Environmental management system

Environmental management system

ISO 14001 Certification Status

The KITZ Group set environmental targets at each business site based on ISO 14001 and established a management system to promote its activities. Ten sites in Japan and eleven sites overseas acquired certification. We will continue to work on global environmental management.

Conducting environmental audits

Every year, the certification body audits the sites that acquired ISO 14001 certification. No major nonconformities have been identified in the audits, and the certification has been maintained.
The KITZ Group introduced the Group’s mutual audit system in 2018 in order to ensure continued safe, secure manufacturing and stable operations. This system is one in which auditors appointed by the environment, health, and safety administrator conduct internal and mutual audits of each Group site’s environment, health, safety, and fire prevention management systems, the status of environmental facility management, and compliance with laws and regulations, including notifications and inspections of all domestic manufacturing sites.
We use the Group’s common check sheet for a quantitative evaluation that visualizes the strength and weakness of each site and of the entire Group and to control risks (prevention of occurrence and expansion) through risk reduction activities.
By providing regular educational opportunities from experts, this mutual audit activity serves as an opportunity to develop next-generation human resources who will be in charge of the environment, health, and safety.

Compliance with laws and regulations

No serious legal violations occurred at any of the KITZ Group companies.

Environment, health, and safety information system

The KITZ Group introduced seven systems, including chemical substance management, waste management, and environmental accounting. Each system is linked together, and all data are aggregated into the environmental data collection system. This system manages targets and performance, grasps and shares environmental and safety performance and resulting effects (quantity of materials and economic) in a timely manner, and discloses information in the PRTR reports, environmental accounting reports, environmental reports, and waste management forms and status reports, which contributes to the promotion of efficient environmental activities.

Operation of the environmental management system

The KITZ Group’s domestic manufacturing sites acquired ISO 14001 certification. In the course of operating this system, targets are set according to the characteristics of each site in consideration of its strengths and weaknesses based on fundamental data from the environment, health, and safety information system. We will promote visualization of the status of overseas sites (risk assessment and performance management) to strengthen the operation of the environmental management system.

Environmental education and awareness

The KITZ Group provides basic environmental education as a part of its human resource development program. Each business site offers an environmental education program about environmental facilities management and regulations to prevent risks and improve awareness. In all activities, hardware and software + mind (mind, awareness, way of thinking) must be fully linked together in order to achieve targeted results. Even if the best facilities are equipped with a good system, there will always be risks unless the awareness and attitudes of those involved are positive. Based on this viewpoint, we will make every effort to raise environmental awareness by providing education to increase awareness and to “KNOW WHY.”

Grievance Handling

The general affairs department of each site serves as the contact point for complaints about the environment, and each site implements measures to improve the situation. The general affairs department of each business site serves as the point of contact for environmental complaints and discusses ways to improve the environment. In addition, we convene meetings to implement measures in the case of proposals from employees and recommendations from internal environmental audits and workplace patrols.