Compliance education

We conduct compliance education for new employees and regular employees who join the company mid-term to raise their awareness of legal compliance, and for managers and supervisors, we educate them on how to treat their subordinates and how to lead them to comply with laws and regulations.
We also hold CSR study meetings with our business partners to reaffirm our social contribution activities and compliance with laws and regulations, thereby strengthening relationships of trust.

Promotion of employment of people with disabilities

As of the end of December 2021, 27 people (2.82% of the workforce) were employed. We will continue to expand employment of people with disabilities and enhance the workplace environment.

Safety and health measures

Based on the recognition that ensuring the safety and health of employees and subcontractors is the foundation of our corporate activities, we obtained certification for OSHMS (Occupational Safety and Health Management System) conforming to the JISHA (Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association) method in December 2011 as a means of achieving a safe, healthy, and comfortable workplace. Since then, we have continued the certification.
We have been developing the following activities based on the four pillars (one-to-one dialogue, near-misses, hazard prediction, and risk assessment), which are centered on interactive communication between the work system and workers.

• Sharing of issues through the Health and Safety Committee (once a month)
• Environmental and safety subcommittee meetings for subcontractors, safety patrols by subcontractors and the facilities section, labor-management council meetings, and meetings of safety managers (once a month for each).
• Regular safety follow-up by factory top management
• Strengthen management of overwork
• Preventing accidents that have occurred in the past from fading out

Education and training for employees

Safety education for employees begins with safety and health education at the time of employment, followed by one-on-one dialogues with employees by role holders, sensory training, risk assessment practical training sessions, and safety person certification and development training.

Responses in case of disaster

In response to disasters, regular disaster drills are conducted in accordance with the annual activity plan for fire and disaster prevention. During drills, a self-defense firefighting organization headquarters is set up and firefighting and rescue drills are conducted to ensure a comprehensive response. We also engage in earthquake disaster drills, BCP drills, and nighttime evacuation drills, assuming various patterns.

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

1. Active introduction of environmentally friendly high-efficiency products

In accordance with our mid- to long-term energy conservation plan, we are replacing transformers, fans, pumps, lighting fixtures, air conditioning equipment, and other equipment with high-efficiency equipment.In FY2021, we replaced one 750kVA high-voltage transformer with a top-runner transformer. In addition, approximately 130 Hf fluorescent lamps were replaced with LED base lights, and 23 floodlight-type incandescent lamps were replaced with LED floodlights. In addition, we are continuing to study fuel conversion and the introduction of power generators at the South Plant in order to drastically reduce GHG emissions. In particular, in FY2022, we will begin to consider the installation of solar power generators.

2. Advancement of energy-saving activities

In addition to improving efficiency on the supply side, we are repairing leaks of steam, industrial water, and plant air on the consumption side, augmenting heat insulation, and converting fans, pumps, and other equipment in production facilities to inverters. In FY2021, we converted three fan motors for cooling large electric motors (1500kW class) to inverters. In monthly meetings of energy conservation subcommittees where all process managers gather, we strive to share problems and introduce individual initiatives in an effort to educate the public.

Environmental data and explanations

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

• The base year: In principal it is 1990. For HFC, PFC and SF₆, the base year is 1995 according to the Kyoto Protocol.
• Method of calculation of greenhouse gases (GHG): this is in compliance with the “Calculation and Reporting Manual for Greenhouse Gas Emissions” issued by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
  Note that GHG emissions associated with purchased power were calculated using the Table of Emission Coefficients by Power Company (Ministry of the Environment)

Effective use of resources / Waste reductions

Waste output

Water usage

Measures for discharge into water, air and soil

Data related to water contamination

Shinshiro Plant: twice a month, monitors twenty items of water contamination within self-regulated targets set under the ordinances of and agreements with Aichi Prefecture and Shinshiro City.

• In compliance with the Pollution Control Agreement, and Aichi Prefecture Ordinances.
• Shinshiro Plant Discharge point (Name of rivers) Noda River

Shinshiro-Minami Plant: once a month, monitors twenty items of water contamination within self-regulated targets set under the ordinances and agreements with Aichi Prefecture and Shinshiro City.

