Kaneka Group CSR Report 2012

PDF Version Paradigms shift. This happens because resolving social issues has become impossible under today’s norms. Thus, we can surely hope to change society for the better. Changing to a sustainable lifestyle where people take better care of themselves, show consideration to others, and share amongst themselves is pivotal to resolving social issues. People who adopt such lifestyles also want companies to practice sustainability. Kaneka, Our science makes wishes come true. Kaneka has long utilized science to deliver products and technologies that make life more comfortable, and many of our pioneering efforts have offered new lifestyle choices to society. Kaneka will continue to contribute to new lifestyles through its products and technologies in its quest to engender hope for humankind—today and for many tomorrows to come. Corporate Philosophy With people and technology growing together into creative fusion, we will break fresh ground for the future and tie in to explore New Values. We are also committed to challenge the environmental issues of our planet and contribute to upgrading the quality of life. Kaneka’s Corporate Ideals Toward an Even More Impressive and Productive Future Hold in your hands the future you have always dreamed of. We are a highly perceptive and collaborative value-creating group or, as we like to say, a “Dreamology Company.” Editorial Policy Kaneka Group CSR Report 2012 PDF Version The Kaneka Group issued its Responsible Care Report from 1999, renaming it the CSR Report from Contents the 2010 edition to include more socially responsible content. We have issued PDF and digest versions since 2011. The digest is primarily for those encountering Kaneka for the first time or readers seeking an ● Commitment of Top Management 4 overview of our CSR efforts. Responding to the Great East Japan Earthquake 6 The Environment Kaneka Business Operations 7 Kaneka Society Group ● Special Features Kaneka and Society The Employees Our Mission in Health Care 9 Kaneka and the Environment This edition explains how Kaneka’s business activities relate to CSR, and features information of Our Recommendations for Social Sustainability 13 particular interest to stakeholders, most notably the Kaneka Group’s relationships with society, Kaneka and its Employees the environment, and employees. Globalizing Our Operations 16 The PDF edition discloses all of our CSR information. There are sections specifically for stakeholders including the provision of Check & Act columns, an overview of activities for the year under The Kaneka Group’s Approach to CSR 20 review, and our Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) goals for highlighted issues in the coming term. ● CSR Promotion Corporate Governance and Compliance 21 Organizations Covered in This Report CSR Implementation 23 This report covers Kaneka Corporation and its domestic and overseas consolidated subsidiaries. Responsible Care and Management 24 The data on Responsible Care activities encompass the parent and all 38 Group production sub- Report Coverage 26 sidiaries. Responsible Care Activities 27 The following icons indicate the scope of activities. A section displaying all icons indicates that ● Safeguarding the Environment activities encompass the entire Group. Highlight—Helping Cut Carbon Dioxide Emissions throughout Product Lifecycles 29 30 Kaneka Materials Balance in Production Activities Environmental Accounting 31 Domestic Initiatives to Prevent Global Warming 33 Overseas Environmental Management Systems and Environmental Efficiency 35 Reducing Waste and Preventing Pollution 37 In this report, “the Company” or “Kaneka” refers specifically to Kaneka Corporation. The “Group” Cutting Chemical Emissions 39 or “Kaneka Group” encompasses Kaneka and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to “Group ● Benefiting Customers company/companies” do not include Kaneka Corporation. Highlight—Winning Green Purchasing Award 41 Product Safety and Quality Assurance 42 Language Versions This report is available in Japanese and English. Information is also available in both languages. ● Working with Business Partners Highlight—Africa’s Market for Hair Extension Products 44 Ensuring that Suppliers Fulfill Their Environmental and Social Third-Party Verification and Opinions Responsibilities 45 The Japan Chemical Industry Association verified the environmental data in this report. Professor Toshihiro Kanai, Dean of the Graduate School of Administration of Kobe University, provided a ● Serving Shareholders and Investors third-party opinion of the overall content. Dividend Policy and Disclosure 46 ● Fulfilling Our Social Responsibilities Report Period Highlight—Stakeholder Dialogues 47 This issue covers fiscal 2011 (April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012) with some additional information Community Contributions of