Dialogue with Experts on ESG

In order to achieve the medium and long-term goals set by the ANA Group, ANA Group will continue to focus on medium to long-term trends and follow the ESG-related efforts which include the respect for human rights, environmental considerations, etc. In addition, we expect that it will be possible to build a resilience business model by absorbing the change in social value due to the impact of COVID-19 in the long-term trend.
Under the COVID-19, it is important for the ANA Group to pursue transparency in the process of identifying new ESG issues and to develop a "Quality Relationship" with the aim of improving reliability with ESG-related investors.

In the context of the COVID-19 crisis, companies are expected to put adequate measures in place to make sure that they manage human rights risks connected to the pandemic. This should include at a minimum a commitment from the company to respect human rights in this crisis and a clear allocation of responsibility inside the company to ensure that this is achieved in practice. It is crucial for companies to take necessary steps to identify, assess and manage the human rights risks connected to the COVID-19 crisis through a robust human rights due diligence process. For a company with a large supply chain like ANA Group, adopting responsible purchasing practices to protect suppliers should be a priority. Companies are also expected to provide effective remedy, including the availability of grievance mechanisms through which complaints related to COVID-19 concerns can be made without the fear of retaliation.
More than ever, the COVID-19 crisis shows the need for sustainable, inclusive development and provides the opportunity to 'build back better': making society and the economy more resilient by protecting fundamental human rights, aligning short-term economic interests with long-term needs, and ensuring continued momentum on the SDGs.

[The original text] CHRB WBA PDFOpens in a new window.In the case of an external site,it may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

It is appreciated that ANA Group is committed to the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) through its Human Rights policy, training and Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD). With social distancing here to stay for coming month HRDD process will be tested, due to tough business environment and limited in-person engagement (with employees, suppliers and rights holders) in the value chain. Particularly, impacts on travellers will be due to with travel restrictions, increased sanitisation, social distancing at airports as well as inside the aircrafts. Some rights holders* will be more impacted than the others, thus it will be important to keep reevaluating needs and Human Rights risks in ANA's value chain.

• Rights-holders: People impacted directly by corporate activities, etc.

[The original text] Specialist in GVC PDFOpens in a new window.In the case of an external site,it may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

The world today is a different place: are we still a global society?
I believe our 'new normal' will be different because-perhaps for the first time in our lives-we will try not to lose what we have found. How ANA Group copes with the shift to a smaller global travel and hospitality sector will be a case study for how to keep sight of what matters. Those parts of the business that were in the shadows will now fall into the light. The decisions on what to cut and what to keep will require close examination of what was wasteful and what was valuable.

[The original text] Bluenumber Foundation PDFOpens in a new window.In the case of an external site,it may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

The COVID-19 pandemic provided an unexpected temporary reduction in CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts. Companies that return to their old ways of doing business and cannot transform may be disqualified by society in the post-COVID-19 world. As such, 37 companies and 28 industry groups in Europe have joined the Green Recovery Alliance*. The ANA Group post-COVID-19 recovery shall pursue the concept of Do No Harm to avoid returning to the pre-COVID-19 CO2 emission level, and to further efforts towards Net Zero of all negative environmental and social impacts, not just carbon emissions. ANA Group shall take advantage of this window of opportunity to become a leader in green recovery and sustainability, and to commit as early as possible to the stakeholders, especially the future generations.

• Green Recovery Alliance: An informal alliance of political leaders, civil society groups and NGOs, CEO and business associations, and the European trade union confederation. This alliance promotes the EU post-pandemic recovery plan, accelerating the transition toward climate neutrality and healthy ecosystems.

[The original text] Conservation International PDFOpens in a new window.In the case of an external site,it may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

More and more governments around the world are adopting the Green Recovery policies, looking ahead to the post-COVID-19 world. More than ever, businesses are being asked to improve sustainability.
WWF has raised Green and Just Recovery, Wildlife Exploitation, and Land Use and Food Systems as important social issues, suggesting the need to review approaches in these areas. The ANA Group is expected to show a long-term post-COVID-19 airline business plan that is consistent with the requirements by the Science Based Targets Initiative* so as to reframe its efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and realize a zero-carbon society. Also, the ANA group is expected to expand measures against illegal trade as a means to prevent infections from animals. Further, it should use resources wisely by reducing and reusing plastics, as well as by sourcing palm oil, timber, paper, and other resources through sustainable means.

• Science Based Targets Initiative: Science Based Targets is a collaborative initiative among the WWF, CDP, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the UN Global Compact. The initiative encourages companies to adopt emissions reduction targets in line with what the latest climate science says is necessary to limit global warming to well below 2˚C above pre-industrial levels.

[The original text] WWF Japan PDFOpens in a new window.In the case of an external site,it may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.

One of the issues investors are currently focusing on is how companies support, diversify and maintain a sustainable supply chain. It highlights the importance of employment, health, safety, work styles, and satisfaction of employees of the group and supply chain companies are also crucial issues. Besides, investors are paying attention not only to data security but also to data governance, because AI-based analysis and utilization of customer and employee data requires a partnership with the external parties.
As the global aviation industry is expected to remain in a tough situation for a while, I hope the ANA Group will re-question what it can do and find new growth opportunities as a resilient company in the Post-COVID-19 era.

[The original text] Japan Sustainable Investment Forum (JSIF) PDFOpens in a new window.In the case of an external site,it may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.