How to spot greenwashing

IT’S HARD not to notice that the whole world is trying to be more sustainable. Going green is the mantra that is being adopted by consumer products from the humble loo roll to even complex electrical goods.

Here’s a few questions to ask potential automation providers next time you are involved in the specification of a new handling solution or upgrading an existing system.

First, any organisation that is serious about change is generally led from the top. Look at senior management effort devoted to sustainability and take a view on the business’s genuine commitment to ESG. Check that sustainability is part of the organisation’s DNA not led by the marketing team.

At Daifuku, our president and CEO Hiroshi Geshiro, chairs our sustainability committee. This senior level group facilitates discussions on social issues related to the environment, human rights and other topics with the aim of resolving these issues throughout the entire supply chain. As part of these efforts, the committee revised the Daifuku Environmental Vision 2050 in May 2023 to expand our focus areas and raise our environmental targets for 2030.

Secondly, it’s all very well setting up sustainability committees or steering groups, but without some form of external measurement, they can become meaningless. At Daifuku, we actively seek external verification of our work towards carbon neutrality and our objective to remain an employer of choice. While our Green House Gas (GHG) emissions are verified by auditors from SGS, our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance is evaluated by MSCI, FTSE and CPD respectively, each highly regarded, independent organisations. As of February 2024, Daifuku received an ESG Risk Rating of just 18.0 from Morningstar Sustainalytics and was assessed to be at low risk of experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors – making it one of the best performers in the sector.

Vision 2050

Through our Daifuku Environmental Vision 2050, we strive to realise a world where material handling systems operate with zero environmental impact. This effort has seen some notable developments. For example, the electricity used at Shiga Works near Kyoto, the company’s largest domestic manufacturing plant in Japan, has been switched to renewable energy sources. This transition is equal to an annual reduction of about 6,300 tons of CO2 emissions.

At the Shiga Works, we undertook a comprehensive survey of ecosystems around the manufacturing, warehousing and office facilities which identified approximately 1,000 species, 70 of which are endangered. To preserve this precious natural environment for future generations, we are pursuing various conservation initiatives through the Yui Project, which promotes communication both within and outside the company.

One of our biodiversity initiatives is dedicated to the preservation of dragonflies, which are seeing declining populations across Japan. For the 50 dragonfly species identified at Shiga Works, Daifuku is actively monitoring populations and managing the area’s green spaces for biodiversity. Further, having replanted forest woodlands and created a pond on the site, we are now delighted to see that rare Yamato Salamanders are now once again breeding.

The areas listed above are not exhaustive, but hopefully give those involved in the automation selection process some insight to make an accurate assessment of a supplier’s sustainable credentials. 

Russell Hutchinson, business development manager, Daifuku UK 

For more information, visit www.daifuku.com