Asahi Industries Group
Company Profile
Asahi Industries【 Steel 】
Asahi Agria【 Agriculture 】
Jobu【 Crushed Stone and Material Recycling 】
Asahi Business Support【 Temporary Staffing and Contracting 】

ASAHI INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
ASAHI AGRIA CO., LTD.
JOBU CO., LTD.
ASAHI BUSINESS SUPPORT CO., LTD.

ASAHI
INDUSTRIESGROUPC O M PA N Y
PROFILE
2022

Planning Section, Finance and Planning Department
Asahi Industries Co., Ltd.
Daiwa Higashi-Ikebukuro Building, 23-5, Higashi-Ikebukuro
3-chome, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan
TEL: +81-3-3987-4095

Email: ir@asahi-kg.co.jp

To create a sustainable society
The efforts that the Asahi Industries Group ismaking to build a sustainable society are actually part andparcel of everyone's daily lives.

Steel<Asahi Industries>

Management
Principles

CSR
Guidelines

Environmental
Guidelines

Being honest, fair, and respected by all, both now andFocusing on appreciating andContributing to the environment by

for generations to come.

contributing to the community.

decreasing environmental impacts,

Continuing to provide products and services of highpreventing global warming andquality and value while contributing to the global

achieving zero emissions.

environment.

Our activities now cover 3 areas.

In the future, our work recycling valuable resources

Crushed Stone andMaterial Recycling<Jobu>

Agriculture<Asahi Agria>

will inevitably become even more wide-ranging.
Temporary Staffing and Contracting <Asahi Business Support>

HI S TO RY

Despite enormous change in the business world, throughout our more than 85-year history

Our Story

we have maintained our steadfast commitment to quality and to the importance of the
global environment.
As a member of the Godo Steel Group, we will continue to be both agile and resilient as werise to the challenge of building a sustainable future.

Asahi Chemical Fertilizer Co., Ltd. is established.
Predecessor of the fertilizer business(Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo Prefecture)

1935

1936

Wakaizumi Shipping Co., Ltd. is established.
Predecessor of Jobu Co., Ltd. (Kamikawa-machi,
Saitama Prefecture)

1948

1960

Asahi Chemical
Fertilizer Co., Ltd. Established2

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

1991

Johnson Asahi Pty. Ltd. is established as a
joint venture. (Victoria, Australia)

1995

2003

Asahi Industries Co., Ltd.
is established.

The company is listed on the JASDAQ
Securities Exchange.

2005

Asahi Industries leaves the Saison Group.

Gives rise to an integrated business model:“steel and fertilizer”.

19 3 5

Japan Nickel Co., Ltd.
Established1970

Asahi Chemical Fertilizer Co., Ltd. takes over the steel
division of Japan Nickel Co., Ltd. and the company
name is changed to Seibu Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.

Japan Nickel Co., Ltd. is established.
Predecessor of the steel business(Kodama-gun, Saitama Prefecture)

19 3 6The company enters the Seibu Distribution Group.
(later, Saison Group)

Merger2016

The company enters the Godo Steel Group following atender offer by Godo Steel, Ltd., and is delisted fromJASDAQ.
Kanto D-Bar Steel Corporation is established.

2019

2020
Agribusiness is spun off from the company.
Asahi Agria Co., Ltd., which continues theagribusiness, is established.

Asahi Business Support Co., Ltd. isestablished2020

19 6 019 7 019 9 1

2003

2005

Seibu Chemical
Industries Co., Ltd.

Enters the Seibu
Distribution Group

Asahi Industries Co., Ltd.

Leaves the Saison Group

Listed on the JASDAQ
Securities Exchange

2 0 19Godo Steel, Ltd. completes
tender offer
Enters the Godo Steel Group
Delisted from JASDAQ

Asahi Industries Co., Ltd.

Division

2020
Asahi Agria Co., Ltd.

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

3

Asahi Industries Group’s Products Around UsCOMPANYO V E R V I E W

Company Overview

Our products are comprised of items that are essential to living securely and safely.

