With a focus on environmental conservation, physical and mental health through sport and respect for humanity, Mizuno accelerates its sustainability initiatives from 2021, aiming to solve global environmental and social issues while lowering its environmental footprint.
Based on its corporate philosophy of contributing to society through the advancement of sporting goods and the promotion of sports, Mizuno has promoted the diverse value of sport and growing its business through contributions to its communities and society. In 1991, Mizuno became one of the first companies in the sporting goods industry to launch a global environmental conservation initiative, the Crew21 Project. With the aim of further expanding on its existing business model to integrate social contribution, Mizuno is committed to strengthening and expanding its existing program. To that end, from 2021 Mizuno will focus on three key areas of sustainability: Environmental Conservation, Physical and Mental Health through Sport, and Respect for Humanity. In particular, in the area of environmental conservation, Mizuno is committed to become Carbon Neutral by 2050.
Mizuno considers sustainability activities to be vital to its management strategy. Sustainability is not only important to the brand, but also to its community, shareholders, and employees. By creating innovations that solve social issues, Mizuno aims to meet the expectations of consumers and other stakeholders while supporting sport around the world. To learn more about Mizuno’s sustainability initiatives, visit the corporate website.
Strategic Areas of Mizuno’s Sustainability Activities
Mizuno will further accelerate its sustainability activities in cooperation with stakeholders, suppliers and partners with the spirit of team play and fair play — a value that is inherently taught in all sport.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION:
Mizuno’s target is to become carbon neutral by 2050, which means that the corporate activities of Mizuno Group will cut emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). To achieve carbon neutrality, Mizuno will strengthen efforts to use renewable energy and innovate its manufacturing processes. At the same time, the brand will strengthen environmentally friendly initiatives, such as efficient use of water, reduction of waste, and use of recycled plastics and plant-derived materials.
MIZUNO CREW 21
In 1991, at a time when global environmental issues were first attracting attention, Mizuno launched the Crew21 Project, an industry-leading environmental conservation initiative. This project was named with the idea of playing the role of a crew member of the spaceship Earth and carrying out activities to conserve resources and the environment. Since the launch of the project, Mizuno has been working for 30 years to make effective use of resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adopting the use of environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes in product planning and development. From 2021, the initiative will not only include environmental conservation activities, but will also encompass social and economic areas and be promoted as a wider sustainability project. In addition, the name of the project has been changed to MIZUNO CREW 21. The logo has also been redesigned and reflects a human embracing a seedling, which embodies the brand’s empathy and optimism for positive change.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH SPORTS
Mizuno believes sport is a force for good and is committed to making it more accessible to all. In particular, the brand will strengthen its efforts to improve the athletic ability and physical strength of children, healthy life expectancy through sport, and support the promotion of local sport as key issues.
Mizuno Hexathlon in Vietnam
In 2015, Mizuno introduced the Mizuno Hexathlon, a proprietary exercise program for children in Vietnam, three years after the launch in Japan in 2012. The Mizuno Hexathlon held physical education classes at the primary compulsory education level in Vietnam, and a cumulative total of 320,000 children have been supported by the program between December 2015 and March 2021. Mizuno is aiming to provide all of Vietnam’s approximately 7.2 million elementary school students with the joy of exercise and physical activity and to enhance physical education classes in the Vietnam Primary School Education Curriculum while contributing to the physical and mental health of all participants through sport.
Breast Cancer Campaign in Australia
Mizuno has been actively donating a portion of sales of special edition shoes in Australia to The National Breast Cancer Foundation (Australia) since 2020. Donations are used to raise breast cancer awareness as well as to fund research on this very important issue. Over 19,000 Australians are diagnosed each year and approximately 8 women pass away in Australia from breast cancer every day.
RESPECT FOR HUMANITY
Mizuno aims to cultivate an inclusive and diverse local and global community in which all people respect diversity while empowered by mutually shared values taught through sport. The brand recognizes all people are united by these values and seeks to celebrate those unique differences through pillars of friendship and fair play.
CSR Procurement
Mizuno has established a Mizuno Code of Conduct for Suppliers based on international practices. Since 2004, Mizuno has worked on CSR procurement by conducting CSR audits to confirm compliance with laws and regulations, as well as human rights, labor conditions, health and safety, environmental conservation in the manufacturing process, and making improvements to the production process wherever possible. The brand recognizes that being in the sport industry, it has the unique ability to be innovative in how it impacts communities in a real way.
Promoting Diversity
Mizuno supports the participation of people with disabilities in sports through the development and provision of sports equipment for athletes with disabilities whether they are individual players or a team. Mizuno is working to create an environment where people from all walks of life can participate in sport.
Mizuno’s Corporate Philosophy and Business Model
Mizuno’s corporate philosophy is “contributing to society through the advancement of sporting goods and the promotion of sports.” Mizuno’s business model and code of conduct is based on founder Rihachi Mizuno’s quote, “Rieki no ri yori, dori no ri”, which means “to be guided by reason over profit.” Mizuno will continue to evolve its business model in order to integrate social contribution and continued business guided by these founding principles.
Mizuno’s Vision and Mission Statements for Sustainability Activities
Mizuno is incorporating new vision and mission statements for Mizuno’s sustainability activities from 2021.
Vision Statement
We believe in a sustainable future in which all people live equally on a safe and healthy planet. While respecting the dignity of all people, we will continue to nurture a beneficial future, where sports can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere and without reservation.
Mission Statement
To protect our planet earth, the stage on which we play sports. By integrating innovations in our products and services, based on science, for the benefit of society and inspired by nature, we endeavor to ensure a future in which people cultivate a healthy mind and body through sports.
Visit Mizuno’s corporate website and follow @MizunoUSA to learn more about Mizuno Crew 21.
Published: May 2021