Responsible Care Management
Management System
Policy and Basic Approach
Responsible Care is an activity that the world’s chemical industry is integrally promoting to improve the quality of life (QOL) by chemical products and to contribute to the sustainable development of society. All companies voluntarily implement activities designed to ensure safety, health and quality as well as protect the environment throughout the entire life cycles of their chemical products, publicize the results of their activities and engages in dialog with the local communities where they operate. As Responsible Care activities span entire life cycles, it is believed that the philosophy behind these activities is applicable not only to the chemical industry that manufactures the chemical products but also universally by all industries that use them.
The Mitsui Chemicals Group formulated the Responsible Care Policy as the Group’s approach to ensuring safety, based on the philosophy of the Responsible Care® Global Charter drawn up by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA).
Guided by this Policy, we engage in various Responsible Care activities in areas such as safety and prevention, environmental protection, occupational health, product stewardship, quality of products and services, and logistics. Through its Responsible Care activities, we are committed to addressing the expectations and earning the trust of society as well as the local community while also contributing to the sustainable development of the public at large and the chemical industry.
The Responsible Care® Global Charter: Company Signatories
Responsible Care Policy
Based on its Corporate Mission and Action Guidelines, the Mitsui Chemicals Group acknowledges that its business challenge is not only to comply with laws and regulations of the countries in which it does business, but also to continuously contribute to the improvement of safety, health, the environment, and quality, for the sustainable development of society. We will expand our business focus while continuing to improve and maintain good communication with all our stakeholders and business partners.
- We pledge that safety is our top priority and will focus on achieving zero accidents and occupational injuries.
- We will assess the risks to people and the environment from our products throughout their lifecycles, while working to ensure the health and safety of all persons and to reduce the environmental impact of those products.
- We will contribute to improve quality of life and protect the environment through our business activities by developing beneficial technologies and products.
- We will provide high-quality products and services that satisfy the needs of our customers and respond to the trust that they place in us.
- We will actively promote the well-being of all our employees.
Effective October 1, 1997
Revised September 1, 2015
We also produced guidelines to better ingrain the Responsible Care Policy throughout the Mitsui Chemicals Group. We translated the Responsible Care Policy and guidelines into eight languages, including English, Chinese, Korean and Malay, and sent them throughout the Group as a whole. In fiscal 2021, we reviewed the guidelines and specified that the reduction of environmental impact shall be considered throughout the product lifecycle, including the business planning stage, with stakeholders involved in each stage (suppliers in the material procurement stage; production sites, contractors, and product and service users in the manufacturing stage; logistics companies in the transport stage; waste management operators in the waste disposal stage, etc.).
In addition, to further expand Responsible Care activities at subsidiaries and affiliates, Mitsui Chemicals drew up (in Japanese, English, and Chinese editions) the Shiodome Manifesto. Based on the articles of the Responsible Care® Global Charter, the Manifesto serves as a declaration that promotes the Group’s Responsible Care policy and frameworks for subsidiaries and affiliates. The presidents of Group subsidiaries and affiliates that manufacture and market chemical substances, (excluding subsidiaries and affiliated companies situated within the premises of the works sites of Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.) signed off in acknowledgement of their commitment.
System and Responsible Officers
The person in charge is the responsible officer for the Responsible Care Committee.
Chaired by the responsible officer for the Responsible Care Committee, the Responsible Care Committee convenes three times a year, formulates policies, strategies and plans with regard to Responsible Care activities, conducts performance evaluations and reviews Responsible Care related systems. The general managers of each division (the general managers from the RC & Quality Assurance Division; Safety and Environment Technology Division; Planning & Coordination Division Production & Technology Center; Logistics Division; and Human Resources Division), who are the Committee’s permanent members, report on the Responsible Care activities in their respective jurisdictions at Responsible Care Committee meetings. The responsible officer for the Responsible Care Committee also bears the responsibility for the deliberations and discussions held at the Committee. Outlines of their content are reported to the Management Committee, and policies, strategies, plans, and measures developed by the Responsible Care Committee and other important matters are approved by the Management Committee, thereby ensuring a senior management-level commitment to Responsible Care.
