company through an secretariat run by the CSR Division. |
| Are you appropriately assessing the status of implementation and achievement of targets, etc. listed in the voluntary environmental action plan while also maintaining a system to perform internal audits? | After receiving ISO14001 certification, we are creating and appropriately reviewing environmental targets, checking the status of implementation and achievement of those targets, and conducting internal audits. We are maintaining a system to ensure that this type of environmental management system PDCA cycle is executed in the appropriate manner. |
Optional item
| Initiatives for other environmental measures | |
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| Evaluation item | Implementation status and initiative details |
| Does the company engage in environmentally friendly initiatives in addition to energy conservation efforts. | We are actively working to promote higher recycling rates for used cell phones, reduce the use of cell phone packaging boxes and bundled paper resources, and reduce the amount of waste from telecommunications equipment and construction waste. |
| Does the company engage in environmental conservation activities in cooperation with local communities. | We grant two days of “volunteer leave” per year, and every year several employees use this system to participate in various environmental conservation activities in cooperation with local communities, such as afforestation and cleanup activities. |
Transforming agriculture with technology
We provide an agricultural IoT solution “e-kakashi” to navigate optimal growth environment, by analyzing environmental data and growth information obtained in farms and rice fields based on plant science, which allows us to identify important growth and inhibitory factors for each growth stage, and determine the present risks and ways to deal with them.
In Japan, the problem of the lack of successors in the agricultural field is becoming serious, and it is an issue how to pass on proficiency to young people, but we are aiming to increase the efficiency of succession by introducing ICT technology. Through technical support provided by e-kakashi, we will contribute to the realization of sustainable agriculture not only in Japan but also in the world.
Improving energy efficiency at data centers
IDC Frontier Inc. works to raise energy efficiency at data centers. Its Kitakyushu Data Center (Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka) is the first large commercial data center in Japan to adopt air conditioning using outside air. The data center has realized energy conservation through the optimization of high-density server operations and air conditioning efficiency, and as a result, has won a number of awards.
In addition, at the Shirakawa Data Center in Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture, IDC Frontier - using the area's cooler climate and the high-level expertise acquired from its experience in operating the Kitakyushu Data Center - has developed an in-building external air conditioner system that combines architecture capable of drawing external air directly into the building with air conditioner functions in order to process exhaust heat from servers. This system enables the data center to use cool external air for over 90% of its air conditioning needs.
Completed in 2018, Shirakawa Data Center's building no. 5 employs a hybrid air conditioning system that combines external air and water cooling with air cooling functions. It is expected to achieve a high cooling efficiency of approximately PUE*1 of 1.2.
In addition, the data center analyzes and verifies energy conservation effects to continuously promote further energy conservation.
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- *Power Usage Effectiveness
An indicator of data center energy efficiency, the PUE is calculated by dividing the overall power consumption of the data center by the power consumption of its IT equipment. In general, data centers in Japan commonly have a PUE value of 2.0 or less.
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Aiming to promote renewable energy
The devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the incident at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has stimulated interest in energy demand and power-saving programs in Japan and has had a profound effect on the lives of people, not only in East Japan, but throughout the entire country. The SoftBank Group recognizes the energy issue as a challenge that concerns the whole of Japan and believes that the promotion and expansion of safe and renewable energy is one of the solutions.
We established the Renewable Energy Governors' Alliance at the prefecture level and the Renewable Energy Governors' Alliance for Designated Cities at the urban level and began serving as secretariat for these two alliances, with the chairman of the board and also the Representative Director, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the parent company, SoftBank group Corp., as the secretary general. Through the alliances, together with 34 prefectures throughout Japan and the local governments of 19 cities, the SoftBank shares policy recommendations and information as an associate member, to promote the spread of renewable energy.
We support public policies related to climate change mitigation and promotion of renewable energy as disaster prevention. In 2021, we made a policy proposals: to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) :Acceleration of a virtuous circle between the economy and the environment, realization of a “virtuous circle between the economy and the environment” in local communities, and acceleration of the shift to natural energy.
Providing environmentally friendly electricity services
Initiatives for spreading renewable energy
We and SB Power Co., Ltd. offer “Shizen-Denki,” a rate menu for households with virtually 100% renewable energy and zero CO2 emissions*1 in the Hokkaido, Tohoku, Tokyo, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu power supply areas.In addition, SB Power contributes 50 yen per month per “Shizen-Denki” subscription to support the activities of forest conservation organizations*2. In FY2021, we generated an annual reduction of 19,000 tons of CO2 emissions through the provision of “Shizen-Denki”.