(As of April 1, 2022)

We will continue to create products that support urban and rural living.
Corporate Profile

Three Sectors

Company Name

Asahi Industries Co., Ltd.

Head OfficeDaiwa Higashi-Ikebukuro Building, 23-5,● Asahi Agria● JobuKansai Plant (Fertilizer)

Higashi-Ikebukuro 3-chome, Toshima-ku,

Asahi Industries

Steel BusinessAsahi Agria

Jobu

Agribusiness

Crushed Stone andMaterial Recycling
Business

Tokyo 170-0013, Japan

StructuralsteelsFertilizer forhome gardens

Asahi Industries

Asahi Agria

Threaded
deformed bars

Deformedbars (rebar)

Asahi Industries

Asahi Industries● Asahi Industries

Asahi Agria● Asahi Agria

Osaka OfficeTEL+81-3-3987-2161

URL

http://www.asahi-kg.co.jp

FoundedAugust 16, 1935

Kanto Plant (Fertilizer)
Kamikawa Research Station(Seed, Fertilizer)● Asahi Business Support

Established

October 29, 1991

● Asahi Agria

Parent Company

Godo Steel, Ltd.

Common Stock

2,190 million yen● Asahi Industries Head Office

No. of Employees

259● Kanto D-Bar Steel

Main Business

Steel Business: production and sales of deformed bars

Chiba Plant (Fertilizer)(rebar) (including threaded deformed bars), structural steels

Fertilizer
for farmers

Saitama Office/Saitama Plant● Asahi Agria● Asahi Agria Head Office● Johnson Asahi Pty. Ltd.

Offices/Plants

Affiliated Companies

Saitama Office/Saitama Plant

Kanto D-Bar Steel Corporation (40%-owned subsidiary of Asahi Industries)

222 Wataruse, Kamikawa-machi,
Kodama-gun, Saitama 367-0394, Japan
TEL: +81-274-52-2711 [Saitama Office]
TEL: +81-274-52-2713 [Saitama Plant]

Main business: Intermediary sales of steel bar as well as associatedfinished products and supplementary products
No. of Employees: 41
10th Floor, Marunouchi Chuo Building, 9-1, Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100-0005, Japan
TEL: +81-3-6267-0030

Subsidiaries: 3

Crushed stone
Jobu

Wood chips
Jobu

1. Asahi Agria Co., Ltd. (wholly owned by Asahi Industries)

2. Jobu Co., Ltd. (wholly owned by Asahi Industries)

Main business: Manufacture and sales of fertilizer, development of vegetablevarieties, production and sales of seeds, distributor of imported hay
No. of Employees: 176

Main business: Production and sales of crushed stone,
processing of construction waste materials, and production
and sales of recycled aggregate and wood chips
No. of Employees: 57

Daiwa Higashi-Ikebukuro Building, 23-5, Higashi-Ikebukuro 3-chome,
Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan
TEL: +81-3-3987-2163
URL: https://www.asahi-agria.co.jp/en

3. Asahi Business Support Co., Ltd.

Offices/Plants/Research Farms

4

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

Hay

Seeds

Asahi Agria

Asahi Agria

3085-1 Kanezawa, Minano-machi, Chichibu-gun,
Saitama 369-1601, Japan
TEL: +81-494-62-1321
URL: http://www.jobu-sg.co.jp(wholly owned by Asahi Industries)
Main business: Temporary staffing and contracting
No. of Employees: 18

Kanto Plant (Fertilizer Plant)

Chiba Plant (Fertilizer Plant)

222 Wataruse, Kamikawa-machi,
Kodama-gun, Saitama 367-0394,
Japan
TEL: +81-274-52-2712

13, Sakuradai 1-chome, Asahi-shi,
Chiba 289-0506, Japan
TEL: +81-479-68-1600
Kansai Plant (Fertilizer Plant)

222 Wataruse, Kamikawa-machi, Kodama-gun,
Saitama 367-0301, Japan
TEL: +81-274-52-6411
URL: http://www.asahi-kg.co.jp/abs

Kamikawa Research Station(Fertilizer/Seed Research Farm)

6776 Minakuchi, Minakuchi-cho,
Koka-shi, Shiga 528-0005, Japan
TEL: +81-748-62-8171

Affiliated Companies

Osaka OfficeJohnson Asahi Pty. Ltd.

