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Environmental Aspects

Environmental Communication

Together with our business partners

Steadily expanding green procurement (Aisin Seiki)

Aisin Seiki works with its business partners to implement green procurement initiatives. To this end, the AISIN Group Procurement Guidelines were published in FY2010 and distributed to all 1,700 of our tier-one partners. In FY2011, the Company worked to disclose and communicate a variety of information, including information on the latest trends in environmental laws and regulations, to our business partners.

Examples of actual communication initiatives with our main business partners in FY2011

  • Providing of information on the latest trends in environmental laws and regulations (May and October 2010)
    Disseminated information to 210 companies on the enactment of and revisions to laws and regulations as well as the Company’s response.
  • Environmental management inspection (August 2010)
    Established a plan to inspect over a three-year period all 80 business partners that have yet to acquire ISO 14001, as well as compiled a check sheet for each to complete voluntarily. When necessary, staff also visited the business partner's place of business to confirm progress and provide guidance.
  • Environmental risk inspection (August 2010)
    Established a plan to inspect over a three-year period all 150 business partners that retain equipment and work processes with a high degree of environmental risks, and requested voluntary inspections of legal compliance as well as management of equipment and facilities. When necessary, staff also visited the business partner’s place of business to confirm progress and provide guidance.
  • Presentation on the chemical substance registration system (November to December 2010)
    Presentations were given on GADSL*, and requests made for business partners to register with the Company's chemical substance registration system. This system went into operation in January 2011.

* Global automotive declarable substance list (GADSL): A list used by the automotive industry containing substances which require reporting, as well as prohibited substances.

Together with local communities

Hosting briefings and round-table talks at plants (Aisin Seiki)

Aisin Seiki actively hosts presentations and round-table talks at its plants for members of the local community as a means to disclosing information about the Company.

In FY2011, the Company held a total of six presentations and round-table talks.

Hosting liaison conferences to report the latest information (Hosei Brake Industry)

Hosei Brake Industry hosted a liaison conference that involved representatives from community associations as well as city councilors in order to extend its gratitude for their daily cooperation as well as provide updates on the latest information about the Company.

During the meeting, representatives from neighborhood community associations praised the fact that nighttime lighting of Hosei Brake Industry's plant made nearby roads brighter, which helped boost traffic safety and prevent crime.

Coexisting with nature: the Okazaki East Plant’s biotope (Aisin AW)

The biotope located on the grounds of Aisin AW's Okazaki East Plant provides an ecosystem for local plants and animals to live centered around a brook created using effluent from a water treatment facility.



Promoting "eco-forest" initiatives (Aisin AW Industries)

In the upstream greenbelt around Masutani Dam located in Minami Echizen in Fukui Prefecture's Nanjo County, Aisin AW Industries works together with members of the local community to help develop an "eco-forest."

In May 2010, the Company held the 2nd Forest Development Project, in which 132 employees helped plant trees and clear underbrush.

The 2nd Forest Development Project

The 2nd Forest Development Project

Promoting corporate citizenship activities across the entire AISIN Group

The 12 main AISIN Group companies act as one in promoting a variety of corporate citizenship activities.

One such activity is a greenery restoration project started in FY2004 that aims to restore the forest of Mt. Fuji. In May 2010, more than 260 employees and their families joined forces with people from the local community in the eighth tree-planting event on Mt. Fuji.

In addition, the Company continues to promote the All AISIN NPO Activities Support Fund, which offers assistance to NPOs in the local community through donations from Group employees and proceeds from the annual All AISIN Charity Concert held each autumn. In FY2011, the fund provided donations to 12 organizations.

The 8th tree-planting event on Mt. Fuji

The 8th tree-planting event on Mt. Fuji

Environmental education program for elementary school pupils organized jointly with an NPO

Aisin Seiki has worked together with ASK-NET (a specified nonprofit corporation) since FY2007 to host the AISIN Environmental Education Program for elementary school pupils.

This program is part of an integrated study class of fourth and fifth graders at elementary schools in the Nishi-mikawa region, which also encompasses the city of Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, where our corporate head office is located. In order for students to learn in a fun and exciting format, the program uses a variety of methods, including classroom lectures and hands-on learning experiences in rivers around schools, as well as the Sympathy Workshop, which uses original learning materials, and Eco Discussions in which families and people from the local community talk about the environment. The program has also been held by Group company Aisin AW since FY2009.

In FY2009, this education program resulted in extensive conservation activities aimed at protecting rare species locally. A survey on living organisms in rivers conducted during a hands-on learning program at Yatsuomote Elementary School in the city of Nishio discovered Nepa hoffmanni, an insect species protected by Aichi Prefecture. This finding was presented during the Eco Discussion, and through the assistance of a city councilor that was invited to attend the discussion, the city of Nishio began conservation activities to protect the local Nepa hoffmanni. Later, pupil participants in the program visited social welfare facilities locally to advocate the need to protect the species. Activities like these and other initiatives have served to spread awareness among city residents about environmental conservation.

In FY2011, 21 elementary schools from nine cities, representing 1,621 pupils, participated in the program. Moving forward, the Company plans to convey the importance of living organisms to pupils through the environmental education program.

Environmental education program flow

Environmental education program flow

From a Partner NPO

Whenever a school considers implementing a new program, the fact that we work together with Aisin Seiki, a major company with roots in the local community, gives us greater credibility when making a proposal. In addition, I believe we can convey a greater public nature to the program when we present to schools because it is organized not by Aisin Seiki alone, but together with our NPO. Moving forward, I hope to leverage our networks and expertise as well as assist one another in developing more useful activities for the local community. I am very grateful to be working alongside such a wonderful partner as Aisin Seiki.

Masako
Shirakami

Masako Shirakami
Representative Director
and Education
Coordinator
ASK-NET (specified nonprofit corporation)

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