Third-party Opinions Third-party Opinions
Professor Katsuhiko Kokubu, Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University
Professor Kokubu completed his doctoral program at the Graduate School of Business, Osaka City University, where he was conferred the degree of Doctor in Business Administration. After working as an associate professor at Osaka City University and Kobe University, he became a professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration in Kobe University in 2001. In 2014, he was promoted to Dean of the Graduate School. Professor Kokubu also holds posts such as Chairperson of ISO/TC207/WG8 and Chairperson of MFCA Forum Japan. His major publications include, 窶廣ccountability and Business Ethics,窶 (Yuhikaku Publishing, 2017), 窶廝asics of CSR窶 (Chuokeizai-sha, 2017), and 窶廰ow-carbon Supply Chain Operation窶 (Chuokeizai-sha, 2015).
Environment Conservation that Contributes to the Society
The environmental conservation efforts of NTT West can be described as environmental conservation activities that contribute to the society. NTT West engages very actively in various activities. Some examples include the 窶廚orporate Forest窶 environmental conservation activity in Wakayama Prefecture, promotion of the 窶廴idori Ippai Project窶 (NTT West Hokuriku Group), resolving of social issues faced by the local communities (dialog with the Mayor of Maniwa City), cooperation in the 窶廴unakata Eco-100 International Symposium,窶 and holding of the 窶廨reen NTT West Training.窶 These endeavors, which leverage the Group窶冱 characteristic to include the wide region of Western Japan as the target of sales activities, are highly commendable, and they can serve as a model for other entities that also operate community-based public businesses, such as JR and Japan Post. It will help to make the activities even more fulfilling in the future by clearly positioning each of these individual activities within the environmental strategy and taking a stance such as one that provides backup to regions where NTT West is going to reinforce its activities.
Reduction of Greenhouse Gases
For NTT West, the main environmental issue to tackle is the reduction of greenhouse gases. The entire NTT Group consumes approximately 1% (approximately 0.2% by NTT West) of the total power generation in Japan, and thus it would be desirable to address it with rather fundamental measures. To do so, it is necessary to pursue activities upon defining medium- to long-term goals that also take the ultra long-term into consideration, and a key to this will be to promote the utilization of renewable energy. In this regard, various efforts have been made, which include the establishment of NTT Smile Energy. However, an overall concept is needed to define how they contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission by the entire NTT West Group.
Environment-friendliness of the Entire Supply Chain
Emission of greenhouses gases is estimated in detail under Scope 3, and these Scope 3 emissions measurements reveal that the entire supply chain accounts for a predominant share of greenhouse gas emission. While it is an extremely challenging task to reduce greenhouse gas emission throughout the entire supply chain, considering that Scope 3 emissions are measured, it is desirable to map out a policy and demonstrate how reduction can be achieved in the long run. Since it will be almost impossible to achieve reduction in every aspect, NTT West should aim to improve the situation by engaging in activities and reporting on the results even if there is a need to narrow down the focus and concentrate on specific efforts. A very crucial consideration will be cooperation with users, and I hope NTT West can implement activities that involve its users.
Response to Third-party Opinions
The environmental report this year places emphasis on our engagement with customers and other stakeholders.
Besides current employees, retired employees also take part actively in the biodiversity conservation activities of NTT West Group under the 窶廴idori Ippai Project,窶 and we have seen involvement by a total of 10,000 participants for four consecutive years in the activities carried out in the entire NTT West area. Going forward, we will strive to further enrich these efforts by examining ways for these activities to be continued autonomously, including business development in the local community.
For the reduction of greenhouse gases, we are currently reviewing the utilization of renewable energy and inclusion of the supply chain and customers in Scope 3 in addition to our current energy conservation endeavors when we formulate the next medium-term goals upon achievement of the Environment Grand Design in 2020. As mentioned in the Third-party Opinions, we are becoming increasingly aware that cooperation with our stakeholders will carry an even greater significance than before.
Based on feedback that we have received from related parties through our routine business activities, NTT West Group will make even more concerted efforts than before together with our stakeholders to engage in activities to conserve the global environment.
Environment Management Promotion Office
Technology Innovation Department
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation
