VT HOLDINGS

VT HOLDINGS

Environment— Environment —

The VT Holdings Group expends massive amounts of resources and energy in our business activities, as well as activities related to automobiles and housings that we have sold.
In order to minimize our environmental impact as much as possible, we will do our part in contributing to achieving a sustainable society in continued efforts to solve climate change and energy challenges and initiatives to achieve carbon neutrality.

Climate Change Activities by the VT Holdings Group

As a public entity of society, the VT Holdings Group considers climate change is an important issue. This is shown by the Group creed, “Through youth, ideas, and ceaseless efforts, we shall provide safe and reliable services to our customers, contribute to the local community, and endeavor to develop our businesses,” which serves as our guiding principle. In line with the recommendations of the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures), we have reviewed the four recommended disclosure items, which are (1) Governance, (2) Risk management, (3) Strategy, and (4) Metrics and targets.

Support for the TCFD recommendations

In July 2022, VT Holdings Co., Ltd. announced support for the recommendations of the TCFD.

Based on the recommendations of the TCFD, as we move forward, we will analyze risks and opportunities related to climate change, and endeavor to proactively disclose information on our response to these.

Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures | TCFD)

Governance

The Company recognizes that climate change-related initiatives are one of the important management issues for the VT Holdings Group. The Risk Management Committee, chaired by the Officer in charge of risk management, mainly handles risks, and the Sustainability Committee, chaired by the president of the Company, mainly examines opportunities related to climate change in addition to matters not related to climate change. Details on specific initiatives, goals, and progress are prepared by the working groups of both committees, and reported to the Company’s Board of Directors for discussions and decisions.

Risk Management

Based on the “Risk Management Rules” established by the Company, risks related to climate change are managed in the same manner as other risks. A response policy is then determined according to that impact after evaluating the degree of impact on the business. Once the response policy is determined, through the Risk Management Committee working group, which is composed of the heads of major departments, we request the necessary organizations of each Group company to take measures, and monitor the progress of their implementation.

Strategy

We consider the various risks and opportunities connected with climate change are important elements of our business strategy and have conducted scenario analysis according to the TCFD framework.

  1. Assumptions for scenario analysis

    We have selected two scenarios and analyzed their impacts as of 2030 based on reports related to future projections by governments and international organizations such as the IEA “World Energy Outlook.” These are the “less than 2℃ scenario” and “more than 4℃ scenario.”

    With each scenario, we identified climate change-related risks and opportunities targeting the automobile sales business in Japan, which accounts for 80% to 90% of the VT Holdings Group’s overall operating profit. From the standpoint of “Policies and regulations for a decarbonized society,” “Changes in consumer preferences,” and “Increased severity of extreme weather events,” which are considered to be highly relevant to the business of the VT Holdings Group, risks and opportunities considered especially important were extracted, and we then qualitatively evaluated their financial impact on the target project and studied response measures.

    We also assumed the following worldviews for the “less than 2°C scenario” and “more than 4°C scenario” respectively.

    Less than 2℃ scenario (Transition risk: large / Physical risk: small) Reference: IEA SDS, IEA2DS, RCP2.6

    Transition risks as we move toward a decarbonized society include the introduction of laws and regulations such as carbon taxes and border carbon adjustment measures, which will increase energy costs and in turn affect commodity prices.Customer preferences for products and services will also change, and companies that do not respond properly to climate change will be exposed to risk of damage to their brand image and the loss of customers. With regards to physical risks, as various regulations aimed at a decarbonized society progress, rising temperatures will be suppressed, and the frequency of hot summers, heavy rains, typhoons and other adverse events will not increase significantly. This will help suppress a major increase in natural disasters and health hazards compared to the present.

    More than 4℃ scenario (Transition risk: small / Physical risk: large) Reference: IEA STEPS, RCP8.5, CPS

    Various efforts toward a decarbonized society such as legal regulations are progressing in developed countries, even though these are not as significant as in the less than 2℃ scenario. Regulations in developing countries are not sufficient to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. This would result in a rise in temperature of about 4℃, causing natural disasters such as heavy rains and typhoons to occur more widely than at present. There is also concern about health hazards caused by infectious diseases and heatstroke.

