Flood and Drought Countermeasures at Production Sites
Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
| Update | February 9, 2021 (Posted on January 26, 2023) |
|---|---|
| Publication date | July 25, 2018 |
| Sector | Natural Disasters / Coastal Areas, Water Environment / Water Resources, Industrial and economic activities |
Company Overview
The Ajinomoto Group, unlocking the power of amino acids, aims to resolve food and health issues associated with dietary habits and aging, and contribute to greater wellness for people worldwide.
Based on the corporate message “Eat Well, Live Well.”, we have been scientifically pursuing the possibilities of amino acids to aim for future growth by creating new value through sustainable and innovative solutions for communities and society.
The Ajinomoto Group has offices in 35 countries and regions, and sells products in more than 130 countries and regions. In fiscal 2019, sales were 1.1000 trillion yen (10.1 billion U.S. dollars).
Climate Change Impacts
Flooding and drought are phenomena that could lead to the stagnation in production, and they are one of the physical risks of climate change impacts that we consider as an issue that could also affect our production in the short to medium term.
A massive flood occurred in Thailand between October and November 2011, which was estimated at a scale that occurs once in 70 years, and damaged five local manufacturing sites owned by the Ajinomoto Group, which resulted in the suspension of in-house production.
Adaptation Initiatives
The Ajinomoto Group recognizes the risk of flooding in terms of operations and social impact, based on our experience with flood damage to our production site in Thailand, and has also been conducting flood risk assessments of our plants worldwide (Fig. 1). Various measures have been taken to prepare for possible floods in the future, such as installing important machinery for the operation of plants, such as switchboards, on the second floor and raising the height of the perimeter walls of the factory (Fig. 2). In addition, assuming the possibility of the breakdown of our supply chain due to disasters, we are also considering the size of the warehouses, and preparing different types of fuel. We are also aiming to strengthen our emergency responses, such as encouraging our employees to acquire different skillsets so that each employee can manage to operate multiple tasks and secure their livelihood in the occurrence of flooding.
In addition, as measures against drought, we are installing reservoirs that can operate for several weeks, and lowering the position of the water inlet (Fig. 3). We also make adequate preparations for hardware and software, such as preparing a manual for water conservation in the occurrence of droughts.
Effects / Expected Benefits
Floods and droughts in areas where our production bases are located could lead to production stagnation. We will take countermeasures against such risks not only as adaptation measures but also as part of our initiatives for the conservation of water resources. We will contribute to the creation of an environment that allows for sustainable water usage by maintaining forests for water sources and developing wastewater treatment technologies.
