Biodiversity and Ecosystems
Basic Approach
In promoting nature symbiosis initiatives toward Nature Positive, Honda has set “biodiversity conservation” as a materiality.
Honda operates its business with the benefit of natural and mineral resources.
Honda recognizes that it depends on and affects a great deal of natural capital not only in the procurement of raw materials, but also in the entire value chain from R&D, manufacturing, use, and disposal after use. Based on the basic concept of harmonizing natural capital and corporate activities, the Company is promoting initiatives to achieve this objective.
In line with the Honda Biodiversity Guidelines established in 2011, Honda is working to avoid or minimize impacts on nature, including air, water, and biodiversity, as well as to restore and rehabilitate them.
Please refer to Environmental and Safety Vision / Honda’s Environment Statement.
Honda Biodiversity Guidelines
Basic Statement
We recognize, under the Honda Environment Statement, that biodiversity conservation initiatives are an essential part of our commitment to the preservation of the global environment. We will continue to work toward harmony between this commitment and our activities.
Priority Activities
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Development of Environmental Technology
We will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity by developing and disseminating technologies for fuel-efficient vehicles, nextgeneration cars, and energy-production and other technologies for the reduction of environmental impacts.
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Initiatives Based on Corporate Activities
We will work to reduce environmental impacts and ensure the effective use of resources through efficiency improvements.
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Cooperation with Communities
We will implement community-based activities in cooperation with stakeholders, using expertise accumulated by Honda through its initiatives to protect ecosystems, such as the Community Forests and Hello Woods initiatives.
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Disclosure and Sharing of Information
We will share information with society by disclosing the outcomes of our activities.
Established in May 2011
Priority Site Assessment
In concretizing biodiversity initiatives at our product assembly sites, we use indicators from the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) to perform a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity risks at these sites.
Specifically, the assessment was conducted from the following six perspectives: “number of Protected Areas,” “number of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs),” “number of endangered species on land,” “number of endangered species in watersheds,” “potential to reduce extinction risk through conservation activities,” and “effectiveness of environmental restoration / nature rehabilitation through conservation activities.” We then identified sites with relatively high risk.
Based on the results, we identify priority sites and consider specific measures for biodiversity conservation.
The assessment and identification of priority sites is conducted with the support of Bir dLife International Tokyo, a specialized organization in biodiversity assessment.
We also believe that water risk is also crucial to biodiversity conservation and will consider initiatives linked to water risk.
Priority Site Assessment: Heat Map
Product Evaluation
Products incorporate a variety of materials, some of which may impact biodiversity. Therefore, Honda is undertaking initiatives to conduct a preliminary assessment of the potential impacts of materials used in its products on biodiversity.
The assessment is conducted using the biodiversity footprint developed in the “Development and demonstration project of Nature Footprint for promoting Nature-related Financial Disclosures by investors and financial institutions and international standardization,” one of the Cabinet Office’s programs for Bridging the gap between R&D and the IDeal society (society 5.0) and Generating Economic and social value (BRIDGE).
Based on the assessment results, Honda will conduct more detailed analyses for materials that have a potential for significant impact and consider measures to reduce the effects of its products on biodiversity. Honda will continue to explore responses that take into account both climate change and biodiversity.
