Management Strategy and Sustainability
For Daikin, climate change represents one important issue affecting its business continuity. In May 2019, we endorsed the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD),* which aims to mitigate the risk of instability in financial markets caused by climate change. We reflect the risks and opportunities posed by climate change in management strategy and risk management. At the same time, we will disclose progress appropriately and aim for further growth while contributing to a carbon-free society.
The Daikin Group's mainstay product of air conditioners is characterized by the large amount of CO2 emissions caused by energy consumption during use. In addition, fluorocarbons used as refrigerants for air conditioners have an effect on climate change. Recognizing the major impact on climate change attributed to our business activities, we believe climate change is an issue that largely affects our medium- to long-term business risks and opportunities.
Based on this, climate change issues are considered an important task to address in order for Daikin to develop sustainably and fulfill its social responsibilities; thus, they are managed by the CSR Committee. The CSR Committee was established by the Board of Directors to spearhead the company's corporate governance. The executive officer in charge of CSR serves as the chairman of the committee, which deliberates on risks and opportunities, policy on initiatives, and targets related to climate change, as well as monitors results and progress of initiatives, in addition to making proposals to the President and CEO, followed by reporting to the Board of Directors.
We have formulated strategies based on analysis of climate-related scenarios in The Future of Cooling published by the International Energy Agency in 2018, etc.
Demand for air conditioning is expected to triple from current levels by 2050. As demand increases, there is a possibility that each country will tighten their energy regulations on air conditioners and regulations to address refrigerants with a high global warming potential. Excessively strict regulations could pose a risk for Daikin. On the other hand, appropriate regulations can serve as an opportunity to expand our business as they push for the spread of products and services with greater environmental performance, which are our strength.
The popularization of our products and services with excellent environmental performance in emerging countries with particular growth in demand for air conditioning is considered an effective measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from air conditioners and contribute to our business growth. For this reason, we have reflected this in business strategies.
We established Environmental Vision 2050 for the final three-year plan of Fusion 20 Strategic Management Plan. Specifically, by expanding environmentally conscious products and services, we aim to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire lifecycle from our own business operations by 2050. The targets and measures for 2030 aimed at realizing this goal have been laid out in Fusion 25 Strategic Management Plan.
As temperatures rise, the intensity and frequency of extreme weather will increase, which could increase instances of production shutdowns or postponements due to damages to our own plants or those of suppliers.
Risks and opportunities related to climate change can originate from the transition toward a decarbonized society, including stricter regulations, technology advancement, and market shift, as well as from physical influences, such as acute abnormal weather and chronic temperature increases. We have categorized the various external environmental changes accompanying climate change as "transition risks" and "physical risks," assessed their financial impacts as large, medium, and small, and identified important risks and opportunities.
Every year our business sites around the world identify physical climate-related risks as part of operational risks. After material risks are identified by the Corporate Ethics and Risk Management Committee, we examine action policies and response measures.
Product environmental meetings identify transition-based climate-related risks and opportunities at the time medium-term management plans are formulated and reviewed. After material risks and opportunities are identified by the CSR Committee, we examine initiatives and response measures. The initiatives and response measures for identified risks and opportunities are incorporated into the medium-term management plan and implemented by each business department.
Moreover, climate-related risks are integrated into the company-wide management process as they are considered to exert large influence on our business strategies. The management status of company-wide risks is monitored by the Internal Control Committee chaired by the President and CEO and reported to the Board of Directors.
Category | Impact on Daikin's business | Probability ofoccurrence | Potential financial impacts | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Risks | Transition | Stricter regulations on refrigerants If regulations on refrigerants become too strict, there is a possibility that existing air conditioners no longer compliant with these regulations will become obsolete. |
High | Large |
Tight supply and demand for electricity There is a possibility that the spread of air conditioners in emerging countries will increase electricity usage and make it difficult to increase sales of air conditioners due to electricity shortages. |
High | Large | ||
Physical | Production delays due to water shortage Production bases located in areas of high water stress face the potential risk of disruptions in production due to the shortage of water necessary for production processes. |
Medium | Medium | |
Opportunities | Transition | Stricter regulations on refrigerants Companies without technologies compliant with regulations on refrigerants will be weeded out, resulting in increased sales of air conditioners using refrigerants with lower global warming potential, which is our strength |
High | Large |
Stricter regulations on energy efficiency Companies without technologies compliant with stricter regulations on energy efficiency will be weeded out, resulting in increased sales of air conditioners with high energy efficiency, which is our strength |
High | Large | ||
Stricter regulations on the use of fossil fuels Regulations on the use of fossil fuels continue to become stricter, and since gas-combustion heaters will be subject to them, there will be an increase in sales on growing demand for heat-pump heaters, which is our strength |
High | Large |
We incorporate the greenhouse gas emissions reduction target based on Environmental Vision 2050 into the Fusion 25 Strategic Management Plan, as well as manage the progress of our environmental activities by setting metrics and targets related to climate change.
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