Expanding Environment-conscious Products and Services

The Kubota Group is contributing to protecting the global environment and solving social issues in the food, water and living environment fields through the provision of environment-conscious products and services. The Group conducts environmental assessment of products in the design and development stages, and promotes environment- friendliness over the entire product lifecycle, from the procurement of raw materials to the disposal of products. The Group internally certifies exceptionally environment-conscious products as Eco-Products, and is working to expand its lineup of certified products.

Activities towards achieving SDGs

Related SDGs and target
Major Activity Content	Environment-friendliness over product and service life cycles Product environmental assessments, internal certification system for Eco-Products Expansion of certified Eco-Products Reduced fuel consumption, longer service life, promotion of recycling, cleaning of emission gases, etc. Provision of products and services which can aid in adaptation to climate changes Wastewater pumps to reduce flood damage KSAS and KSIS applying ICT and IoT to support responses to climate changes Tractors capable of deep plowing, to prevent declines in product quality due to extreme heat Provision of products and services contributing to the suppression of environmental pollution and the preservation of biodiversity Engines compliant with emission gas regulations Products and services which support appropriate fertilization and contribute to suppressing eutrophication Products and services aiding in the prevention of excessive dispersion of substances such as chemicals, etc.
2030/2025 Activity Targets (KPIs)	Long-Term Environmental Conservation Targets 2030： Sales ratio of Eco-Products-certified products: 80% or more by 2030 Aim to put all new products which are certified as Eco-Products in the market in 2030 and later Medium-Term Environmental Conservation Targets 2025： Sales ratio of Eco-Products-certified products: 70% or more by 2025 Usage ratio of recycled materials: Maintein 70% or more Display the material of new parts and provide material information Development of industrial diesel engines that comply with the latest emissions regulations (Stage V), and launch onto the market of products with such engines Launch the vehicles that comply with the latest emissions regulations onto the market

Environmental Considerations in the Product Life Cycle

1. Major Initiatives to Ensure Environment-friendliness

2. Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Product Lifecycle

The Kubota Group handles a diverse range of products, from agricultural and construction machinery to pipe systems and water treatment equipment. As part of its product environmental assessment, the Group conducts lifecycle assessment (LCA) for its major products to determine the amount of greenhouse gas emissions over each product lifecycle. The results of the LCA were subject to third-party review in 2014 by the Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry.

Results of LCA: Proportions of Greenhouse Gases
1. *1.LCA results for tractors were calculated based on the assumption of towing and transporting work for 5,000 hours by the M9540DTHQ-EC agricultural tractor in France.
2. *2.LCA results for ductile iron pipes were calculated based on the data reported in the “Study on Piping Technologies for Sustainable Water Supply Service” (Japan Water Research Center). The proportions of raw material procurement, manufacturing, and product transportation were determined according to Kubota's CO₂ emissions data.

Greenhouse gases emitted in the use stage account for around 90% in the lifecycle of agricultural tractors, while gases emitted in the manufacturing and construction stage account for around 90% in ductile iron pipes. Thus, the frequency and scale of environmental loads in the lifecycle vary depending on the product type. The Kubota Group enhances its environment-conscious products and services by reflecting the results of the analysis of environmental loads in the product lifecycle in its environment-conscious design development.

Internal Certification System for Eco-Products

1. Regarding the Internal Certification System for Eco-Products

The Kubota Group's internal certification system for Eco-Products was introduced to internally certify products with exceptional environmental friendliness. We evaluate products in accordance with matters related to the five basic items for environmental conservation in the Kubota Group's environmental management, namely, “Tackling Climate Change,” “Working towards a Recycling-based Society,” “Conserving Water Resources,” “Controlling Chemical Substances,” and “Conserving Biodiversity,” and certify those products that satisfy our internal standards as Eco-Products.

2. Eco-Products Certification Committee

The Eco-Products Certification Committee, chaired by the General Manager of the Manufacturing Headquarters, consists of the committee members elected from each Division, as well as the Research and Development Management Department and the Environmental Protection Department. Upon receiving an application from each Division for the certification of a product, the Committee examines the product's adequacy as an Eco-Product and gives certification.