863-2 Higashikitahara, Niisato,
Kamikawa-machi, Kodama-gun,
Saitama 367-0232, Japan

12th Floor, Osaka JA Building, 2-5,
Nishitenma 1-chome, Kita-ku,
Osaka-shi, Osaka 530-0047, Japan
TEL: +81-6-6311-6215(equity method affiliate of Asahi Agria)
Main business: Production and export of hay
119 Plumpton Road Horsham VIC 3400 Australia

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

5

Saitama Plant

Forging strong steel to support the infrastructure for life.
Building an optimal portfolio.

Asahi Industries

Asahi Industries manufactures rebar and structural steel with an electric arc-furnace, using steel scrap as theraw material.
We are working to achieve carbon neutrality through initiatives such as operational improvements and capital
investment aimed at reducing CO2 emissions.
Our effort is put into cooperation with Godo Steel, Ltd. to achieve still greater technical excellence and further
improve our sales capabilities, adopting innovation and taking on new challenges.

Steel BusinessThreaded deformed bars

Structural steels (Special steels)

Deformed bars
(rebar)Rebar is steel for construction andengineering, and because it is used
embedded in concrete, it has
irregularities and transverse edgesaround the outside to improve
concrete adhesion.
The applications for deformed bars
underpin our everyday lives andinclude their use in the construction
field in apartment blocks and officebuildings, as well as in the civilengineering field in expressways andStrategic Product“Neji-A-Con” threaded deformed bars
This is rebar that features ascrew thread. Instead of pressure
welding, rods are joined together
with mechanical “couplers”,
which allows shorter construction
time as installation work can be
carried out in any sort of weather.
The rods can also be used intaller and larger structures.
Demand for this product isgrowing due to such advantages.

railway bridge piers.

Structural steels
Structural steels are steels used forsecondary machining that are
re-formed into products such as
bolts, nuts, and steel braces. They
are very widely used in sectors
such as construction, engineering,and machinery.

Strategic ProductSpecial steels
These are steels that have theirconstituent materials finely managed toallow aspects such as rigidity, strength,
and toughness to be adjusted. Special
steels are used in automobiles, work
tools, and components for construction
and manufacturing machinery. We
upgraded facilities such as ourinspection equipment in FY2018 anddeveloped new types of steel, allowing

Japanese language only

6

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

us to grow our client base.
ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

7

Chiba Plant

Kanto Plant

Aiming for “sustainable agriculture”.
Honing our skills and creating new markets.

Asahi Agria

The only fertilizer manufacturer in Japan that deals with both seeds and hay.
We are collaborating with Japanese and overseas research institutions and Japanese government agencies toachieve sustainable agriculture, working towards labor-saving agricultural practices and making the best
possible use of as-yet untapped resources.

Agribusiness

Kamikawa Research Station

Kansai Plant

Fertilizer Business

Mastering compost

We are working hard on the development of organic materials using previously
unused resources. Organic granular fertilizers produced using our original
granulation technology and environmentally friendly equipment are expanding oursales network throughout Japan by catering to the needs of gardeners, kitchen
garden enthusiasts, and farmers who demand both labor-saving measures andsafety. In addition, products such as organic liquid fertilizers rich in amino acids
and the microbial materials created through our joint research with outsideorganizations are both increasing our line-up of products and helping to make foodsafer and more reliable.
〈 Fertilizer for farmers 〉

Seed BusinessWe are engaged in developing a range of new typesof vegetables that embody the concepts of disease
resistance, high yields, and great flavor. At our
Kamikawa Research Station, we are developing ourown range of varieties, including squash androotstock (tomatoes and melons), and we are also
cooperating with other producers on the developmentof varieties such as broccoli and tomatoes.
By leveraging the benefits of being a fertilizer
manufacturer, we can offer cultivation methods andfertilization that maximize the strengths of our
products.

