System Overview

This management system consists of long- and short-cycle activities.
In the long-cycle activities, which are designed for the entire group, we are making continuous improvements based on common goals and criteria by checking achievements based on reports about site audits and from sites and by reviewing the management system.
For site-specific short-cycle activities, we have an ISO 14001-compliant management system and the Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) in place.

Promotion Structure

The officer in charge of safety and environmental affairs appointed by the President has overall responsibility for building and managing the promotion structure for Taiyo Yuden’s Safety and Environmental Management System.
Safety and Environmental MS Committee, the Environmental Promotion Committee debate and decide policies and issues to be addressed. Each manager of sites then converts his/her decisions into actual plans matching the characteristics of each site, and takes charge of publicizing, enforcing and promoting these concrete targets.

The Taiyo Yuden Group is ISO 14001 certified for its production sites and development centers.
In addition, we address corporate responsibility in the global supply chain, and the group undergoes the Validated Assessment Program (VAP) audits by the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) on a continuous basis in line with the set plan.

TAIYO YUDEN Group has implemented activities to comply with the RBA (Responsible Business Alliance) Code of Conduct, which is a code of conduct related to social responsibility. We regularly have the RBA-VAP audit as third-party evaluation to enhance level of labor, ethics, health and safety, and environment continually. Subjects of the audit are 16 manufacturing sites and 1 non-manufacturing sites *.

Training Structure

Training Examples

General Training

Holding events associated with health and safety

At all sites, we hold various events associated with health and safety, providing employees with opportunities to raise their awareness and improve their skills. For example, we conducted driving aptitude assessment and exercise seminars aiming at building bodies strong enough to avoid falling.

Driving aptitude assessment

Exercise seminar

External Audits

ISO14001 certification audits by certification authorities

Sites with ISO14001 certification underwent the audits required to update or maintain such certification. These audits uncovered 7 nonconformities. The root causes were analyzed and corrective action was promptly taken in response to each issue. The nonconformities were minor issues relating to our management systems, and were not directly linked with environmental pollution or occupational accidents.

Number of Nonconformity Instances Found with External Audits

Nonconformity Examples

The RBA-VAP audits for FY2020 have been completed in four domestic sites and one overseas sites.

Internal Site Audits

Audits of site safety and environmental activities at regularly scheduled intervals allow us to compare sites.
(Domestic sites: Once every two years, Overseas sites: Once every three years)

In FY2020, we performed site audits to examine the status of compliance with customer requirements, and items that include changes in safety and environmental requirements of the RBA code of conduct, as well as the requirements of ISO 45001 (the Occupational Health and Safety Management System) added to the Safety and Environmental Management System in January 2020.
In each audit, auditors checked documents and performed on-site audits concerning matters such as (1) customer requirements/RBA requirements: necessary approvals and licenses, risk management against potential hazards, emergency preparedness, and management of chemical substances and waste materials; and (2) the ISO 45001 requirements: participation in consultations, addressing risks and opportunities, management of inside contractors and visitors from the outside.
The audits revealed inadequacies in areas such as lockout-tagout management, emergency equipment management, and SDS (Safety Data Sheet) management.
Countermeasures were implemented and validated for inadequacies found during the site audits.
We aim to improve the level of health, safety, and environmental protection activities for the whole group by globally incorporating societal requirements in a timely manner and sharing the results after benchmarking products from all sites.

Internal Audits

Audits targeting site departments on observance of safety and environment laws, target achievement, and performance.
(Once or twice every year)

All sites conducted internal audits of their departments in accordance with their management systems. Priority areas were determined for each site, and 54 nonconformities were uncovered as a result of conducting internal audits (at sites in japan).
Corrective action was completed in all cases without delay, and after a follow-up check, it was reported to the managers that the management system has been effective in complying with the Taiyo Yuden Group’s policies and goals.

Other Audits

On-site inspection of waste disposal contractors (Sites in Japan)

During FY2020, we inspected and audited 10 companies (three collection, delivery and intermediate processing companies; and seven intermediate processing companies). The travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic prevented us from auditing some contractors on site. We changed the audit procedures to self-audits for them using documents and photographs (for six contractors). As a result, it was confirmed that all inspected operators are processing and disposing of waste appropriately. The operators have been classified into three ranks from the results of these inspections, with the frequency of future inspections varying depending on the rank of the operator.