Biodiversity conservation
Establishing biodiversity action guidelines and considering coexistence with nature
In 2017, we revised our environmental policy, adding a section on biodiversity and establishing our Biodiversity Action Guidelines. We are conscious of avoiding or minimizing the impact on biodiversity in all our business activities, and aim to maintain ecosystems along our railway lines and achieve sustainable use of natural resources.
Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd. Biodiversity Action Guidelines
We receive the blessings of nature in every aspect of our lives, including the air and water we breathe. Therefore, coexistence with nature is essential for us to build a sustainable society. We believe that improving environmental value through the protection of nature along our railway lines is one of the foundations of our business and is our mission.
This nature is supported by the existence of various species of living organisms and the various ecosystems in which they live, in other words, biodiversity.
Therefore, we respect biodiversity and have established a code of conduct to contribute to its protection and development.
We will position biodiversity conservation as a priority environmental issue and take proactive action to coexist with nature.
In order to avoid or reduce the impact on biodiversity in all our business activities, we strive to correctly understand and apply relevant laws and regulations.
Considering the impact of resource use on biodiversity, we will promote green purchasing and 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) activities, and strive to reduce the burden on the environment.
We value communication with our many stakeholders, including customers, business partners, and people living along our railway lines and in the vicinity of our business sites, and we work together to conserve biodiversity.
Established on September 30, 2017
Contributing to building a society that fosters biodiversity
We opened Namba Parks in 2003 and has been working to coexist with nature, including by installing a rooftop garden called Parks Garden. We have also been continuously working for many years to conserve biodiversity in areas along its railway lines.
In recent years, we endorsed the "Osaka Biodiversity Support Declaration" in May 2003 and the "Keidanren Biodiversity Declaration Initiative" in July of the same year. Furthermore, in June 2024, we will participate in the "TNFD Forum" and the "30 by 30 Alliance for Biodiversity" to strengthen our efforts to conserve biodiversity.
Through these activities, we aim to contribute to the conservation of the natural environment and the revitalization of local communities, and to pass on a rich natural environment to future generations.
Green Procurement Promotion (Green Procurement Guidelines)
We recognize our responsibility to promote sustainable procurement in order to realize a sustainable society, and as Nankai Group, we believe that this should be addressed throughout the entire supply chain.
We initially started with green purchasing initiatives, prioritizing the purchase of everyday items such as fixtures with as little environmental impact as possible, and have been working towards achieving these targets every year since fiscal 2009. In addition, in fiscal 2019 we formulated the "Green Procurement Guidelines," which set out the requirements and efforts that suppliers must make regarding green procurement.
As part of this initiative, we are informing our business partners of these guidelines and the details of our environmental initiatives in the supply chain, and encouraging their cooperation.
Green Procurement Guidelines
1. Purpose
Nankai has established an environmental philosophy and policy and is actively working to reduce its environmental impact and protect the environment. As part of this effort, we have now established the Green Procurement Guidelines.
These guidelines stipulate the requirements and efforts that must be made regarding green procurement for our suppliers, with the aim of promoting environmentally friendly procurement together with our suppliers.
2. Scope of Application
These guidelines apply to materials, products, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "materials") procured by Nankai.
3. Guidelines
We ask that our business partners understand our "Environmental Philosophy," "Environmental Policy," and "Biodiversity Action Guidelines" and cooperate with our efforts.
[Required information for business partners]
We will comply with all laws and regulations related to the environment and pollution prevention.
Materials to be delivered shall not contain chemical substances prohibited by law.
We will try to avoid using chemical substances restricted by law as much as possible in the materials we deliver.
If the materials to be delivered contain substances whose emissions must be tracked by law, we will provide an SDS (Safety Data Sheet).
[Efforts for business partners]
Environmental management system
Establish an environmental management system.
Resource and energy conservation and water conservation
We aim to make materials more energy-efficient, smaller and lighter, and reduce water usage.
Packaging and packaging
We will work to minimize the amount of packaging and packing materials used and adopt reusable structures.
Resource use and waste reduction
We work to design products that are easy to maintain and can be used for a long time.
We will use materials that are easy to recycle and work to adopt structures that are easily disassembled.
Information Disclosure
If we request information on recycling and disposal methods for materials, we will disclose as much information as possible.
【others】
These guidelines will be revised as necessary in response to changes in social conditions, technological advances, amendments to laws and regulations, etc.
Revised August 2022
Supply chain risk assessment and response to issues
In fiscal 2020-2021, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 100 of our approximately 440 suppliers that supply railway equipment and materials, with the aim of understanding the status of our suppliers' environmental efforts and maintaining continuous communication. Approximately 25% of these suppliers did not have an environmental policy or had not yet decided on a department in charge or responsible for environmental matters, so we urged them to make improvements.