In addition, in order to respond to the accelerating trend toward decarbonization among companies and municipalities, SoftBank Electric for Biz Environmental Option, an electricity service for corporate customers, will offer an optional service with a low environmental impact from February 2021. We are also supporting Group companies in their efforts to decarbonize their operations, such as by providing services to Yahoo Japan Corporation's Shirakawa Data Center in May 2021 in compliance with RE100, an international environmental initiative.
We and SB Power will continue to contribute to the realization of an environmentally friendly society by providing electric power services that make substantial use of renewable energy.
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- *1By combining electricity supplied to customers with non-fossil certificates designated for renewable energy, we have effectively achieved a supply of electricity with a 100% renewable energy ratio and zero CO2 emissions.
- *2Donations to organizations that operate “J-Credit” certification programs administered by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
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Promoting the Sharing Economy
Our group company, OpenStreet Corporation, provides an environmentally friendly shared mobility service that allows people to use mobility as a means of transportation without owning it.
Through the shared cycling platform “HELLO CYCLING” and the multi-mobility sharing service “HELLO MOBILITY, ” we are developing “multi-mobility stations” where bicycles, scooters, and micro EVs can be rented from a single location in cooperation with local governments and partner companies. This service is being developed in cooperation with local governments and partner companies.
In addition to improving the convenience of transportation in the city, this system contributes to the realization of a low-carbon society by supplying a portion of the electricity used for each vehicle from renewable energy sources. We will continue our efforts to promote electric mobility using renewable energy and realize a society that coexists with the global environment.
As of June 2022, HELLO CYCLING stations will be installed in approximately 5,000 locations in 200 cities, wards, towns, and villages throughout Japan, with more to come.
Co-operating with external organizations
At the GSMA, a member of the global telecommunications industrial group, we participate in the Climate Action Task force which addresses environmental issues such as climate variability. Participating in the Environment Subcommittee at the TCA (telecommunications Carriers Association), we strive to exchange information between the persons in charge, which has domestic telecommunications carriers as members, to promote climate change countermeasures and resource recycling measures as an industry group.
GSMA is encouraging member companies, including our company, to set SBT (scientifically based goal to control global warming to 1.5℃), and TCA announced telecommunications in Japan in 2017.
Developing a carbon neutral action for the industry to set environmental targets (improving power efficiency per communication volume) by 2020 (Phase 1) and 2030 (Phase 2). We were involved in collaboration with member companies in the formulation of goal settings. We have achieved Phase 1 target of more than five times the power efficiency per communication volume in FY2020 (compared to FY2013) by 6.7 times through the introduction of telecommunications equipment with superior energy-saving performance and the promotion of efficient facility construction and operation. In phase 2, we have set a target to improve the power efficiency by 10 times or more in FY2030.
In addition, we have joined the Japan Climate Initiative (JCI), a network of non-governmental actors in Japan who are actively working to achieve the 1.5℃ target, and we will work with companies, local governments, organizations, NGOs, and others who are actively engaged in climate change countermeasures to promote a decarbonized society.
We regularly check the consistency of our climate change measures with those of our member organizations, and if we believe that an industry organization's measures are partially inadequate, we will work with the member companies to strengthen their measures, and if the measures are significantly inadequate, we will consider the possibility of withdrawing from the organization. In fiscal year 2020, the president and CEO of the company who is promoting the highest SDGs, will serve as the Chairman of the TCA, including the board members of the GSMA and we contribute to the promotion of activities.
We will continue to work with these industrial groups to tackle climate variability measures. If we believe that there are shortages in the measures taken by the industrial groups, we will work with the member companies to strengthen the measures.
Activities / Sponsorship
Support for COOL CHOICE
SoftBank supports COOL CHOICE, a national campaign conducted by the Ministry of the Environment to mitigate global warming.
COOL CHOICE encourages people to make environmentally conscious choices, such as choosing energy-efficient, low-carbon products, services and activities.
As activities to promote and expand renewable energy, we will contribute to solving the problem of global warming by offering “Shizen-Denki” plans that utilize real renewable energy.
Participating in the “Fun to Share” climate change campaign
SoftBank is a supporter of “Fun to Share”, a climate change campaign sponsored by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, following its “Team Minus 6%” and “Challenge 25 Campaign”. Fun to Share is a means to share wisdom and technology in order to build a rich and low-carbon society in an enjoyable manner for everyone. Through participation in the campaign, SoftBank is promoting increased awareness and voluntary action among employees to implement continued energy efficiency at work sites and in work processes, encouraging and “cool biz” and “warm biz” (wearing cooler clothing during summer and warmer clothing during winter) on the Intranet to help realize a low-carbon society.