Kaneka Group CSR Report 2011
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PDF Version Humankind is at a turning point. As people begin to focus more on the importance of life, people are un- covering the numerous relationships that underpin it. They are eschewing materials in favor of emotional sat- isfaction, and are now exploring the ways in which we should relate to the environment. This paradigm shift makes it vital to leverage new thinking to build the future. Kaneka seeks to create completely new things as part of its long-term vision to build a more impressive and productive future. We have accordingly been supplying diverse products and technologies that enhance daily living in keeping with our position as a Dreamology Company. Now is the time to put Dreamology to the test as Kane- ka harnesses the power of chemistry to open the door to the future. 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 challenging the environmental is- sues of our planet and contributing 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 2011 PDF Version The Kaneka Group has issued its Responsible Care Report from 1999, renaming it the Contents CSR Report from the 2010 edition onward to include more socially responsible con- tent. We are issuing digest and PDF editions from 2011. The digest is primarily for ● Top Commitment 4 those encountering Kaneka for the first time or readers seeking an overview of our Kaneka’s Global Strategies 6 CSR efforts. The PDF edition discloses all of our CSR information. ● Special Features 1. Kaneka and Its Customers 8 The Environment Dedicated to the Pursuit of Health and Happiness Kaneka Society 2. Kaneka and the Environment 12 Group Biodiversity—Safeguarding Diverse Species Customers 3. Kaneka and Society 15 Winning Community Trust by Ensuring Safety This edition explains how Kaneka’s business activities relate to CSR, and features Kaneka Group Profile 18 information of particular interest to stakeholders, most notably our customer, envi- ● CSR Approach of the Kaneka Group 19 ronmental, and social initiatives. ● CSR Tools In addition, there are sections specifically for stakeholders including the pro- Corporate Governance and Compliance 21 vision of Check & Act columns, an overview of activities for the year under review, and Responsible Care and Management 23 Report Coverage 26 our Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) goals for highlighted issues in the coming term. Responsible Care Activities 27 Organizations Covered in this Report ● Safeguarding the Environment This report covers Kaneka Corporation and its domestic and overseas consolidated Materials Balance in Production Activities 29 subsidiaries. The data on Responsible Care activities encompass the parent and all 35 Environmental Accounting 30 Group production subsidiaries. Measures to Prevent Global Warming and Conserve Energy 32 35 The following icons indicate the scope of activities. A section displaying all Environmental Management Systems and Environmental Efficiency Indices icons indicates that activities encompass the entire Group. Reducing Waste and Preventing Pollution 37 Cutting Chemical Emissions 39 Kaneka Domestic ● Benefiting Customers 41 Overseas Product Safety and Quality Assurance ● Working with Business Partners In this report, “the Company” or “Kaneka” refers specifically to Kaneka Cor- Ensuring that Suppliers Fulfill their Environmental and Social 44 poration. The “Group” or “Kaneka Group” encompasses Kaneka and its consolidated Responsibilities subsidiaries. References to “Group company/companies” do not include Kaneka Cor- ● Serving Shareholders and Investors poration. Dividend Policy and Disclosure 46 Language Versions ● Fulfilling Our Social Responsibilities This report is available in Japanese and English. Information is also available in both Kaneka's Community and Social Contribution Initiatives 47 languages. ● Caring for Our Employees Third-Party Verification and Opinions Cultivating Human Resources and Creating Comfortable Work 50 The Japan Responsible Care Council has verified the environmental data in this re- Environments Occupational Safety and Health and Disaster Prevention 54 port. Professor Toshihiro Kanai, Dean of the Graduate School of Administration of Kobe University, has provided a third-party opinion of the overall content. ● Kaneka Group Overseas Group Company Initiatives 57 Report Period Domestic Group Company Initiatives 58 This issue covers fiscal 2010 (April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011) with some additional Third-Party Verification 60 information outside this period. Third-Party Opinion 61 Date of Publication Stakeholder Feedback and Editorial Afterword 62 September 2011 About the Front Covers Publication of the Previous Report A childlike curiosity is fundamental to realizing Kaneka’s long-term vision of building a more impressive and productive future. The three colored balls August 2010 indicate that we are always there for the young, and graphically comple- Next Report ment the special features in this report. September 2012 Reference Guidelines The Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines 2006 and The Environmental Reporting Guidelines (2007 version) issued by the Ministry of the En- vironment of Japan. Inquiries CSR Committee Kaneka Corporation Asahi Shimbun Building 3-2-4, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-8288, Japan Tel: +81-6-6226-5091 Fax: +81-6-6226-5127 http://www.kaneka.co.jp/ Kaneka Group CSR Report 2011 3 Top Commitment A Time for Innovation and Growth Founded on CSR Activities Top Commitment A Time for Innovation and Growth Founded on CSR Activities Great East Japan Earthquake Establishing a Corporate Culture of Innovation and Challenge The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11 was a calamity of unprecedented scale for Japan, the larger society, and the Kaneka Two factors are key for Kaneka to be a highly evaluated company Group. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and our that wins the trust of people from diverse cultures and customs heartfelt sympathy to the people in the affected areas. around the world: the development of new businesses in our four important strategic domains—Environment and Energy, Health We set up an Earthquake Disaster Task Force early the following Care, Information and Communications, and Food Production week through which our employees worked in unity to collect in- Support—and the capacity to manufacture, at low costs, products formation on and restore safety to our customers, damaged produc- that by far exceed our customers’ expectations. To this end, it is tion facilities, its employees, and their families. The Kaneka Group important that all employees, not only in research divisions but also has also given our utmost cooperation and support by donating production and sales divisions, including corporate staff, innovate money and goods. themselves toward R&D-oriented work styles. We will implement as planned the new personnel system we introduced in April last As a result, our Kashima Plant, which had been forced to shut year, and establish a corporate culture in which each employee em- down, gradually resumed operations at the end of March and was braces self-innovation and meets new challenges. fully functioning by mid April. As a manufacturer, it is our duty to restore business to normal as quickly as possible and produce and To move forward with the Group’s business expansion, we must deliver the products needed by our customers. Although some anxi- also make innovations toward an efficient management system. We ety remains as to limits in power supply, the Group will combine have set up Business Process Innovation Department and started to our efforts and strive to fulfill our mission. implement concrete steps such as developing management processes that encourage forward-thinking organizational action, preparing a Medium-Term Management Plan “ACT2012” management administration infrastructure, and streamlining busi- —Execution and Realization ness operations. We will carry on with these initiatives as planned. Fiscal 2010 was the year that our 25th medium-term management Positioning “Safety” as a Top Priority plan “ACT2012” came into effect, based on the long-term man- agement vision we introduced in 2009,” Declaration of Kaneka Kaneka has implemented various safety measures under last year’s United” for the future. Top Commitment to management that is thoroughly focused on “Safety First.” We conducted plant safety inspections by top-lev- It was also the year that our CSR Committee and its four sub-com- el managers each month, promoted risk management and the 3S mittees, which we set up in 2009, launched “check & act” activities, safety fundamentals (seiri, seiton, and seiso, which can be loosely and full-fledged CSR initiatives started at the Kaneka Group. translated as tidying, organizing, and cleaning), and implemented compliance checks by the CSR Inspection Committee at our main During this time, the economies of developed countries have re- plants and Group companies. While we were able to prevent ac- covered somewhat from the Lehman shock, though its scars have cidents and disasters of a serious nature, we could not eliminate yet to be fully healed. As for the economies of emerging countries,