Blue Value™ ・ Rose Value™

The Mitsui Chemicals Group, whose Corporate Mission is “harmony with the global environment,” lists “a circular society in harmony with the environment” as one of its ideal future society and aims to realize this through its business activities. In our VISION 2030, we have established a basic strategy to bolster circular economy initiatives to transform our business structure through efforts such as building circular economy-based business models and rolling out circular economy-compatible products by transitioning to alternative raw materials and fuels. We seek to contribute to the realization of a low-carbon, circular society that coexists with nature by addressing challenges like climate change and the circular economy, alongside business growth.

As a tool to track progress, we have established Blue Value™ as an internal assessment framework used to evaluate the environmental contributions of our products and services against defined criteria. By maximizing our contributions throughout the entire product life cycle through expanding and providing Blue Value™ products and services, we hope to achieve corporate growth for the Group and realize our ideal future society.

In some cases, it can be challenging to gather all the necessary information to assess the environmental impact of downstream industries that use our products and services. In the Blue Value™ assessment process, we allow for the assessment based on certain approximations and assumptions to simplify calculations. The review board ensures that these approximations and assumptions are applied appropriately.

We evaluate the extent to which the Group’s products and services contribute to our approach to social challenges identified in the first stage of assessment. This evaluation considers not only the Company’s direct contributions, but also aims to visualize the broader impact across the supply chain, including processing by customers and the use of the final products.

At the FY2025 review board, 25 products and services were recognized as Blue Value™. In the FY2025 review, chemicals made using bio-based hydrocarbon derivatives and slow-release fertilizers that do not generate microplastics were newly recognized. In addition, the periodic review, conducted every five years to reflect evolving social demands and market environment, resulted in the re-certification of resin raw materials produced through improvements in our manufacturing energy efficiency, as well as disposable diaper materials that contribute to resource conservation through product lightweighting, continuing to be recognized as Blue Value™ products following reassessment.

On the other hand, applications involving a switch to alternative raw materials aimed at reducing the use of fossil resources were deemed unsuitable for recognition under the Blue Value™ framework  when they failed to adequately consider trade-offs across the entire supply chain, such as cases where a supply chain-wide assessment indicated increased GHG emissions. Applications that lacked sufficient quantitative data to substantiate their environmental contribution  were also deemed unsuitable for recognition under the Blue Value™ framework.

In addition, during the five-year renewal process, applicants are required to review and update their application details when the original application no longer adequately reflect changes in the market environment. This includes cases where environmental performance that was considered advanced five years ago has since become the market standard, or where the products used as benchmarks are no longer the primary competitors in the market. Based on the revised application, the review board determines whether the product or service should continue to be recognized as Blue Value™.

By applying this two-step assessment—considering both the approach to social challenges and our reasonable involvement, while also taking into account prerequisites and trade-offs—we strive to evaluate as objectively as possible whether a product or service truly contributes to addressing social challenges. Additionally, we base our reviews on the advice and views from external advisors regarding the appropriateness of the assessment and the significance of social contribution throughout the entire supply chain.

When determining the assessment methods and review criteria for Blue Value™ products, we receive advice from Professor Norihiro Itsubo of the School of Creative Science and Engineering at Waseda University, who serves as an external advisor and provides insights from a specialist perspective. In addition, prior to the review board meeting, we also take into account his expert opinions on the level of contribution made by the applicant products, and the review board determines whether they meet the criteria.