Toyota Boshoku Corporation

Environmental Management
Overview of the final year of Y2010 Environmental Action Plan

The Toyota Boshoku group formulated the Y2010 Environmental Action Plan in fiscal 2005, which outlines the implementation plan for environmental activities from fiscal 2006 to fiscal 2010.

Fiscal 2010 was the final year of the plan. As a result of environmental preservation activities initiated as a group, we managed to achieve all targets under each item related to the prevention of global warming, reduction of substances of concern, recycling of resources and environmental management.

Formulated a new Environmental Action Plan based on the results of the Y2010 Environmental Action Plan
Based on the results of the Y2010 Environmental Action Plan, we formulated the Y2015 Environmental Action Plan, which outlines the implementation plan for environmental activities from fiscal 2011 to fiscal 2015. The three key themes of the new plan are “development and production activities for the realisation of a low-carbon society,” “technology development and production activities for building a recycling-oriented society” and “reduction of the use of substances with environmental impact and carrying out social activities in co-existence with the natural environment” based on enhanced environmental management. (Y2015 Environmental Action Plan)
The following outlines the targets achieved in our main activities for fiscal 2010.

1. Prevention of global warming

(Legend of self-evaluation: : achieved, : more than 90% achieved)
2006-2010 action items Fiscal 2010 initiatives policy/goals Fiscal 2010 action results Self-
evaluation
Development and design 1. Further weight saving of automotive parts to improve fuel efficiency
    • Manage progress of vehicles focused on weight saving
    • Strengthen activities to set target figures through benchmarking
  1. Reinforce system to achieve weight-saving targets over medium and long terms
    • Achieved voluntary targets with two vehicles
    • Started to determine market-based qualitative and quantitative benchmarks for seats
  1. Promoted Medium-to Long-term Working Group activities via the Weight Saving Committee
2. Promote development of new products and technologies (for meeting emissions regulations, clean energy cars and energy diversification)
  1. Reduce heat loss in interior materials
  2. Conserve energy in cabin space
  1. Achieved target for reducing heat loss in car interior
  2. Achieved target for reducing power consumption in cabin space
Production and logistics 3. Global reduction of CO2 emissions in production activities in each country/region (expansion of activities to include offices and other sites that are non-production divisions)
Refer to Environmental Activity Data / Preventing global warming for details on the status of CO2 emission reductions in each region.
  • Strengthen technological development toward reducing CO2
  1. Create sustainable next-generation plants for a low-carbon society
  2. Formulate advanced CO2 reduction items through innovative technology and kaizen(continuous improvement)
  1. Formulated targets for reducing CO2 emissions by 2020
    Formulated CO2 reduction scenario for production facilities and infrastructure
  2. Respective production engineering departments established innovative development themes
4. Reduction of CO2 emissions in logistics
  • Expand modal shift for long-haul routes
  • Started modal shift in Tohoku region
  • *1 Challenging voluntary targets were set within the Y2010 Environmental Action Plan to ensure overall goals were achieved.
  • *2 Emissions per unit of sales

2. Reduction of substances of concern

(Legend of self-evaluation: : achieved, : more than 90% achieved)
2006-2010 action items Fiscal 2010 initiatives policy/goals Fiscal 2010 action results Self-
evaluation
Development
and
design
5. Promotion of management and further reduction in the use of substances of concern (SOC) Elimination of SOCs (lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium, etc.) globally
Reduction of VOC* in the vehicle cabin
* VOC: Volatile Organic Compounds HBCD: Hexabromo-
cyclododecane Deca-BDE: Deca-brominated diphenyl ether (bromine-based flame retardant)
  • Clarification of parts with lead solder for European market and steady promotion of switch to lead-free soldering
  • Promoted switch to parts using low-temperature solder
  • Implementation of substitution of HBCD
  • Completed replacement of parts with HBCD in all vehicles
  • Further promotion of halogen-free parts: Establishment and promotion of plan to gradually substitute and replace Deca-BDE
  • Completed substitution plan for each vehicle
  • Conducted research on future trends for flame retardants
  • Establishment of target figures for parts with VOC, substitution to substances with low VOC levels and creation of database
  • Completed establishment of concrete target figures in key vehicle development
    Proposed unique Toyota Boshoku measurement method and cleared vehicle assessments
Production 6.Reduction of the discharge of substances subject to the PRTR* law and VOC * PRTR: Pollutant Release and Transfer Register *3
  • *3 Achieved Y2010 Environmental Action Plan targets but fell short of challenging targets.

