Nippon Suisan Kaisha : Sustainability Report 2022 (PDF) (7.43MB)

Message from the President

With the aim of turning the Nissui Group into a worthy organization trusted by society,

we will strive to resolve issues through our businesses and help realize a sustainable and affluent society.

I am the newly appointed President & CEO, Shingo Hamada. I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy to all those affected in various ways by the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and my deep appreciation to those who are making utmost efforts to prevent the spread of infections

People’s values and mindset have been dramatically changed by events having a huge impact on the social environment -as exemplified by the pandemic- and the recent outbreak of natural disasters on a global scale. People are not only becoming more health conscious with respect to “food” and having expectations for various functions of “food,” but also having greater expectations for and interest in companies’ proactive efforts to reduce their environmental impact as well as initiatives for respecting human rights and promoting diversity, etc.

More than ever before, in order to coexist harmoniously with the environment surrounding these issues and make

improvements in this context, we are strongly being urged to address and meet consumers’ needs and social demands in earnest.

Sustainable Utilization of Marine Resources and Preservation of the Earth Environment

In the Nissui Group, we run our businesses based on the following management policy: “We will champion the sustainable utilization of marine resources and the preservation of the earth environment, continue to create diverse value from resources, including marine resources, and provide individual consumers with safe and high quality products thus helping them to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle.” The Nissui Group, whose business operations rely on the bounty of the Earth and the sea, believes that climate change and the condition of marine resources are extremely significant in terms of their relationship with medium- to long-term business risks and opportunities. In addition to activities to reduce environmental impact, such as reducing CO2 emissions, we will engage in unique initiatives for the sustainable utilization of marine resources, including conducting a resource status survey on wild-caught marine products procured by the Group and developing aquaculture technologies that mitigate the impact on the marine environment and curb the impact on the ecosystem. We will also seek to realize a seafood business in harmony with the ocean in collaboration with relevant stakeholders as a member of the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), an initiative aimed at sustainable seafood business.

Adapting to Changes in Needs for “Food”

We believe it is also important to flexibly adapt to “changes” in an environment where the future outlook is uncertain. For the purpose of adapting to changes in consumers’ lifestyles and needs that have been brought about by such factors as self- restraint on outings and the increase in Work From Home (WFH) amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we promoted the development of convenient & ready-to-eat products and the enhancement of our lineup of health-oriented products, which have won the hearts of consumers to a certain extent. Going forward, we will continue to expand and enhance our delicious products that contribute to health on a global scale.

Human Capital Means Everything to a Company

The key to resolving social issues is to also enhance the capabilities of employees who work on them. I deliberately use the term “human capital” instead of “human resources” here; I recognize that human capital development is a major task. To this end, it is indispensable to reconstruct the education plan and career path tailored to the characteristics of the social environment and each individual, so that they will help each and every individual improve and fully demonstrate his/her capabilities. In conjunction with this, as a member of the 30% Club Japan, we will accelerate women’s participation in management. We will also promote global human capital development to realize overseas business expansion, and seek to create a corporate culture in which diverse individuals who constitute our pool of human capital can demonstrate their respective capabilities with vigor and vitality.

Initiatives for Respect for Human Rights

The general public’s interest further heightened in the past year with respect to consideration given to human rights in corporate activities. In 2020, the Nissui Group formulated the “Nissui Group Human Rights Policy,” for the purpose of redefining its initiatives on the issue of human rights and further clarifying its approach to respecting human rights in all value chains associated with its businesses. We will further push ahead with specific initiatives to identify the current situation and reduce risks with respect to items of importance that have been identified in our human rights risk assessment. Together with our business partners, we will promote Sustainable procurement in consideration of human rights and the environment, in addition to quality and costs.

Toward the Next 100 Years

Nissui celebrated the 110th anniversary of its foundation in May 2021. As there is still a mountain of sustainability-related

issues, we will engage in initiatives to resolve these issues through our businesses to continue being a company needed by society. The Nissui Group will work as one and make utmost efforts with its stakeholders to realize a sustainable and affluent society, with the aim of becoming a worthy group that is trusted by society, having inherited our predecessors’ strong genes and entrepreneurial spirit to tackle difficulties.

September 2021

Representative Board Member,

President & CEO

Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd.