Biodiversity Preservation
Kioxia Group engages in a range of biodiversity conservation activities in order to protect the rich ecosystems in the areas where we operate and to make a contribution to society.
Enriching the Work Environment
At Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant, we are carrying out greening activities in order to increase environmental awareness among our workforce and to create a more attractive and relaxing environment. Since 2017, the company has been conducting a FloWA1 project whereby employees plant flowers around the site and take care of them.
1 The ‘WA’ in FloWA incorporates numerous meanings derived from the Japanese character ‘wa,’ and can denote a circle of friends, sharing, harmony, or laughter.
Watching Over Forest Creatures
Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant is participating in an owl protection project being undertaken by the Natural Study Group at Yokkaichi-Nishi High School and the MIRAI Lab at Kuwana High School. We provide equipment enabling owls in the area to be observed and protected in their natural habitat; this supports the project’s aim of bequeathing the region’s rich natural environment to future generations.
Solid State Storage Technology Corporation (SSSTC) in Taiwan supports the activities of the NGO Leopard Cat Association of Taiwan. The population of leopard cats, the only wildcat species in Taiwan, has been declining due to the development of roads and farms, an increase in traffic accidents, and other factors. The fact that the wildcats prey on farmed chickens is also a problem in areas where they co-exist with humans. Employees at SSSTC are helping to protect the lives of leopard cats and the livelihoods of poultry farmers by installing wire netting to prevent the wildcats from entering poultry farms, thereby enabling coexistence.
Beach cleanup
Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant participates in local beach cleanup activities organized by the local community development committee and the NPO Yokkaichi Sea Turtle Preservation Society with the aim of preserving the spawning environment of loggerhead turtles.2 In 2023, a total of about 200 people—plant employees and their family members—participated in the cleanup activities to protect the environment where loggerhead turtles lay their eggs, and to deepen their understanding of the ecosystem and the importance of conservation activities.
SSSTC is engaged in greening efforts along the coast of Taiwan’s Linkou district to conserve biodiversity and prevent coastal erosion. During cleanup activities conducted in March 2024, we collected 280 kg of waste matter.
2 Loggerhead turtles are classified as an endangered species in the Ministry of the Environment’s “Red List,” indicating they are at high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
Preserving Wetlands
SSSTC is working with the NPO Taiwan Environmental Information Association to promote wetland ecosystem conservation projects. Wetlands are habitats for many species of plants and animals, and their preservation is crucial for maintaining native species. In 2022, 18 employees participated in the extermination of invasive plants in the wetlands to protect the native flora and fauna.
Supporting local culture and nature
The city of Kitakami in Iwate prefecture is running a Sakura-mori project whereby cherry blossom guardians are trained to take care of the cherry trees in Tenshochi Park,3 a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in the city, with the aim of preserving the cherry blossom trees for the next 100 years. Kioxia Iwate Corporation participates in the Sakura-mori Workshop; in the 2023 event, around 30 employees and family members helped with the pruning and fertilizing of young cherry trees.
As part of its community contribution efforts, SSSTC promotes the “consumption of local produce” and provides vegetarian lunch boxes made with locally sourced ingredients to employees every other month.
3 Tenshochi Park celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021 and is famous for its cherry blossoms, having been selected as one of the "100 Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan."
