Food Environment: Water Resources and Procurement
The Kikkoman Group and "water"
Water is one of the most critical elements that determines the quality of soy sauce and other products made by the Kikkoman Group.
For the Kikkoman Group, water plays an essential role not only in the production of our products but also in the cultivation of agricultural raw ingredients.
It is no exaggeration to say that our business operations are supported by water.
Since our founding (originally as Noda Shoyu Co., Ltd.), we have placed the utmost importance on water quality. We dug wells on our plant premises and established in-house water purification facilities to ensure a high-quality, reliable water supply.
As these facilities were enhanced, by 1923 we had surplus purification capacity. This allowed us to begin supplying water to local households in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, where our plant is located. This became the first water supply facility in the prefecture.
For 52 years—until the operation was transferred to Noda City in April 1975 — we managed the water supply, serving 5,740 households and 24,000 residents at the time.
We recognize that water is a precious resource for society, and its conservation is a critical issue.
The Kikkoman Group is actively engaged in initiatives to use water efficiently and reduce environmental impact.
Actions to Reduce Water Consumption
The Kikkoman Group strives to reduce water consumption at our production bases. We measure water usage in production operations and manage these volumes on both a total and a per-unit-of-production basis. Using this data, we regularly review existing production processes and introduce more effective measures for conserving water.
Reuse of cooling water
The Hokkaido Kikkoman Company thoroughly reuses clean water from cooling processes to clean plant equipment as an effort to reduce water consumption per production unit.
Optimization of Humidification in the Koji Making Room
In FY2018, we optimized the humidification method used in the koji making room at Kikkoman Food Products Company (First Production Department, Noda Plant) by modifying equipment specifications and layout. This initiative resulted in water usage reduction in this process by approximately 22,320㎥ (about 788.223 ft3) annually, and is also expected to effectively reduce electricity usage due to shortened compressor operating hours.
Interior of the circular koji making room (First Production Department, Noda Plant, Kikkoman Food Products Co.)
Modification of Plate Heater CIP Process
In 2022, during reassessment of the "rinsing" and "washing" procedures of the CIP (Clean-In-Place) process at Kikkoman Food Products Company (Second Production Department, Noda Plant) we discovered a way to further reduce water usage during washing. Thereafter, we proactively investigated water usage at each of our plants, and then reexamined the process from the perspectives of optimization and increased efficiency in cooperation with the CIP cleaning agent manufacturer. As a result, we succeeded in reducing water usage by 56% and the process time by 69 minutes.
Plate heater (Second Production Department, Noda Plant, Kikkoman Food Products Co.)
Reduced Water Consumption by Improved Equipment Capacity and Optimized Cooling and Cleaning Water Usage
In 2022, a team of employees in charge of ISO at Kikkoman Foodtech Co., Ltd. (Nishinippon Plant) held discussions to optimize plant water usage. The team promoted improved efficiency and waste reduction in some processes, such as for mixing tanks, cooling valves and line cleaning, achieving water usage reduction of 3,800 m3 (about 134,196 ft3) compared to FY2020.
Water Usage Reduction by Switch from Water to Air for Oil Cooling Method
While monitoring oil temperature transitions, we have decreased the volume of cooling water used at the Kikkoman Soyfoods Company Ibaraki Plant, reducing water usage for oil cooling. Furthermore, we confirmed that an alternative cooling method using air-cooling is possible. By introducing an air-cooled oil cooler and switching our cooling method, we have been able to reduce water usage by 1,600 m3 (about 17,222 ft3) per year.
Initiatives for Water Conservation
The Kikkoman Group places great importance on water conservation. We have set self-imposed guidelines for water quality standards, including BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) of wastewater generated by production activities, that are stricter than those governed by law. We are striving to conserve water environments surrounding our production bases (plants), by reviewing manufacturing processes and equipment, and implementing efficient measures.
