Mitsubishi Chemical Group

Triacetate and diacetate filament

23
0
AE
shim
Actively engaging suppliers - no known high risk

1. Completion of CanopyStyle Third Party Verification Audits

1.1 Undertaking Annual Audits

1.2 Audits Public and Results Acted On

1.3 Audit Risk Results

2. Contribution to Conservation Legacies

2.1 Public support web/panels

2.2 International conservation

2.3 Influences Decision Makers

2.4 Legislated Protection

2.5 Extra Respon­sibilities

3. Innovation via New Alternative Fibers

3.1 Partnerships

3.2 R&D Investments

3.3 Scaling to Commercial Products

3.4 Targets & Timelines

3.5 10% of pulp is NG

3.6 Contributing to Collective Goal

3.7 Aggressively Increasing Commercial Scale

4. Adoption of Robust Forest Sourcing Policy

4.1 Policy Adoption

4.2 Policy Meets All CanopyStyle Criteria

5. Traceability, Transparency, and Sustainable Sourcing

5.1 Track & Trace System In-Place

5.2 Public Sharing of Supplier List

5.3 Conducts Due Diligence

6. Leaders in Supply Chain Shifts

6.1 Proactive outreach/ Inspires Leadership

6.2 FSC Preference

6.3 Forest Mapper Support

6.4 Using the Dissolving Pulp Mill Classification

7. Associated with High Risk of Sourcing from Ancient & Endangered Forests and other Controversial Sources

7.1 Risk is Known

Total:

Buttons 23

Chemical Management

The Producer Is Addressing the Pollution Originated by the Chemical Substances Used During the MMCF Production Process. It Has Joined a Credible Initiative That Advances Solutions on Chemical Management.

0

The producer is implementing, for all of its sites, pollution control technologies to limit their impact, developing an approach for the recovery of substances used or generated during the production of MMCF.

N/A

In the future, criteria will be built out by ZDHC to apply V2.0 of ZDHC MMCF Guidelines, including air emissions and responsible fibre production.

N/A

Total:

0 Points

Risk of sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests

After engaging in dialogue with Canopy and adopting, in 2019, its Wood and Pulp Sourcing Policy, the company completed its first CanopyStyle Audit in 2021. The audit found that Mitsubishi’s sourcing policy meets CanopyStyle requirements, and that this has been communicated well with all suppliers and relevant managers. Mitsubishi’s sole supplier of cellulose acetate (Daicel) reported receiving dissolving pulp from a supplier that is at low risk of sourcing from priority Ancient and Endangered Forests and other controversial sources, however, verification was required to fully confirm low risk.  


 Mitsubishi supported Daicel’s engagement with CanopyStyle, and they are poised to complete their audit as of November 2022.

Key Improvements Required

  • Continue to encourage supply chain partners to share sourcing details and undergo auditing.
  • Work with main supplier to use ForestMapper and complementary guidance documents, such as the Dissolving Pulp Mill Classification, to ensure no sources come from Ancient and Endangered Forests.
  • Prioritize the integration and sourcing of Next Generation Solution technologies and feedstocks for future expansion plans and new suppliers.
  • Accelerate the use of Next Generation Fibre Solutions in order to meet or exceed the aspirational targets outlined in the Vision: 50% by 2030.
  • Procure higher volumes of FSC-certified inputs, decreasing reliance on Controlled Wood sources over time.

Areas where the company is showing leadership

Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation has earned the distinction of Most Improved Score for Hot Button 2022, moving up from yellow to light green shirt (13.5 to 23 buttons). 

Sourcing: 

  • Engaged proactively in dialogue with Canopy, and completed its first CanopyStyle Audit in 2021 
  • Encouraged its main supplier, Daicel, to also get audited.  
  • Created a detailed action plan to implement the recommendations contained within the audit, and coordinated with Daicel in ensuring that these were carried out.  

Conservation: 

  • Supported the call for protecting 30% of the world’s Ancient and Endangered Forests by 2030, in a letter from MMCF producers to countries that are party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 
  • Demonstrated an awareness of the status of Ancient and Endangered Forests in the landscapes from which they source, and efforts to protect them. 

Next Generation Solutions: 

  • Shared information with Canopy regarding efforts to explore Next Gen Solutions.   
  • Supports the targets and timelines within the Next Generation Vision for Viscose. 

Number of viscose, lyocell and dissolving pulp mills + location and production volumes

Mitsubishi Chemical Group owns the Toyama mill Toyama-shi, Toyama, Japan with production capacity of 3,384 tonnes per year. 

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