Suzuki: The old effluent treatment facility within the Asaka Plant premises has been used as a biotope² since 2013, and we have worked to preserve endangered animal and plant species on the red lists³ published by the Ministry of the Environment and Saitama Prefecture. I think the certification is based on recognition of our ecosystem preservation track record over the years and our sustainable maintenance management system.

It all started 13 years ago, when the manager of the Asaka Plant at the time, who is a nature lover, started to consider whether we could engage in some kind of environmental activity rooted in the local community. We had never done anything like that before and didn’t really know what we were doing at first, so we spoke to Ecosystem Conservation Society - Saitama. Their experts suggested we preserve local endangered species by making use of the vacant area within the plant site that was previously used for effluent treatment. We started by preparing the pond for nature conservation. We decided to focus on animal and plant species from the local region that were in danger of becoming extinct and undertook protection activities strategically.

2. Biotope: A space created to restore ecosystems that have been lost due to impacts such as urbanization and provide a habitat for plant and animal species that are native to the region
3. Red list: List of wild animals, plants, and other living organisms that are at risk of extinction

Suzuki: Part of it was certainly our track of doing this for more than 10 years, but I think our continuous maintenance system and monitoring plan were also key factors.

When companies undertake conservation activities, the challenge is sometimes whether you can maintain the same ecosystem when people can no longer work on it due to changes such as personnel transfers. To continuously maintain the ecosystem at the Asaka Plant, we therefore established a scheme to ensure that rare species would repeatedly breed even without human intervention. For example, by ensuring that aquatic plants thrive in the pond and are exposed to sunlight, we have significantly increased the population of microorganisms that provide a source of nutrients for rare species. The aquatic plants also play a role in increasing the populations of the rare species by providing a refuge for young fish and shrimp.

We use well water in the pond, but raise the water temperature in the winter to make sure the aquatic plants don’t all wither. As a result, the plants that remain at the beginning of spring grow again. With this cycle, we have managed to establish an ecosystem that can be sustained for five to ten years even without human involvement.

Kataoka: We use e-Platch™, a service provided by TOPPAN Inc., to monitor the water constantly. By employing ZETA, a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) network protocol, this service makes it possible to collect and visualize data needed for environmental conservation, so we believe it is also effective for managing biotopes. We have been able to put in place a system that even allows us to keep a constant eye on water flow volume and temperature remotely.

Related link (in Japanese): https://www.toppan.com/ja/electronics/solution/environment/

Suzuki: Coexistence with the local community is an essential element of activities for environmental preservation. All of the rare species that we protect are ones whose habitats are under threat due to various reasons in Saitama Prefecture, and Ecosystem Conservation Society - Saitama has helped us identify the ones to focus on. Before we collected the species, people responsible for preservation in their original habitats inspected our site, and we have taken a lot of care with our activities to alleviate any concerns. People often express their appreciation to us directly, so we get to feel that what we’re doing is meaningful in terms of contributing to the community.

In July 2023, Ecosystem Conservation Society - Saitama, Tekscend Photomask, and TOPPAN collaborated to hold a biodiversity-themed event for TOPPAN employees and their families. This involved draining the pond, removing sludge that had accumulated at the bottom, and drying it in the sun, a process called kaibori in Japanese. Eighteen people participated in 15 groups, catching and surveying the freshwater fish living in the pond. The ginbuna (Carassius langsdorfii) and Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes) that had bred successfully were donated to local elementary schools and elementary student groups, respectively. We used it to create an opportunity for learning about nature by giving talks on our efforts to protect rare fish species.

Suzuki: The biotope and activities to preserve rare species that we have undertaken thus far are very much in step with the 30 by 30 and nature positive movements. When participating in Saitama Prefecture’s Nature Positivity Promotion Subcommittee and other discussion forums, I have really felt the passion of the people from the government side. We support and want to contribute to the Nature Positivity Promotion Subcommittee’s goal of expanding collaboration between the public and private sectors by facilitating interaction between businesses, government, and organizations such as NPOs to achieve nature positive outcomes.
When we started out, we didn’t really get much recognition, but an expert told us that although the work itself is low-key, there is meaning in companies doing things that others are not doing. We got on board with that and have now been doing this for 13 years. It is very pleasing that our efforts have now borne fruit, particularly with accreditation as a Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Site.

Kataoka: Biodiversity initiatives such as the biotope can sometimes be seen as superficial community or social contribution activities, but I believe they will lead to enhancing corporate value in the future. While naturally we try to help resolve social issues through our business with various products and services, we also focus on creating opportunities for biodiversity-themed events that enable employees to take ownership and get a real sense of how we all benefit from natural capital.
Going forward, as part of the local community, we want to go beyond biodiversity preservation at TOPPAN Group sites, to support nature conservation and Nationally Certified Sustainably Managed Natural Site accreditation of areas outside our premises by proactively working with external organizations such as NPOs. We also want to work with experts while expanding activities in collaboration with other companies.