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Environmental management system
Practicing PDCA cycle in line with ISO14001
Under our mid-term management plan, the Brother Group devises an Environmental Action Plan every 3 years. In line with that plan, every manufacturing facility of Brother Industries, Ltd. (BIL) and that outside Japan drafts plans every year and develops environmental activities as a part of business activities. Progress and performance of plans are checked by reports from each manufacturing facility and internal audits, and those findings are reflected in planning for the next year.
Our environmental management system is responsible for ensuring compliance with laws, regulations and standards, and constructively conducting environmental protection activities. ISO14001 is used to practice the PDCA (Plan >> Do >> Check >> Act) cycle.
Since Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd., our manufacturing facility in the UK, acquired the first ISO14001 accreditation of the group in 1996, acquisition has been promoted at all group manufacturing facilities. And now all manufacturing facilities are ISO14001 certified. On the sales side, accreditation was acquired at 24 sales facilities (as of April 8, 2009), following Brother U.K. in 2005. We have acquired accreditation at all major sales facilities outside Japan which were covered in our 5th Environmental Action Plan. Plans are to appropriately acquire accreditation at relatively smaller sales facilities.
Environmental audit
Brother Group annually conducts internal audits regarding environmental issues to confirm that manufacturing facilities both in and outside Japan effectively operate the environmental management system to conduct environment related activities in conformance to ISO 14001. For manufacturing facilities within Japan, the Safety, Disaster Prevention and Environment Control Group of BIL's Personnel Department takes the initiative in conducting internal audits, and for manufacturing facilities outside Japan, their departments in charge of environment do. The Environmental Management Department of BIL takes the initiative to grasp and follow up regarding the observance of laws and performance for all of them inside and outside Japan.
Environmental education for employees
Using the ISO14001-based environmental management system, BIL imparts environmental education to all employees as well as level-based education for special positions and roles, based on an education program that is set each year.
Environmental education is imparted to both raise environmental consciousness and execute operations, such as special environmental training for new hires, e-learning-based education for all employees, and education on managing chemical substances contained in products and auditing suppliers and providing them guidance on process management, which is provided to production and procurement officers at manufacturing facilities inside and outside Japan.
Example of environmental education: Quizzing the workforce on ISO14001 Day
-Brother International Corporation (Canada) Ltd.-
To raise employee awareness of the environment and have them learn about ISO14001 accreditation and its significance, Brother International Corporation (Canada) Ltd. named September 20, 2007 "ISO14001 Day" and conducted various activities. One such activity was a quiz designed to measure how well employees understood ISO14001. Employees were recruited to participate and were sent four questions about ISO14001. These questions asked how many Brother Group manufacturing facilities had ISO14001 accreditation and about the elimination of hazardous substances in production, environmental policy with regard to recycling office paper and the cartridge collection program. 92% of those participating answered all four questions correctly. Participants received a foliage plant for their desktop as a green gift of appreciation. The employees had fun and raised their awareness of the environment at the same time.
Example of environmental education: Education programs and awareness activities for business sites in the EU
-Brother International Europe Ltd.-
Brother International Europe Ltd. provides ISO14001 education programs and advice to business sites in the EU and supports business sites in their development of environmental impact assessments and improvement programs. They continue to conduct awareness activities such as a green Christmas quiz, periodic updates of bulletins boards and a closing message included with e-mail which recommends double-side printing to save printing papers.
Example of environmental education: Wide range of environmental education and awareness activities
-Brother U.K. Ltd.-
Brother U.K. Ltd. conducts a wide range of environmental education and awareness activities through team meetings, bulletin boards, the company Intranet and more. In FY2007 (April 1, 2007-March 31, 2008), they conducted a campaign to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags. They also set out smaller and easier-to-use battery waste boxes than the previous boxes in various locations of the company to facilitate recycling and comply with the Battery Directive*.
* Battery Directive: EU Directive that went into force on September 26, 2008, requiring manufacturers of batteries and products that contain batteries to collect and recycle spent batteries.
Example of environmental education: Imparting environmental education as a part of environmental management activities
-Mie Brother Precision Industries, Ltd.-
Mie Brother Precision Industries, Ltd. imparts environmental education activities to all levels of employees so that the company's environmental management system runs smoothly and effectively. Internal auditors not only have classroom work but also take part in actual internal audits of BIL as practical training aimed at improving the quality of the company's human resources. We also explain about ISO14001 and Brother's environmental activities to junior high school students that come to experience the workplace.
