Press ReleasesNippon Paper and Coca-Cola Japan
Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Collaboration for Building a Sustainable Society—Collaboration Since 2013 Expanded to Accelerate Activities in Three Areas of Resources, Communities and Inclusion—

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & Representative Director: Toru Nozawa; "Nippon Paper") and Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Jorge Garduño; "Coca-Cola Japan") signed a memorandum of understanding on August 1, 2021, regarding collaboration for the building of a sustainable society.

Under a previous memorandum covering the period September 1, 2013, to March 31, 2021, Nippon Paper and Coca-Cola Japan engaged in collaborative activities to conserve the multifaceted value of forests and promote sustainable development of communities. The latest memorandum builds on these joint activities by constructively expanding the scope of collaborative activity to encompass the three areas of Resources (resource recycling and conservation), Communities (community development), and Inclusion (respect for diversity). Over the roughly 10-year period to 2030, the companies will draw on expertise acquired through their respective businesses to advance concrete activities contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.



Below is an outline of activities to be carried out by Nippon Paper, Coca-Cola Japan and their respective organizations under the memorandum of understanding regarding collaboration for the building of a sustainable society.


Resources (Resource Recycling and Conservation)

  1. 1. Forest Conservation (Preservation of Water Replenishment Functions)

Nippon Paper and Coca-Cola Japan will engage in collaborative activities as appropriate to conserve forests and water as resources vital to their businesses.

Forest conservation activities are already underway in a 1,746-hectare section of the Nippon Paper-owned Sugenuma forest (Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture) for the purpose of maintaining and improving the forest's water replenishment capability. This is carried out under an agreement regarding mutual cooperation for the conservation and protection of forest and water resources concluded in December 2020 by Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & President: Calin Dragan), Nippon Paper and Nippon Paper Group company Marunuma Kogen Resort Co., Ltd. (Katashina-mura, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Yoshikazu Hagiwara).


  3. 2.     Effective Use of Paper Materials, Including for Beverage Packaging

Nippon Paper, its business founded upon trees, a renewable resource, has a motto, "Let paper do what it can do," and promotes "paperizing" solutions that involve the use of paper materials to address social problems. Coca-Cola Japan, a soft drink company, attaches priority to packaging in its sustainability efforts. Besides examining ways to utilize paper materials in packaging, the two companies will explore possibilities for collaboration in the area of paper cup collection and recycling.


  2. 3.     Efforts to Reduce CO2 Emissions

The companies will also identify areas for collaborative efforts in reduction of CO2 emissions and will work together to implement measures. In fiscal 2021, they are looking into raising awareness about CO2 emission reductions by using credits under the J-Credit Scheme1 generated by Nippon Paper through a tree thinning project to offset 1 ton of CO2 for every participant in International Coastal Cleanup events undertaken by Coca-Cola system employees in autumn 2021.


Communities (Community Development)

In addition to existing forest conservation and water source conservation efforts, the companies will look into and implement a broad range of green infrastructure2 activities that will alleviate risks presented by climate change and natural disasters and preserve biodiversity, among other objectives.


Inclusion (Respect for Diversity)

Building a sustainable society demands that diversity is embraced and co-creation takes place. The companies will hold awareness-raising seminars for employees as opportunities to learn about diversity topics, such as women's empowerment and promotion of understanding about LGBTQ.


1. J-Credit Scheme: A program whereby Japan's government certifies, as credits, amounts of greenhouse gas emissions reduced or absorbed through efforts such as introduction of energy-saving devices and forest management.

2. Green infrastructure: The concept of utilizing functions of the natural environment to solve a wide range of social issues.


■Nippon Paper Industries Promotes Sustainability Management

　Nippon Paper Industries is committed to the Group Mission of "contributing to better living and cultural progress everywhere it does business", and the Company also contributes to the achievement of the SDGs by engaging in activities that meet the four requirements of the Group Vision; 1. Drive social sustainability through our business, 2. Delight our customers, 3. Instill pride in employees, and 4. Give back to society.

　The foundation of the Group's business is the woody resources obtained from properly managed forests. As a "comprehensive biomass company shaping the future with trees," the Group is promoting sustainability management by leveraging the characteristics of renewable wood resources and building a business model that realizes the three resource circulations. For more information, please visit the Nippon Paper Group website.

https://www.nipponpapergroup.com/english/





■ Sustainability Initiatives of the Coca-Cola System

The Coca-Cola System in Japan includes Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd. and its five bottling partners around Japan. In accordance with its business purpose to "Refresh the World. Make a Difference," the system is committed to creating a sustainable business and shared future that makes a difference surrounding important challenges facing Japan. In 2020, it identified three platforms--Inclusion, Communities and Resources--and nine priority issues, and established a common sustainability framework across the system. With the aim of addressing social challenges through its business activities in each field, it will also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Refer to the latest ESG Report for details of these activities.
https://www.cocacola.co.jp/sustainability


■ About the Coca-Cola System

The Coca-Cola System in Japan is comprised of Coca-Cola (Japan) Co., Ltd., which supplies concentrates, plans and develops new products as the Japanese subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, the world's largest soft drinks manufacturer, along with five local bottling partners which manufacture and sell products nationwide--Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc., Hokkaido Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., Michinoku Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd., Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd. and Okinawa Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Ltd.--and one affiliate.

The Coca-Cola System refreshes Japanese consumers through more than 50 sparkling and still beverage brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our portfolio features a range of global brands such as Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Zero Caffeine, Fanta, and Sprite, in addition to brands originally developed for the Japanese market including Georgia, Aquarius, I LOHAS, and Ayataka. As part of business growth strategy, the Coca-Cola system takes sustainability very seriously and continuously addresses various agenda across value chain including mitigation of environmental impact through business activity, safe and inclusive workplace environment, and empowerment of the economy of local community.