■Business Overview of Issho Kamaboko ＜2904＞

3. ESG management

The company advocates ESG management as a basic management foundation for realizing the “ICHIMASA30 Vision,” and established an “ESG Management Declaration” in 2021/7. We are working on “food safety and security, provision of new food value,” “effective use of resources,” “ES (employee satisfaction) improvement, human resource development,” “global warming suppression response,” and “collaboration within and outside the company.”

1) “Providing food safety and security and new food value”

Manufacturing processes are managed based on the food hygiene management system HACCP, and the entire company obtained certification of the international certification standard ISO22000 as a food safety management system in 2013/1. In order to advance further food safety efforts, certification of the international standard FSSC22000 for food safety management systems created to practice more reliable food safety management based on ISO22000 has been obtained at the head office, head office factory, head office second factory, seiro factory, east port plant, and Hokkaido plant. Furthermore, certification of the international standard ISO45001 for occupational safety and health management systems was completed at all production sites in 2024/6, and certification of the international standard ISO14001 related to environmental management systems was also completed at all production sites in 2024/6.

In addition, we are proceeding with efforts to provide new food value while making use of the “manufacturing” that the company has been challenging. For example, amid the protein boom, fish protein was changed to “fish protein,” and standards for protein content (8.1 g/100 g or more or 4.1 g/100 kcal or more) and fish protein marks were established as an industry, and efforts to raise the value of the industry are being promoted. The company's products also have a fish protein mark on those that meet the standards, mainly crab sticks. In addition, the lineup of low-salt products and low-fat/zero-fat products is also being expanded due to consumers' health consciousness. Furthermore, focusing on vitamin D, which is abundant in maitake mushrooms, the company established a cultivation method to stably control the vitamin D content in maitake mushrooms, and switched all descriptions of maitake products to “vitamin D maitake mushrooms.”

2) “Effective Use of Resources”

In order to reduce food loss, products with extended best before dates have been expanded, and “small tempura,” which was developed as a value for deep-fried satsuma, can be stored frozen. It is said that “koban tempura” has been well received by sales partners because it can also reduce food waste loss at stores. Furthermore, we are focusing on developing alternative foods for the purpose of conserving depleted marine resources. Starting with “Unagi Deliciousness Eel Jiro,” which was successfully commercialized “eel free,” they advocated “next seafood” as a general term for alternative fishery products using surimi, and “next seafood sea urchin flavor” and “next seafood mentaiko flavor” were launched. In addition, in order to improve food recycling rates and reduce waste plastic emissions, we are working to expand the product lineup of recyclable ECO trays and expand trayless packaging products that match the content volume according to lifestyle.

3) “ES improvement, human resource development”

The company recommends IWS (Ichimasa Work Style) to employees. IWS is a way of working to develop abilities and engage in intellectual creation activities within working hours with the aim of improving job satisfaction, realizing life-work balance, and responding to diverse lifestyles. Employees themselves can allocate up to 10% of their working hours (approximately 200 hours per year) to their own ability development and intellectual creation activities, and voluntary planning and implementation are recommended. To that end, we are also working to expand the self-development system and enhance training channels and programs.

In addition, we aim to be a “comfortable and rewarding” company by actively hiring women, improving the work environment, and enhancing welfare systems. In 2023/6, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare certified companies with excellent implementation status of efforts related to promoting the active participation of women obtained “3 stars”. Requirements have been set for evaluation items for work styles such as recruitment/continuous employment/working hours, etc., female management ratio, and diverse career courses, and the company met all 5 requirements. Also, in 2015, based on the Next Generation Development Support Measures Promotion Law, we acquired a “platinum walnut,” which is given to companies implementing a particularly high level of child-rearing support, and efforts to support the balance between home and work have been promoted, but from 2023/7, the childcare short-time work system, which can be used until the end of the 3rd year of elementary school, has been extended until the end of the 3rd grade of elementary school, and employment continuity support for women is being promoted.

4) “Global Warming Mitigation Response”

The Hokkaido Plant in Otaru City is a base that supplies products to the Hokkaido area, which has the highest sales share, and is responsible for the development and production of Hokkaido-limited products and the production of products for overseas export that can promote “made in Hokkaido.” In 2024/4, the electricity used was switched to electricity derived from virtually 100% renewable energy (hereinafter referred to as renewable energy). This will also lead to appeal when it comes to products for overseas export. Also, the Niigata Prefecture Seiro Plant is the main factory for New Year's food, and manufactures the “100% domestic raw materials “pure” series, which is particular about 100% domestic raw materials from main ingredients to auxiliary ingredients, and the “roku series,” starting with the “Japanese sweet sea bream omamaboko Kyoroku,” which received the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award at the 75th National Kamaboko Fair. As an environmentally friendly factory, 100% of the electricity used will be switched to renewable energy in 2023/7, and solar power generation will also be installed. Also, the Niigata Prefecture Yamakido Plant, which produces the “Karikko Series” and the “Sesame Tofu Series,” etc., switched 100% to renewable energy in 2023/7.

The maitake cultivation center in Agano City, Niigata Prefecture has 7 cultivation facilities, and supplies maitake mushrooms all over the country. Since Maitake consumes a large amount of energy for temperature and humidity control, solar power generation facilities are installed at the same center, and approximately 24% of the electricity consumed during the day (summer) is generated. Solar power generation is also installed at the second head office plant, and when the photovoltaic power generation equipment introduced at the head office second plant and cultivation center is combined with renewable energy power from the Hokkaido Plant, Seiro Plant, and Yamakido Plant, approximately 26% of the electricity used by the company comes from renewable energy, and a reduction in CO2 emissions by about 5,700 tons is expected.

5) “Cooperation within and outside the company”

In an environment where the entire supply chain is required to responsibly work on legal compliance, environmental conservation, consideration for the work environment, etc., initiatives are being promoted through the activities of the exchange meeting “Issho Yamabiko Association” with over 150 supply chain suppliers. Regarding responses to law revisions related to food safety, starting with the introduction of HACCP, partnerships were strengthened by holding joint study sessions, etc. Similarly, we are approaching sustainable issues by sharing awareness throughout the supply chain. When the “Issho Kamaboko Human Rights Policy” was established in 2023/7, the “Issho Kamaboko Supplier Code of Conduct” was also established. They are also working on collaboration between industry, government, and academia in research fields. In 2022/8, it was announced that Maruha Nichiro ＜1333＞ and Integriculture Co., Ltd. will proceed with joint research and development aimed at establishing muscle cell culture technology for fish. In addition, research on 3D food printers that are expected to be effectively used at “future dining tables” has begun in collaboration with Yamagata University.

(Written by FISCO Visiting Analyst Matsumoto Akihiro)