SustainabilityResponsible Care Activities
To practice the spirit of Responsible Care (RC), the Daicel Group established the Daicel Group Basic Policies for Responsible Care and is promoting across-the-board RC activities in the Daicel Group to contribute to the sustainable development of society.
Daicel Group’s Responsible Care
RC activities are undertaken by businesses that engage in the manufacture or handling of chemicals to preserve the environment and ensure health and safety at every stage of their operations, from product development, manufacture, distribution, and use to disposal. With chemical manufacturers around the world taking part in these efforts on a voluntary basis, the disclosure of results and dialogues with society are also positioned as key RC activities. Recognizing RC activities as one of the important social responsibilities of the Daicel Group, the RC Council, operating directly under Daicel’s president and CEO, commits to promoting the activities.
On February 21, 1995, the Daicel Group established its Basic Policies for Responsible Care (RC) based on “The Guiding Principles for the Improvement of Environmental, Health, and Safety Conditions” of the Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA) and supplemented the items on the preservation of biodiversity on April 1, 2011. Subsequently, the Basic Policies for Responsible Care were updated in response to the revision of JCIA’s guiding principles on April 5, 2017. The Basic Policies were revised with the approval of the President and CEO.
Daicel Group’s Basic Policies for Responsible Care
- 1In accordance with management policy, we will comply with laws and regulations and strive to safeguard the environment, health, and safety. For this purpose, we share specific implementation plans among all employees and put them into action.
- 2We will strive to continually improve environmental, health, and safety performance and the security of facilities as well as processes and technologies throughout the entire chemical lifecycle, from development to disposal, and inform society of the results of such efforts.
- 3We will further reduce our consumption of resources and energy and strive to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.
- 4We will protect the environment and people’s health and safety by driving continual improvement in chemical product safety and stewardship throughout the supply chain.
- 5We will practice risk-based chemical management throughout the entire chemical lifecycle, from development and production to use, consumption, and disposal and strive to strengthen our chemical management systems by continual improvement.
- 6We will influence the employees and the value chain stakeholders to promote the safe management of chemicals within their own operations.
- 7We will strengthen our stakeholder relationships by understanding and responding to stakeholders’ concerns and expectations about safer operations and products as well as openly communicating about our performance and products.
- 8We will put the Daicel Group’s overall efforts into continually improving initiatives for the environment, health, and safety in order to meet stakeholders’ expectations.
- 9We will contribute to the sustainable development of society by developing and providing unique and innovative technologies and other solutions.
- 10We will promote biodiversity-friendly activities in order to pass on the wealth of nature to future generations.
Revised April 5, 2017
Promotion System for Responsible Care
In accordance with the Responsible Care Promotion Rules, the Daicel Group is implementing RC activities on the following fronts: occupational health and safety, process safety and disaster prevention, environmental preservation, chemical and product safety, distribution safety, and communication with society. The Daicel Group promotes these activities under the RC Council, which meets on a regular basis.
The RC Council is chaired by the officer in charge of the Assessment Headquarters and is appointed to oversee RC by the President and CEO, who bears ultimate responsibility for RC activities. The council comprises the representative of the Daicel Workers’ Union Executive Committee and heads of administrative divisions appointed by the chairperson as well as the Responsible Care Division (RC Division) of the Assessment Headquarters, which serves as the secretariat for the council.
As of April 1, 2023, we have completed corporate reorganization aimed at strengthening our business infrastructure, which prioritizes safety, quality, and compliance. More information about the new organization can be found here.
*Activities undertaken in FY2023/3 that are noted on this page were carried out under the prior organizational structure.
Promotion System for Responsible Care
Roles of the Responsible Care Council
In addition to formulating basic policies, the RC Council receives reports on RC activities from each business site of the Daicel Group at the end of the fiscal year and in turn reports to the Planning Meetings attended by management to propose targets and action plans for the next fiscal year, which are subsequently approved at the Management Meetings. The RC Council reports the status of the initiatives at the Management Meetings and conducts RC audits in accordance with the Rules on Responsible Care Audits.
Roles of the Responsible Care Council
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Formulate the Basic Policies for Responsible Care and set targets for the entire Group to steadfastly promote RC activities. |
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Consider the necessary revisions to implementation systems to ensure effective operation of the CAPD* cycle, including setting targets, formulating implementation plans, and implementing and assessing the results of implementation. |
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The council determines RC related issues for the long-term plan and drafts for the RC medium-term plan by deliberating and deciding on important issues related to the entire Group and reviewing proposals submitted by the RC Division. |
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The council deliberates and decides on policies concerning important issues related to the Daicel Group. Following approval by the council, the issues are discussed at the Planning Meetings, and the council then receives approval by the Management Meetings. |
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The council provides advice and guidance as necessary on the status of efforts for the organized development of important rules and regulations related to facilitating the promotion of RC activities and codification based on relevant management regulations. |
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The council commends good deeds and contributions to RC activities. |
*Instead of a Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) cycle, the most widely known approach to continuous improvement, Daicel has adopted a CAPD improvement cycle to avoid the risk of overlooking crucial facts and realities that often lie hidden in the initial planning stage.
