SHOWA In Balance – Starting with sustainability, growing with purpose

Why balance matters now

Across industries, sustainability is shifting from compliance to competitive advantage. Customers, employees and communities are not just asking companies to reduce harm – they want to see positive impact. At SHOWA, we see this as an opportunity to lead with intention.

For decades, we have built our reputation on safety, quality and performance. But the next stage of our journey is about making sure our business needs go hand in hand with protecting people and natural resources. How do we continue to innovate while protecting what matters most?

Our answer is SHOWA In Balance – our new sustainability strategy and commitment to harmony and balance between our business and the world around us. We are committed to supporting the well-being of our employees and communities, reducing waste and energy use, and preserving natural resources through our three strategic pillars: Harmony for Our People, Consideration for Our Planet and Attention to Our Products.

Harmony for Our People: Building a culture of care

Protecting people starts within our own walls. We want SHOWA to be a safe, inclusive and welcoming place to work – somewhere colleagues can reach their potential.

Initiatives such as our Women’s Empowerment Project and our broader Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Project reflect our belief that equity and belonging are essential to progress.
We are listening more closely than ever. Quarterly employee surveys in Japan are helping us identify strengths and act on feedback. One tangible outcome was a 2025 salary adjustment to ensure we remain competitive with market standards.

Connecting with communities is important too. From annual health checks and childcare support (including a kindergarten at our Malaysia facility) to fundraising and volunteering, we are working to strengthen social ties. In Himeji, for example, our team raised ¥166,000 for the Green Fund and more than ¥250,000 for the city’s castle preservation fund. We have also been awarded Kurumin certification four times for our support of childcare in the workplace.

Consideration for Our Planet: Rethinking our impact

As a manufacturer, we recognise that our operations have an impact. Taking steps to operate more efficiently, conserve resources and protect the planet is a strategic priority.

Working with Zeroboard, a cloud-based platform for calculating and visualising greenhouse gas emissions data, we are taking a data-driven approach to measuring and managing our emissions more effectively. And at our facilities, we are investing in energy efficiency and embracing renewable energy. Solar panels at our Malaysia site now meet over 10% of the facility’s electricity needs, cutting 1,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Over 20 years, that is a reduction of 28,500 tonnes. Panels are also being rolled out at our headquarters in Japan and at our Vietnam facility.

Our efforts to reduce waste are also making a difference. Switching to digital practices and focusing on packaging redesigns – such as switching from plastic to paper bundles and using smaller packages – have already reduced annual plastic use by 2.7 tonnes and paper use by 29%. And, in recognition of our readiness and commitment to digital transformation, we were named a DX Certified Business by the Japanese Ministry of Economy.

As we develop our ambitions and goals for the future, we will look to further reduce the impact our activities have on the environment.

Attention to Our Products: Innovating with purpose

Innovation is in our DNA – our motto has always been “Always Innovating. Never Imitating.” But today, that principle must also serve our sustainability ambitions.

Of the 150 billion pairs of gloves produced every year in our industry, roughly two-thirds are thrown away, and many end up in landfills. To help address this, SHOWA developed the world’s-first nitrile glove using our proprietary Eco Best Technology® (EBT), which can accelerate biodegradation without compromising performance.

We are exploring ways to reduce our reliance on virgin resources by beginning to integrate recycled fibres into our products and introducing biomass-based materials in our packaging. Durability of our products is another focus, because longer-lasting gloves require fewer replacements, meaning less waste overall. We are also thinking about circularity, and through our in-house recycling systems, gloves that have served their purpose are given a second life – as fuel, infrastructure materials and even roadbed foundations.

Product-level carbon data is becoming increasingly important, not just for transparency but also to help our customers meet their own sustainability goals. With Scope 3 emissions coming under greater scrutiny, businesses are looking to their suppliers for reliable, granular data. In response, we have begun measuring the carbon footprint of our gloves, starting with 18 product styles.

Looking forward
SHOWA In Balance marks a new chapter – one of intention and purpose. With our new strategy and our first Sustainability Report, we are laying the groundwork for more informed decisions and clearer priorities. It marks the beginning of a more transparent and accountable journey, one that will help us track our impact and sharpen our focus over time.

Next, we will strengthen our data collection, set robust targets and report progress in line with evolving legislation and regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Just as importantly, we will continue listening and learning from our employees, stakeholders and others who share our commitment to progress.

For SHOWA, being in balance is not a fixed state. It is something we pursue every day – starting with intention and growing with purpose. So, whether you are a partner, customer or peer, we invite you to engage with us, challenge us and grow with us.