Towards Sustainable Agriculture

Mastering compost▲ Visit our website

8

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

Hay BusinessAs a sales agent of Australian hay processing andexport company J.T. Johnson & Sons Pty. Ltd., wesupply high-quality hay to Japan’s dairy and cattle
farmers. Our Australian joint-venture company
Johnson Asahi Pty. Ltd. manages local operations inAustralia, ensuring a system capable of providing astable supply of hay according to a schedule that
accords with Japanese market trends. A supply of
hay that is produced based on strict quality controls
helps to ensure that the feed is safe, consistent andworry-free.
▲ Visit the Seed
Department on Instagram〈 Fertilizer for home gardens 〉

To grow a good crop, farmers needcompost to build up the soil and thenhave to add the right amount of fertilizer.
Products that combine the benefits ofboth compost and fertilizer are the“Ecolet” series mixed compost
compound fertilizers and the designatedcompound fertilizers. Benefits that makethese products so appealing include the
combined effects of compost andfertilizer, granularity for easy application,affordability, and improved resource
recycling through the use of animal
manures.

Mastering squash
Under the brand name of “Primera”, weare developing squash with a variety ofcharacteristics and cropping types.
Careful attention is given to every detailof these varieties -- not merely flavor,
but also features such as ease ofcultivation, yield, and fruit color. We arealso investing resources into overseas
marketing.

Mastering Australian hay
Principal product is oaten hay. This is a
grass product that is widely used foreverything from newly weaned calvesthrough to mature cattle, with a highsugar content and excellent palatability.
As well as supplying to Japan, we arealso catering to the needs of the wider
Asian market, expanding our marketing
to a wide range of products.

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

9

Jobu

Asahi Business Support

Crushed Stone and Material Recycling BusinessTemporary Staffing and Contracting BusinessJapanese language only

Aiming to maintain its position as the top company in the region.
Using both nature’s bounty and waste products as key resources.

Japanese language only

Supporting the Asahi Industries Group from behind the scenes.
Wishing to be professionals in utilizing personnel of all kinds.
Temporary staffing and contracting[Welfare-related][Business-related]

As well as managing and running facilities such as the Group’s

The company provides a wide range of support services

dormitory, housing, store, and staff canteen, Asahi Business Support

to the Group, including financial, personnel, accounting,also drafts business cards for Group employees and provides

and other management services, production support at

cleaning and grounds maintenance services, creating andproduction sites for steel, fertilizer, and crushed stone

maintaining a pleasant working environment. As of FY2020, the(including heavy equipment operation, inspection, andcompany started providing a laundry service for employee work

maintenance), R&D support for fertilizers and vegetableuniforms at Group companies. The cleaning system isvarieties, as well as marketing and administrativeenvironmentally friendly, using electrolyzed water (produced byservices.

electrolyzed water generators*) for its cleansing, antibacterial, anddeodorizing effects, thereby reducing the amounts of detergent andCrushed Stone Business

hot water used.

Jobu Co., Ltd. owns high-quality greywacke mining
claims covering 1.3 million m2 in Saitama Prefecture(Minano-machi and Kamikawa-machi). The stone
mined from this area is used as the raw material for
concrete and asphalt and is used in construction

Staff dormitory management

Laundry service* We not only use
electrolyzed water
generators, but also
sell them.

