Utilizing our long-standing knowledge and know-how for plastic-free solutions
Following the Ocean Plastics Charter adopted at the G7 summit meeting held in June 2018, initiatives to eliminate plastics are gaining speed around the world. This includes the goal to eliminate marine plastics by 2050 adopted at the G20 summit meeting in June 2019. According to UN estimates, every year the world generates 300 million tons of plastic waste. Some estimate that of this between 8 to 12 million tons of plastic waste makes its way into our oceans. As ocean pollution becomes an even more serious problem worldwide, MPS is examining how it can help. This has included organizing study sessions for employees to brainstorm possible contributions.
Multinational corporations are now leading plastic-free initiatives, which has resulted in more and more cases where paper is selected as an alternative to plastics. MPS has engaged in environmental conservation for many years as a company that benefits from the bounty of forests. We believe the knowledge and know-how we have gained from these efforts can be utilized in plastic-free initiatives. We are now working together with various stakeholders that hold an interest in this issue to find solutions for the future.
The time for plastic-free
solutions is now!
Choose FSC®-certified products!
The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) is an independent non-profit organization that administers an international forest certification program in order to promote responsible forest management around the world. Responsibly managed forests can receive FM certification, companies involved in processing and distribution that engage in responsible management can receive CoC certification, and only products made through the route connecting these routes can bear the right to display the FSC logo. In other words, choosing products that bear the FSC logo helps to indirectly support responsibly managed forests.
FSC is the only forest certification program in the world to be a member of the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL). In addition, environmental conservation organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) also endorse FSC as a highly reliable forest certification program.
When choosing paper as an alternative to plastic, using FSC-certified paper with guaranteed traceability is a wise choice.
MPS and the SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the UN summit held in 2015. They comprise 17 goals to realize a sustainable world and pledge never to leave anyone in the world behind.
MPS acquired FSC CoC certification in 2002 and since then we have worked on promoting and spreading the sale of FSC certified products as a pillar of our environment business.
The FSC is said to contribute to the attainment of 11 of these 17 goals. In addition, we believe our various business and social contribution activities will contribute to the SDGs.
Midori Festival
The period from April 15 to May 14 every year is designated as Green Month. The Midori Festival is held to celebrate forests and flowers as a way to wrap-up the month. This festival features a ceremony and booths sponsored by companies and organizations involved in green sectors. In May 2018, we hosted a booth at the Midori Festival as part of the Mitsubishi Paper Mills Group. Our booth held workshops for making original key chains from FSC-certified thinned timber sourced from a FSC forest owned by Mitsubishi Paper Mills.
Forest Thinning Project
As a company that benefits from the bounty of forests, MPS has promoted initiatives for employees to travel to forests to learn firsthand. In order to share the experiences we have gained through these activities with others outside the company, last year, we launched the Forest Thinning Project, based on our strong commitment to deepen understanding toward environmental conservation and work together with others that share our drive, by actually visiting forests to see firsthand the cycle of life. We look forward to growing this project while working closely together with participants.
Ecosystem Academy (Outreach Class)
The Ecosystem Academy was established with the purpose of contributing to forest conservation through environmental education provided to children and customers. The entire Mitsubishi Paper Mills Group is committed to these events. Starting in 2016, we began supporting the presentations of the eco promotion committee at science classes sponsored by Kogakuin University. This support includes lectures about paper making and providing hands-on learning about FSC forests.
Accident-free record at Hachinohe Business Site
At Hachinohe Business Site, we manufacture industrial chemicals for papermaking. The business site has gone 50 years without a workplace accident since September 6, 1969, and on February 20, 2019 it achieved one million hours in operation without an accident. The business site was commended for the safe work of each and every employee in preventing accidents and with the hope it will continue to operate accident-free in the future.
Childcare and family care leave
MPS provides various forms of support to ensure employees strike a balance between their work and home life. This includes childcare and family care leave programs and the ability to take paid vacation in hourly increments. Going forward, we will continue to improve our range of support with the aim of creating workplaces where all employees can continue to work while fulfilling their childcare or family care obligations.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees using childcare leave | 4persons | 4persons | 5persons |
| Number of employees using family care leave | 0person | 0person | 0person |
Employment of people with disabilities
Although our employment rate of people with disabilities is under the statutory employment rate, we hired two new persons with disabilities in fiscal 2016. MPS has appointed a work life consultant for people with disabilities that not only provides support and coaching for people with disabilities at work, but also offers counseling to daily life matters. In this manner, we are striving to support the long-term employment of people with disabilities.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPS employment rate | 0.74% | 1.54% | 1.76% |
| Statutory employment rate | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.2% |
Continued employment system
MPS adopts a continued employment system. Under this system, we secure employment opportunities for employees reaching mandatory retirement and support the active participation of a diverse workforce in passing down our wealth of know-how to future generations.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPS employment rate | 14persons | 14persons | 6persons |