Responsible Care Audits
A group comprising the general manager of the Assessment Headquarters, representatives of each business unit of the RC Council, and the RC Division is responsible for conducting RC audits in accordance with the Rules on Responsible Care Audits. All Daicel’s business sites and Fuji Plant of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. are subject to an annual RC audit, while other Group companies undergo an RC audit once every three years. RC audits are conducted each year under a theme that focuses on a common Groupwide issue, and along with an assessment of the theme, the audits also confirm the progress of the RC implementation plan and examine issues linked to achieving the plan. Findings from RC audits are reflected in targets and plans for the following fiscal year, thereby supporting continuous improvement.
In FY2023/3, seven domestic business sites of Daicel Corporation, as well as Fuji Plant of Polyplastics Co., Ltd., Iwaki Plant of Dainichi Chemical, Nagano Plant of DM Novafoam Ltd., and Daicel Logistics Service Co., Ltd., underwent either in-person or remote audits. The RC audits served to identify important issues in the RC implementation plan, assessed progress toward addressing issues, including static electricity countermeasures illuminated at Special Meetings to Discuss Priority RC Issues, and examined efforts to reduce PRTR and VOC emissions.
Special Meetings to Discuss Priority Responsible Care Issues
Representatives of the RC Division periodically tour Daicel and domestic Group-company business sites, where they hold special meetings to discuss priority RC issues. To help promote RC activities across the Group, the meetings aim to confirm progress in RC implementation plans at each business site, assess countermeasures in place to prevent problems in terms of occupational health and safety, as well as process safety and disaster prevention, and discuss the status of the initiatives to address environmental concerns.
In FY2023/3, meetings were held either in-person or remotely at seven domestic business sites of Daicel Corporation, as well as Fuji Plant of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. Iwaki Plant of Dainichi Chemical; Daicel Logistics Service Co., Ltd. Kansai Logistics Center Amagasaki Business Office; Okayama, Nagano, and Aomori plants of DM Novafoam Ltd.; and the Isesaki Plant of Daicel Pack Systems Ltd.
CAPD Cycle
Promotion of Responsible Care Activities
Periodic Exchange Meetings for Supervisors of Environmental and Safety Divisions across the Group
The RC Division and individuals charged with supervising the Environment and Safety Divisions at Daicel’s business sites and Fuji Plant of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. regularly meet remotely for Safe Environment Managers Meetings.
At the eight meetings held in FY2023/3, participants exchanged information and discussed RC-related issues, such as occupational health and safety, process safety and disaster prevention, and environmental preservation, as well as the revised Industrial Safety and Health Act and other regulations.
Daicel Group Responsible Care Promotion Conference
RC activities are important initiatives for implementing the Sustainability Management Policy. The Daicel Group holds a Responsible Care Promotion Conference at the start of each fiscal year to ensure that employees maintain a high level of awareness as they engage in RC activities. The conference is attended by members of Daicel management, heads of SBUs, heads of in-house companies, presidents of Group companies, a representative of the Daicel Workers’ Union, and representatives of each business unit. During the conference, the President and CEO, the chairperson, and the vice chairperson of the RC Council deliver presentations to announce, spread, and promote understanding of the annual RC activity policies and RC implementation plans.
In FY2023/3, the conference was held remotely from the Tokyo head office with the President and CEO, the chairperson, and the vice chairperson of the RC Council speaking on ensuring safety and quality. In addition, the general managers of the Harima and Ohtake plants gave talks on safety initiatives being undertaken at the sites, and the manager of the RC Division gave a statement on the RC implementation plan.
In FY2024/3, the Responsible Care Promotion Conference was renamed the Daicel Group Sustainability Promotion Conference, as part of an effort to achieve sustainable management predicated on safety, quality, and compliance, collectively the company's keystone. Participation in the two-part conference has been expanded to include key promotional departments and Corporate Sustainability Division leaders. During the first part, talks were given by the President and CEO, the chairperson and the vice chairperson of the RC Council, and the managers of the Safety and Quality Assurance Headquarters, the Corporate Compliance Program, and the Corporate Sustainability. The second part saw Hideo Makuta, one of the outside audit and supervisory board members, speak on the “UL problem” and sustainability. Around 110 people took part either in-person or remotely in FY2024/3.
Responsible Care Activity Good Conduct and Contributions Awards
Each year, the RC Council recognizes good deeds and contributions to RC activities. An award was presented to the Division Manager of the Plant No. 1 SS Production Division Inflator Production Group at Daicel Safety Systems Inc. (DSS) in FY2023/3.
Award recipients prevented problems from arising during an incident involving a collapsed utility pole inside a factory during a typhoon, ensuring worker safety, and achieving stable factory operations.
