1. Philosophy

JSR Group developed its Environment Safety Management Policy promotion items with reference to "Management Policies - Responsibility to Our Stakeholders" and the Japan Chemical Industry Association's "Guiding Principles for the Improvement of Environmental, Safety and Health Conditions." We use these items as the basis for formulating concrete activity plans and advancing our RC activities.

• Management Policies - Responsibility to Our Stakeholders
• Responsible Care^® (RC)

(2) International Initiatives

JSR Signs Declaration Supporting RC Global Charter

Declaration of support for RC Global Charter

The Responsible Care (RC) Global Charter is a voluntary activity policy adopted by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and shared by the chemical industry to enhance and reinforce RC activities around the world. JSR subscribes to this activity policy, and signed a declaration supporting the RC Global Charter in October 2008. JSR has also signed the revised RC Global Charter in March 2015. By signing the declaration, JSR has committed itself to making even greater contributions to health, safety, and environmental preservation not just in Japan, but around the world.

• RC Global Charter

2. RC Advancement Structure

Led by the officer in charge of safety and environmental affairs, the Responsible Care Promotion Committee formulates activity policies and action plans concerning JSR Group’s environmental safety, product safety, chemical management, and other matters and manages the results of those activities.
For the execution of concrete operations, the Responsible Care Promotion Committee sets up various meetings and committees and then proceeds according to plans.
Additionally, decisions made by the Responsible Care Promotion Committee are periodically presented to the CSR Committee and are also reported to senior management.

• Details of the CSR Committee and Four Conferences/Committees (CSR Management and Advancement Structure)

3. Environment and Safety Management

(1) Compliance

When environmental and safety laws are adopted, enacted, or amended, the Head Office distributes information to each business site to keep them fully informed. JSR Group identifies laws and regulations requiring compliance in each country based on compliance regulations and conducts annual self-checks to ensure that business practices conform with laws and regulations.

Additionally, we actively advance efforts to have all plants acquire plant and operator certification under the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act, the Fire Service Act, and Industrial Safety and Health Act. We will continue to maintain and upgrade certifications with the aim of improving safety and preventing accidents.

Certified High-Pressure Gas Establishment Audits

Each year, we conduct headquarters-led audits of our certified plants—the Yokkaichi Plant, Chiba Plant, and Kashima Plant—as a certified high-pressure gas business. Through our FY2018 audits, we confirmed that all of our certified plants continue to be in compliance with our safety management system. We also audit Group companies that are certified high pressure gas establishments, and provide cooperation in the appropriate operation of their safety management system.

• Chemical and Product Safety
• Health and Safety Initiatives: Accident Prevention and Industrial Health and Safety

(2) Environmental Management System

By 1999, all three main domestic JSR plants had acquired ISO 14001 certification, an Environment Management System that supports environmental management. We have kept our certifications up to date each year since. We proceeded with preparations in response to ISO 14001 revisions that were released in September 2015 and brought all three of our plants in line with them by January 2018.

JSR Group companies, mainly manufacturing companies, have also obtained ISO certification, and are promoting environmental conservation activities using a management system that complies with the ISO14001 standard.

ISO 14001 Certification

(3) Industrial Health and Safety Management System

JSR builds and manages a health and safety system that is based on the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS). The system is designed to manage the industrial health and safety risks to employees and others concerned, continuously improve our industrial health and safety systems, and reduce workplace accidents and health disorders.

(4) Environment and Safety Audits

1) Headquarters Environment and Safety Audits

JSR Headquarters conducts annual audits of its plants and research laboratories with the president acting as head of the auditing team. Beginning with the audits of FY2015, we have been employing a style whereby we share and discuss issues challenges faced by audited departments. We also set up dialogues between top management and employees that serve as opportunities for sharing the two sides’ thoughts and stimulating environmental and safety activities.

Through the FY2018 audits, we confirmed that awareness of “safety first” is penetrating throughout the organization. We further confirmed that efforts targeting facility management and recruitment of environmental safety personnel, which were previously identified issues, are progressing. However, common issues include inadequate sharing of risk information and adjustment of assessment levels, and expectations for better clarification in terms of envisioning and responding to emergency situations. It should be noted that we are also extracting and providing suggestions for matters to be presented to senior management and the head office through audits. Priority issues for FY2018 audits will be i ) management of risks concerning accidents (fires and leaks) and ii ) efforts to prevent unsafe behaviors as well as compliance with laws relating to the environment and chemicals.

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  President Koshiba visiting a plant

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  A dialogue with President Koshiba

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  A top-level audit

2) Environment and Safety Audits in JSR Group Companies

At JSR, we implement environmental and safety audits using the JSR audit system at our Group companies in Japan that are involved in production, transportation, and engineering processes in order to achieve integrated Responsible Care activities. The audits have allowed us to verify activities in each company and share information on them.

In addition, given differences in laws, cultures, and customs that exist in each country, we did not conduct audits of overseas Group companies in FY2018 but instead visited them to hold “safety information exchange” meetings. This was done with consideration for the fact that the challenges and concerns each business establishment faces differ from those in Japan.
We also held EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) meetings in Japan with JSR Micro Inc. and JSR Micro NV.

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  A safety information exchange with an overseas Group company

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  Hands-on safety training in an EHS meeting

(5) Environment Distinguished Service Award

To further encourage environmental protection activities, we created the Environment Merit Award for employees who have made important contributions to environmental protection through a range of activities that include environmental product and technology development, environmental impact reduction, and assisting local communities with environment-related issues. Ten employees received this award for four areas of excellence in FY2018.

4. Policy on Chemical Management

In light of recent global trends in chemical management, JSR has established the following three policies in its environment and safety management organization.

• 1) Instead of hazard-based management,^*3 we will endeavor to implement risk-based management.^*4
• 2) We will strive to manage our entire supply chain by utilizing a globally standardized method.
• 3) We will strive to comply with regulations and promote self-motivated initiatives to ensure the safety of our products.

*3 Management based solely on the hazardous properties of substances

*4 Management based on exposure to the hazardous properties of substances

• Advancement Structure
• See Chemical and Product Safety for a detailed description of activities

5. Stakeholder Engagement

By applying the PDCA cycle based on dialogue with our various stakeholders, we identify new issues, make frequent improvements and responses, and contribute to the building of a better society. Please access the links for more details.

Employees:

Employee awareness surveys, activities to ensure penetration of the Corporate Mission, the CSR & RC Caravan program, etc.

Local communities:

Social contribution/regional contribution activities, regional dialogue meetings, etc.

Customers:

Customer satisfaction surveys, responses to CSR questionnaires, winning of awards, etc.

Shareholders:

Shareholders' meetings, communication with shareholders and investors, information disclosure, etc.

6. Disclosure of Legal and Regulatory Violations

There were no legal or regulatory violations of laws pertaining to the environment, safety, quality, product safety, or chemicals in FY2018.
We are working to prevent recurrence of the types of cases that occurred in the past by continuing preventative measures and providing periodic education on those cases.