Murata has completed consolidation of environmental management framework based on the environmental management concept at every site in Japan as well as every production plant overseas in FY2009. We will share information with regard to environmental management, and aim at the promotion of highly efficient and effective environmental activities and strengthening of the governance.
At Murata, the executive in charge of environmental affairs is responsible for environmental activities throughout the Group, and the Environmental Affairs Department supports and promotes environmental activities across business sites. The Murata Environmental Committee, a consultative body to the president, discusses and examines the implementation status of environmental activities at each business site, as well as companywide environmental issues.
Rather than limiting our effort to “end-of-pipe measures,” intended to cut hazardous substance emissions at the exit points, we have striven to dramatically reduce environmental impact from the design stage. As part of such efforts, in fiscal 2007 we incorporated several division staff members into the Environmental Committee and created a system to strengthen environmental strategies relating to raw materials and production methods.
In addition, in fiscal 2008 we removed issues relating to the prevention of global warming from the purview of the Environmental Committee, and established a Global Warming Prevention Special Committee in order to enhance our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. We are increasing the pace of our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in the design, development and manufacturing stages.
Environmental Management Promotion System
Murata had acquired ISO14001 certification for all its production plants in Japan and overseas, and all non-manufacturing sites in Japan (Murata Head Office, Tokyo branch and sales offices) by the end of fiscal 2006. We had concentrated on integrating systems, and in March 2007, we completed switching individual certification of the 34 domestic Group business sites to ISO14001 multi-site certification. Since then, we have implemented an integrated environmental management system from design and development to production and sales, and also applied improvements that proved successful in one plant or office to other plants or offices, so as to improve the environmental performance of the entire Murata Group.
Since fiscal 2007 we have also promoted multi-site integration of overseas production plants. In fiscal 2008, Wuxi Murata Electronics Co., Ltd., China was included within the scope of a multi-site certification, and in fiscal 2009, Shenzhen Murata Technology Co., Ltd. was also included. In March 2010, we integrated the environmental management systems of all our domestic business sites and overseas production plants. By building a global environmental management system, we have further enhanced our governance as a Group, and enabled the implementation of more efficient and highly effective environmental activities.
Murata conducts environmental education for all employees to improve their environmental awareness. The Group also enhanced the internal auditor training program in fiscal 2007, changing to a format that more closely approximates actual audits.
Employees who handle wastewater and gas emission equipment or other equipment that affects the environment receive individual training on appropriate inspections and efficient operation to minimize impact on the environment.
The Murata Group conducts three types of internal environmental audits at all domestic sites and overseas production plants. The results of the fiscal 2009 internal plant audits showed three instances of noncompliance and 167 items requiring improvement for the domestic Group as a whole, and 19 items requiring improvement in overseas production plants, all of which were corrected by the end of March 2010.
The cost of environmental activities in fiscal 2009 was approximately \3 billion, with investment recording approximately \800 million. Continuing the situation in fiscal 2008, investment was down in fiscal 2009, in part as a result of the global economic slowdown. In the area of daily management, as a result of implementing only the essentials following a reexamination of procedures, no major changes were recorded against the previous fiscal year.
However, while overall costs declined, costs for environmental protection displayed a slight increasing tendency, in part due to the commencement of initiatives in response to global warming as an important focal area.
| Classification | Costs (Millions of yen) |
Investment (Millions of yen) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiscal 2008 | Fiscal 2009 | Fiscal 2008 | Fiscal 2009 | ||
| Cost manufacturing plant premises | Pollution prevention | 382 | 389 | 568 | 271 |
| Environmental protection | 235 | 283 | 390 | 411 | |
| Recycling of resources | 1,136 | 1,066 | 15 | 53 | |
| Subtotal | 1,753 | 1,739 | 973 | 735 | |
| Upstream/downstream environmental protection costs | 31 | 28 | 0 | 0 | |
| Management activities costs | 815 | 609 | 59 | 46 | |
| Social activities costs | 61 | 54 | 1 | 0 | |
| Cost of R&D | 369 | 560 | 0 | 17 | |
| Environmental damage costs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 3,029 | 2,990 | 1,033 | 798 | |
Calculation method
