Sustainability
Environmental
Environmental Education and Communication
In accordance with the Guidelines for Environmental Action under NGK’s Core Policy on the Environment, we conduct ongoing environmental education and awareness activities aimed at increasing employee environmental awareness. Our aim is to deepen the understanding of environmental problems among each employee to inculcate an awareness of environmental conservation activities.
We also conduct environmental events and provide information to a wide range of stakeholders, including on-site classes at elementary schools, to increase environmental awareness.
Participating in Local Environmental Education
Offering Guest Lectures at Elementary Schools and Children’s Centers
NGK sends instructors to participate in lectures and workshops for young people that are hosted each year by EPOC (Environmental Partnership Organizing Club)*. Our instructors offer classes on water resources and usage in which children can experience how soil can purify water.
So far, a cumulative total of 2,300 people have participated in environmental education programs with which NGK is affiliated.
EPOC (Environmental Partnership Organizing Club): A voluntary organization consisting mainly of companies in the Chubu region of Japan, which was established in 2000. Its purpose is to spread information regarding the environment with the aim of building a recycling-oriented sustainable society. NGK has been involved in the planning and management of this organization since its establishment. EPOC currently has approximately 270 members.
Sharing Information with Other Companies
The EPOC subcommittee chaired by NGK organizes seminars and field trips several times a year under the theme of corporate environmental management (low carbon, resource recycling, biodiversity, water resources, environment-related laws, etc.) and sends out information to members.
Raising Environmental Awareness
Environmental Education inside the Company
We conduct position-based training related to environmental management systems to familiarize employees with the aims and content of NGK’s environmental policies. We also provide specialized environmental training courses for personnel who will be directly involved in environmental management, as well as special environmental training for the entire workforce.
Fiscal 2019 Specialized Environmental Training
- 1. Regulatory reporting and compliance with regards to facilities covered by environment-related laws
Held four times in September, 189 participants.
- 2. Managing machinery that uses CFCs
Four seminars were planned for March, but in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 participants studied relevant educational materials on their own.
Promoting the Acquisition of Qualifications
To continue conducting environmental conservation activities in compliance with laws and regulations, we make an effort to develop and increase the skills of legally qualified personnel. We provide support in each department for the acquisition of environment-related legal qualifications targeting managers engaged in pollution prevention required for the management of each site.
We systematically educate Qualified Energy Managers in the Engineering Department, and Special Controlled Industrial Waste Managers and others involved in waste-related activities in the Environmental Management Department and other business divisions.
Qualifications Acquired as of March 31, 2020 (NGK)
(Persons)
| Pollution Control Managers | Qualified Energy Managers | Special Controlled Industrial Waste Managers | Waste Disposal Facility Technical Managers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Water | Noise/Vibration | |||
| 81 | 99 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 3 |
Support for Acquisition of Eco Test Certification
With the aim of ensuring that each employee acquires a strong environmental awareness and a wide range of knowledge with respect to the environment, NGK encourages employees sitting the Eco Test* by lending them reference materials and subsidizing test-related expenses.
To date, a total of 845 people—more than 20% of all NGK employees—have passed the test.
*The Eco Test is an environmental and social certification test administered by the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry focused on a wide-range of environmental issues.
Eco Test Certification
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of successful examinees | 94 | 120 | 125 | 90 | 37 |
NGK Eco Point System
NGK promotes its Eco Point System in an effort to contribute to regional environmental improvement. Employees earn points for environmental behavior conducted at work and in the home, a portion of which is converted into cash and donated to local government-managed funds (environmental funds).
In addition to the company’s three sites in Nagoya, Komaki and Chita and the Ishikawa Plant, the system was newly introduced to the Tokyo Main Office and Osaka Branch and sales offices in fiscal 2016.
From left: Kazuhiro Hasegawa, environmental manager at NCDK Ishikawa Plant; Mayumi Seto, leading Eco Point earner for NCDK Ishikawa Plant; Mayor Ide of Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture; Yukari Yamaguchi, last year’s top Eco Point earner for NGK; Takahisa Kaneko, environmental manager at NGK Ishikawa PlantDonation of NGK Eco Points
The NGK Eco Points earned by individual employees through their engagement in environmental activities are aggregated on an annual basis for each site (Nagoya, Chita, Komaki, Ishikawa), and top scorers are commended every year. For earned points, employees select from two options: exchange for eco goods or donate to local funds. The number of employees choosing donation is growing every year, indicating increasing environmental awareness.