YKK Corporation Releases “This is YKK 2025” Integrated Report　—Launching a New Medium-Term Business Plan Under a Unified “ONE YKK” Vision and the Philosophy of the CYCLE OF GOODNESS® —

October 27, 2025

YKK Corporation (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) announces the publication of its Integrated Report “This is YKK 2025.” The report integrates both financial and non-financial information, including management and business activities based on the CYCLE OF GOODNESS® philosophy, as well as the company’s sustainability initiatives.

The integrated report “This is YKK” presents a comprehensive story of long-term, sustainable value creation in the Fastening Business, along with the medium-term business strategy and progress on sustainability initiatives. This narrative is grounded in the YKK philosophy and founding spirit of Tadashi Yoshida, which has been continuously passed down from the company's inception to the present day.
In April 2025, Koichi Matsushima assumed the role of President and Representative Director, marking the beginning of a new management structure. Under this leadership, YKK launched its 7th Medium-Term Management Plan.

YKK places sustainability at the core of its management. In this report, the company outlines its FY2024 achievements and plans for FY2025 and beyond toward realizing the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, which aims to achieve climate neutrality and harmony with nature by 2050. The report also details concrete initiatives to support the transition to a decarbonized and circular society.

The report further explores YKK’s approach to human capital development, which is seen as the driving force behind its business activities and future growth. Through a special roundtable discussion with the Chairman, the concept of “Forest Management” is introduced, highlighting global efforts to strengthen human capital. Additionally, the report also outlines YKK’s approach and framework for strengthening corporate governance with the aim of further enhancing corporate value. It features insights into YKK’s principle-driven management and governance approach from the perspective of an outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member. 　

■ Main Topics in “This is YKK 2025”

YKK Philosophy & Sustainability / History of Value Creation and Growth / Aiming to Put the Management Principles into Practice / Message from the President / 7th Mid-term Business Policy and Strategy / Activities Toward Realizing the Goals of YKK Sustainability Vision 2050 / Corporate Governance / Financial and Non-Financial Highlights / ESG data

■ Publication Format

  • Published in Japanese, English, and Chinese1
  • Print Version: A4 size, 60 pages
  • PDF Data: A4 size, 104 pages

Visit the YKK website to view the Integrated Report “This is YKK 2025”

■ Initiatives Toward Achievement of the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050

As part of its global business operations, YKK formulated the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050 in October 2020, aspiring to accomplish five themes – climate change, material resources, water resources, chemical management, and respect people – as well as associated SDGs. The progress of these initiatives is disclosed in this report.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated that YKK’s long-term goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by FY2050 conforms with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard. In addition to its short-term targets for 2030, YKK is promoting efforts under its net-zero commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 90% in Scope 1 and 2, and 90% in Scope 3 by 2050, compared to FY2018 levels, across both its own operations and its supply chain.2
From the perspective of climate change response and transparent information disclosure, YKK achieved the highest “A List” rating in the 2024 Climate Change survey conducted by the global environmental disclosure nonprofit, CDP,3 for the second consecutive year. YKK was also selected for top honors by CDP as a Supplier Engagement Leader in their FY2024 Supplier Engagement Assessment for the third consecutive year.
YKK is focusing on the development of products and technologies that contribute to a circular economy, where materials and products are utilized for as long as possible and continuously circulated. Examples include the transition to the NATULON® series, which uses recycled materials in the tape portion of zippers; the Revived Renewal Components, which allows damaged elements to be repaired; and zippers designed for PET garment recycling, made with as much PET material as possible to facilitate post-use recycling. YKK also launched zip TO zip™, an initiative to reuse discarded fastening products and transform them into new fastening ones.

NATULON® Fiber Sourced®
Revived Renewal Components

YKK will continue to emphasize mutual communication on an active basis with all stakeholders as it strives to contribute to a sustainable society through business activities.　

■ Results of FY2024 Activities Toward Realizing the Goals of YKK Sustainability Vision 2050

Climate change

  • Scope 1+2 GHG emissions: 234,679t (57.0% reduction from FY2018 baseline)
  • Scope 3 GHG emissions: 747,276t (14.4% reduction from FY2018 baseline)
  • Renewable energy ratio of all power consumption: 61.2%
  • Locations running on 100% renewable energy: 45 (In the China region, all sites have achieved 100% renewable energy.)
  • Solar power generation facilities in operation: 7 (34 sites in total)
  • Arranged for replacement equipment to phase out coal-fired boilers

Material resources

  • Proportion of sustainable materials: 48% (up 10 points year-on-year)
  • Switched to sustainable packaging materials: 20%4
  • Waste recycling rate: 93.9% (up 2 points year-on-year)
  • Targeted suppliers with “The Copper Mark” certification5, and encouraged non-certified suppliers to obtain certification
  • Announced “NATULON Plus® with Recycled PET Open Parts” zippers, made with PET to enable garment recycling for a circular society
  • Launched the Revived Renewal Series of products that contributes to the longevity of garments life cycle
  • Conducted trials at the Kurobe Plant towards practical application of an in-house recycling system for the copper alloys and zinc alloys used in zippers
  • Conducted tree-planting activities and clean-up activities

Water resources

  • Water intake: 10.638 million t (7.5% reduction compared to FY2018)
  • Water intensity: 3.2% increase6 (compared to FY2023)
  • Introduced production facilities that will lead to reduced water consumption, as well as two new water recycling facilities (15 sites in total)
  • Wastewater quality management based on ZDHC Wastewater standards
  • Conducted activities to reduce water risks

Chemical management

  • Informed suppliers about the YKK RSL (2024 version) and conducted compliance surveys (1,793 companies)
  • Conducted annual revisions of the YKK RSL7 (2025 version) based on social and customer needs
  • Conducted tests to monitor status of compliance with the OEKOTEX® STANDARD 100 certification (44 companies) and the AFIRM8 RSL (39 companies)
  • Introduced and deployed InCheck reports for ZDHC MRSL9 compliance assessments (17 companies)
  • Selected alternative materials for non-compliant materials in the YKK RSL (2024 version) and promoted the development of materials, manufacturing processes, etc.
  • Formed a company-wide, cross-departmental organization for noncompliance with the YKK RSL
  • Started establishing rules for regular inspections and conducting them at chemical management sites to prevent soil pollution

Respect people

  • Established a weekly management system for working hours at each manufacturing location
  • With regard to identifying and assessing the risk of human rights violations according to the YKK Global Criteria of Compliance (YGCC), implemented self-checks at all applicable locations (51 locations) and on-site audits conducted by a third-party organization (24 locations)
  1. *1The Chinese version is scheduled to be published in mid-November 2025.
  2. *2Emissions within the remaining 10% of the net-zero target must be reduced to zero through carbon sequestration and removal.
  3. *3An international non-profit organization with a worldwide system to enable corporate and public environmental disclosure. It is leading the disclosure of corporate environmental information and environmental protection initiatives.
  4. *4Numerical corrections were made due to revision of the calculation method Not expected to be used in FY2025
  5. *5The Copper Mark certification is an international framework for responsible production and contributing to the UN SDGs in the copper industry
  6. *6Due to the use of water resources for environmental measures at the Kurobe Makino Plant in FY2024
  7. *7Restricted Substances List
  8. *8Apparel and Footwear International RSL Management Group
  9. *9Manufacturing Restricted Substances List
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