Environmental Management
Green Plan and Environmental Policy
SII had previously established an environmental policy for the SII Group, but when the Environmental Policy of its parent company, Seiko Group Corporation, was revised in November 2021, SII has been following Seiko Group Corporation's Environmental Policy.
Environmental Policy (Revised in November 2021)
The Seiko Group recognizes that the preservation of the global environment is one of the most important issues in the world today. We will constantly strive to help realize a sustainable society that will benefit everyone.
- We are committed to a wide range of environmentally responsible activities, and we will continue to make unceasing efforts to improve our environmental performance, thereby providing increased value for all our stakeholders.
- We not only comply with all relevant laws and regulations, but also go far beyond legal compliance in our efforts to reduce environmental risks and prevent pollution.
- Being acutely aware of the part we have to play in mitigating climate change, we are working hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Because we recognize the limits of our precious natural resources, we are increasing our efforts to reuse and recycle every resource possible.
- We are also working to preserve biodiversity, recognizing that our business activities inevitably affect surrounding ecosystems, and that we also benefit from the health and diversity of those systems.
- We rigorously ensure proper management of all chemical substances used in production as well as any that are contained in our finished products.
- We consider the environment throughout the entire life cycle of our products. We are proud that our products and services actively contribute to environmental conservation.
- Environmental responsibility starts as a management imperative, but to effectively carry out that mission requires the understanding and cooperation of every employee throughout our Group. With that in mind, we are working to raise everyone’s environmental awareness so that all of us can work together to protect and nurture our natural environment.
- Transparency is another part of our social responsibility. We are therefore promoting active disclosure of material information about our environmental activities and promoting increased communication with local, regional, and global stakeholders.
- In order to derive maximum benefits from these policies, we establish clear environmental targets and strategies to attain them. Then we steadily improve our efforts by constantly re-examining both our targets and our progress towards achieving them.
Promotion Structure
SII has established an environmental management system in accordance with the international standard ISO 14001, both for the group as a whole and at each individual site. By consistently implementing the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) management cycle, SII strives to improve environmental performance.
The SII Group's environmental management promotion system operates under the supervision of the president, with the Environmental Management Director in charge of environmental affairs serving as a chief executive. With two organizational structures—site-based and division-based—the Environmental Division at the head office functions as the secretariat, promoting initiatives in cooperation with each site and division to address specific issues.
The SII Environmental Promotion Committee deliberates on the SII Group's mid-term plans, reports on activities from each site and exchanges information, and confirms the steady promotion of environmental activities throughout the Group.
Promotion of Environmental Education
Each employee's increased awareness and environmental practice is essential to promote environmental activities. The Environmental Policy clarifies that we raise the environmental awareness of our employees, and all of us will work together on environmental activities.
Since 1996, SII has formulated environmental education programs and has been performing environmental education and awareness activities by in-house instructors.
SII head office conducts a wide range of environmental programs in three categories: general education, special education, and training for internal qualification. The programs are reviewed every year based on a global trend and in-house needs. In addition, we send out questionnaires at the completion of the courses to improve the next programs.
Environmental Education Programs
| [General Education] | [Special Education] | [Training for Internal Qualification] |
|---|---|---|
| New employee course New manager training Basic environmental course [Managers] Basic environmental course |
Eco-friendly product and product environmental laws and regulations Energy saving Waste management Chemical substances control |
Internal environmental auditor training Internal environmental auditor brush up seminar |
Audit System
An internal audit is extremely important to operate an effective management system. To continually improve our environmental management system and its performance, SII conducts an internal audit with objectivity and independence.
We have introduced a mutual auditing system in which auditors from other sites and the head office participate in the internal auditing of our sites in Japan. The participation of auditors from other organizations enhances the effectiveness of the audit and also aims for a synergistic effect through the exchange of information among the sites. While providing internal auditor training to nurture auditors in a planned manner, we also set up a refresher course for internal auditors to continually raise their competency levels.
Environmental Compliance
SII has adopted every kind of environmental law. Each site clarifies the regulations to be adopted and checks the state of compliance periodically while following ISO 14001.
In FY 2023, there were no serious legal violations, penalties, or fines related to the environment.
■Pollution control and management
Regarding discharges into the water and air, each SII site establishes and manages their own standards, which are stricter than regulation values, to ensure legal compliance.
■Waste management
SII entrusts waste treatment to waste disposers and carries out on-site audits on a regular basis to promote proper waste disposal. In addition to confirming the contents of the contract, we also check the acceptance and storage conditions.
The audit is accompanied by the Environment Division at the head office to see and check the waste disposers' performance. We also share the audit results among the related sites.
Examples of initiatives at international sites
We develop an annual plan and conduct on-site inspections of the waste disposal contractor every two years. This plan was also executed as scheduled in FY2023.
