Mizuno Accelerates Sustainability Activities and is Committed to Become Carbon Neutral by 2050

 

In order to realise a sustainable society, we will further accelerate our sustainability initiatives from 2021, aiming to solve global environmental and social issues while lowering our own environmental footprint.

 

Based on our corporate philosophy of contributing to society through the advancement of sporting goods and the promotion of sports, we have been promoting the diverse value of sport and growing our business through our contributions to our communities and society.  In 1991, Mizuno became one of the first companies in the sport industry to launch our own global environmental conservation initiative, the Crew21 Project.[1]  With the aim of further expanding on our existing business model to integrate social contribution, we are committing to strengthening and expanding our existing program. To that end, from 2021 we have decided to focus on three key areas of sustainability: Environmental Conservation, Physical and Mental Health through Sport, and Respect for Humanity. In particular, in the area of environmental conservation, Mizuno is committed to become Carbon Neutral by 2050.

 

Mizuno considers sustainability activities to be a vital part of our management strategy. Sustainability is not only important to us, but it is expected of us by our community, shareholders, and employees. By creating innovations that solve social issues, Mizuno aims to meet the expectations of consumers and other stakeholders while supporting sport around the world.

 

Mizuno Sustainability Website URL

https://corp.mizuno.com/en/sustainability​

  

Strategic Areas of Mizuno's Sustainability Activities

We will further accelerate our sustainability activities in cooperation with our stakeholders, our suppliers and partners, with the spirit of team play and fair play, a value that is inherently taught in all sport.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION:

Mizuno’s target is to become carbon neutral by 2050, which means that the corporate activities of Mizuno Group will cut emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG).  To achieve carbon neutrality, we will strengthen our efforts to use renewable energy and innovate our manufacturing processes.  At the same time, we will strengthen our environmentally friendly initiatives, such as efficient use of water, reduction of waste, and use of recycled plastics and plant-derived materials.

 

MIZUNO CREW 21

In 1991, at a time when global environmental issues were first attracting attention, Mizuno launched the Crew21 Project, an industry-leading environmental conservation initiative.  This project was named with the idea of playing the role of a crew member of the spaceship Earth and carrying out activities to conserve resources and the environment.  Since the launch of the project, we have been working for 30 years to make effective use of our resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adopt the use of environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes in product planning and development. From 2021, the initiative will not only include environmental conservation activities, but will also encompass social and economic areas, and will be promoted as a wider sustainability project.  In addition, the name of the project has been changed to MIZUNO CREW 21.  The logo has also been redesigned and reflects a human embracing a seedling, which embodies our empathy and optimism for positive change.

 

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH SPORTS

Mizuno believes sport is a force for good and are committed to making it more accessible to all.  In particular, we will strengthen our efforts to improve the athletic ability and physical strength of children, healthy life expectancy through sport, and support the promotion of local sport as key issues.

 

Mizuno Hexathlon in Vietnam

In 2015, Mizuno introduced the Mizuno Hexathlon, a proprietary exercise program for children in Vietnam, 3 years after the launch in Japan in 2012.  The Mizuno Hexathlon held physical education classes at the primary compulsory education level in Vietnam, and a cumulative total of 320,000 children have been supported by the program to date between December 2015 and March 2021. Mizuno is aiming to provide all of Vietnam's approximately 7.2 million elementary school students with the joy of exercise and physical activity and to enhance physical education classes in the Vietnam Primary School Education Curriculum, while contributing to the physical and mental health of all participants through sport.

 

Breast Cancer Campaign in Australia

Mizuno has been actively donating a portion of our sales of special edition shoes in Australia to The National Breast Cancer Foundation (Australia) since 2020. Donations are used to raise breast cancer awareness as well as to fund research on this very important issue. Over 19,000 Australians are diagnosed each year and approximately 8 women pass away in Australia from breast cancer every day. The #ProjectZero campaign also promotes the importance of exercise and the impact it has on reducing the risk of breast cancer. As little as 2.7 hours a week of moderate exercise (a brisk walk) or 1.5 hours a week of strenuous exercise (running) can help reduce the risk of Breast Cancer by 20% (Professor John Hopper, University of Melbourne, 2020).⁠

 

 

RESPECT FOR HUMANITY

Mizuno aims to cultivate an inclusive and diverse local and global community in which all people respect diversity while empowered by mutually shared values taught through sport. We are united by these values, and we celebrate our unique differences through our pillars of friendship and fair play.

 

CSR Procurement

Mizuno has established a Mizuno Code of Conduct for Suppliers based on international practices.  Since 2004, we have been working on CSR procurement by conducting CSR audits to confirm compliance with laws and regulations, as well as human rights, labor conditions, health and safety, environmental conservation in the manufacturing process, and making improvements to our production process wherever possible.  We recognize that being in the sport industry, we have the unique ability to be innovative in how we impact communities in a real way.

 

Promoting Diversity

Mizuno supports the participation of people with disabilities in sports through the development and provision of sports equipment for athletes with disabilities, whether they are individual players or a team.   Mizuno is working to create an environment where people from all walks of life can participate in sport.

 

Mizuno’s Corporate Philosophy and Business Model

Mizuno's corporate philosophy is “contributing to society through the advancement of sporting goods and the promotion of sports”.  Our business model and code of conduct is based on founder Rihachi Mizuno’s quote, “Rieki no ri yori, dori no ri”, which means “to be guided by reason over profit”. We will continue to evolve our business model in order to integrate social contribution and continued business guided by these founding principles.

  

Mizuno's Vision and Mission Statements for Sustainability Activities

We are incorporating a new vision and mission statement for Mizuno's sustainability activities from 2021.

Vision Statement

We believe in a sustainable future in which all people live equally on a safe and healthy planet. While respecting the dignity of all people, we will continue to nurture a beneficial future, where sports can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere and without reservation.​

Mission Statement

To protect our planet earth, the stage on which we play sports. By integrating innovations in our products and services, based on science, for the benefit of society and inspired by nature, we endeavor to ensure a future in which people cultivate a healthy mind and body through sports.

 

You can find out more by visiting

​https://corp.mizuno.com/en/sustainability​

 

[1] Crew 21 is an acronym for Conservation of Resources and Environmental Wave 21