Mitsubishi Chemical Group
Products: Acetate
Risk of sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests
Low Risk
Mitsubishi completed its CanopyStyle Audit in 2021. The results required its sole supplier (Daicel) to get verified. Verification occurred in 2022, and confirmed low risk sourcing.
Areas where the company is showing leadership
- Encouraged its main supplier, Daicel, to also get audited and has also engaged with a sub-supplier to confirm risk levels.
- Has engaged with suppliers to encourage them to produce FSC 100% fibre.
- The acetate Mitsubishi produces is made with 60% wood pulp and 40% acetic acid and therefore has less of an impact on forests than other MMCF products.
Has called on signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to develop the regulatory mechanisms necessary to ensure that the Convention’s goals for nature protection are prioritized.
The company does not yet have an R&D program for Next Gen but has openly discussed the challenges with Canopy.
Key Improvements Required
- Continue to invest in research and development efforts to develop and significantly scale the use of Next Generation Solutions in order to reduce impacts on forests.
- Procure higher volumes of FSC 100% or FSC Mix certified inputs.
- Continue to proactively use ForestMapper and complementary guidance to avoid sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests.
Facilities
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. owns the Toyama mill in Toyama-shi, Toyama, Japan with production capacity of 3,300 tonnes per year.
Triacetate and diacetate contain non-forest-based materials not assessed by the CanopyStyle Audit, such as acetic acid.
More information
Completion of CanopyStyle Third-Party Verification Audits
- Conducts Audits 2/2
- Audits published and results acted on2/2
- Audit risk results2/2
Contribution to Conservation Legacies
- Promotes Ancient and Endangered Forest conservation2/2
- Supports conservation targets 1/1
- Influences supply chain and decision makers0.5/2
- Contributes to legislated protection0/2
- Extra responsibility: additional support for conservation0/2
Innovation via New Alternative Fibres
- Advocates for Next Gen 1/1
- Invests in R&D0.5/1
- Has a commercial-scale product 0/2
- Publishes targets and timelines0.5/2
- Uses Next Gen pulp0/1
- Proportional contribution0/2
- Implementing ambitious scale-up0/2
Adoption of Robust Forest Sourcing Policy
- Has a policy2/2
- Policy aligns with CanopyStyle2/2
Traceability & Transparency
- Has track and trace systems0/1
- Publishes list of suppliers2/2
- Conducts due diligence in sourcing2/2
Leaders in Supply Chain Shifts
- Is responsive and proactive1/1
- Acts on FSC preference 0.5/1
- Supports ForestMapper1/1
- Addresses risk2/2
Associated with High Risk of Sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests and other Controversial Sources
- High risk sourcing0/-5
More information
Participation in ZDHC
The company is an active participant in ZDHC, where all of their viscose staple fibre and modal staple fibre facilities have joined the ZDHC Supplier Platform and have access to the MMCF Module. N/AChemical Recovery
All of the company’s MMCF viscose staple fibre and modal staple fibre facilities have reached at least the Progressive level in their chemical recovery parameters and limit value, according to Chapter 1: ZDHC MMCF Responsible Fibre Production Guidelines V2.2 N/AWastewater
All of the company’s MMCF viscose staple fibre and modal staple fibre facilities have reached at least the Progressive level in their wastewater discharge parameters and limit values, according to Chapter 2: ZDHC MMCF Wastewater Guidelines V2.2 N/AAir Emissions
All of the company’s viscose staple fibre and modal staple fibre facilities have reached at least the Progressive level in their hazardous chemicals’ air emissions parameters and limit values, according to Chapter 3: ZDHC MMCF Air Emissions Guidelines V2.2 N/A
