Environmental Management System
GRI 3-3
Based on our Group’s progress toward environment-related material issues and our Vision for 2030, the Safety & Environment Control Department formulates a proposal for the Group’s environmental targets (policies, objectives, strategies), which are reviewed and approved by the president. At each business site, annual targets and plans are developed based on the Group’s environmental targets, considering the unique risks of each site, and are carried out through the environmental management system (EMS) based on ISO 14001 (JIS Q 14001). As of April 1, 2025, all our production sites have obtained third-party ISO 14001 certification.
Through the EMS, each business site conducts activities on a regular basis to improve the level of environmental management through the PDCA cycle. Such activities include evaluations of the effect on the environment of the business’ activities (environmental risk assessment), formulation of action plans for achieving environmental targets, preventive environmental preservation activities, tracking through internal and third-party audits, management reviews, and emergency response training in case of accidents.
Environmental Targets for FY2024
GRI 3-3
Policy
Use an environmental management system (EMS) to strengthen environmental management, prevent environmental problems, and address global environmental issues.
Environmental Targets for FY2024
- Eliminate environmental accidents and compliance breaches
- Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Promote preservation of nature that creates biodiversity
FY2024 Initiatives
In FY2024, we implemented management improvements using a risk management system (RMS) and an environmental management system (EMS) including inspections by the General Manager of Safety & Environmental Control Department, training for newly appointed business site general managers, environmental communication, and dissemination of information through the REC (Risk Environment Compliance) e-newsletter used to periodically distribute information within the Company concerning the environment, quality, and compliance. Each site set a target of enhancing their ability to respond to environmental problems and took measures in accordance with their individual business site plans using management systems. As a result, in FY2024 there were no significant environmental accidents or legal violations that had a substantial impact on the environment or society.
Environmental Education for Employees
We conduct training including education on laws and regulations and environmental management using e-learning and other means, education to develop EMS internal auditors, and rank-specific environmental management education (for newly appointed business site general managers, environmental personnel, new employees, mid-career hires, etc.) to enhance environmental management levels.
■Environmental Education
| Targeted employees | Environmental education activities | Purpose, content |
|---|---|---|
| Business site general managers | Education of newly appointed business site general managers Periodically send out information |
Promote understanding of the importance of the relationship between corporations and the environment and raise self-awareness and environmental awareness as the business site general manager Provide information about revisions of laws and important precedents by a periodical e-mail magazine |
| Managers and supervisors | Environmental e-learning (Environmental Laws, Basic) |
Understand the spirit and idea of Japan’s laws, and understand Japan’s statutory standards and mandatory notification procedures |
| Internal auditors | EMS Internal Auditor Training Course | Training of internal auditors for EMS with qualifications conforming to ISO 14001 (2015) |
| Managers | Education about environmental preservation | Provide information about the SMM Group’s environmental preservation initiatives and raise self-awareness |
| Environment managers | Conference for environment managers Periodic education about the Chemical Substances Control Law1 |
Improve knowledge of Japan’s environmental laws and regulations, enhance environmental management capabilities, raise self-awareness; check the outline of Act on the Regulation of Manufacture and Evaluation of Chemical Substances and information on revisions, impart knowledge about preventing omissions of notification, and raise self-awareness |
| Sales representatives | Explanatory meeting: overseas chemical substance regulations | Impart knowledge to sales representatives about overseas chemical substance regulations and raise their self-awareness |
| New and midcareer hires | Education about environmental preservation for mid-career hires Education about environmental preservation for new employees |
Impart knowledge about the SMM Group’s environmental preservation initiatives and raise self-awareness |
- 1Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc.