Management services

Quality control

projects such as buildings, bridges, and highways.
By supplying high-grade crushed stone and sand,we are helping to provide vital infrastructure.
Crushed stone for concrete

Crushed sand for concrete

Material Recycling Business
By recycling the concrete debris from building
demolitions into roadbed material and waste timberfrom house demolitions and logging into wood

Crushed stone for roads[Recruitment of people with disabilities][Recruitment of Older People]

The company also serves as the avenue* for recruiting people withThis acts as a safety net for Asahi Industries Groupdisabilities. Working hours, work days, and the type of work areemployees of retirement age who would like to continue

determined with the person’s individual characteristics in mind,

working beyond the retirement age. Provided suchproviding a flexible employment regime. With an exhaustive support

employees can meet certain conditions regarding

structure, including in-house certified job coach and vocational

concerns such as their health, they can continue

lifestyle consultants for disabled staff, the system ensures thatworking even after they reach the age of 65. This

everyone, without exception, can enjoy a long and fulfilling working

enables them to work flexibly, taking into account theirlife.

individual preferences in areas such as the number of* The number of employees with disabilities of Asahi Business Support as a special subsidiarycan be calculated into the employment rate of people with disabilities of its parent company.

days and hours worked, and the type of work they do.

chips, we are reducing waste products and helping

In this way, they can continue contributing theirknowledge and skills within the group.

to build a sustainable society.

Recycled roadbed material

Wood chips
Staff canteen

10 ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

Asahi Flower Garden

Plant pathology test

End trimming

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

11

SDGs

SUSTAINAB LE

Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
through our ordinary activities.

Activity with goals set for reduction of wastewater concentration and CO2 emissions based on our medium-term environmental action plan
Production and sales of fertilizer contributing to decreased environmental burden
Preventing nutrient overload and groundwater contamination by using livestock manure as the raw material for fertilizers

our core businesses as well, with an awareness that SDGs are a common global issue for the realization of a sustainable society, as we work under ourmanagement principle of “continuing to provide products and services of high quality and value while contributing to the global environment”.

We are working to mitigate global warming through our measures to promote energy-saving activities and actively reduce our CO2 emissions, setting
a reduction target of at least 51% on 2013 levels by 2030, on our way to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. We are also making efforts to reduce
our environmental impacts by setting our own voluntary management targets for exhaust gas and wastewater emissions that are stricter than thestandards stipulated by law. In addition, it is our mission to develop environmentally friendly products. The excess application of fertilizers is positedas one cause of groundwater contamination, but we are protecting our abundant water resources by delivering products such as organic granularfertilizers that utilize livestock manure and slow-release fertilizers that gradually release nutrients into the soil.

Promoting sustainable agriculture, Eliminating hunger
LivestockfarmerFeed
manufacturers■ Changes in CO2 emissions
Fermenting livestock
manureAsahi Agria

Manufacturing feed

On FY 1990 levels(kt-CO2)

250

Waste such as livestock manure, wastewater from beverage
Consumers

Farmers

Producing crops

Creating new possibilities for agriculture with microbes
Using microbial materials, it is expected to improve root development inExperimentation with rice plant(kt-CO2)

252

Experimentation with soybeans

plants and help maintain consistent crop yields. Asahi Agria develops them

Target

105

200

140

130

158

150

137

Target

191

145

100

100
50
0
Benchmark 2019
year

2020

2021
FY

(FY 1990)* Results for each year calculated using the energy coefficientfor FY 1990

4,000

153

50
0
Benchmark 2019
year

2020

2021

3,295

98.1
3,057

(FY 2013)* Results calculated using the energy coefficient for each year

101.1

100

3,227

95
90

2,000

85
80

0
2019

2020

FY

Emissions trading system utilized to sell reduction portions in excess
of our reduction allotment

through joint research with experimental research facilities at universities and

(%)

6,000

101.3

■ Changes in NOx, SOx, BOD
Legislated standard(%)(Terajoules: amount of heat)

250

CO2 emissions

Food

150

CO2 emissions

we can contribute to plentiful harvests and reliable and safe food.

