Japanese automaker Nissan has been recognised for its leadership in corporate sustainability by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with a focus on global environmental issues. Nissan was placed on CDP’s ‘A-list’ for its efforts and disclosure related to both climate change and water security.
Long run of success
The CDP ranks worldwide companies from A to D-, based on the data and information the companies disclose. Any outfit that demonstrates ‘exceptional efforts in governance, strategy, risk and opportunity disclosure, and goal setting and implementation across various environmental areas’ will attain the CDP’s top A rating. And Nissan has achieved ‘Leadership Level’, meaning it has picked up either A or A- ratings, for 12 consecutive years in the climate change category, while for water security it has been full A-listed for six years on the bounce.
In line with corporate goals
The carmaker has targeted carbon neutrality by 2050 across its operations and products’ life cycles. In order to achieve that goal, Nissan has positioned both climate change and water resources as key issues in the Nissan Green Programme (NGP), its mid-term environmental action plan.
The A-listing from CDP this time comes from Nissan’s initiatives, including: the Global-Environmental Management Committee and regional committees’ comprehensive management of climate change and water security challenges, including actions to address potential risks; the announcement of the mid-term environmental action plan, Nissan Green Program 2030, with the approval of the board of directors; the executive compensation system, which is based on a climate change index; promotion of the 2050 carbon neutrality goal set for operations and the life cycle of Nissan products; the operation of EV36Zero - claimed to be the world’s first EV manufacturing ecosystem; the application of third-party assurance for CO2 emissions calculations across all consolidated subsidiaries; water risk assessments at production sites worldwide; reduction of water usage through recycling of wastewater and effective use of rainwater at sites with a high risk of water shortages; and finally, drainage water management standards that exceed regulations and secure water quality control.
‘Proud to receive A-listing’
Makoto Uchida, the president and CEO of Nissan, said: “Guided by our corporate purpose - driving innovation to enrich people’s lives - we continue to place sustainability at the centre of our business.
“We are very proud to once again receive CDP’s A-listing in the climate change and water security categories. Nissan will continue driving sustainability initiatives to build a cleaner, safer and more inclusive world.”
The annual environmental information disclosure and evaluation process by the CDP is recognised as a benchmark for corporations, to the extent that for the 2024 financial year, more than 700 signatory institutions with assets exceeding $142 trillion (€136.5 trillion) requested the disclosure of data related to environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through the CDP platform, with a record high of approximately 24,800 companies responding to the request.