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Why
did you choose mangrove planting to commemorate your 120th
anniversary? |
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| We based our decision on
certain criteria. We wanted a project that would help
to protect the global environment, contribute to local
communities, provide opportunities for employee involvement
and create |
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something significant for the future. Many suggestions
were put forward, but as soon as we saw the mangrove
planting idea we thought “this is exactly it.”
Unsustainable shrimp farming, among other factors, has
damaged these ecosystems. Japan is a major importer
of shrimp from Southeast Asia, and as our company has
long provided insurance in the region, we wanted to
do something that would help people there. |
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| Working
with the local people to plant mangroves is tough but
rewarding work |
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How
is this project being implemented, and what environmental
changes have resulted from the mangrove planting? |
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The
planting begins with seedling production by the NGOs. There
are over 100 types of trees, and the NGOs select varieties
that are best suited to each location. It takes 2–3
years to grow the seedlings. When these are ready, groups
of about 30 volunteers, including employees from our affiliate
companies and agencies, travel to the site. There they carefully
plant each seedling in partnership with local residents. We
organize one or two of these tours each year. During the most
recent tour, the participants planted approximately 23,000
seedlings over a three-day period.
As the mangroves regrow, crabs, shrimp and other marine life
return. This helps to enrich the lives of the local people.
The mangroves also saved countless human lives by acting as
wave breakers against the Great Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004.
Importantly, there has been a change in the attitudes of local
people toward the mangroves. By working and sweating with
volunteers who have come all the way from Japan, they have
started to understand why protecting the mangroves is so important
to the global environment. |
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Is
the experience of these activities also being applied in Japan? |
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| Yes. In fiscal 2005 we launched
the “Green Class—Mangrove Story” program
at 20 elementary schools in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.
Employees act as voluntary teachers for this program,
which uses the mangrove theme to explain environmental
mechanisms and the fight against global warming. We
see a different side of our employees when they work
with the children. I am always amazed by the enthusiasm
and passion with which they share their own experiences
of the planting project. After attending one of these
classes, a child wrote that she now saw mangroves as
“heroes” of the Earth. The schools have
also been very pleased with the program, which is now
being implemented in 15 locations, including Osaka and
Nagoya. |
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What
results have you seen to date, and what are the targets for
the future? |
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Just
as the mangroves have continued to grow, the project has also
grown. To be honest, we did not expect it to become so large.
I attribute this success not simply to the contribution of
funds for environmental protection, but also to the deep involvement
of our employees. One of the unexpected benefits has been
that many more employees now take pride in their company.
I am very pleased that we launched this project. Although
our plans only go up to 2008, the project will not end then.
One of our future goals is to run the “Green Class”
program in Southeast Asia. The mangrove planting project can
become even greater if employees in the regions concerned
participate in the planting and act as teachers. This will
also lead to closer bonding among our employees.
*Carbon neutral
This means that a company has achieved zero or negative net
emissions by offsetting the CO2
emissions from its business activities through measures such
as tree planting and energy conservation. |
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