On FY 2013 levels

200

Manufacturing
fertilizer

Energy consumption
Year-on-year change in specific energy
consumption

Energy consumption

materials for fertilizers. As well as promoting sustainable agriculture,■ Changes in energy consumption
Year-on-year change in specific energy consumption

Supporting reliable and safe agriculture with organic granular fertilizer
manufacturers, poultry feathers, and palm ash are used as raw

G O AL S

Improvement in water quality, Efforts to deal with climatechange, Conservation of ecosystems in rivers and oceans

The Asahi Industries Group continues to contribute toward the achievement of SDGs not only through our environmental and social activities, but throughProduction and sale of organic granular fertilizer that can promote maintenance andimprovement of the soil environment and resource recycling
Development of microbial materials in cooperation with municipalities and universities
Donations of food to the economically disadvantaged via social welfare councils

DE VE LO PME NT

100
90
80
70

Gas emissions voluntary
management target

60
50
40

Wastewater
emissions voluntary
management target

30
20
10
0
2019

2021

2020

FY

Year-on-year change in specific energy
consumption of less than 100% deemed as
improvement over previous fiscal year

2021
FY

NOx (steel: RHF)

SOx (fertilizer:

NOx (fertilizer:

chemical drying furnace)chemical drying furnace)

Wastewater (BOD)

SOx (steel: RHF)

other institutions. A major benefit of this is that the basis for factors such as
the mechanisms by which the microbes work is clearly understood. We strive
for agriculture that is kind to both the environment and to people.
Cooperative research into microbial materials

Supplying foodstuffs to children’s canteens and visiting caregivers
The Group supplies children's canteens and households of the elderly

Improvement in work environments for activity by people with disabilities
Expansion of areas of work where women can take an active part to enhance the ratios of female employees
Acceptance of foreign staff and nurturing of personnel as future local leaders
Cultivation of compliance and harassment prevention awarenessthrough social welfare councils with vegetables raised on the Kamikawa
Research Station, foodstuffs for the staff canteen, frozen foods sold at
the in-house store, and emergency stockpiles. As a member of the local
community and a company involved in agriculture, we want to play auseful role in everyone’s life through “food”.

Employment of people with disabilities,
Women’s participation, Foreign staff acceptanceToshima Ward Residents Council of Social Welfare

Health Management Initiatives

Kamikawa Town Social Welfare Council

Our goal is to create workplaces where people from diverse backgrounds can overcome their individual differences and values so that they can cometo enjoy working together in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We are actively promoting diversity and inclusion through measures such as providing
work environments that cater to people with disabilities, expanding the scope of work open to women, and accepting foreign staff and providing themwith the training to go on to become future local leaders.
As a company, we go beyond mere legal compliance, striving to treat our employees fairly and equitably by providing equal opportunity and fullcompliance in the prevention of harassment, and the elimination of bias and/or prejudice based on nationality, age, or gender.

Providing an appropriate workplace environment
Manufacturing that cares about people’s health

We use our initiative for people with disabilities tolive independently and with pride.

Women are also actively employed for research
positions and technical sales positions.

Not only can foreign staff acquire skills, but they can also
work with purpose and pride within a supportive system.

Following on from FY2021, the Asahi Industries Group was again listed in METI’s Certified Health& Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program. By investing in thehealth of our employees in line with our management principles, we are working to build anenvironment in which the employees can work in healthy settings, as we believe this is effective
in boosting our enterprise value.
So that people can live healthy and secure lives, we see it as our responsibility as a manufacturer
to focus our efforts on environmentally friendly production equipment and methods and to utilize
our technological strengths to address environmental issues, such as by creating
disease-resistant vegetable varieties that can be grown with fewer agricultural chemicals anddeveloping slow-acting fertilizers that do not use microplastics.

12 ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUPASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

13

S U S TA IN A BL E

D E VEL O P M E N T

G O ALS
For our employees and for the region

Sustainable use of resources,
Commitment to infrastructure improvements

Superb products and excellent services are produced at
the workplaces where employees are working actively.

