Sustainability Promotion Structure

Today, initiatives aimed at realizing a sustainable society are gathering speed around the world and the role of companies in these initiatives is increasing. Amidst this, the SDGs are a universal set of goals that both developing and developed countries are working to achieve. Japan, too, is advancing proactive efforts toward the SDGs.

Our Company Group decided to incorporate the SDGs as one of its management policies. As a result, in October 2018, we established the SDG Promotion and Preparation Project Team to identify the SDG fields that our Group would focus on, and began promoting necessary measures across the entire Group. In April 2019, we planned, reviewed and determined measures that contribute to the formation of a sustainable society and fulfillment of the SDGs, based on the recognition and need to address the social responsibilities and impacts our business activities have on society. As a result, the Sustainability Promotion Committee was established to act in a sustained manner and on a company-wide basis. This committee has launched various efforts while coordinating activities across the entire Group.

Our CSR activities have focused mainly on promoting Responsible Care as before. Centered on the activities of the Responsible Care Committee and Environmental Impact Reduction Committee, we engage in various activities through Group-wide cooperation that involves all functions including the head office, administrative divisions, research and development teams, and all business sites. Given that sustainability and CSR are closely tied (engaging in business activities focused on sustainability will result in fulfilling corporate social responsibilities), our Group intends to improve sustainability by contributing to the SDGs and engaging in various CSR activities.

Basic Policy for Promoting Sustainability

We solve social issues and achieves sustainable growth and value creation under a structure comprised of our Sustainability Promotion Committee (which is chaired by the President) and its subcommittees based on our Business Philosophy, which esteems the Sumitomo’s Business Philosophy and sets forth our management principles.
We regularly and comprehensively verify the extent of the progress made by these committees, based on which we continuously revise the contents of our activities and actively improve upon them. We widely announce the results of our activities within the company and outside it in aiming for communication with our stakeholders.

Policy on Responsible Care Activities of Group of Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.

Philosophy

In all its operations, Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. will contribute to the sustainable development of society while promoting business activities by meeting the highest standards of the Responsible Care concept and giving due consideration to environmental preservation, human health and safety as well as product quality.

Policy

Evaluate the safety, health, and environmental aspects throughout the entire life cycle ofa product, from product design to the procurement of raw materials through disposal, strive to minimize the environmental impact of our corporate activities, and undertake to develop safer products and technologies;
Make sustained, group-wide efforts to promote resource and energy conservation, waste reduction and biodiversity conservation;
Perform Environmental, Safety & Health Audit and Quality Assurance Audit as well as work to maintain and improve systems for managing environmental protection, safety promotion and disaster prevention, worker safety and health, and quality management;
Comply with all relevant laws, regulations and agreements associated with safety, health, the environment, and chemicals while autonomously establishing administrative rules with the aim of strengthening management capacity, so as to improve environmental, health and safety conditions for society, customers, and employees;
Work to ensure and improve the safety of raw materials, products, transportation operations and process safety, and provide product safety information to employees, customers, and others;
Promote continuous improvement in security over facilities, processes and technologies, and implement operational safety management programs to ensure the safety and health of employees and residents of local communities;
Publicly disclose information on the environment, safety and products to and promote dialog with interested parties such as customers, employees and residents of local communities, so as to identify their needs and deepen mutual understanding and trusting relationship;
In order to ensure environmental preservation, human health and safety as well as product quality, provide employees with training to develop necessary human resources for that end.