Showa Denko Group Challenges to Realize Carbon Neutrality by 2050

TOKYO, Jul 30, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004) decided to work on realization of carbon neutrality by 2050 as an embodiment of "company that contributes to a sustainable global society," which is stated in the Showa Denko Group's long term vision as the "ideal state of newly integrated company."

*Scope 1 (GHGs emitted from its own production activities); Scope 2 (GHGs emitted from production processes of purchased resources including electricity)

As countermeasures against climate change, Paris Agreement (adopted in COP21) and other global programs are in progress. In Japan, the Japanese Government has declared to aim to achieve carbon neutrality and revised national target for GHG reduction. Thus implementation of programs on carbon neutrality is expected to be accelerated worldwide.

With regard to the Showa Denko Group, the Group has been working on countermeasures against climate change including its endorsement of TCFD (Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures) in 2019. Furthermore, the Group decided this time to promote its GHG emission reduction measures which are listed in the road map, in order to achieve the Group's carbon neutrality by 2050. We explain details of these measures in the "Showa Denko Report 2021" (integrated report), whose Japanese version is published today. (English version will be published at the end of August 2021)

The Showa Denko Group has been providing various products which contribute to sustainable development of global society. To contribute to sustainable development further, we recognize it is very important for us to reduce GHGs emitted from our production processes. Therefore, in our activities to achieve carbon neutrality, we will accelerate development and extension of the Group's production technologies. Furthermore, with regard to our plastic chemical recycling business, where we have already established certain level of technologies and commercialized them, we will develop new technologies taking carbon neutrality into consideration, and set 2030 as the target year for technology development. As a milestone, we set a target to make the Group's GHG emission 30% less than that in 2013 not later than 2030. We will revise our boundary, and together with Showa Denko Materials Co., Ltd. which SDK will integrate in 2023, the Showa Denko Group will realize GHG emission reduction through various measures including energy conservation, conversion of materials and fuels, and improvement in production efficiency resulting from upgrade of plant and equipment. The Group will announce progress in these measures via SDK's website which contains information about the Group's sustainability activities and Showa Denko Report (integrated report) which the Group publishes every year.

In order to promote its business activities to contribute to solution of social problems and achievement of SDGs, the Showa Denko Group will continue introducing environment-conscious production facilities and technologies, promoting environmental measures, and providing products which support realization of recycling-oriented society. Thus the Showa Denko Group will contribute to realization of carbon neutral society, and aim to become a company that contributes to a sustainable global society.

About Showa Denko K.K.

Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004, ADR:SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.

Media contact:Showa Denko K.K., CSR & Corporate Communication Office, Tel: +81-3-5470-3235

Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com