  2. Extraction and evaluation of climate change-related risks and opportunities

    Risks
    Scenario Type Impact on business of the VT Holdings Group Impact
    2℃ Transition Legal regulations

    1Decline in sales if automobile manufacturers delay development of ZEVs (Zero Emission Vehicles) because of restrictions on the sale of new and used vehicles that use fossil fuel engines

    Large
    2℃ Transition Legal regulations

    2Increased investment costs for renovating stores due to mandatory ZEB (Zero Energy Building) standards by the government

    Medium
    2℃ Transition Technology

    3Increased investment costs for charging equipment as EVs become more common

    Large
    2℃ Transition Market

    4Increased operating costs due to increased demand for electricity and rising electricity rates associated with investment in power generation that does not use fossil fuels

    Medium
    2℃ Transition Reputation

    5Decline of reputation among customers and investors if adequate environmentally conscious measures are not taken due to environmental awareness rising in society

    Medium
    4℃ Physical Extreme weather

    6Damage to stores and other locations and loss of business opportunities caused by typhoons and heavy rain (Although the frequency and intensity increase compared to the present in the 2℃ scenario, these would be further accelerated in the 4℃ scenario)

    Medium
    Opportunities
    Scenario Type Climate-related business opportunities Impact
    2℃ Resource efficiency

    1Decreased operating costs due to improved efficiency with stores and offices

    Large
    2℃ Source of energy

    2Reduced operating costs by using low-emission energy based on higher efficiency and low-carbon technologies at stores and offices, and by converting to decentralized energy sources

    Large
    2℃ Products and services

    3Increased earnings due to a higher demand for low-emission products such as ZEVs

    Large
    2℃ Market

    4Enlarged earnings through the provision of services based on new marketing that utilizes customer vehicle data obtained from IoT including charging equipment, etc.

    Large
    2℃ Resilience

    5Improved corporate image through resilience strategies

    Medium
  3. Countermeasures

    No Countermeasures
    Risk Opportunities
    1
    5
    3
    • Stable offerings of ZEVs, etc., by establishing a group system that does not rely on specific brands (manufacturers)
    • Utilization of subsidies through active investment in ZEBs, and reduced costs by converting stores to ZEBs
    • Providing new services associated with the collection of vehicle information via IoT when charging equipment is used for ZEVs, etc.
    • Considering the introduction of decentralized energy and VPPs (Virtual Power Plants) of a new technology
    2
    3
    4
    5
    1
    2
    6 4
    • Response by communicating resilience strategies
      • Sales and services for ZEVs as low-carbon emission products
      • Communicating carbon neutral measures such as ZEB initiatives
    5
    • Reviewing and strengthening the business continuity plan (BCP)
    • Store designs that take into consideration the environment and disasters through cooperation with construction companies within the Group
  4. Results of scenario analysis

    Regarding transition risks, ZEV targets set by each automobile manufacturer handled by the VT Holdings Group are higher in the less than 2℃ scenario than in the more than 4℃ scenario, which will cause the selling price of vehicles to rise temporarily. However, the selling price will decrease as the new technologies become more widespread. Coupled with fuel cost reductions from electricity, we believe it will be possible to ensure a certain level of sales volume and sales.

    Also, costs for installation of charging equipment as ZEVs become more common, and capital investment for conversion of buildings (stores, etc.) to ZEBs are expected to increase. We concluded that these risks can be mitigated by utilizing government subsidies through the making of more proactive investments in ZEBs in the early stages and by reducing running costs such as utility costs. We also believe that the financial impact of transition risk will be smaller with the more than 4℃ scenario.

    Regarding physical risks, while it can be assumed that natural disasters will become more severe under the more than 4℃ scenario, we believe that we can reduce risks from natural disasters by working with the construction companies of the VT Holdings Group to build stores that take disasters into consideration. We will also review and strengthen our BCP so that business activities can continue even in the event of a disaster. Although we believe that the impact will not be as great as in the more than 4℃ scenario, we will promote the above measures since natural disasters are expected to occur even in the less than 2℃ scenario.

Metrics and Targets

We have established Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions for greenhouse gases as indicators for managing climate-related risks and opportunities. We have been working since FY2020 to calculate the Group’s overall greenhouse gas emissions . The VT Holdings Group’s FY2020 Scope 1 and 2 emissions of greenhouse gas were 19,110 t-CO2, and Scope 3 emissions were 1,372,448 t-CO2. Based on the current state of greenhouse gas emissions, the VT Holdings Group has set a target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by FY2030 for achieving the less than 2℃ target. Going forward, the entire VT Holdings Group will promote reductions in emissions to achieve our goals.

  • Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions are calculated by limiting the scope to our Company and car dealers in Japan. We are currently considering calculation methods for other businesses and regions, and plan to gradually expand the calculation scope in the future.

Results for the VT Holdings Group Scope 1 and 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Fiscal year 2020
Emissions (t-CO2)
Fiscal year 2021
Emissions (t-CO2)
Scope 1 6,931 7,652
Scope 2 12,178 10,741
Scope 1 and Scope 2 Total 19,110 18,393
  • Market standards are used to calculate Scope 2.

Results for the VT Holdings Group Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Categories Category name Fiscal year 2020
Emissions (t-CO2)
Fiscal year 2021
Emissions (t-CO2)
Category 1 Purchased Goods and Services 351,770 372,036
Category 2 Capital Goods 13,604 11,457
Category 3 Fuel-and Energy-Related Activities Not Included in Scope 1 or Scope 2 2,779 3,523
Category 4 Upstream Transportation and Distribution 6,595 6,891
Category 5 Waste Generated in Operation 883 868
Category 6 Business Travel 249 262
Category 7 Employee Commuting 939 923
Category 8 Upstream Leased Assets 0 0
Category 9 Downstream Transportation and Distribution 2,054 1,984
Category 10 Processing of Sold Products 0 0
Category 11 Use of Sold Products 990,275 985,942
Category 12 End-of-Life Treatment of Sold Products 1,299 1,293
Category 13 Downstream Leased Assets 2,002 2,092
Category 14 Franchises 0 0
Category 15 Investments 0 0
Scope 3 Total 1,372,448 1,387,272
  • Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions are calculated by limiting the scope to our Company and car dealers in Japan.

Future initiatives

The automobile industry is entering a period of great change as represented by the term “CASE.” One element of CASE is “Electric,” which is closely related to climate change and is an issue that must be addressed globally.

We believe that shifting from vehicles powered by fossil fuels to electric vehicles is an effective way to navigate the wave of big changes in the automotive industry and minimize its negative impact both on the planet and people’s lives. Under the supervision of the Board of Directors and other committees, the entire Group will engage in activities and capital investment in order to promote the diffusion of electric vehicles, design and use environmentally friendly buildings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen resilience.

Primary Initiatives

  • Collecting and properly disposing of chlorofluorocarbons

    Collecting and properly disposing of chlorofluorocarbons

    Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and InfrastructureGoal 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGoal 13: Climate Action

    Appropriately collecting chlorofluorocarbons used in vehicle air conditioning with a dedicated collector for recycling and refilling helps reduce environmental impact in efforts to achieve sustainable consumption and production.

  • Waste water management at maintenance facilities and use of oil-water separator tanks to prevent oil leaks

    Waste water management at maintenance facilities and use of oil-water separator tanks to prevent oil leaks

    Goal 6: Clean Water and SanitationGoal 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGoal 13: Climate Action

    Passing waste water through an oil-water separator tank at maintenance facilities and leveraging the characteristics of oil makes it rise to the top so that it does not leak outside of the facilities (into sewage water, etc.). In addition, periodically processing accumulated sludge in oil-water separator tanks and testing waste water help preserve water resources.

  • Condominium designs that assist in carbon neutral efforts

    Condominium designs that assist in carbon neutral efforts

    Goal 7: Affordable and Clean EnergyGoal 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGoal 13: Climate Action

    Energy saving and energy creating elements are incorporated into various housing facilities to help reduce society’s impact on the environment.

    Power-assisted bicycles for cycle sharing

    Solar charging panels installed on condominium rooftops supplying electricity to common areas

    EV charging system installation

    High-strength (100 year) concrete for improved building durability

  • Web conferencing

    Web conferencing

    Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and ProductionGoal 13: Climate Action

    We have introduced and are actively using web conferencing for conferences, meetings, and hiring interviews, etc. In the past, attendees from across the country would gather at a single venue for meetings, however, introducing a web conferencing has cut travel time and costs, improved work efficiency, and contributed to reduced CO2 emissions.

ESG Data

New Information

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