3. Recycling of resources

(Legend of self-evaluation: : achieved, : more than 90% achieved)
2006-2010 action items Fiscal 2010 initiatives policy/goals Fiscal 2010 action results Self-
evaluation
Development
and
design
7. Development of recycling technology that promotes smooth operation of recycling system in Japan and Europe
  • Steady technological development towards achieving 95% recycling efficiency rate in Japan and Europe in 2015
Recycling efficiency rate
Japan: Equivalent to 92% in fiscal 2010
Europe: 85% in 2006
  1. Orders with new configuration
  2. Development of new methods
  1. Received orders for three types of vehicle
  2. Established new methods
8. Further promotion and expansion of recycling design
  • Promotion of development and expansion of material and structure that can easily be dismantled or recycled
  • Development and utilisation of renewable resources (plant raw material that is carbon-neutral*4 , which absorbs CO2) and expansion of use of recycled material
  1. Enrichment of products that use kenaf material
    Technology development to extend the use of kenaf
  2. Development of a new moulding machine for kenaf material
  1. Development of a new material for injection moulding using kenaf
  2. Completed introduction of a new moulding machine for kenaf material
Production
and
logistics
9. Further promotion of effective utilisation of resources towards a recycling-oriented society
  • Division of items to be reduced by activity (waste reduction, treatment cost reduction) and promotion of cross-organisational programmes through coordination between plants
  • Implemented cross-organisational programmes through Waste Reduction Working Group activities
  • Cross-organisational implementation of items to improve packing (packaging specifications) introduced in 2008 and 2009
  • Number of packing improvements: 17
  • *4 Net zero carbon emissions during a product’s life cycle

4. Environmental management

(Legend of self-evaluation: : achieved, : more than 90% achieved)
2006-2010 action items Fiscal 2010 initiatives policy/goals Fiscal 2010 action results Self-
evaluation
Management 10. Promotion of consolidated environmental management (Coverage: Toyota Boshoku group (excluding Toyota Boshoku))
  1. Establishment of global environmental action system
  2. Enhancement of legal compliance at global level
  1. Convened Environment Committee (twice/year)
  2. Established uniform group-wide system of legal compliance
11. Strengthening of teamwork with suppliers
  • Further promotion of environmental management with business partners
  • Purchase of products that have environmental consideration
  1. Confirmation of ISO 14001 acquisition
  1. Acquired at 88 of 92 companies
12. Enhancement of environmental education
  1. Enhancement of rank-based educational materials
  2. Education of environmental staff at group companies
  1. Expanded education of ISO 14001 such as by job classification
  2. Implemented education and diagnosis related to energy conservation (Toyota Boshoku Asia, Toyota Boshoku America, Toyota Boshoku (China))
13. Recommendation of eco-life to company members
  1. Recommendation of eco-life to company members when commuting
  2. Measures to combat congestion during commuting hours around Sanage Plant
  1. Recommended public transport systems and promoted use of "park & ride" scheme
  2. Eased congestion by reviewing commuting routes and parking locations
14. Steady reduction of environmental loads through life cycle by operating and regularly implementing Eco-VAS*5
  1. Reduction of CO2 by implementing LCA*6 for seat frames
  2. Implementation of LCA-related education (Plan: 60 people)
  1. Reduced CO2 through LCA for seat frames in new cars
  2. Implemented LCA-related education (Results: 62 people)
Cooperation
with
society
15. Promotion of global social contribution activities
  1. Formulation and implementation of plans supporting communities and welfare
  2. Improvement of social contribution activities in regions around the world
  1. Promoted cleanup, beautification, tree-planting and reforestation activities
    Made donations for disaster relief, conducted fundraising for charity and presented awards to business units that made significant achievements
  2. Reported on activities by related committees
16. Establishment of social contribution activities at sites in Japan
  1. Formulation and implementation of plans supporting communities and welfare
  2. Promotion of company member participation in activities connected with the community, government, non-profit organisations and work committees
  1. Toyota Boshoku Kyushu Corporation and Toyota Boshoku Tohoku Corporation advanced reforestation activities
    Toyota Boshoku Shiga Corporation launched reforestation activities
  2. Cleaned up, made donations and conducted fundraising at each business entity
    Company members from affiliates in Japan participated in key Toyota Boshoku programmes
17. Information disclosure and enhancement of communication
  1. Continued publishing of Toyota Boshoku Report
  2. Promotion of regional interchange activities
  1. Issued Toyota Boshoku Report 2010 (Japanese and English)
    Released Global Environmental Dialogue
    • Continued implementation of Kariya and Sanage area social gatherings
    • Exhibited at environmental exhibition (Messe Nagoya)
  • *5 Eco-Vehicle Assessment System, a new environmental assessment system adopted by Toyota Motor Corporation
  • *6 Life Cycle Assessment: Overall assessment for total environmental load of products from production through to use and up to disposal

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