Environmental Management
We have established a group-wide environmental management system and continue to promote environmental management aimed at optimizing activities throughout the Citizen Group and producing results efficiently and reliably.
Environmental Management System
We have established a group-wide environmental management system to efficiently and precisely promote environmental management throughout the Citizen Group. We hold Group Environmental Management Committee meetings twice a year, bringing together environmental managers at 18 domestic Group companies to ascertain progress with activities at each company, review yearly environmental management policies and common issues and make decisions accordingly.
All 27 of our domestic production companies have obtained ISO 14001 certification and promote environmental management activities based on the nature of their respective lines of business.
At our overseas production companies meanwhile, we focus on initiatives that are crucial to manufacturing environmentally-friendly products, including green procurement and chemical substance management, and continue to make steady progress in terms of ISO 14001 certification. We also carry out activities aimed at reducing environmental impact at non-manufacturing companies, based on the nature of each company’s operations.
Acquisition Status of the ISO 14001 Certification
Environmental Education and Awareness Activities
To effectively implement environmental management, we need every member of the Citizen Group to recognize the importance of environmental activities. At our Tokyo Works for instance, we incorporate environmental education into other areas of our training framework, such as training for new recruits. We also organize a number of annual training courses for members of staff responsible for environmental activities in each department, including environmental management training, internal environmental auditor training and environmental compliance assessment training. In production departments handling toxic or dangerous substances, we organize additional drills based on emergency scenarios.
As well as all this, we also run a unique Business License incentive scheme to encourage members of staff to independently obtain qualifications and provide support for employees working towards public qualifications in areas such as pollution control management and energy management.
Example Initiative
Citizen Finetech Miyota
Introducing a household environmental accounting scheme to raise employees’ environmental awareness
Household environmental accounting award ceremony
At Citizen Finetech Miyota Co., Ltd., we have introduced a household environmental accounting scheme in an effort to raise environmental awareness on an individual level and help preserve the natural environment for future generations.
We also run two award schemes, for employees who have contributed to the environment whilst saving themselves plenty of money and for employees who have widely publicized the need to take care of the environment.
The first of these schemes involves employees and members of their families monitoring and recording readings from their utility meters at home (usage and cost). This naturally raises awareness and is starting to produce concrete results.
The second scheme involves employees sharing details of effective initiatives in the home and their household savings with colleagues in the workplace and members of the local community and recording the results of activities implemented in the workplace (three activities). Initiatives such as these contribute to the company by making everyone more aware of the importance of improvements in the workplace and to the local community by encouraging people to get involved in community activities.
As fiscal 2009 was the first year for household environmental accounting on a large scale, it was a crucial year in terms of paving the way for sustainable activities in the future. A total of 148 employees signed up to the scheme in January 2009, with 60% successfully managing to reduce their CO2 emissions (15,211kg). In February 2010, we increased the scale of activities to 214 members of staff (around 24%). We are determined to continue and make solid progress with such activities, with the aim of getting all of our employees involved in the future.
Environmental auditing
Our Tokyo and Tokorozawa Offices undergo an annual external audit conducted by an ISO assessment organization. We also conduct internal audits twice a year as a rule.
Environmental Risk Management
Our environmental risk management activities within the Citizen Group cover areas such as compliance with environmental legislation, management of chemical substances contained in our products, waste and recycling governance and measures to combat soil and groundwater contamination. We aim to implement effective measures at all Group companies based on information exchanged via the Group Environmental Management Committee.
We conducted surveys on the usage history of hazardous substances at all of our production bases, both in Japan and overseas, in fiscal 2006 and evaluated measures taken on a five-point scale. We are currently in the process of carrying out voluntary soil and groundwater surveys at sites deemed to be at high risk of contamination. If the relevant surveys reveal evidence of contamination at any of our bases, we will report the matter to the authorities and take steps to remedy the situation as instructed.
Example Initiative
Citizen Tohoku
Soil Pollution Measures at Citizen Tohoku’s Soma Works
Soil remediation work
An independent inspection confirmed the presence of soil and groundwater pollution on the site of Citizen Tohoku’s Soma Works as a result of previously used metal cleaning agents (volatile organic compounds (VOCs)). In December 2009, we voluntarily undertook work to prevent the spread of polluted groundwater to downstream areas. We inserted steel sheet piles to a depth of 6.5 meters, down to the mudstone layer, and installed impermeable walls in three locations, covering a horizontal distance of 45 meters. We also used the EDC method of construction, which involves pouring nutrients between the impermeable walls to stimulate natural decomposition via bioremediation*. This enabled us to carry out remediation in-situ, without stopping the flow of groundwater completely or excavating and removing the polluted soil. Although subsequent monitoring has confirmed the steady decomposition of the VOCs, we will continue to monitor the remediation effects of our measures on a regular basis and submit regular reports to the authorities.
* Bioremediation is a soil remediation technique that uses microorganisms to break down pollutants.