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).
In addition, the Group has established guidelines to disseminate this policy, which states the Group's principles and rules for safety, the environment, and product quality, throughout the entire Group. We have established individual rules and regulations in accordance with this policy for activities related to Responsible Care, such as safety and prevention, environmental protection, product stewardship, quality of products and services, logistics, and occupational health.
Through these 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.
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 product quality as well as protect the environment throughout the entire life cycles of their chemical products, publicize the results of their activities, and engage 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.
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 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 addition, to further expand Responsible Care activities at subsidiaries and affiliates, Mitsui Chemicals established the Shiodome Manifesto (in Japanese, English, and Chinese editions). 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 signed this manifesto in acknowledgement of their commitment.
System and Responsible Officers
The Responsible Care Committee oversees the management system with 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 & Environment Technology Division, Logistics Division, and Human Resources Division), who are the Committee’s permanent members, report the Responsible Care activities in their respective jurisdictions at the Committee meetings. The responsible officer for the 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 Committee and other important matters are approved by the Management Committee, thereby ensuring a senior management-level commitment to Responsible Care.
The representatives from each division hold regular meetings every month 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 division 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 divisions, including each works and business unit.
The Mitsui Chemicals Group as a whole also promotes Responsible Care, including support for specific activities for domestic and overseas subsidiaries and affiliates as well as divisions 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. For overseas subsidiaries and affiliates, RC meetings are held by region. In addition to sharing policies and strategies related to Responsible Care, every effort is made to promote Responsible Care throughout the Group as a whole.
Responsible Care Management System
Role of the Responsible Care Committee
- Deliberation on company-wide policies, strategies, plans, and measures related to RC activities (including internal publicity of RC and how to disseminate them), and other important matters such as the review of the RC system
- Reports and discussions on the status of company-wide RC activities (including performance evaluations and audit results)
- Discussions of other important matters related to RC
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 | President of the Mitsui Chemicals Labor Union and other members appointed by the Chairperson |
| Secretariat | RC & Quality Assurance Division |
| Description of activities (FY2023) | In fiscal 2023, the Responsible Care Committee mainly discussed the development of the fiscal 2024 budget to achieve VISION 2030, while at the same time verifying whether the fiscal 2023 budget for the entire Group was actually effective. In addition, the Committee exchanged a wide range of opinions regarding carbon neutrality, circular economy, strategies that consider the entire supply chain, safety and disaster prevention, occupational safety, and other matters. |
Internal Audit
Mitsui Chemicals Group conducts audits on environment and safety (environmental protection and safety and prevention), occupational health, product quality, and chemicals management, and reports all audit results to the Management Committee and Responsible Care Committee, in order to objectively evaluate the effective implementation of Responsible Care activities.
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
- Size
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Participating in Chemical Industry Associations in Each Country and Region
The Mitsui Chemicals Group actively contributes to the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and Chemical Industry Association in each country and region. The president of the Company serves on the board of directors of the ICCA and reports to the associations on the results of Responsible Care activities to ensure that the chemical industry remains transparent to 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), the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), the Indian Chemical Council (ICC), and Responsible Care Indonesia (RCI).
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.