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Human society is made possible thanks to the many blessings of biodiversity. For example, our rich forests provide us with oxygen through photosynthesis, and they act as natural air conditioners by giving off water vapor that keeps atmospheric temperature from rising. As a company whose job it is to provide comfortable air environments, Daikin likes to call forests 'nature's air conditioners.' That's why we do all we can to protect the world's forests.
In the countries and regions in which we do business, we work with governments, residents groups, NGOs, and NPOs in efforts including the protection and rejuvenation of nature and the creation of new forests on our premises. We offer support to the employees who are conducting these activities, and we strive to provide information and education to the general public.
The ideas stated here form our Basic Philosophy on Protecting Biodiversity, which we established in September 2010.
Basic Policy of Protecting Biodiversity
We act for the sake of abundant greenery and fresh air.
Our society is built upon the many blessing that nature gives us. The source of these blessings is biodiversity. The loss of this biodiversity would hurt our water, food, and other aspects of our life.
Daikin's business also has a major effect on biodiversity through our contribution to global warming.
To contribute to a sustainable society, we strive to reduce our contribution to global warming throughout our business activities, and to maintain balance in ecosystems so that we can help bring back the abundance of the natural world.
In Business
Outside of Business
Protection and Rejuvenation of the Blessings of Nature
Daikin's Philosophy for Biodiversity Protection
In July 2011, Daikin Industries, the Shiretoko Nature Foundation, and the towns of Shari and Rausu signed an agreement to protect the wilderness of the Shiretoko Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Shiretoko 100m2 Movement*1 is the first national trust*2 activity in Japan. As part of this, Daikin and the other parties to the agreement have a project to restore a dilapidated riparian forest of mainly Japanese Judas tree and create a river flowing through a tunnel of greenery. Since it is important to restore the spawning grounds of the humpbacked and chum salmon, and increase the number of salt-water trout, a fish peculiar to this region, we are trying to improve the environment of the river.
We are aiming to work with the local community on a number of practical initiatives, including the creation of measures to ensure people and brown bears live in harmony, flora and fauna surveys, and field surveys of brown bear movement.
*1 Shiretoko 100m2 Movement: This was Japan's first national trust movement, started in 1977 to protect pioneering lands in Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula from development. The movement calls for donations to purchase 100-m2 tracts of land (8,000 yen each).
*2 National trust movement: To protect nature from overdevelopment, citizens from near and far donate money to purchase land for preservation.
Wild animals in Shiretoko
Brown bears
Yezo deer
Steller's sea eagle
Trout
Dilapidated riparian forest (in a section of the Shiretoko 100m2 Movement, Iwaobetsu River Basin, Hokkaido)
Since June 2008, Daikin Industries has been working with international NGO Conservation International (CI) on a reforestation project in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park in Java Island to rejuvenate the forest and its ecosystems.
This national park is covered with valuable tropical forests that are home to many unique species designated as endangered. But in the last several decades, it has suffered serious damage as land is cleared for agriculture and people cut down trees to support their lifestyle. The aim of this project is to protect the remaining forest by planting local species of trees and providing residents with environmental education, thus contributing to the rejuvenation of forests that benefit both people and the environment.
In the three years up to June 2011, about 80,000 trees (local species) were planted on 200 hectares with the help of 551 local farmers and 20 national park rangers. And under a three-year agreement between Daikin Industries and CI, the project will continue with the rejuvenation of 100 hectares of forest by 2014.
The reforestation project is an effort conducted in unison with Daikin customers. For details of this project, called Daikin Re: Air Conditioner Project, see the following websites.
Trees were planted with local farmers and park rangers
(c) Conservation International, Photo by Anton Ario
A project to bring water to a village that previously had no running water
(c) Conservation International, Photo by Anton Ario
Daikin strives to protect forests near its bases. One of these efforts is an agreement between Daikin, Osaka Prefecture, Takatsuki City, and forest owners to protect a community forest area. The agreement was signed at a ceremony on May 25, 2012 at the Osaka Prefectural office. Under the agreement, the prefectural government uses the "Adopt a Forest" system to mediate companies' purchases from private land owners so that forest land is preserved.
This agreement covers the Harashiroyama forest in Takatsuki City, which traditionally was used to harvest bamboo, and to obtain wood for firewood and making charcoal. In recent years though, there are not enough people to manage it and so it has fallen into disrepair due to problems that include overgrowth of bamboo. To return the bamboo forests back to productivity, Daikin is working with local residents to thin out the woods and rejuvenate this local forest.
Daikin employees can also go to Harashiroyama anytime they wish to work up a sweat and contribute to the rejuvenation of Japan's valuable community forests.
Bird's-eye view of Daikin Ales Aoya
Monitoring vegetation
To restore coastal forests, a fence was constructed to protect the seedlings from salt air and sand
Daikin Ales Aoya in Tottori Prefecture, Japan is a center for the training of employees who will be active on the world stage.
The facility is located at Idegahama, a beach known for its 'whistling sand'. The area is home to a typical coastal vegetation ecosystem: starting from the beach, one can see annual grass give way to perennial grass, and short trees gradually give way to taller trees. However, this coastal vegetation has been rapidly disappearing in the last decade or two.
When Daikin Industries built this facility here, it began to not just protect these rare beaches and dunes, but also bring back the nature that had been lost so that this coastal ecosystem could once again return to its natural state. We began by surveying the region's vegetation to get a detailed understanding of the geography. Based on this, we made a proposal to plant vegetation. After implementation, we had advice from experts in the monitoring and fostering of the vegetation.
For these efforts, in October 2010, Daikin was selected for inclusion in the list of 100 top companies contributing to biodiversity, sponsored by the Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Architecture. In December 2011, Daikin Ales Aoya was given Excellent Stage 2 ranking under the Social and Environmental Green Evaluation System (SEGES).
Daikin Ales Aoya also acts as a multi-purpose training facility, and this project will serve to raise environmental awareness of employees coming here.
Certificate showing that Daikin is one of 100 top companies contributing to biodiversity
Mark of certification for the SEGES (Social and Environmental Green Evaluation System)
Species on the endangered lists of Tottori Prefecture and the national government
Beachwort
Siberian sea rosemary
Scutellaria strigillosa
Heteropappus hispidus
These species are effective at resisting invasive species and are important to protecting beach vegetation
The large wingnut trees are a rare sight
Daikin Industries' recreational facility in Nagano Prefecture is located in Chino, 1,500 meters above sea level on the Tateshina Plateau, and on the slope of the Yatsugatake Mountains, one of the few volcanic areas in Japan.
The facility is surrounded by rich nature including the evergreen needle-leaf forests stretching from the alpine belt to the subalpine belt, as well as woods of Erman's Birch and Quercus crispula. The water in these forests becomes spring water that flows into swamps. A particularly interesting feature are the wingnut trees, which are rare in the surrounding resort areas. Daikin is working to preserve these unique trees and the scenery they provide.
The mountain streams and vegetation are preserved in their natural state
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