Timelines and Environmental Awards
Timelines
| 1988 | Dec. | Established the "Fluorocarbon Countermeasure Promotion Committee." |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Aug. | Abolished the use of CFCs at Japan sites. |
| Dec. | Established Environmental Administration Office (currently Corporate Environmental Administration Department). | |
| 1993 | Apr. | Established the "Green Plan" environmental protection plan. Introduced the "Clean Arrow" used-paper collection truck. |
| Aug. | Abolished the use of trichloroethane at Japan and overseas sites. | |
| Nov. | Abolished the use of CFCs at overseas sites. | |
| 1994 | Apr. | Began monthly management of energy, paper use, and waste. |
| 1995 | Aug. | Executive council kicked off the Environmental Management System. |
| 1996 | Aug. | Started publication of our annual environmental report. |
| Nov. | The Takatsuka Unit became the first SII Group business unit which obtained ISO14001. | |
| 1997 | Dec. | Launched our "Idling Stop" promotion. |
| 1998 | Feb. | Published the SII Chemical Management Guide. |
| 1999 | Mar. | Completed ISO14001 certification for all of our major business units in Japan. |
| Oct. | Major business units in Japan abolished the use of chlorine solvents, including trichloroethylene and methylene chloride. Issued the SII Group Green Purchasing Standards. |
|
| 2000 | Feb. | Introduced environmental accounting. |
| Nov. | Ohno Unit became the first SII Group business unit which achieved Zero Emissions. |
|
| 2001 | Oct. | Makuhari Head Office became the first SII Group non-production site which obtained ISO14001. |
| Dec. | Introduced the Green Products labeling system. | |
| 2004 | Mar. | Major Japan sites achieved Zero Emissions. |
| Aug. | Started to report social activities in our environmental report. | |
| Oct. | Lead solder was completely abolished. | |
| 2005 | Jul. | Our environmental report changed its title to SII Social and Environmental Report. |
| 2006 | Oct. | Introduced the High Grade Green Products labeling system. |
| Nov. | Received the Development Bank of Japan's Highest Rank Award for Promoting Environmentally Conscious Management. | |
| 2007 | May. | "Green Products" achieved 90% of sales. |
| 2009 | Feb. | Abolished the use of methylene chloride at overseas sites. |
| 2010 | Jul. | Announced the concept of "Green Products plus." |
| Sep. | Achieved 1,000 Green Products. | |
| 2011 | Apr. | Established SII Biodiversity Action Agenda. |
| 2013 | Mar. | The commencement of software and services of our "Green Product System." |
| Dec. | Obtained ISO 14001 integrated certification in Kanto area. | |
| 2015 | Jan. | Completed ISO 14001 integrated certification in Japan. |
| Feb. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* obtained the ABINC* certification. *ABINC: Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community |
|
| 2017 | Sep. | Established SII Environmental Vision. |
| 2021 | Nov. | Seiko Holdings Corporation (now Seiko Group Corporation) joins the ISO 14001 certified organization. |
Environmental Awards
| 1996 | Oct. | 6 Chiba Keiyo business units received Recycling Promotion Committee's Chairman's Award for paper recycling activities. |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Jun. | SII Microtechno Inc. received Akita Prefecture's "Best Environment Activities" award. |
| Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received Iwate Prefecture's award for "Excellence in Environmental Protection." |
||
| 2000 | May. | Makuhari head office received the Chairman's Award from the Chiba City Building Conference. |
| 2005 | Feb. | Tochigi Unit received the Chairman's Prize for Excellence from the Kanto Region Electric Power Rationalization Committee. Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received the Chairman's Award from the Tohoku Seven-Prefecture Electric Power Promotion Committee. |
| 2006 | Feb. | Tochigi Unit received the Kanto Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry's Excellent Energy Conservation Factory, Director General Prize. |
| 2007 | Feb. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc. received the Tohoku Regional Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry's Excellent Energy Conservation Factory, Director General Prize. |
| 2008 | Feb. | The Sendai Unit received the Prize for Outstanding Performance as part of the Outstanding Energy Conservation Equipment Awards sponsored by the Japan Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Contractors (JARAC). |
| 2012 | Oct. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received the prize of minister of the environment for establishing a recycling-oriented society. |
| 2013 | Feb. | Makuhari Unit received the award for excellence from the rationalization committee for electricity use in Kanto area. |
| 2013 | Sep. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received the prize of Tohoku director of Kanto Tohoku Industrial Safety and Inspection Department. |
| 2014 | Jul. | Tono Seiki Co., Ltd.* received the "Excellent Office" award from the Environmental Conservation Association of Iwate Prefecture. |
| 2016 | Oct. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received a Special Award from Association for Business Innovation in harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC). |
| 2017 | Jul. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received the 53rd Electrical Safety Award from the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. |
| 2019 | Oct. | Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc.* received the 39th Chairman's Award from Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure. |
* Morioka Seiko Instruments Inc. and Tono Seiki Co., Ltd. have become subsidiaries of Seiko Watch Corporation since April 1, 2020.
Acquisition of ISO 14001 Certification
SII first acquired ISO 14001 certification at the Takatsuka Unit (Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture) in November 1996. Currently, every site in Japan, including offices, has acquired certification, and integrated certification was acquired in January 2015. The head office of Seiko Holdings Corporation (now Seiko Group Corporation) also was included in the scope of certification in November 2021. Overseas, each major local subsidiary has acquired certification.
| Name of Registered Organization | Original Approval Date |
Certification Cycle Start Date |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEIKO GROUP CORPORATION, SEIKO INSTRUMENTS INC. AND SEIKO FUTURE CREATION INC. | November 13, 1996 | March 4, 2024 | ||
| Registered Site | Seiko Instruments Inc. | HEAD OFFICE, MAKUHARI UNIT TAKATSUKA UNIT OHNO UNIT SENDAI UNIT AKITA UNIT |
||
| SII Printek Inc. Seiko Future Creation Inc. Seiko EG&G Co., Ltd. SII Crystal Technology Inc. |
||||
| Seiko Group Corporation | ||||
| Overseas | |||
| Certified Units and Subsidiaries | Location | Date of Certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalian Seiko Instruments Inc. | Dalian, China | 6/2001 |
| 2 | Seiko Instruments (Thailand) Ltd. | Thailand | 3/2002 |
| 3 | Seiko Instruments Technology (Shanghai) Inc. | Shanghai, China | 7/2012 |
