Promoting compliance

The department responsible for matters of accounting and the closing of accounts undergoes regular audits by corporate auditors and the Internal Audit Department. Improvements are implemented promptly in response to any identified issues. We also work hard to ensure that there is no non-compliance with regulatory requirements and no unintentional errors or omissions in the manner in which we do business. Furthermore, by conducting employee compliance training on a monthly basis, we are aiming to strengthen employees’ compliance awareness, while also starting work on improvements to operational systems; the improved systems are scheduled to begin operation in fiscal 2019, and we will be taking steps to realize a further heightening of operational transparency.

Child labor or forced labor

There have been no cases of our company employing children or forced labor.

Promotion of gender equality

Wages, promotion etc. are handled in accordance with a unified company policy, and there is no discrimination between male and female employees with regard to assignments, etc.

Creating safe and healthy workplaces

On the safety and health front, in addition to all employees participating in radio calisthenics at the beginning of the working day, starting from this year we have been working to strengthen our safety and health awareness-raising activities, for example by having employees recite the “Safety Chant.” Besides striving to maintain and enhance a working environment that ensures safety and peace of mind through the implementation of regular safety patrols and the use of work environment measurement to realize quantitative monitoring of the working environment, we also work to create a safe, healthy workplace by using periodic health checkups to monitor individual employees’ health status, etc. We realize effective follow-up in relation to these activities through the operations of each facility’s Safety and Health Committee, etc.

Education and training for employees

New employees are educated using a scheduled program that is fully implemented in line with the company’s education and training plan. Also, all employees receive education regarding fundamental content such as safety, the environment and quality management, as well as compliance-related awareness-raising activities, either at the regular early morning workplace gatherings or through instruction at monthly morning meetings. In addition, at manufacturing sites, periodic education and operational training are conducted using the operational guidelines and one-point lessons.

Responding in case of disaster

Our fire-fighting equipment is inspected periodically by a specialist company. In addition to regularly reporting the results of these inspections to the local supervisory authorities (i.e. the fire prevention authorities), we strive to prevent emergencies from occurring by taking prompt remedial action whenever any deficiencies are discovered.
Also, by implementing regular evacuation drills and fire-fighting training at each plant, we ensure first-response preparedness in the event of an emergency occurring.

Employment of people with disabilities

We hire according to the law.

Strengthening environmental management

We are working to strengthen our environmental management through the effective utilization of an environmental management system based on ISO 14001, which was established in April 2006. In addition to raising employees’ environmental awareness by increasing the number of internal auditors, and by making efforts to both reduce waste and enhance energy efficiency through improvements to our equipment, we are also working to improve our environmental indicators through various improvement activities.
As part of our efforts, we are actively disposing of equipment containing PCBs and replacing equipment that used Freon gas.
We hope to contribute to the further development of a recycling society by promoting increased reuse of tires, through the growth and expansion of our business activities.

Management of chemical substances (responding to the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register Law)

In cooperation with Yokohama Rubber, by aiming to have our different sites list their chemical substances, we employ the Substances of Concern (SOC) principle when handling such products. Regarding the PRTR requirements, by filing the required documentation with both the national government and the relevant prefectures, we engage in secure management of those materials subject to the law.

Environmental data

• FY: January to December
• The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions has been based on the methods specified in the GHG Emissions Accounting and Reporting Manual published by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

We are working to reduce the environmental burden associated with our activities by reducing our energy consumption per unit of production output and the amount of industrial waste that we generated, through measures such as switching to LED factory lighting, adopting new inverter technology in our production equipment and compressors, and actively implementing measures such as switching boilers to improve production efficiency to reduce power consumption and ensure efficient power consumption management, as well as reducing water consumption.

Noise, vibration and odor

By implementing regular measurement of noise and holding meetings with voluntary monitors, we make efforts to prevent noise, vibration, and odors.
We also place importance on communication with neighboring residents (coexistence with the community), and have not received any complaints from them.

Building trusting relationships with business partners

We enjoy business relationships with numerous partner companies in regard to the sale of retread tires, the purchase of used tires and the disposal of industrial waste, etc.; We enter into transactions with potential partner companies only after confirming that meet regulatory requirements for the business activities in question. We work to verify compliance with the law by conducting our own audits of the companies who dispose of our industrial waste.

Building trusting relationships with customers

As regards inquiries from customers about product quality, we provide an appropriate response in collaboration with individual Yokohama Tire Japan Co., Ltd. dealers, as well as Yokohama Rubber’s Tire Technical Service Department and Tire Quality Assurance Department. In the event that an incident involving non-conforming product does occur, the reasons for the issue are investigated and measures to prevent reoccurrence are decided on at the periodic meetings of the quality management committee that are held at each of our production facilities.
Relevant information is managed within the Yokohama Rubber network systems with a strong emphasis on information security management, aiming to ensure a level of security equivalent to that applying in Yokohama Rubber as a whole.

Credibility with stakeholders

We participate on a regular basis in meetings organized by relevant administrative authorities in each of the regions in which we operate, and we endeavor to strengthen communication with local communities. The Hokkaido branch is located adjacent to Lake Utonai, designated as a Special Environmental Protection Area, and continuously participates in activities such as biodiversity conservation at the nature reserve (sanctuary). In addition, on "Zero Waste Day" in Tomakomai City, we conduct a large-scale cleanup around Lake Utonai. We also participate in the "Hokkaido Frontier Kids Development Project" and act as an environmental learning support team.
Our Saitama Plant participates in the Green Support Team” activity organized by the local government authorities, contributing to environmental protection activities aimed at conserving local areas of mixed woodland.
The Nagoya branch has been continuously carrying out activities such as providing a nature experience area for local elementary school students, a natural hiking trail for the community, and biotope and wetland conservation activities, by borrowing the "Mioshi City Property" which is the headwaters of the Sakai River flowing in front of the branch. Through this site, we conduct valuable environmental education programs in collaboration with NPOs, such as rice planting, nature observation, rice harvesting, and a harvest festival. We also collaborated with a nearby kindergarten to create "Cap Art." This cap art is displayed at the branch and also serves as a sound barrier.
The Nagoya branch is certified as an "SDGs Promotion Partner" by Mioshi City.
The Onomichi branch participates in biodiversity activities, such as protecting local rivers, in collaboration with the Yokohama Rubber Onomichi Factory.