Implementation of Ozone Reactor
In October 2013, the Second Production Department at the Kikkoman Food Products Company Noda Plant installed an ozone reactor in its wastewater treatment facility to futher enhance purification of treated water before release into the river.
(Second Production Department, Noda Plant Kikkoman Food Products Co.)
(Second Production Department, Noda Plant Kikkoman Food Products Co.)
Participation in Simultaneous Survey of Tokyo Bay Environment
Since 2009, the Kikkoman Group has annually participated in the “Simultaneous Survey of Tokyo Bay Environment” conducted by the Tokyo Bay Renaissance Promotion Council Monitoring Subcommittee, etc. This survey targets Tokyo Bay as well as rivers, lakes and coastal facilities that flow into the bay to clarify mechanisms of pollution impacting the Tokyo Bay. The Kikkoman Group conducts water quality surveying for effluent (treated water) released from its wastewater treatment facility located along the Edo River and shares these results.
August 2023, Noda Plant, Third Production Department Lagoon: Water quality surveying for effluent
Facility Upgrades Lead to Reduced Wastewater Chemical Usage
In 2023, we upgraded two screens at Siam Del Monte Company Limited, located in Thailand, to prevent the flow of corn kernels, a raw ingredient, into the drainage basin. As a result, BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) in wastewater was lowered and wastewater chemical use was reduced by 9.7%.
Office Building Initiatives
Constructed in 1999, the Kikkoman Noda Head Office was designed as an "environmentally sustainable structure." In keeping with the goals of maintaining harmony with nature and reducing environmental impact, a variety of advanced technologies have been implemented.
For example, in the courtyard between the office building and the conference room building a water garden incorporating a pond was constructed to catch and store rainwater as an effort for securing water resources and to enhance the landscape.
Support for Overseas Water Environment Conservation Activities
The Kikkoman Group supports water environment conservation activities by local governments and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) in areas where we have production sites, such as the U.S., Singapore, and the Netherlands, to help solve water issues.
In 1993, our U.S. soy sauce production company, KFI (Kikkoman Foods, Inc.), established the charitable foundation, “Kikkoman Foods Foundation Inc.” Through this foundation, KFI donates to local educational institutions and supports disaster relief efforts.
In 2013, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary since KFI began shipments, the Kikkoman Foods Foundation Inc. presented USD 1 million to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This donation was used to establish “The Kikkoman Healthy Waters Environmental Health Laboratories” (hereinafter, The Laboratories) within the same university’s School of Freshwater Sciences to research water environments.
Furthermore, to commemorate the 50th anniversary since the 1973 grand opening of KFI, in June 2023 we presented the University of Wisconsin with USD 5 million to support research on sustainable crops and freshwater. Specifically, we donated USD 3 million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to support research on the sustainable production of crops such as soybeans and wheat. Additionally, we donated USD 2 million to the School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to support the construction and operation of a state-of-the-art Great Lakes research vessel. These research donations will be used to protect the invaluable resources from which KFI has benefitted since its opening.
Professor Jackson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
researching production of sustainable crops
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes Research Vessel
-
In addition to these initiatives, we also support the maintenance of and mangrove planting around Kingfisher Lake, a freshwater biodiversity sanctuary located in Gardens by the Bay, a park in Singapore, and contribute to a water quality preservation project at Zuidlaardermeer (Lake of Zuidlaren) in Groningen, the Netherlands.
Supplier Engagement
The Kikkoman Group strives to collaborate with suppliers. As part of these efforts, in 2023 the Corporate Planning Department and Environmental Department of the Kikkoman Corporation and the Purchasing Department of the Kikkoman Business Service Company jointly visited 3 companies supplying soybeans, containers & packaging materials, and cartons for discussions.
In these discussions, the Kikkoman Group introduced our philosophy, received an explanation of sustainability initiatives being implemented by each supplier for each of their supply chains, and engaged in dialogue for future collaboration.
Signing of the United Nations CEO Water Mandate
The Kikkoman Group was the first Japanese company to sign the CEO Water Mandate in June 2015.
