Chiba: We had already begun taking measures to address environmental issues in 2001, when the Ministry of the Environment was established. The printing industry uses paper, so it is said that "cutting down trees is bad for the environment," and we also use chemicals, so we were aware of the problem from an early stage. We have been working on environmentally friendly initiatives, such as obtaining GP (Green Printing) certification (Note 1), and I have been involved from the beginning and have deepened my knowledge.
(Note 1) A certification system based on the printing industry's voluntary environmental standards.

Sasaki: I became involved in environmental measures in 2021 and became the general manager of the Sustainability Division, which was launched in April 2023. Until then, I had been involved in the manufacturing side of things, not just printing in the Planning and Development Department, but also creating websites and videos. The mission of the Sustainability Division is to turn Koyosha's environmental efforts into a sustainable business.

Mr. Chiba: Koyosha launched a Service in 2021 to help customers achieve carbon neutrality. We offer "carbon zero print" and "carbon neutral print," both of which are environmentally friendly print services.

"Carbon Zero Print" is a Service that marks printed materials printed at factories that operate with virtually zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emission amount with a "Carbon Zero Print Factory" mark. There is no additional cost. By choosing a printing company with a low environmental impact, customers can contribute to the SDGs and demonstrate their environmental friendliness to the public.

"Carbon Neutral Print" is a Service that calculates the CO2 emission amount over the life cycle of printed materials and provides carbon offset for a fee. The "Carbon Neutral Print" mark can be displayed on printed materials, and a carbon offset certificate is also issued.

Mr. Sasaki: It has been very well received. Carbon Zero Print allows you to add a mark to your prints at no additional cost, letting you know that they were made in a factory that doesn't put a strain on the environment. For Koyosha, it has helped to increase the number of New customers, and it has grown into a Service that contributes to sales.

Mr. Chiba: It's just my feeling, but we're now more than twice as likely to get business appointments as before. Of course, this isn't the only reason, but we've also been getting more inquiries, especially from large companies that are very environmentally conscious.

Sasaki: There are many large companies that have been able to make appointments with us after using this service, even though they were unable to make appointments by phone in the first place. Since we started this Service, we have been making telemarketing calls mainly to companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as prime stock, and we have had success in making appointments with such companies.

Mr. Chiba: Of course, it takes time and effort to make Koyosha's factory carbon-free, but even with that in mind, the Company as a whole is making more profits. We switched to renewable energy to achieve virtually zero CO2 emissions and converted our car to an EV. Electricity bills are rising dramatically, especially now, so we also installed solar panels through a PPA (power purchase agreement). Switching to renewable energy requires a non-fossil fuel certificate fee, but the benefit is that it can be absorbed.

Chiba: The first step is visualization. Zeroboard is an essential tool for that. You can't do anything about what you can't see. By looking at how much CO2 is being emitted, you can see which parts of the printing process need to be reduced, which also leads to cost savings. This is a bit technical, but at Koyosha, by switching to a method that doesn't use developing machines, we've eliminated the handling of highly toxic chemicals, no longer produce waste liquid, and even reduced our electricity bills. Environmentally friendly initiatives have a positive impact on business, such as cost reductions. Since there is an initial cost, it also tests how serious management is about environmental measures.

Furthermore, we established the Japan Sustainable Printing Association in 2022 with the aim of promoting environmentally friendly printing. We provide the environmental know-how that Koyosha has cultivated to printing Company that join the association, and are working towards realizing a sustainable society. Specifically, we provide tools to calculate CO2 emission amount, certify carbon-zero print factories, and support the implementation of carbon-neutral printing and carbon offset.

Sasaki: The association issues a mark free of charge to certify that a factory has achieved carbon zero. In order to promote decarbonization throughout the printing industry, we have made membership free and run the association with our own funds. There are many small and medium-sized enterprises in the printing industry, but we want to create an environment where companies of all sizes can work toward decarbonization. Our company's representative also holds study sessions for salespeople on environmental measures, aiming to create a system that benefits both the environment and business.

Chiba: It's true that there are Company in the same industry as our members, and we've actually had business encounters. However, I believe it's more valuable to spread the Carbon Neutral Print Mark throughout the organization and standardize the calculation method for printed materials, raising awareness of the printing industry's contribution to sustainability. The printing industry is not just focused on commercial printing, such as ours, which primarily produces flyers, pamphlets, and posters, but also encompasses a wide range of other fields, including publishing, packaging, and flexographic printing. I encourage everyone to become a member, and through the association, I hope to spread the use of calculation methods based on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) as well as the visualization of an organization's entire CO2 emission amount using the " Zeroboard " system. We aim to use " Zeroboard" to calculate up to Scope 3 emissions and to work together with members to build a supply chain that aims for carbon neutrality.