Customer First, Quality First

Basic stance

Based on the customer first philosophy originated from the Principles of Toyoda—being unified to make contributions for the world and for people—and our initiatives related to MONOZUKURI cultivated for 100 years, the Toyota Boshoku group aims to become an Interior Space Creator by 2030. To achieve this goal, we are working to thoroughly implement quality first and develop human resources on a global scale. It is our mission to always consider matters from the customer’s perspective and position, to ensure safety and confidence, and to provide customers with attractive and inspiring products and quality.

Establishing a global quality assurance system

The Quality field in the global headquarters and the regional Management & Collaboration Hubs are working closely together to provide high quality, high value-added products to our customers around the world.

2025 Quality Roadmap

To realize our 2025 Mid-Term Business Plan, we have collated quality issues and formulated the 2025 Quality Roadmap.
We aim to quickly resolve the issues we face, and to be a "trusted and chosen supplier," as well as a "provider of quality that exceeds customers’ expectations," and a "system supplier that manages the entire interior space."
In order to achieve our target, we have established five policies linked to our materiality to improve the quality of our operations and products.

2025 Quality Roadmap

Figure:2025 Quality Roadmap
  • An award presented to companies that are implementing TQM and achieving outstanding results
  • Total Quality Management
    Aim to improve work quality by enhancing capabilities of "people", "organization", and "process", in order to maintain a flexible and resilient corporate structure based on the Corporate Philosophy of "total participation", "customer first", and "continuous kaizen."

Improve operational quality through implementation of TQM

In order to achieve sustainable growth, we are using TQM to change the way we have been working, strengthen the "organization," "processes," and "people" of our management foundation, and improve the quality of all operations.
The term "organization" refers to the ability to implement management strategies for sustainable growth; "process" refers to the procedures used to realize business operations from the customer’s perspective; and "people" refers to the qualities and expertise required to carry out business operations and manufacturing.

Concrete measures

  • We are working to develop human resources capable of realizing improvements in operational quality through the establishment of a TQM education system.
    We have defined the management skills, problem-solving skills, data utilization and quality management skills, and unique technologies and skills required for TQM, and are conducting systematic training.
  • Under the leadership of the President, each division and field is promoting autonomy in TQM promotion.
    Through the penetration of policy management and the Deming Prize, we aim to improve the operational quality of all work and realize the 2025 Mid-Term Business Plan as well as our Vision.

Improve operational quality of all work through the implementation of TQM by all company members

Figure:Improve operational quality of all work through the implementation of TQM by all company members

Improve operational quality that will contribute to the achievement of management goals after winning the Deming Prize for the Unit Components Business

Figure:Improve operational quality that will contribute to the achievement of management goals after winning the Deming Prize for the Unit Components Business

Global QA system by introducing CQO system

CQO*1 for each region, CQO for each area*2 within these regions, and related functional divisions cooperate to quickly deal with global issues, as well as localized issues that arise in specific regions.

  • Chief Quality Officer
  • Regional CQOs for each of the 5 global regions, with the area CQOs under each.
    For more information, please see the following section on our CQO Promotion Structure.

Items being addressed in the CQO system

Clarify the responsibilities of Product Business Unit and Functional Collaboration Unit, as well as each region. Strengthen cooperation, and promote global quality improvement activities to achieve "Customer First, Quality First."
Raise awareness of quality in each region and area, as well as each Product Business Unit and Functional Collaboration Unit, and foster a culture in which top management itself takes the issue seriously.

CQO Promotion Structure

Figure:CQO Promotion Structure

Promoting DX with a system that enables AI-driven continuous quality improvement

We have been improving product quality by promoting measures while digitizing various types of quality information, with the aim of becoming a "trusted and chosen supplier." Currently, we are using this digital data to build a system that aims to prevent problems through expanded traceability and drawing checking systems.
In order to become a "system supplier that manages the entire interior space" by 2025, we are working step by step to create a system that enables continuous quality improvement using DX.

System that enables continuous quality improvement

Figure:System that enables continuous quality improvement
  • All Toyota-Boshoku Quality Information Leading System

Strengthening quality competitiveness for the future

Utilizing the MONOZUKURI Innovation Center, we have strengthened collaboration among the development, production engineering, and quality areas, and have enhanced our vehicle evaluation system.
We are striving to improve quality through speedy evaluation/analysis and problem solving.
Furthermore, by feeding back the analysis results to the development process, we will raise the quality competitiveness of new products and meet the expectations of our customers.

Photo:Vehicle examination area in the MONOZUKURI Innovation Center
Vehicle examination area in the MONOZUKURI Innovation Center