Environmental and safety management
Basic approach
We recognize that identifying and managing the impacts chemical substances have on the environment and
their safety is an important obligation of a paint manufacturer. Since we declared our commitment to Responsible
Care (RC) in 1995, we have been conducting RC activities that apply not only to the environment, but also include
areas of occupational safety and health and chemical and product safety, starting in fiscal 2010.
Japan Group
conducts environment and safety management through measures and improvements on safety, environment and health based
on its RC activities. We have established the Basic Policy for Responsible Care outlining tasks that must be
undertaken by each employee and all organizations across the entire Group as the foundation of our business
activities, and we strive to make this policy known throughout the Group.
Basic Policy for Responsible Care
Guided by the Purpose that defines the identity of the Nippon Paint Group, "Enriching our living world through the power of Science + Imagination," all our group employees are working together in the six core categories of responsible care: environmental protection, safety and accident prevention, occupational health and safety, logistics safety, chemicals and product safety, and engagement with society. We will conduct these activities in compliance with laws and regulations and by building trust with our stakeholders with the goal of contributing to the creation of a sustainable society.
* Responsible Care (RC) is a pledge from businesses within the chemical industry to exercise consideration for the environment, safety, and health throughout the processes of chemical product development, manufacturing, distribution, use, final consumption, and disposal. The pledge involves implementing voluntary environmental safety measures and improvements. Responsible Care started in Canada in 1985 and became adopted by chemical industries in other countries around the world. In Japan, the number of member companies has grown with the promotional activities conducted by the Japan Responsible Care Council (JRCC) since its establishment in 1995.
Management structure
Japan Group has established the Responsible Care Committee, which reports directly to the President. The committee is involved in setting goals and planning activities, as well as sharing information of each company at domestic Group meetings, including safety and environment meetings as well as product safety meetings, and promoting activities relevant to the environment, health and safety. And the Board of Directors oversees our sustainability activities including Responsible Care activities.
We have also established an environment, safety and health organization in each Partner Group Company, including overseas, which enable us to engage in effective and efficient operations through activities built around our primary business activities. The activities follow a PDCA cycle at each company and plant, and are subject to both external review for ISO 14001 and internal RC audits to clearly identify any areas of improvement. We also conduct regular management review to strive for continuous improvement.
Targets and Results of Responsible Care Activities
Japan Group has established the Responsible Care (RC) Activity Policy that encompasses the fundamental aspects of RC activities, including environmental conservation, occupational safety and health, security and disaster prevention, chemical and product safety, logistics safety, and community engagement. Furthermore, the Responsible Care Regulations have been implemented with the objective of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of RC activities while promoting their integration. In 2024, each partner company and site established annual targets based on the newly formulated Medium to Long-Term RC Policy, which includes quantitative targets for greenhouse gases, energy, water, and waste, and promoted the following activities.
| Medium to Long-Term RC Policy | Results in 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶Japan Group is committed to addressing environmental issues, such as climate change and resource recycling, through its business operations. | Contributing to resolving environmental issues through our products | Developing and launching sustainability products that respond to external environmental changes, such as international trends and customer requirements | Promoting development and market launch based on our business strategy |
| Completing the assessment of key products using the LCA approach by 2025, and utilizing the results to enhance development strategies and drive business promotion | Advancing the selection of key products and conducting assessments that include downstream processes such as coating and drying operations | ||
| Contributing to reducing environmental impact in our business activities | Aiming to reduce GHG Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 37% compared to 2019 levels by 2030, with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero by 2050 | 37,804 tCO2eq (-17.3% compared to 2019) |
|
| Aiming to reduce GHG Scope 3 emissions by 13% compared to 2021 levels by 2030 | 1,218,794 tCO2eq (-5.1% compared to 2021) |
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| Targeting a 10% reduction in energy*1 and water*2 consumption and waste generation in intensity compared to 2021 levels by 2030 | Energy consumption 3.23 GJ/production ton (-4.7% compared to 2021) |
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| Water consumption 0.00148 thousand m3/production ton (-6.9% compared to 2021) |
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| Waste generation 0.035 t/production ton (-16.3% compared to 2021) |
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| ▶Japan Group is committed to ensuring compliance and maintaining safe and stable operations as the foundation for business continuity. | Continuously enhancing chemical substances management throughout the product life cycle | Continuously improving systems, policies, and training for managing chemical substances information in response to stricter laws and regulations | Conducted regulatory reviews and implemented system updates, rule revisions, and training programs |
| Aiming to maintain zero penalties under chemical substances laws and regulations by continuously strengthening the management framework | Zero penalties | ||
| Continuously enhancing risk management and information disclosure frameworks for chemicals of high concern | Conducted reviews of domestic and international trends and carried out required disclosure actions | ||
| Continuously improving safety and environmental management within our business activities | Continuously advancing and enhancing the efficiency of information management to improve our safety and environmental management systems | Implemented the use of IT technologies and reviewed information-sharing systems | |
| Continuously improving the management system to maintain zero serious incidents*3 and zero penalties under safety and environmental laws and regulations | Zero serious incidents and zero penalties | ||
*1 Purchases of renewable energy are reflected at 80%
*2 Excluding water used for products
*3 Including the impact on local communities and the environment through our business activities
Acquisition status of management system certification
The acquisition of environmental management system certification (ISO 14001) is considered a fundamental
tenet of environmental preservation in terms of management system. As for occupational safety and health, we are
conducting activities based on the occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS).
Nippon Paint Group
received ISO 14001 multi-site certification for seven operating companies in Japan and all (100%) of their
subsidiaries (in total 63) upon audit by an external certification organization. In addition, we provide active
support to our partner companies overseas for their health and safety activities and take actions to deepen
communications for sorting out problems. In Asia, we provide support to enable our partner companies to establish
improvement activities. In other regions, we conduct activities and provide support for corrective actions on an
as-needed basis.
Environmental management system (ISO 14001)
Domestic: 66 bases (100％)
Overseas: 52 companies/bases
*Data for domestic operations are as of October 2024, including only key bases and excluding sales offices and other small-scale bases. For production bases outside Japan, based on interview as of 2020. The reporting boundary excludes affiliated parties, other affiliated companies, non-consolidated subsidiaries, affiliated companies, equity-method affiliates, scheduled closures, etc.
Safety and health management system (ISO 45001 / former OHSAS 18001)
Domestic: We have adopted the occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) at almost all production
bases (under development for a portion of bases) in order to continuously maintain and enhance RC-based occupational
safety and health activities.
Overseas: 22 companies/bases
*For production bases outside Japan, based on interviews as of 2020. The reporting boundary excludes affiliated parties, other affiliated companies, non-consolidated subsidiaries, affiliated companies, equity-method affiliates, scheduled closures, etc.
Environment, safety and health education
In addition to legal education and training, the Group conducts basic knowledge and practical environment and occupational safety and health education in order to properly implement RC activities. Training conducted in fiscal 2024 was as follows.
- Number of people participating in the road safety training program: 973