Our Approach

Environmental and social issues have received increasing attention in recent years. Society faces various challenges, including poverty and hunger, energy issues, climate change, natural resource security, information security, and conflicts that pose threats to peace. These issues are also being addressed by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
To address these challenges, Nissan recognizes the importance of:

• Providing safe, secure, and sustainable mobility while delivering value to society
• Mitigating climate change and conserving energy
• Preserving air quality and other natural capital
• Using less newly mined resources
• Properly managing chemical substances
• Efficiently using scarce resources
• Pursuing business structure reforms to move away from dependence on fossil fuels

To contribute to resolving global environmental issues, Nissan engages in dialogues with environmental experts, investors, NGOs, NPOs and other organizations globally to analyze potential opportunities and risks.
As a global automotive manufacturer, we consider not only our own activities but also upstream and downstream activities as part of our corporate responsibility. Our scope of analysis covers the entire value chain.

We confirmed the appropriateness of this scope by comparing it with the ENCORE^* industry-specific guidelines on dependencies and impacts. Based on this analysis, we identified materialities to address and designated climate change, resource dependency, air quality and water as important areas to focus on as Nissan’s mid- to long-term environmental strategy. We then formulated a concrete medium-term environmental action plan, Nissan Green Program 2030 (NGP2030), to target these key areas through FY2030.

Recognizing that the key areas are interconnected, Nissan will address them comprehensively and help mitigate nature-related challenges, including biodiversity loss.
Furthermore, as we advance decarbonization - including through diverse electrification approaches - toward carbon neutrality, we assess the impacts of this transition. Guided by the concept of a “just transition”, we strive to minimize negative impacts across the entire value chain.

Governance

Under the supervision of the Board of Directors, the Sustainability Committee, chaired by the Representative Executive Officer, President and CEO, deliberates on important company matters related to environmental issues, including policies, strategies, targets, and investments, twice a year at the management level. Specifically, the Committee identifies the latest risks and opportunities and determines corresponding response policies, monitors the progress of the mid-term environmental action plan, the Nissan Green Program (NGP), and reviews and updates initiatives to achieve the NGP targets. Matters deliberated by the Sustainability Committee are submitted to the Executive Committee. Based on deliberations at the Executive Committee, the Chair makes the final decision. Depending on the details and importance of agenda, the Sustainability Committee chairperson may also make final decisions under delegation of authority from the Executive Committee. These matters are regularly reported to the Board of Directors.

Risk management

Environmental risks are becoming increasingly diverse due to changes in the business environment, including technological advancements, regulatory developments, and market dynamics. Nissan pursues collaborations in each region and functional department and engages in dialogues with various stakeholders to identify these risks. Based on insights gained from these collaborations and trends in the global agenda, we evaluate and monitor risks from the perspectives of “progress of countermeasures” and “degree of impact”. These risks are managed and reported to the Sustainability Committee together with specific action plans. Furthermore, as part of site level risk management, we have obtained ISO 14001 certification at major global sites, and items with significant impact are incorporated into NGP activities. In addition, climate change is discussed by the Corporate Risk Management Committee, and regular reports are submitted to the Board of Directors through the Internal Control Committee.
We communicate our monitoring status regarding environmental risks and opportunities to a wide range of stakeholders through our annual Sustainability Data Book and responses to inquiries from environmental rating agencies.