Sustainability at Kikkoman
As a company with a very long tradition and the manufacturer of a classic product used by professionals and home kitchens worldwide, sustainability is very important to us. Here, you can read what that means in detail and the goals we've set ourselves.
Net carbon neutrality by 2050
On our path to net zero CO2 emissions, we've set a milestone target of reducing our global greenhouse gas emissions by over 50% and water consumption per production unit by more than 30% by 2030. We're also aiming for a 100% recycling rate. In consultation with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), we're also pursuing other goals to operate more sustainably. Transparency is particularly important to us here, which is why you can read our reports on the CDP platform to find out how we achieved an "A-" rating in the sustainability category and an "A" rating for water safety.
Sustainable raw material sourcing and short distances
We want our products to arrive fresh and without long transport routes in kitchens around the world. That's why, in addition to our production site in Japan, we have another one in the Netherlands, with a drying plant in Germany. We also operate two further facilities in Wisconsin and California, USA.
Wherever possible, we source the ingredients for each of these sites locally. For our European production, for example, 100% of our wheat comes from Germany. Water and salt are sourced from the Netherlands, and European soybeans are supplemented by supplies from the USA, Canada and Brazil. We ensure sustainable and responsible soy cultivation with the ProTerra certificate. We also endeavour to ensure that no food is wasted throughout our entire production chain.
Sustainable production facilities
We have continuously reduced our consumption of electricity, gas and water at our European production site since 2001 - while simultaneously increasing production volumes. Today, we obtain 100% of our electricity from renewable energy sources (wind, solar) and utilise local water resources.
We also make use of the by-products from the soy sauce production process. Soy cakes (solid residues) serve as valuable, protein-rich animal feed for farms. Packaging materials and pallets are reused, and in the USA, leftover salt brine is even used to de-ice roads!
Fair conditions for all
We are committed to fair and stable working conditions both at our own production sites and with all our partners and suppliers. In 2001, the Kikkoman Group became the first Japanese company to sign the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). This international framework for sustainable business practices commits us and our partners to maintaining high standards in terms of quality, security of supply, human rights, working conditions, environmental measures and business development. And because sustainability for us also includes treating people fairly and respectfully, we undergo regular audits by the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) to assess our working conditions, safety, hygiene and environmental management. SMETA is one of the most widely used audit concepts worldwide for sustainable and ethical business practices.