While the awards are normally held during the conference, FY2023/3 saw them held at award recipients’ business sites due to COVID-19.
Internal Training and Education
So that all Daicel Group employees can understand the importance of RC activities and take action, we provide relevant in-house training and education.
Total Environmental, Health, and Safety Assessment System
Total Environmental, Health, and Safety Assessment System
The Daicel Group operates a Total Environmental, Health, and Safety Assessment System (Total EHS Assessment System) as a means for evaluating risk in its business activities.
The Total EHS Assessment System assesses the launching of new products in all business activities, including research and development, production, consumption, and disposal, as well as plans for modifying existing processes and equipment (new plans). Led by the general manager of the Assessment Headquarters, the Total EHS Assessment System is a mechanism for conducting advance assessments of a diversity of risks across all business activities, covering everything from the environment to health and safety.
Overview of the Total Environmental,
Health and Safety Assessment System
- 1The system evaluates the new plan based on prescribed standards for eight items: legal compliance, chemical safety, environmental preservation, occupational health and safety, operational safety at facilities, product safety, distribution safety and safety of production outsourcing, and purchasing and sales.
- 2A new plan indicates all new changes that include the establishment and modification of facilities as well as changes in matters related to manufacturing, etc.
- 3The system defines two types of assessment: Corporate Total EHS Assessment, which covers new plans that may cause a significant impact on management, and Division Total EHS Assessment, undertaken by each division. After evaluating new plans based on their scale and risk with an overall assessment rank (I and II), the Group determines items subject to assessment and designates individuals to serve as assessment executors and final evaluators in accordance with the overall assessment rank.
- 4With regard to the adoption of a new process and/or increased production volumes, we carry out a Technical Assessment and Equipment Design Assessment, underscoring the importance of design specifications for technologies and facilities. After discussing the results of these assessments, a Corporate Total EHS Assessment is undertaken.
To achieve the aims of our medium-term strategies, in FY2023/3 we examined the mechanisms of our Total EHS Assessment System with the goals of improving the precision and decision-making speed of new plans formulated throughout the company. As part of this effort, we expanded the range of business site and SBU responsibilities, narrowed the scope of Corporate Total EHS Assessments for cases that could have a material impact on people’s lives or our business, and established Advisory Sessions to better utilize knowledge and technologies throughout the company.
Alongside this new development, we also revised the Total EHS Assessment Rules and the underlying rules and regulations, as well as appendices and checklists for the rules, and we launched the new system in January 2023.
The total number of Corporate Total EHS Assessments stands at 1,112, which includes assessments of new plans from overseas production sites.
Product Safety Assessments
For safety system-related products in categories such as pharmaceuticals, foods, cosmetics, healthcare equipment, and automotive products, the Daicel Group is enhancing its product risk assessments of product safety to ensure that it always provides customers with safe and reliable products. In FY2016/3, the Group began conducting Product Crisis Assessments, which identify and monitor product safety-related risks and review response systems for handling crises. Furthermore, in addition to conducting product safety-risk assessments internally, since FY2018/3 the Group has been holding Product Safety Advisory Meetings chaired by outside experts, to conduct assessments from an even more expert perspective.
In FY2023/3, there were no major product safety accidents that impacted the bodily health, lives, or property of our customers.
Total EHS Assessment Flow
Breakdown of Total EHS Assessment System
Responsible Care Global Charter
The International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA), an international RC activity organization, put in place the Responsible Care Global Charter in 2005 with the aim of promoting sustainable development within the chemical industry while contributing to society as a whole through RC activities. Since it is in complete agreement with the goals and principles of the charter, Daicel became a signatory in 2008.
In order to more specifically detail the issues requiring attention with respect to the management of chemical product safety, improvements in the quality of life through the delivery and use of chemical products, and contributions to sustainable development in an easier to understand manner, the ICCA revised the charter in 2014. That same year, Daicel declared its support of the revised version of the Responsible Care Global Charter and confirmed its participation as an ongoing signatory again.
Declaration of Support for the Responsible Care Global Charter
Corporate Reorganization Aimed at Strengthening our Business Infrastructure, which Prioritizes Safety, Quality, and Compliance
As of April 1, 2023, we have completed corporate reorganization aimed at strengthening our business infrastructure, which prioritizes safety, quality, and compliance.
Along with progressively dissolving the Quality Management Division and RC Division of the Assessment Headquarters, we established the Safety and Quality Auditing Division. The Safety and Quality Auditing Division will handle all operations involving auditing and education regarding safety and quality, which includes RC audits.
We also created the Safety and Quality Assurance Headquarters. The headquarters consists of the Responsible Care Center and the Quality Assurance Center and will manage and carry out all RC, quality assurance, and quality management operations. The officer in charge of the headquarters will serve as the chairperson of the RC Council and the manager of the Total EHS Assessment System and will oversee RC activities and Total EHS Assessment System initiatives.
Responsible Care Promotion System in April 2023 and Beyond
