GHG Net-zero in the product life cycle

Basic approach

Instead of focusing only on the reduction of CO₂ emissions during our auto parts production process, the Toyota Boshoku group takes on the challenge of “achieving GHG Net-zero” in all stages of the product life cycle from production to use, disposal and recycling of products.

Continuing our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of technology R&D

Figure:ontinuing our efforts to reduce the environmental impact of technology R&D

Future vision of Toyota Boshoku

Carbon Neutrality Strategy Roadmap

Figure:Efforts to Achieve Carbon Neutrality

The Carbon Neutrality Strategy Roadmap is an action implementation plan designed to help us achieve our target of reducing plant CO₂ emissions by 50% (compared to FY2020 levels) by the year 2030. It was designed with consideration of the actual conditions on the ground across our five global regions of Japan, the Americas, China, Asia & Oceania, and Europe & Africa. Working together with each region, we are working to examine which improvement items can, or should be implemented globally, and are promoting activities that contribute to the realization of our CO₂ target.
Going forward, the entire Toyota Boshoku group will continue to take action, and engage in activities that help reduce CO₂ emissions.

Reduce CO₂ emissions in the life cycle of Toyota Boshoku products by reducing weights

Toyota Boshoku ascertains CO₂ emissions in the life cycle of core products, from their manufacture and sale to their usage and eventual disposal, and then takes action to reduce these emissions as a means to promote more environmentally friendly products. Out of all the stages in the life cycle mentioned above, the majority of CO₂ emissions arise during a product’s usage. Thus, we put great effort into actions that can improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, such as promotion of reductions to the size or weight of products.
Click here to learn more about Toyota Boshoku’s efforts to create door trims with high impact resistance and lower weight.

Reducing CO₂ emissions through lightweighting

It is said that the majority of CO₂ emissions throughout the life cycle of a vehicle are accounted for when driving. Therefore, we conduct development and design based on the conviction that reducing weight and creating compact designs will contribute to increasing the fuel efficiency of cars and reducing CO₂ emissions. In fiscal 2022, lower-profile, comfort-enhancing third-row seats were installed in Toyota’s new NOAH and VOXY models. The conventional metal springs and wires in the third-row seat cushioning have been replaced with fiber cloth springs, which allows improved comfort while riding, as well as thinner overall seating, leading to weight reduction.

Photo:Third Seat Structure — Third Seat Structure

Our Decarbonization School, run by Sunshine (a supplier group member of Toyota Boshoku)

Our Decarbonization School has been operating since 2022, with the aim of reducing CO₂ emissions throughout our entire supply chain.
The school holds lectures by both external consultants and staff from our Carbon Neutral Environment Center on energy saving techniques, and other topics related to decarbonization. It also assists member companies in creating CO₂ emission reduction targets, and in developing plans to meet their targets, as well as supporting employee development with an eye to cultivating employees with the skills and vision needed for long-term carbon neutral efforts.
And the Decarbonization School doesn’t only operate via lectures and seminars—it has also run on-site learning activities at our Kariya Plant. Here participants were able to see various real-life examples of energy-saving activities, such as insulation of piping to prevent heat loss, and techniques for reducing energy consumption in steam/compressed air-utilizing equipment.
We are committed to continuing our carbon neutrality efforts in the future, and will continue cooperating closely with our suppliers to work towards a carbon neutral supply chain.

Photo:Introducing participants to a highly energy-efficient air supply system — Introducing participants to a highly energy-efficient air supply system

Scope 3^* (Supply Chain Management)

Toyota Boshoku has commenced to calculate the CO₂ emission of whole Toyota Boshoku’s supply chain in order to reduce the CO₂ emission from our whole business activities since FY2013.
Next, we will improve the precision of calculating method, and proceed to reduce CO₂ emission after we evaluate the CO₂ emission of each category in our whole business activities.

Scope 3：CO₂ in both Upstream and Downstream in business
[Upstream] CO₂ by supply of material, transportation and employees’ transfer
[Downstream] CO₂ by using and end-of-life treatment of sold products

GHG Emissions Produced by Toyota Boshoku group’s Value Chain

Calculation Criteria

Category	Explanation of each category	Calculation basis
1. Purchased Goods & Services^*1	CO₂ by producing the purchased or supplied materials and parts	Σ {(Price of purchased materials and products) × Emission intensity^*2}
2. Capital goods	CO₂ generated in the construction and manufacture of the company’s own Capital goods (building & equipment, etc.)	Σ {(Increased monetary amount of property, plant and equipment in report year) × (Emission intensity^*2)}
3. Fuel & Energy-related Activities Not Included in SCOPE 1 or 2	CO₂ by producing and transporting the purchased fuel & manufacturing stage of purchased electricity and heat	Σ {(Fuel consumption amount) × (Emission intensity^3)} + Σ {(Electricity consumption amount) x (Emission intensity^2)}

With regard to price of purchased products/materials used in calculation of Scope 3, category 1: some changes in prices of products/materials could not be reflected in the data, so from fiscal 2022 our methods were revised to enable reflection of any and all changes
By Ministry of the Environment, “The Emission per Unit Database for the Purpose of Calculating the Greenhouse Gas and Other Emissions of Organizations throughout the Supply Chain (Ver.3.3)”
By Advanced LCA Research Group, The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)and Japan Environment Management Association for Industry; LCA Database, IDEA version 3.3

CO₂ emissions data that has been assured by an independent assurance provider is marked with this assurance symbol (click here for details).

Click to check Scope1 and 2

Reducing CO₂ emissions in logistics

We carry out logistics kaizen activities as part of our daily administrative tasks, and work together with plants to promote CO₂ reductions by way of responding flexibly to daily changes in production. Within Japan, we are planning future expansion of joint logistics, as well as an associated reorganization of logistics transfer points, and are proceeding with both logistics optimization and further reductions in CO₂ emissions.
In line with this work across Japan, we are also continuing to carry out change globally via implementation of logistics kaizen, and CO₂ reduction activities across the world.
In the future we will actively investigate and consider the use of vehicles such as FCEV (fuel cell vehicles) and BEV (battery electric vehicles), as well as industrial machinery that does not rely on fossil fuels, and contribute towards realizing a carbon neutral future.

CO₂ emissions in logistics [Japan region]

Graph:CO2 emissions in logistics* [Japan region]