At the Tokyo Gas Group, our approach to promoting sustainability is to contribute to the sustainable development of society by addressing social issues through our business activities. This is consistent with the concept of SDGs ; we believe we can broadly contribute to the achievement of the SDGs through the Tokyo Gas Group’s business activities.
The Tokyo Gas Group will contribute further to the realization of the SDGs by creating business opportunities originating from social issues.
Relationships between materialities and SDGs
On May 28, 2019, Tokyo Gas and Tokyo Gas LIVEVAL TAKEUCHI Co., Ltd. signed a comprehensive agreement with Itabashi City, Tokyo, on coordination and cooperation to promote the SDGs. This agreement aims at helping to achieve the SDGs while appropriately responding to community needs through coordination and collaboration among the three parties in light of SDG 17 “Partnerships for the goals.” The agreement stipulates six coordination items, including energy and environment, realization of an inclusive society, and promotion of health. The partners are expanding their initiatives for the SDGs by combining their respective strengths, using Itabashi City’s wide-ranging information and networks together with the Tokyo Gas Group’s expertise and well-established local service capabilities.
At the signing of the agreement.
In April 2019, Tokyo Gas and Aucfan Co., Ltd. opened the social contribution shopping site “junijuni sponsored by TOKYO GAS,” which aims to assist with the resolution of social issues. The site collects and markets food products and daily goods from manufacturers that were discarded in the past because of changes in packaging, the conclusion of limited-time promotions, or approaching the expiration of freshness dates. The product prices include a donation to an organization working to resolve social issues. Customers get to choose which group receives the donation when they purchase their product, and can thus contribute to the resolution of social problems by linking the product purchase with donations. The site is named “junijuni” (which means “12 12” in English) after SDG 12 “Responsible consumption and production.”
According to a Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications survey, there were a total of approximately 8.49 million vacant houses in Japan in 2018, accounting for 13.6 percent of all houses, and that number is increasing year by year. Moreover, the rise in the number of unoccupied houses not being properly managed is resulting in various problems, including worsening of public hygiene, scenic value, and public safety. To resolve these issues, Tokyo Gas has begun working toward the commercialization of “Care for Your Parents’ Home,” a service manages vacant homes.
Under this service, staff visit vacant houses once per month to confirm that there are no visible abnormalities outside or inside and that trees and weeds are not growing beyond the plot boundaries. They also air out the house, run water, turn on electricity, collect mail, give a simple cleaning of the rooms and garden, and afterwards send a photographic report to the customer. This periodic maintenance slows building deterioration and prevents the degradation of public safety (such as illegal entry) and the worsening of public hygiene from weeds and offensive odors, thus contributing to SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities.” Appropriate management of buildings also supports SDG 12 “Responsible consumption and production.” After judging the commercial viability, Tokyo Gas will continue to advance examinations on contributing to sustainable communities and a circular economy through this management service, including the use of vacant houses, etc.
