Shimonoseki City applied for the 5th public call for "Decarbonization Leading Areas" conducted by the Ministry of the Environment and was selected in September 2024.
As a co-proposer (*) for Shimonoseki City in this public call, the Group is working to build a decarbonization foundation through "Region x Finance" to support the decarbonization management of regional businesses.
*List of Group companies that participated as co-proposers:
Yamaguchi Financial Group, The Yamaguchi Bank, YMFG ZONE Planning, YM Consulting (now YMFG Growth Partners), and YM Lease.
<Building a Decarbonization Foundation through "Region x Finance">
Shimonoseki City established the "Shimonoseki City SBT Certification Acquisition Support Subsidy" to promote decarbonization among local businesses by encouraging them to obtain certifications for excellent environmentally friendly behavior or the SME version of the SBT certification.
In conjunction with this initiative, the Group has launched the "Shimonoseki Decarbonization Management Support Loan (Sustainability-Linked Loan)," which is designed to be easily accessible for local businesses and encourages the setting and achievement of sustainability goals such as CO2 emission reductions.
Furthermore, Shimonoseki City established the "Shimonoseki City Decarbonization Leading Model District Equipment Installation Support Subsidy" to promote the installation of renewable energy and energy-saving equipment by businesses in the city.
To promote this initiative, the Group has developed a regional leasing business in collaboration with local manufacturers and equipment providers, establishing a one-stop support system for equipment leasing.
Through the provision of these financial products and collaboration with Shimonoseki City's environmental systems, we will continue to support city businesses in raising awareness, developing organizational structures, and investing in renewable and energy-saving equipment toward decarbonization.
In October 2024, the "Kudamatsu Decarbonization Management Seminar" was held through a partnership between the Kudamatsu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kudamatsu City, and the Group to boost momentum for decarbonization within the city.
At the seminar, major companies with bases in the city took the stage to share their progress and initiatives with regional supplier companies.
This seminar served as a catalyst for a renewed recognition of the importance of regional decarbonization management, leading to the establishment of the "Kudamatsu City SME Decarbonization Management Promotion Subsidy."
Yamashita Kogyosho Co., Ltd., which received support from YM Consulting (now YMFG Growth Partners) through a Yamaguchi Prefecture decarbonization support project, began its full-scale response to decarbonization by developing a CO2 reduction roadmap after participating in a seminar within that project.
Since then, the company has become a leader for regional suppliers, notably by obtaining the SME version of the SBT certification, which aligns with greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the Paris Agreement.
Furthermore, the company entered into a "Sustainability-Linked Loan" agreement with The Yamaguchi Bank, setting the CO2 reduction targets based on their SBT certification as SPTs (*), aiming to strengthen their decarbonization management through the management and achievement of these targets.
Additionally, the company actively shares its initiatives by speaking at decarbonization seminars for regional businesses, contributing significantly to building momentum for decarbonization in the region.
*SPT (Sustainability Performance Target): Sustainability-related targets in a company’s strategy that contribute to environmental improvement or the resolution of social issues.