Responsible Care Management System
Role of the Responsible Care Committee
- Formulated Responsible Care -related policies, strategies, plans and measures on a companywide basis
- Assess the results of Companywide Responsible Care activities on a yearly and quarterly basis
- Publicize and raise awareness of Responsible Care within the Company
- Assess the results of Responsible Care audits
- Review Responsible Care systems and examine other important issues
Composition of the Responsible Care Committee
| Chair | Responsible Officer for the Responsible Care Committee |
|---|---|
| Permanent members | Center Executive of the Production & Technology Center, General Manager of the Planning & Coordination Division of Each Business Sector, General Manager of R&D Planning & Coordination Division, Planning & Coordination Division of the Production & Technology Center, Safety & Environment Technology Division, the RC & Quality Assurance Division, Purchasing Division, Logistics Division, Human Resources Division, Corporate Planning Division, Affiliates Coordination Division, Corporate Sustainability Division, and Internal Control Division, other members appointed by the Chairperson |
| Observers | Corporate Auditor, President of the Mitsui Chemicals Labor Union, other members appointed by the Chairperson |
| Secretariat | RC & Quality Assurance Division |
| Description of activities (FY2021) | In fiscal 2021, the Responsible Care Committee mainly discussed the development of the fiscal 2022 budget that reflected VISION 2030, while at the same time verifying whether the fiscal 2021 budget for the entire Group was actually effective. In addition, the Committee exchanged a wide range of opinions regarding carbon neutrality, circular economy, strategies of sites that consider the entire supply chain, and other matters. |
We hold regular meetings by the representatives from each department on a monthly basis and constantly exchange information between divisions in charge of Responsible Care and engage in Responsible Care activities that involve the Company as a whole. We also appoint a member of staff to be in charge of Responsible Care (RC Officer) at each business division and in each department and roll out Responsible Care -related policies and strategies across the Mitsui Chemicals Group as a whole through RC Officer meetings (held twice a year). Based on these policies and strategies, specific Responsible Care activities are carried out by individual departments, including each works and business division.
The Mitsui Chemicals Group as a whole also promotes Responsible Care, including support for specific activities for domestic and overseas affiliated companies as well as departments with various functions. Meetings are also held twice a year with domestic subsidiaries and affiliates to exchange information. Moreover, steps are taken to share policies related to Responsible Care activities as well as activity results. Turning to overseas subsidiaries and affiliates, SHE (Safety, Health, and Environment) meetings are held by region. In addition to sharing policies and strategies relating to Responsible Care, every effort is being made to promote Responsible Care throughout the Group as a whole.
Internal Audits
Mitsui Chemicals Group conducts audits on environment and safety (environmental protection and safety and prevention), occupational health, quality, and chemicals management, in order to objectively evaluate the effective implementation of Responsible Care activities. The Internal Control Division is responsible for environment & safety audits and occupational health audits. Quality audits and chemical safety audits are managed by RC & Quality Assurance Division, in order to verify the practice from a more professional perspective, And the suitability of these audits is itself inspected by the Internal Control Division. The audit results are then reported to the Management Committee and the Responsible Care Committee.
External Certification
The Mitsui Chemicals Group obtains external certification on our environment management system, occupational health and safety management system, and quality management system in each site.
Status of External Certification
Participating in Chemical Industry Associations in Each Country and Region
The Mitsui Chemicals Group reports the results of our Responsible Care activities to each association and are working to maintain the transparency of the chemical industry in the eyes of society.
Report recipients: The Japan Chemical Industry Association (JCIA), the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers (AICM, China), the Taiwan Responsible Care Association (TRCA), the Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SCIC), the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), the American Chemistry Council (ACC), and the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC).
Topics that are likely to become management issues are gathered from information obtained in the course of the activities at these associations and reported to top management.
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