Biodiversity Preservation at Business Sites
In 2017, Casio conducted a biodiversity study at the Group’s main sites in Japan. As shown in Table 1, the results found that, even at the Headquarters in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, over 50 species of insects and around 70 species of plants find their home. Most notably, Golden Orchid (Cephalanthera falcata), which is included on the Ministry of the Environment’s species red list, was found at the Hamura R&D Center in Hamura, Tokyo. Rare plants and insects including the plant Lespedeza tomentosa Sieb. ex Maxim. and the insect Canthophorus niveimarginatus (Scott), which are included on the prefectural species red list in Yamanashi Prefecture, were found at the Yamanashi Office in the city of Fuefuki.
Based on the results of this study, the Casio Group commenced biodiversity preservation activities with advice from experts, including conservation of the rare species discovered.
Examples of Hamura and Hachioji
In 2018, a protection team of employee volunteers recorded in daily photos the Golden Orchid and Silver Orchid, which were confirmed to be growing at Hamura R&D Center, from the time they were seedlings in early April until they flowered. These records were disseminated via an internal website to raise employee awareness about biodiversity preservation.
The Ophioglossum petiolatum at Hachioji R&D Center is not a particularly spectacular plant, but site employees recognized that it is a rare species and set up a protection zone, increasing its numbers from 30 to around 50 in 2018.
Yamanashi case study
Casio requested Ryokusei Research Institute Inc., which was commissioned for a biodiversity study at the business site, to place markers for protected species, including Lespedeza tomentosa, Potentilla chinensis, Siberian Lespedeza juncea, and Thesium chinense, which is the larval food plant for Canthophorus niveimarginatus. Going forward, Casio will call on employees to launch a protection team for the Yamanashi Office with plans to continue promoting protection activities.
Results of business site biodiversity study
site |
Number of species |
Remarkable insects and plants |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Insects |
Plants |
||
| Casio Computer Co., Ltd. | |||
Headquarters |
55 |
82 |
|
Hamura R&D Center |
105 |
187 |
Plants: Golden Orchid, Silver Orchid, ophioglossum petiolatum |
Hachioji R&D Center |
51 |
110 |
Plant: Ophioglossum petiolatum |
| Yamagata Casio Co., Ltd. | |||
Headquarters |
82 |
173 |
|
Yamanashi |
91 |
150 |
Insect: Canthophorus niveimarginatus Plant: Lespedeza tomentosa |
| Casio Electronic Manufacuring Co., Ltd. | 58 |
108 |
|
| Casio Business Service Co., Ltd. (Kofu) | 82 |
160 |
Plant: Rorippa cantoniensis |