Launched at the 2007 UN Global Compact Leaders Summit held in Geneva, the CEO Water Mandate is a private-public sector initiative that grew out of a collaboration among six endorsing international companies, the United Nations (UN) and the Government of Sweden. (The Kikkoman Group has been participating in the UN Global Compact since January 2001.) The Mandate is an international commitment platform for policies, practices, and information disclosure covering a wide range of activities to conserve water sustainability. By signing the Mandate, each company’s CEO clearly expresses their intent to fulfill stewardship responsibilities as part of an international partnership for water resource conservation.
Participation in the Ministry of the Environment's Water Project
In 2015, the Kikkoman Group participated in the Water Project initiative launched by the Ministry of the Environment (Japan).
Under the Basic Act on Water Cycle enacted in 2014, the Ministry of the Environment promotes a sustainable water cycle approach, designated JAPAN Water Style, that focuses on the three key ideals of caring for water, thoughtful use and sharing, and respectful return to the environment. The Water Project aims for companies and organizations that preemptively address water cycle conservation and recovery to proactively share information about their approaches and help raise public awareness.
Introduction of Conservation Activities
Initiatives Introduction at CDP Conference Event
The "CDP Water Security Report 2021 × Water Project" was co-hosted online by the Ministry of the Environment and CDP (an international environmental NGO, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) in February 2022. The project aimed to raise awareness among companies and municipalities about the importance of a sustainable water cycle. At the conference, the results of CDP corporate scores for addressing water risk were announced and water security initiatives being implemented by leading companies were introduced.
Kikkoman participated in the panel discussions with Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. as one of the leading companies. The general manager of the Environment Department introduced our initiatives and management practices for the water environment based on the Kikkoman Group’s Environmental Policies and Long-Term Environmental Vision.
Lecture at Nagoya Industrial Water Supply Conference
The Nagoya Industrial Water Supply Conference offers opportunities for companies that utilize Aichi Prefecture’s industrial water and the Aichi Public Enterprise Bureau which manages this water to exchange opinions on stable water usage. The conference also invites a company with outstanding achievements in water risk management to its annual general meeting. Kikkoman was invited to speak at this meeting in 2022.
The general manager of the Environment Department attended the general meeting in June of the same year. There, he explained that addressing environmental issues is an important part of our management activities. He also introduced our corporate stance of embedding environmental activities into business operations and our specific initiatives for water and environmental conservation, including actual situations of water risk control and management of a broad range of environmental risks.
Initiatives Introduction at the Water Cycle Corporate Collaboration Fair
Hosted by the Cabinet Secretariat Water Cycle Policy Headquarters Office, a “Water Cycle Corporate Collaboration Fair” was held in January 2025 at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism building.
With the goal of deepening and promoting corporate initiatives invested in water cycling through expert lectures and presentations on case examples of the latest initiatives towards water cycling, this fair included a keynote lecture by Professor Taikan Oki of the University of Tokyo, followed by introductions to collaborative examples between corporations and local governments.
As a Water Cycle ACTIVE Company, Kikkoman participated in the panel discussion, and shared an example of “Water Volume Reduction in Operations.”
External Evaluations
Certification as an “Active Water Cycle Company”
The Kikkoman Corporation was certified as an Active Water Cycle Company under the FY2024 Water Cycle Company Registration and Certification System※, governed by the Headquarters for Water Cycle Policy of the Cabinet Secretariat in Japan, in recognition of our corporate initiatives contributing to the water cycle.
This certification recognizes our efforts to efficiently reduce water usage through reassessment of our current processes and implementation of effective measures.
※ A certification system established in FY2024 to further and promote corporate initiatives by actively recognizing and incentivizing company contributions to the water cycle, thereby encouraging continued and enhanced corporate efforts.
The Kikkoman Group will continue to set even higher goals as part of our commitment to maintaining a sustainable food environment.