• In accordance with the Pollution Control Agreement, and Aichi Prefecture Ordinances.
• Shinshiro-Minami Plant Discharge point (Name of rivers) Kuroda River

Air pollutants (NOx, Sox)

Reporting on chemical substance management status (Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) Law compliance)

The Shinshiro Plant verifies whether secondary materials and auxiliary materials contain chemical substances subject to Safety Data Sheet (SDS) requirements, and in the case of substances where the amounts handled exceed the thresholds specified by the PRTR Law, annual reports are submitted to the national (or prefectural) authorities and safety impact assessment is performed.
Regarding the handling of substances pursuant to the PRTR Law, please refer to the Safety Evaluation Table of Domestic Production Bases.

In addition, as part of efforts to improve the level of chemical substance management, we conduct chemical substance risk assessments to identify risks of adverse effects on workers' health, explosions and ignition of facilities and equipment, and environmental risks, and confirm compliance with laws and regulations.

Shinshiro Plant

• In compliance with the Air Pollution Control Law, Aichi Prefecture Ordinances and the Shinshiro City Pollution Control Agreement.

Shinshiro-Minami Plant

• In compliance with the Air Pollution Control Law, the Shinshiro City Pollution Control Agreement and the Environmental Preservation Agreement with Shinshiro City.

CSR activities with business partners

As part of our activities, we hold a CSR study meeting every year, but this year we decided to cancel the group briefing due to the COVID-19 infection situation. Instead, we distributed the CSR Self-Check Sheet to suppliers and asked them to conduct a self-assessment of their initiatives. The information was sent to 126 companies.

• ＞Self-Audit Response Request
  • Respect for human rights and prohibition of discrimination
  • Environmental protection and maintenance of biodiversity
  • Safe and high quality products and services
  • Transparent corporate activities and appropriate information disclosure
  • Compliance with laws, regulations and social norms
  • Contribution to local communities
  • CSR in the supply chain
  • Based on the results of the self-diagnosis, we asked each company to make the best use of the results in their future activities
• We asked each company to apply the results of their self-diagnosis to their future activities.

Communication with customers

We provide products of reliable quality to our customers through quality management based on ISO/IATF16949 certification, which is the automotive industry quality management system standard (QMS). We also introduce our quality initiatives through plant tours for Japanese and overseas automakers, dealers, and general customers. This year's event has been cancelled due to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 infection.

Responses to complaints

In response to inquiries received from customers with respect to products, we quickly investigate matters and issue reports. In the event that it is determined that issues have occurred during manufacturing, we initiate quick responses and work hard to prevent any reoccurrences.

Yokohama Forever Forest Project

A total of 23 people participated in tree planting in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectural parks, Shinshiro Shitara Ecosystem NW tree planting by the Aichi Prefectural Natural Environment Division, and local tree planting by providing tree seedlings and guidance on 11 occasions, working with local residents to create forests. In 2021, we provided 12,549 seedlings grown by ourselves for tree planting, etc. in each region.

Yokohama Forever Forest Project (FY2021)

Collaboration with another company, Autobacs

In cooperation with Autobacs, we provide seedlings free of charge to local residents to familiarize them with trees.

In FY2021, we provided 12,549 seedlings and participated in tree-planting volunteer activities 11 times with 23 volunteers in consideration of social distance due to the effect of the COVID-19 voluntary restraint.

Biodiversity protection activities

Our plants use a lot of river water to produce tires. We have been asking ourselves, "Is it enough for us to just receive water resources from nature? What can we do about it? With this in mind, we started biodiversity conservation activities focusing on water in 2012, and next year will mark the 10th year since then.
As for activities in FY2021, as in FY2020, activities were restricted due to the impact of COVID-19.
We will continue to collaborate with the government, universities, NPOs, and other companies by interacting with the Yotsuya Senmaida Preservation Society, one of our activity sites, and participating in the Shinshiro Shitara Ecosystem Network Council promoted by Aichi Prefecture. Yokohama Rubber's Shinshiro Plant will continue to contribute to biodiversity in the Shinshiro Shitara area by providing and planting broadleaf trees and seedlings grown from local seeds through the Forever Forest activities.

Relationship with local societies

The Shinshiro Clean Festa hosted by Shinshiro City and various other events, including a round-table meeting for wardens and environmental monitors in the area surrounding the plant, have been cancelled for FY2021 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. In addition, the All Japan Rally Championships: Shinshiro Rally will be held without spectators, as it was last year.