Yokohama Reito (Yokorei)

Sustainability strategy

Yokorei reports that it has not established a group-wide approach for sustainability across its global operations and, therefore, lacks oversight of its overall sustainability performance. Yokorei could devise and implement a group-wide sustainability strategy with time-bound objectives and clear targets to improve its performance and increase awareness of the company’s responsibility for sustainability.

Traceability and sourcing

Yokorei does not disclose any information on its traceability mechanisms or sourcing. This lack of transparency limits the company’s accountability for the origins of its seafood products. It is also unknown whether Yokorei is carrying out any activities to improve sustainability performance in this area.

Environmental footprint

Yokorei has taken some steps to reduce its environmental footprint. The company recently adopted hybrid refrigeration in its first group of warehouses which use ammonia for cooling and improve energy efficiency. Yokorei has also introduced rooftop gardening systems at three of its distribution centres which have helped to reduce internal temperatures and, therefore, energy consumption. Moreover, the company has installed solar power generating systems at 11 distribution centres, and reports that it has cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1,843 tonnes in 2018. Yokorei could improve transparency and accountability for its environmental footprint by reporting on other key metrics, such as food loss and waste, freshwater use and plastics use.

Ecosystem impacts

Yokorei does not provide any evidence to suggest that it is actively working to avoid any adverse impacts on the ecosystem. The company could implement and disclose measures to mitigate bycatch and addresses illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing risks in its supply chains, for example.

Implementation of human and labour rights policies

Yokorei performs poorly in human rights and working conditions due to a lack of disclosure or evidence of activities to respect human and labour rights. The company could disclose its approach to identify, assess and mitigate any potential adverse human rights activities resulting from its operations.

Support for local communities

Yokorei performs capacity building activities by supporting the Yokohama City Board of Education as well as local sports, cultural and social welfare activities. However, the company could better demonstrate how it takes local communities into account and how its operations benefit the livelihoods of people living in surrounding areas.