Sustainibility

At SHOWA, our commitment is driven by the Japanese concept of “SHOWA”, the pursuit of harmony and balance. Our sustainability strategy, SHOWA In Balance, is a commitment to balance our business needs with the well-being of the world around us.

In 2024, we completed our first double materiality assessment (DMA) with KPMG and Zeroboard to identify the sustainability issues that matter most to our business and our stakeholders. We are using these material topics as the foundation for our future reporting and are preparing to align our disclosures with global standards, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Our strategy is built upon three strategic pillars: Harmony for Our People, Consideration for Our Planet, and Attention to Our Products.

1. Harmony for Our People

We prioritise people by ensuring equal treatment and fair working conditions across our company and value chain. We published our Human Rights Policy in September 2024, aligning with international standards.

Our commitment to inclusion is supported by the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Promotion Project, which evolved from a Women’s Empowerment pilot. We adjusted salaries in April 2025 following employee feedback. Employees can raise concerns confidentially using the Corporate Ethics Hotline. Additionally, our head office holds the Kurumin certification for supporting childcare.

2. Consideration for Our Planet

We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint through renewable energy and efficiency. Our Malaysia facility’s solar array generates 3.5 million kWh annually, saving approximately 1,500 tonnes of CO2​.

We are replacing LPG with compressed natural gas (CNG) in Malaysia and Vietnam to reduce emissions. Plant upgrades, like LED lighting and insulation in Malaysia, further cut energy use. We manage resources responsibly with on-site water treatment systems and a 29.2% reduction in paper use in Japan since 2023. We also prioritise FSC-certified and biomass-content packaging.

3. Attention to Our Products

We drive innovation to ensure product safety and sustainability. Our Eco Best Technology (EBT) creates nitrile gloves that accelerate biodegradation without compromising performance.We prioritise circularity, recycling used rubber gloves into road-making material and using nylon/polyurethane as fuel. We’re increasing recycled content, currently at 0.77%. Our operations hold ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. Furthermore, facilities undergo ethical SMETA audits , and we screen suppliers for RoHS compliance and human rights.