We believe that addressing climate change is one of our most important management issues and have established the Corporate Planning Office Sustainable Business Development Group as the department responsible for overseeing matters related to climate change. This office has drafted and implemented a variety of measures related to the Group’s response to climate change, and is also responsible for disseminating climate change response initiatives within the Group and confirming the progress of each measure. In addition, we have also established a system in which each business group unit and Group company has a sustainable business development project manager who is responsible for examining and assessing climate change-related risks and opportunities, thereby incorporating climate change-related perspectives into business strategies and business promotion.
Basic policies and important matters related to climate change are deliberated by the Corporate Management Committee, which is composed of internal directors and the heads of each business division, after which the Board of Directors determines basic policies and periodically (once a year) receives reports to ensure that the Board of Directors can provide appropriate supervision.
The companies, divisions, plants, and Group companies of the Air Water Group assign environmental managers to the task of reducing environmental impacts by complying with environmental laws and regulations, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and using water resources effectively. For Group companies and plants that consume large amounts of energy, we appoint managers as required by law and stringently manage our energy consumption.
For example, the Compliance Group of Air Water’s CSR Center provides guidance on compliance with environmental laws and regulations and implements initiatives to reduce environmental impacts through environmental managers at individual plants and Group companies. As well, we regularly conduct environmental audits predominantly at plants identified for high environmental risks to ensure that appropriate management remains in place. We also hold training sessions to train the personnel responsible for reducing environmental risks.
More than 30 companies of the Air Water Group have already obtained various certifications for their environmental management systems, including ISO 14001, Eco Action 21, and Green Management certifications. Moreover, the effectiveness of our environmental management is further ensured through audits performed by external auditing organizations.
The Air Water Group publishes Environmental Information to provide information, such as on amendments to environmental laws and regulations and environmental conservation efforts by other companies, to workplaces and Group companies. Sharing information throughout the Group helps reduce environmental risk.
Air Water conducts environmental audits to guide environmental preservation activities and compliance with environmental laws and regulations at each plant of the Group. Audits are conducted according to set schedules and based on the degree of environmental load at each manufacturing plant, whether ISO 14001 certification has been acquired, the findings of past environmental audits, and other factors. In fiscal 2019, environmental audits were conducted at 34 business establishments
The Air Water Group holds training sessions for the purpose of reducing environmental risks. In order to train the personnel who will be responsible for ensuring environmental compliance, we have introduced legal compliance initiatives for Air Water Group personnel and provide training focusing on information on legal revisions as well as the importance of responding to environmental laws and regulations and implementing global warming countermeasures.