Promotion of the effective use of by-products, and production and sales of products that
underpin infrastructure provision and manufacturing
Promotion of waste recycling into raw materials
Mitigation of environmental impacts and contribution to resource recycling
Promotion of pollutant and waste minimization
Reductions in food wastage by making donations of leftover food

Diversity and inclusion are emerging as important issues as we cope with changes in the businessenvironment due to factors such as labor shortages and an aging workforce. We believe that

Cars, ships, electrical appliances, and other used steel products are turned into scrap which is then remade into the strong and stable steel that
forms the foundation of our safe and secure lifestyles. Our steelmaking processes use recycling, with the slag generated in the manufacturing
process also being used as an important resource.
We are also contributing to waste reduction and sustainability in a range of other ways, including by developing organic granular fertilizers that utilize
waste products such as livestock manure that would otherwise be an environmental burden. Furthermore, it is our duty to recycle various constructionwaste products, including the concrete and other rubble and the ceramic and timber waste generated by building demolitions.
Construction
company
Public works contractor
Demolition
company

Steel scrap

Constructing
buildings

Asahi Industries

By-products(slag)

Manufacturing
steel products

Building roads

creating workplace environments that foster innovation helps to boost employee motivation andincrease enterprise value.

Support of women's careers

Work-style reform

To provide employment situations that encourage
participation by women, we are setting up a structure thatprovides all employees with access to systems forchildcare and caring leave. We are also reviewing the
disparities in work types according to gender and treating
staff according to their capacities and the level of effort
required, which helps to create opportunities for everyone
to make the most of their capabilities. The areas in which
women can work have grown to encompass a wide variety
of sectors, including providing technical support for
threaded deformed bars, developing organic materials andvegetable varieties, formulating business strategy, anddoing overseas business marketing.

To reduce waste in our business operations, we haveundertaken initiatives such as launching our “Business
Efficiency Project”, making our meetings paperless,using e-applications and teleconferencing (remote
working), and building a new group portal. This meansthat large amounts of time previously taken up by
inefficient tasks and travel can now be allocated to newtasks, and this also helps to improve conditions andmargins for employees, such as reduced overtime andimproved rates of paid leave being taken. In the future,
as we use technologies such as DX tools and RPA, wewill look for ways to further push the boundaries andexpand existing business reforms into previously
problematic workplaces, redoubling our efforts toachieve more diverse work styles.

Sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation
Management of green spaces at business locations giving attention to conservation of biodiversity
Management of corporate-owned forest to contribute to conservation of ecosystems
We are fortunate that our production facilities are located in
verdant natural surroundings, so we work hard to protect the local
plants, wildlife, and ecosystems through programs such as
cleaning and revegetating nearby waterways, parks, and roadways,
maintaining the grounds around our factories, and formulating
guidelines that reflect the importance of biodiversity. One exampleof this is the formulation of treatment operations and weed
removal that promote insect populations and the growth of plants
in early spring, and the prioritization of native species in plantings.
And through the conservation and cultivation of around 40
hectares of corporate-owned forest (Gunma Prefecture) which is
the habitat of Japanese cypress and cedar, we promote absorptionof CO2 in a contribution to both preventing global warming andprotection of flora and fauna ecosystems.

In the Saitama Prefecture’s“Certification as a Company
Providing Diverse Work
Patterns” scheme, we havebeen recognized as a
Platinum company, thescheme’s highest ranking.

Information exchange in the global hay
marketPaperless meeting (Board of Directors)

Striving to be a company that moves in step with the community.
To convey our gratitude by contributing to the community, we support a range of regional events andprograms. In particular, we are active in promoting initiatives such as clean-up volunteers and educational
programs that assist children.

Publication of our “Declaration of Partnership Building”
Formation of partnerships that go beyond corporate affiliations and are not limited by company size
We are actively engaged in optimizing our business relationships and following
preferred trade practices with the aim of building mutually beneficial
relationships with our trading partners so as to achieve improved value adding
throughout our supply chain.

14 ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

Dietary education courses for local primary school students Exhibition of works by local primary school students on the walls surrounding our Saitama Office Regular clean-up volunteers

ASAHI INDUSTRIES GROUP

15