Domestic and Overseas Group outside this period. Companies 50 ● Caring for Our Employees Date of Publication Highlight—Appointing Safety Engineers 53 September 2012 Cultivating Human Resources and Creating Comfortable Work 54 Environments Publication of the Previous Report Occupational Safety and Health and Disaster Prevention 57 September 2011 Personnel and Occupational Safety Data 59 ● Kaneka Group Next Report Overseas Group Company Initiatives 60 September 2013 Domestic Group Company Initiatives 61 Third-Party Verification 63 Reference Guidelines Third-Party Opinion 64 The Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines 2006 and The Environmental Stakeholder Feedback 65 Reporting Guidelines (2007 version) issued by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan. Editorial Afterword (Response to Third-Party Opinion) 66 Group Product Registered Trademarks 67 Inquiries Kaneka Corporation About the Front Covers A childlike curiosity is fundamental to realizing Kaneka’s long-term Administration Office CSR Committee vision of building a more impressive and productive future. The three Nakanoshima Festival Tower 2-3-18, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8288, Japan colored balls indicate that we are always there for the young, and Tel: +81-6-6226-5091 graphically complement the special features in this report. Fax: +81-6-6226-5127 http://www.kaneka.co.jp/kaneka-e/ Commitment of Top Management page 4 We will Turn Our Ears towards Our Stakeholders and Promote Productive CSR Activities Commitment of Top Management 01-1 Commitment of Top Management page 5 We will Turn Our Ears towards Our Stakeholders and Promote Productive CSR Activities Facing an Increasingly Chaotic the light weight and heat insulation features. safety of our plant operations is paramount Economic Environment In this way, the business structure to which for earning the trust of not only our custom- we aspire will truly contribute to the needs ers but also the members of the surrounding In fiscal 2011, businesses were faced with and development of society, and we will con- communities. All employees understand this the tasks of coping with power shortages and tinue to stick with these important strategic and will step up safety efforts. reviewing BCPs (business continuity plans) domains in the New ACT2014 medium-term CSR Report 2011 was published last due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and plan. year, and we launched efforts to listen to accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear At the same time, new and old industry evaluations of and opinions about our CSR Power Station. As if to add insult to injury, maps are being switched out on a global scale, activities from our stakeholders based on that the yen appreciated sharply, and the cost and it is no exaggeration to say that industrial report. The first of these efforts was a ques- of raw materials stayed high. Additionally, reform is underway. We will re-examine the tionnaire survey conducted by a survey com- there were natural disasters in various other characteristics of the business and engage in pany. There were 462 respondents, and they countries and regions like the flooding in various innovations, while being prepared answered that the most interesting articles in Thailand, and with the American economy to change the corporate culture. R&D divi- the report were, in descending order, “Mea- stagnating, the fiscal crisis in Europe was re- sions will emphasize speedy results and carry sures to Prevent Global Warming and Con- kindled. It was truly a tumultuous year. through with focused project themes. On the serve Energy,” “Reducing Waste and Pre- In the midst of these changes in the envi- production side, we will improve the cost venting Pollution,” “Biodiversity Initiatives,” ronment, revenue in the manufacturing busi- competitiveness of our products and raise the “Cutting Chemical Emissions” and “Safety ness, which had been the engine for economic cost performance of the entire value chain to Initiatives.” This was congruent with the pri- growth up to this point, has been coming un- achieve greater customer satisfaction. More- ority items of the medium-term plan, namely der pressure. Many Japanese businesses have over, we will further strengthen our global ensuring of safety and implementation of en- been accelerating their global expansion, and expansion efforts under the direction of the vironmental management measures. the hollowing out of industry has resulted in regional headquarters established in April The second of these efforts was the new a vicious cycle of reduced domestic demand this year. We will also nurture our global “Stakeholder Dialogue” held jointly with the and accelerated deflation. At the same time, human resources and promote true global- local authorities

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