In fiscal 2022, we integrated this into our efforts based on the newly established Nankai Group Materials Procurement Policy.
Click here for Nankai Group Procurement Policy and supply chain risk assessment and response to issues.
Status of in-house training etc.
As a general rule, we conduct training for purchasing personnel once a year to provide basic knowledge, including important items in Nankai Group Materials Procurement Policy.
Furthermore, as part of our participation in sustainability initiatives, we endorsed the "Partnership Building Declaration" promoted by the government, economic organizations, and others, and announced it in April 2022. We aim to build new partnerships by promoting collaboration and coexistence and mutual prosperity with business partners in our supply chain.
"Parks Garden" contributes to urban biodiversity
Namba Parks is a commercial complex with 10 floors above ground and 4 floors below ground, developed in 2003 on the site of the former Osaka Baseball Stadium. On the terraced rooftop (11,500 m2), the Parks Garden has been installed, with approximately 100,000 plants of approximately 500 species, including Trees such as dogwood and Wild cherry blossoms, and vibrant flowers such as Lavender and Rosemary, creating a forest-like landscape. A wide variety of birds and insects can be seen there, making it a rare place Osaka City that contributes to biodiversity.
In March 2020, part of the garden was renovated to include a wooden deck space, allowing visitors to experience the richness of biodiversity even in the heart of the city.
In 2020, we received the Flower Town Development Encouragement Award at the 30th National Flower Town Development Competition, sponsored by the Flower Town Development Competition Promotion Council.
In fiscal 2021, Parks Garden was featured in the Ministry of the Environment's "Collection of Case Studies of Collaboration between Developers and Local Communities: Achieving SDGs through Development Projects" as an example of "Creating New Vibrancy through Greenery."
In the Nikkei Plus 1 special feature published on June 4, 2022, the rooftop garden was ranked first in the "Enjoy a different world of greenery at a rooftop garden" ranking. It was selected as number one by seven out of 12 experts, receiving praise such as "a masterpiece of a rooftop park that Osaka can be proud of around the world."
A biological survey conducted with Obayashi Corporation from 2022 to 2023 confirmed that a diverse range of organisms live here, including the breeding of Sparrows, whose populations are feared to be declining nationwide.
For more information on "Parks Garden," click here
https://nambaparks.com.e.uq.hp.transer.com/garden#garden-awards
Conclusion of the Green Partnership Agreement and the Osaka Biodiversity Partnership Agreement and their activities
In 2009, our company and Osaka Prefecture concluded a Green Partnership Agreement covering the entire railway line, aiming to promote the conservation of rich greenery and natural environments. Since then, we have been promoting environmental conservation activities such as creating biotopes in Kyosei-no-Mori (Sakai City) and Tanagawa area (Misaki Town,Sennan District).
Furthermore, in March 2014, we signed the Osaka Biodiversity Partnership Agreement with Osaka Prefecture, Misaki Town, and the Osaka Prefectural Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture, and Fisheries.
Coexistence Forest
Osaka Prefecture has designated 100 hectares of Sakai District 7-3 (approximately 280 hectares), an industrial waste final disposal site in Sakai City waterfront area, as a "Symbiosis Forest" and is currently developing the area. Since fiscal 2008, we have been utilizing our shareholder benefit program to make ongoing donations to Osaka Prefecture's "Green Fund," and employees have been volunteering to plant trees and contribute to forest development. To date, we have planted approximately 20,000 trees, expanding the forest to an area of 64,900 square meters. In recognition of these efforts, we were issued the first "Certificate of Support for Nature-Coexistence Sites (Trial Version)" by the Ministry of the Environment in March 2025, and received the full-scale support certificate in November 2025.
Certificate of Support for Kyosei no Mori (PDF: 1,359 KB)
Tanagawa Biotope
Within "Ikiki Park Misaki," operated by Osaka Prefecture and other organizations, there is Tanagawa Biotope*, which aims to restore a rich natural space, and once a month employees from Osaka Prefecture, Misaki town, and our company carry out environmental conservation activities such as tending to the planted trees, managing the pond, and observing the wildlife. As shown in the photo, the area looked quite bleak in 2005, but subsequent maintenance activities have resulted in a lush green biotope in 2013.
Tanagawa Biotope: A biotope within Ikiiki Park Misaki, the former site of the Kansai International Airport Phase 2 Project soil quarry (a space where the original ecosystem of living creatures is maintained)
In September 2025, the site was certified as a nature-friendly site under the Act on Promotion of Regional Biodiversity. Our company is a joint applicant along with Osaka Prefecture, Misaki Town, and the Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture, and Fisheries, a local independent administrative institution in Osaka Prefecture.
