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.
The 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
Our 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 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
The Group has established the Responsible Care (RC) Activity Policy concerning the basics of RC activities comprising of environmental preservation, occupational safety and health, security and disaster prevention, chemicals and products safety, logistics safety, and dialogue with society (the six pillars), in aiming to standardize RC activities. We have also established the Safety and Environment (RC) Regulations in aiming to improve effectiveness and efficiency when carrying out RC activities.
From 2020 to 2021, we have conducted activities with the following items identified as priority themes.
Targets and results of Responsible Care
| Priority themes | Group targets for 2022 | Results in 2022 | Evaluation of 2022 | Guidelines of 2023 targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational safety and health Security and disaster prevention Logistics safety |
Continue review of risk assessment to improve comprehensiveness of assessments and implementing thorough risk measures (reduction and acceptance) based on the assessments to prevent disasters and accidents (priority targets: contact with objects of high-temperature/low-temperature, falls) |
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Conduct the following activities with the goal of achieving no serious injuries (occupational and physical injuries) ▶Prevent disasters and accidents by improving comprehensiveness of assessments through continuous review of risk assessment and by implementing thorough risk measures (reduction and acceptance) based on the results of assessment (priority targets: contact with hazardous materials and rotating bodies) ▶Enhance safety management for logistics (contractor management, storage of hazardous substances, material handling and conveyance, transportation, etc.) |
| Enhance safety management for logistics (contractor management, storage of hazardous substances, material handling and conveyance, transportation, etc.). |
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| No serious injuries (occupational and physical injuries) |
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| Priority themes | Group targets for 2022 | Results in 2022 | Evaluation of 2022 | Guidelines of 2023 targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental preservation |
Initiatives to prevent global warming (purchase of renewable energy/energy conversion/monitoring progress of CO2 emissions reduction)
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▶Initiatives to prevent global warming
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| - | - | - | ▶Development and commercialization of sustainable products that benefit society and development of markets for these products
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Rationalize the energy use
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▶Rationalization of energy use
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Initiatives on the proper management of waste materials
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▶Action for the proper management of waste
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Protection of air, water and soil environment
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Conduct the following activities with the goal of achieving zero incidents that lead to contamination of air, soil and water ▶Comply with voluntary management standards (air pollution: SOx, NOx, dust; water pollution: COD, total phosphorus, total nitrogen) ▶Reduce VOC emissions |
| Priority themes | Group targets for 2022 | Results in 2022 | Evaluation of 2022 | Guidelines of 2023 targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemicals and environmental safety |
Chemical substances management framework
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Chemical substances management framework Conduct the following activities with the goal of achieving zero serious violations (suspension orders, collection orders, penalty, public disclosures) ▶Maintain compliance with laws and regulations by establishing a system to ensure compliance by extracting product safety laws and regulations deemed particularly important for each PC, such as the Poisonous and Deleterious Substances Control Law, Act on the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture, etc., as well as revisions to overseas laws with deadline for notification |
ESG/SDGs-driven (LCA, etc.) product launches and marketing initiativess
Development and commercialization of sustainable products that benefit society and development of markets for these products
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| Priority themes | Group targets for 2022 | Results in 2022 | Evaluation of 2022 | Guidelines of 2023 targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthening of internal control | Provision of training on various topics involving the RC management system (occupational safety, environment, product safety, etc.) |
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＋＋＋ | - |
| Identify emergency situations, implement systematic training, and check the effectiveness of emergency response procedures |
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＋＋＋ | - |
※ Assessment standards: Average achievement rate in Japan ＋＋＋：80％ or more; ＋＋：50％ or more; ＋：Less than 50%
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: 63 bases (100％)
Overseas: 52 companies/bases
*For production bases in Japan, based on interviews as of 2023; 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 2022 was as follows.
- Number of people participating in the road safety training program: 1,347
- Number of people participating in the mid-career hire training program: 26
