Participation in Initiatives and External Recognition

On August 23, 2021, the KITZ Group became a registered signatory of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). The UNGC is an initiative launched at the Davos World Economic Forum in 1999 to build healthy global societies through collaboration between the United Nations and private-sector businesses and organizations. Participating businesses and organizations act as good corporate citizens by demonstrating responsible, constructive leadership through autonomous initiatives to build global frameworks for realizing sustainable growth.

UNGC signatories carry out activities along the axes of ten principles in the four categories of human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption. We plan from now on to report annually on the state of our initiatives toward the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact.

• Respect for Human Rights

In December 2021, KITZ declared its support for the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which advocate step-by-step progress in disclosure of analytical information concerning the financial impact of climate change on business activities. As a result, from now on, we will proceed in stages with data-driven analysis to ascertain business risks and opportunities related to climate change and enhance both the quality and the quantity of disclosure in accordance with TCFD recommendations.

• Responding to climate change (Disclosure based on TCFD recommendations)

In March 2024, KITZ endorsed the “GX League Basic Concept” announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and joined the GX League.
The GX League is a place where companies aiming to achieve sustainable growth, taking on the challenge of GX (Green Transformation) and working together with government and academia with a view to achieving carbon neutrality and social change in 2050.

We will engage in information sharing and discussions with companies to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

KITZ has been continuously selected as a constituent of the MSCI Nihonkabu ESG Select Leaders Index since 2024.
This index was created by MSCI. It is composed of companies with excellent ESG ratings selected from the constituents of the MSCI Japan Equity IMI Index, targeting 50% of stocks in each industry category.
The index has been selected as an ESG index by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).

KITZ has been continuously selected as a constituent of the FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index since 2024.
This index was created by FTSE Russell. It is designed to be sector-neutral and reflects the performance of Japanese companies that excel in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives.
The index has been selected as an ESG index by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).

KITZ has been continuously selected as a constituent of the S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index since 2022.
This index was jointly developed by S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P) and the Japan Exchange Group (JPX). Constituents are weighted based on the status of corporate disclosure of environmental information and the level of carbon efficiency, measured as carbon emissions per unit of revenue.
The index has been selected as an ESG index by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).

KITZ has been selected as a “B List company” in the area of Climate Change and a “B- List company” in the area of Water Security in the 2024 assessments by CDP, an international non-profit organization, in recognition of its excellence in environmental action and information disclosure.

CDP, an environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in the UK in 2000, collects, analyzes, and evaluates environmental disclosures from companies and municipalities around the world using an eight-level scoring system (A, A-, B, B-, C, C-, D, D-). The ratings KITZ received this year are classified as “Management Level,” indicating proactive environmental management.

KITZ Group is certified as a Water Recycling Active Company 2024.
KITZ Group has been certified as a Water Recycling Active Company under the Water Recycling Company Registration and Certification system established by the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan.

KITZ was selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a “Zero Emission Challenge Company” in recognition of its activities to develop hydrogen station-related products through its participation in NEDO’s technology development.

KITZ was selected as a 2025 Outstanding Health and Productivity Management Organization in a scheme organized by the Ministry of Economy.
KITZ has received the certification for four consecutive years.

• Health management and Occupational health and safety

KITZ has been awarded “Gold” in the “PRIDE Index 2024,” an evaluation index for LGBTQ+ initiatives in the workplace.

• Initiatives in support of human resources