Progress Toward a Sustainable Society

MHI's Activities (: Society / : Environment)		Year	Major Events in Japan and Abroad (: Society / : Environment)
MHI's Activities (: Society / : Environment)		Year	Japan		World
					1948	Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
			1967	Institution of Basic Law for Environmental Pollution Control.
1970	Completion of Japan's first PWR power plant.	1970
			1971	Establishment of Environment Agency.
					1972	United Nations Conference on the Human Environment convenes in Stockholm. Adoption of Statement for Human Environmental Quality. Establishment of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
1973	Inauguration of Environment Management Department.
					1976	OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises issued.
1977	Development of "Basic Guidelines for Safety & Health Management."
1978	Creation of Environmental Manager Conferences.
1980	Establishment of Committee on Promotion of Training in the Dowa Issue.	1980
					1981	Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women went into effect. International Year of Disabled Persons.
			1985	Enactment of Equal Employment Opportunity Law.
1987	Establishment of Export-related Regulations Monitoring Committee.				1987	Enactment of Ozone Layer Protection Law.
			1988	Launch of In-house Conference on CO₂ Measures and In-house Conference on CFC Measures.
1989	Launch of In-house Conference on CO₂ Measures and In-house Conference on CFC Measures.
		1990			1990	Institution of Americans with Disabilities Act.
			1991	Establishment of Keidanren Global Environmental Charter. Establishment of Keidanren Charter of Corporate Behavior. Enactment of Child Care Leave Law.
1992	Committee on Promotion of Training in the Dowa Issue renamed Committee for Raising Awareness of Human Rights. Establishment of Committee for the Promotion of Employment of the Handicapped.		1992	Ministry of International Trade and Industry requests Voluntary Plan on the Environment.	1992	United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) convenes in Rio de Janeiro; adoption of Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and Agenda 21.
1993	Formulation of voluntary plan entitled, "Our Approach to Environmental Problems."		1993	Enactment of Basic Environmental Law.
					1994	Caux Round Table draws up Principles for Business.
			1995	Child Care Leave Law revamped into Child Care and Family Care Leave Law.	1995	1st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (COP1) convened in Berlin.
1996	Formulation of Environmental Policies and establishment of Environment Committee.		1996	Revision of Keidanren Charter of Corporate Behavior.	1996	ISO 14001 is instituted. 2nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP2) convened in Geneva.
1997	Acquisition of ISO 14001 certification by Yokohama Machinery Works, a first for Japan's heavy industry manufacturers. Launch of R410A-compatible air-conditioners. (R410A: new type of environment-friendly refrigerant)		1997	Formulation of Keidanren Voluntary Action Plan on the Environment.	1997	3rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) convened in Kyoto.
1998	Development of system that thermally decomposes PCBs contained in industrial effluents.		1998	Enactment of Law Concerning the Promotion of Measures to Cope with Global Warming. Enactment of Law to Promote Specified Nonprofit Activities.	1998	4th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP4) convened in Buenos Aires.
1999	Delivery of combined-cycle power plant incorporating the M701G gas turbine, featuring the world's highest efficiency rating.		1999	Enactment of Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law.	1999	5th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP5) convened in Bonn.
2000	ISO 14001 certification acquired by all production bases (13 works).	2000	2000	2000 Enactment of The Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based Society. Revision of Law for the Promotion of Recycled Resources Utilization. Enactment of Construction Material Recycling Law, Food Recycling Law and Law on Promoting Green Purchasing.	2000	6th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP6) convened in The Hague. United Nations Global Compact is instituted. Issuance of GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines Version 1.
2001	Acquisition of ISO 14001 certification by Engineering Department. Establishment of Compliance Committee.		2001	Establishment of Ministry of the Environment. Enactment of Law Concerning Special Measures against PCB Waste. Enactment of Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law.	2001	7th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP7) convened in Marrakech. ISO Council launches feasibility study on establishing international CSR standards.
2002	Establishment of medium- to long-term environmental activity goals.		2002	Ratification of Kyoto Protocol. Enactment of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law. Nippon Keidanren revamps Keidanren Charter of Corporate Behavior into Corporate Behavior Charter. First meeting of CSR Standardization Committee held by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.	2002	World Summit for Sustainable Development convened in Johannesburg. 8th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP8) convened in New Delhi. GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines Version 2 released.
2003	Establishment of Construction Business Act Compliance Committee.		2003	2003 Trial project for trading of greenhouse gas emissions implemented by Ministry of the Environment. Emissions standards for diesel vehicles tightened. Revision of Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law. Japan Committee for Economic Development releases 15th Corporate White Paper, entitled, "Evolution of Market and Social Responsibility-Minded Business Management."	2003	First study meeting held to discuss treaty on safety of radioactive waste management. 9th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP9) convened in Milan.
2004	Joined United Nations Global Compact initiative. Establishment of Managing Board for Innovation in the Nuclear Business.				2004	Tenth item (on corruption prevention) added to United Nations Global Compact. 10th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP10) convened in Buenos Aires.
2005	Introduction of Executive Officer system. Establishment of Internal Audit Department. Establishment of CSR Center. Establishment of Order Compliance Committee.		2005	Enactment of Act on the Protection of Personal Information.	2005	Kyoto Protocol goes into force. 11th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP11) and the 1st Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP1) convened in Montreal.
2006	Acquisition of ISO 14001 certification by Head Office (including branch offices). Establishment of CSR Committee. Establishment of CSR Department.		2006	Enactment of New Company Law. New National Energy Strategy formulated.	2006	GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines Version 3 released. 12th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP12) convened in Nairobi. EU announced target of reducing CO₂ emissions by 20% compared to 1990 levels by 2020.
2007	Establishment of CSR Action Guidelines.		2007	21st Century Environmental Nation Strategy formulated. Enactment of the revised Consumer Products　Safety Law.	2007	Fourth Assessment Report released by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
2008	Development of CSR Action Plan.		2008	Application of internal control report system based on the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (J-SOX) started. Holding of the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit. Revision of Act Concerning the Rational Use of Energy.
			2009	Revision of Soil Contamination Countermeasures Law.	2009	The Green New Deal advocated by the U.S. is embraced by countries across the globe.
2010	Achievement of zero emission at all locations Establishment of the Accident Exhibit and Materials Room Establishment of the CSR Promotion Section of the Presidential Administration Office		2010	Cabinet determines Basic Law for Prevention of Global Warming Cabinet determines 2010 National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity Revision of the Waste Disposal Act Revision of the Air Pollution Control Law Revision of the Water Pollution Prevention Act	2010	15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15) convened in Copenhagen. COP10 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Nagoya Adoption of the Nagoya Protocol and Aichi Target CSR Standards (ISO 26000) issued

Return to top.