AISIN - News Releases - Environmental Activities

Aiming to Be a Top Environmental Player - AISIN Formulates the “Fourth Environmental Action Plan”
(February 16, 2006)

In working toward the realization of a sustainable society with a harmonious coexistence between people and the environment, Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd., comprising 129 domestic and foreign consolidated companies, has formulated the “Fourth Environmental Action Plan” as an environmental action guideline and plan to be implemented from fiscal 2007 through fiscal 2011.

The Fourth Environmental Action Plan clarifies our five-year plan that runs up to fiscal 2011, as we strive to realize our management vision to “bring people into harmony with the earth.” To carry out thorough environment-oriented management in all our business activities, we will actively develop such environment-friendly products and technologies as fuel cells together with strengthening our ability to establish production technologies and production know-how that will reduce CO2 emissions and waste to an absolute minimum. Additionally, to ensure that employees maintain a high environmental awareness and to contribute to the building of a sustainable society, we will also adopt a proactive approach to our nature and environmental conservation activities and aim to become a top environmental player.

The following is an outline of the “Fourth Environmental Action Plan.”

Key Points of the “Fourth Environmental Action Plan”

1. Promote the development of earth-friendly new products and technologies - Aim for large reductions in both CO2 emissions and resource consumption

[Automotive Parts]
• Develop products to minimize the environmental load, focusing on achieving weight reductions and raising fuel economy and efficiency.
• Promote the development of parts for hybrid vehicles and next-generation fuel cell vehicles.

[Energy Related Products]
• Commercialize residential cogeneration systems that utilize fuel cell technology and improve gas engine driven heat-pump air conditioners.

[Life and Amenity Related Products]
• Build an integrated cycling structure for collecting and recycling beds and other items.

2. Achieve drastic reductions in environmental load emission volume per sales unit* in our global production activities

• Reduce CO2 emission volume per sales unit by 20% from fiscal 2002 levels by introducing simplified and streamlined production facilities.
• Reduce emission volume per sales unit by 10% from fiscal 2004 levels by reducing amounts of such valuable resources as metal scrap as well as waste materials.
• Reduce release volume of substances subject to PRTR** substances by 75% from fiscal 2001 levels by raising coating adhesion efficiency and switching to substitute products.
* Emission volume per sales unit: Volume of emissions/net sales
** PRTR: Pollutant Release and Transfer Register

3. Expand AISIN Group consolidated environmental management

• Expand the framework and activities for the AISIN Group’s “AISIN Consolidated Environmental Committee” from 43 production companies at present to 129 companies, including non-production companies, and progress with global environmental activities.
• Closely cooperate with suppliers and promote activities that are fully integrated into our supply chain to reduce substances of concern (SOC) (including lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium) contained in our products.

4. Further raise environmental awareness of individual employees worldwide

• Implement thorough environmental education for all employees (including temporary staff) working at AISIN business sites and reform business processes from an environmental perspective in all divisions, including business offices.

5. Further promote nature and environment conservation activities

• When constructing new production facilities, we will locate these and other facilities to conserve natural forests and make use of natural energy, thereby creating plants that co-exist in harmony with nature.
• We will expand green spaces by 1.3 times, or approximately 9.3 million square meters (around 230 times the area of the Nagoya Dome), by creating biotopes and engaging in tree planting activities in conjunction with local communities in Japan, while also participating in such efforts as tree planting activities overseas (to be carried out in China in addition to Thailand).