BIODIVERSITY

Basic Approach

As an automobile manufacturer endorsing the aims of the Declaration of Biodiversity by Keidanren, which has been issued by Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Mazda promotes initiatives to preserve biodiversity. In FY March 2012, the Company conducted an assessment of its impacts on biodiversity with the aim of systematically developing its initiatives to protect biodiversity. Through this assessment, the Company identified the significance of the impacts of its business activities and products on nature and on the environment. Following this assessment, the Company established the Mazda Biodiversity Guidelines in December 2012, and since then it has been implementing various initiatives as part of its corporate activities with the aim of preserving biodiversity and helping create an enriching, sustainable society that ensures harmony between people and nature. Based on the results of the aforementioned assessment of impacts, the Company takes measures to mitigate its impacts on biodiversity with a particular focus on energy, water, and other resources in the areas of products, technology, production, and logistics.

Mazda Biodiversity Guidelines

Basic Approach

Based on the Mazda Global Environmental Charter, the Mazda Group contributes to the preservation of biodiversity through its corporate activities worldwide based on recognition of the importance of nature and the significance of its impacts on nature, with the aim of helping realize and furthering the development of an enriching, sustainable society that ensures harmony between people and nature.

Priority Initiatives

  1. Creation of Environmentally Sound Technologies and Products
    Mazda will promote the creation of technologies and products considering harmony between the environment and our corporate activities by developing technologies that contribute to cleaner emissions gases, reduction of CO₂ emissions, research and development of clean energy-fueled vehicles, recycling, and biodiversity.
  2. Corporate Activities in Consideration of Conserving Resources and Energy
    Mazda will promote the reduction of substances with environmental impacts and the effective use of resources, and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity through efficient energy use and resource-saving and recycling activities.
  3. Collaboration/Cooperation with Society and Local Communities
    Mazda will promote local community-based activities, by striving to engage in collaboration and cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders, including supply chain constituents, local governments, communities, NPOs, NGOs, and education and research institutions.
  4. Awareness Enhancement and Information Disclosure
    Mazda will take active and self-initiative actions and disclose and share our achievements widely to society as the Company strives to enhance awareness of the importance of coexistence between people and nature.

Established in December 2012

Process for Assessment of Impacts on Biodiversity

 

Step 1: Selecting assessment target scope
(Assessments target Group companies engaged in automobile-related businesses, primarily those with value chains that have major impacts on Japan, but overseas companies and affiliates may also be assessed.)

Step 2: Assessing levels of the dependence and impacts on ecosystem services as well as threats to biodiversity

Step 3: Identifying business risks and opportunities regarding biodiversity

Step 4: Identifying priority issues and assessing the state of current response measures

Step 5: Identifying directives for future response measures

Initiatives

Biodiversity Preservation Initiatives

Creation of Environmentally Sound Technologies and Products

  • Through the sale of vehicles equipped with electrification and Skyactiv technologies, Mazda is contributing to the preservation of diverse habitats for living organisms by helping prevent climate change through the reduction of emissions of harmful gases and CO₂.
  • Design principles incorporating the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) are used in all new vehicles to make them more recyclable. This approach helps limit new extractions and harvesting of limited resources used as materials for automobiles, such as steel, aluminum, plastics, and rare metals, and thereby contributes to the preservation of diverse habitats for living organisms.

【Related Information (Sustainability Website)】

Resource Circulation

Corporate Activities in Consideration of Conserving Resources and Energy

  • Equipment utilization rates are being improved in manufacturing processes through highly efficient and flexible mixed production of diverse products. By reducing energy use and waste and utilizing resources more efficiently, Mazda is working to lower its environmental impact in order to help prevent climate change and preserve habitats.
  • When constructing the factory of Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation, for example, soil from the site was used for the foundations of structures to prevent soil from being removed from or introduced to the site. We were also able to successfully preserve all 179 of the mesquites that were growing naturally on the site. Moreover, as we planned to use underground water for industrial processes, a rainwater collection apparatus comprised of 30,000 collection vessels inside and outside of the factory premises was installed over 100 hectares of mountainous area near river sources to secure water for use in rehabilitating damaged mountainous areas.

Collaboration/Cooperation with Society and Local Communities

  • In December 2023, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Mazda concluded a sales and purchase agreement covering J-Credits under which Mazda will purchase credits based on the absorption of CO₂ through forest preservation over an eight-year period from FY March 2023 to FY March 2030. A portion of the earnings generated through the credits will be used to promote sustainable forestry by developing and managing forests and enhancing natural disaster preparedness via a joint project.
  • In 2010, Mazda concluded the Forest Preservation and Management Pact with the government of Hiroshima Prefecture, based on which it is promoting forest preservation focused on the Mazda-no-Mori (Mazda Forest) located in the Hiroshima Prefecture tree planting center.
  • Mazda is conducting coastal cleanup activities as part of its participation in the GREEN SEA Setouchi Hiroshima Platform.
  • Mazda R&D Center Yokohama endorses the aims of the Keihin Afforestation Project promoted by Yokohama City and is supporting the project for investigating and tracking the flight of dragonflies conducted by the industry–academia–government initiative "How Far Does a Dragonfly Fly?" Forum. This project uses dragonflies as an indicator of when green areas have been preserved sufficiently to protect biodiversity (habitats).
  • Mazda Motors of New Zealand Ltd. is supporting the "Trees That Count" Initiative. As part of this initiative, five trees are planted on behalf of Mazda customers for every new Mazda vehicle sold.

Awareness Enhancement and Information Disclosure

  • Information on climate change, resource circulation, and social contribution initiatives is disclosed through Mazda's sustainability and social contribution initiatives websites.
  • Mazda has established Mazda Foundations in Japan, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to support environmental preservation activities tailored to each region.
  • The Biodiversity Newsletter is issued regularly to keep employees up to date on the biodiversity initiatives conducted on Company-owned land and other biodiversity-related news.

【Statistics from FY March 2025】

  • Publication of aggregate total of 14 Biodiversity Newsletter issues