Automotive Manufacturing: Honda’s 2021 Sustainability Report

Outlining Honda’s approach to sustainability, Honda’s ‘Honda Sustainability Report 2021’ details the manufacturer's strategy vision through to 2030. 

Kickstarting the report, Toshihiro Mibe, Director, President and Representative Executive Officer, Chief Executive Officer - who assumed the position of Global CEO in April 2021 - reflects on the company’s commitment since its founding to provide value, help people and create a better society through its technologies, ideas and designs. 

“The starting point of such efforts is our desire to ‘help people and society’ and ‘expand the potential of people’s lives.’ The underlying basis of these efforts is the concept of ‘Respect for the Individual’, which constitutes Honda’s Fundamental Beliefs. Honda always puts people at the centre of its thinking and our belief in the potential of people,”  said Mibe.

In the wake of COVID-19’s impact on the world, Honda is conscious of making a contribution to society based on its own initiative. “In particular, this concerns global environmental issues, and I believe that a transition toward a society where people are more conscious about coexisting with the Earth will occur at an accelerated speed. How people behave, solving global environmental issues and a return to people-focused values are important and of interest,” added Mibe. 

Honda's Philosophy

Dating back to its founders Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa, Honda’s philosophy comprises of its Fundamental Beliefs (Respect for the Individual and The Three Joys), the Company Principle and Management Policies. 

Its philosophy is the foundation for the values shared across the Honda Group and is the basis for its efforts to achieve both the creation of growth opportunities and a sustainable society. 

Honda’s Strategy

Striving to be ‘a company that society wants to exist’, Honda aims to advance its three initiatives: creating the joys, expanding the joys, and ensuring the joys for the next generation.

Within the report, the company identifies that “for Honda to achieve sustainability, it is important to meet stakeholders’ expectations and needs by providing value through its products and services. Equally important is to fulfil its corporate social responsibility, for instance by considering its impact on the environment and society and to contribute to the resolution of social issues through its business activities.”

To achieve this, Honda has devised medium and long term strategies based on the perspectives of its stakeholders and Honda. 

Honda’s Roadmap for Sustainable Growth

With there being numerous social issues that need addressing - such as poverty and refugee problems, human rights issues, climate change, energy issues, improvement of occupational health and safety, and the ageing of society - Honda recognises the significance in understanding the opportunities and its responsibilities in the value chain. 

To respond and adapt to rapid changes, Honda’s has established its ‘2030 Vision’ which embodies how the manufacturer wants to be in the year 2030 in order to continue to be ‘a company that society wants to exist’. “Honda has examined the direction of the transformation of its businesses toward 2030 from the three perspectives of ‘Current, Transformation and New’.”

2030 Vision: The Three Perspectives 

Perspective One: Honda will work to create value for mobility and daily lives, focusing on mobility, robotics and energy.

Perspective Two: Honda will strive to accommodate the different characteristics of people and society. The manufacturer will seek to further expand joy by offering products and services that are optimised for all cultures, values, and diverse societies.

Perspective Three: Honda will progress towards a clean, safe and secure society, by striving to become a leader in this area. 

Honda is committed to investing more resources into these threes areas, to become a company that leads the efforts to become a carbon-free and collision-free mobility society. 

To read Honda’s Full ‘Honda Sustainability Report 2021’, click here.