The NLM Group has undertaken initiatives to discharge the responsibilities required of a supplier in terms of compliance management, quality improvement, occupational safety and environmental protection.
NLM has enhanced corporate governance and internal controls to ensure management that earns the trust of all stakeholders
The fundamental responsibility of a company is to provide society with valuable products and services and earn the satisfaction and trust of customers. In addition, a company cannot remain in business without the understanding and trust of its stakeholders such as shareholders, business partners, employees and host communities.
With this in mind, NLM has enhanced corporate governance, which is the foundation of sound management, aiming at corporate management that earns the trust of all stakeholders.
In order to promote quality deliberation by the Board of Directors and expeditious management, NLM has adopted an (operating) officer system separating management and operation. With the terms of office of directors and officers set at one year, their respective roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. NLM has established, under the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, in which the president and other directors, operating officers, and officers of Group companies participate. The Executive Committee gives multifaceted consideration to compliance, product quality, environmental protection and other important matters that affect the whole Group. The independent Auditors Committee periodically conducts audits to ensure that this management structure is lawful and functions adequately.
As a measure to strengthen corporate governance, NLM has enhanced internal systems for controlling the performance of duties of all officers and employees who constitute the NLM Group. Forging a basic policy for the implementation of internal control systems by the Board of Directors, NLM thoroughly ensure risk management, legal compliance, operational efficiency and appropriate financial activities.
- We strive to be a corporate group that deserves public respect through business management in harmony with shareholders, business partners, employees and host communities.
- We engage in fair and transparent business activities, not only observing the laws of relevant countries and regions, but respecting the diverse international norms and their spirits.
- We supply socially more useful and safer products and services thus to acquire the satisfaction and trust of customers.
- In addition to complying with laws related to the environment, we set forth a corporate environmental policy and voluntarily and actively address global environmental problems.
- We are fully aware of the importance of reliable financial reporting, rigorously comply with accounting standards, and ensure the development of internal control systems.
- We manage corporate information appropriately, undertake communication with society, and disclose information in a timely, and adequate manner.
- We accurately identify various forms of risk and promote risk-reducing activities.
NLM implements a number of continuous initiatives to ensure righteous business management and pervaded compliance awareness
NLM endeavors to pervade compliance activities through the Compliance Committee, a compliance promotion organization established in July 2004. The committee strives to boost the compliance awareness of each employee by means including dissemination of information compliance via Group intranet, and distribution of a compliance handbook.
On April 1, 2006 NLM established the Group Compliance Code, which is based on the basic principles of the Group management policy, and set up the Nikkei Compliance Hotline, a whistle-blower system for NLM Group officers and employees (including temporary employees).
To thoroughly instill compliance in the corporate culture, NLM holds more than 900 compliance meetings each year at its workplaces. All workers participate in these meetings, where they actively exchange opinions about compliance experiences.
NLM rewards customers for their trust by strengthening group-wide quality assurance systems
To ensure the quality and safety of our products and services, NLM Group companies are working to acquire certification in the ISO9001 quality and safety standards. In addition, in January 2008 NLM newly established the Central Product Safety and Quality Assurance Division under the direct control of the president, assuring the independence of and strengthening the quality assurance organization.
The Central Product Safety and Quality Assurance Division conducts periodic quality audits of every business division and all Group companies. In these audits, the Division rigorously checks whether operations there comply with related laws and regulations and internal standards at every stage from order receipt to development, design, manufacturing, and shipment, providing improvement guidance as necessary.
As for developing new products or launching new businesses, NLM holds examination meetings for product safety and quality assurance at relevant business divisions and Group companies, where the top management of each business unit issues final approval. The Central Product Safety and Quality Assurance Division participates in the examination meetings and facilitates discussion as necessary.
NLM engages in continuous, systematic activities to reduce environmental impact at all Group business sites
At NLM Group, the Group's cross-organizational Environmental Managers Council and Environmental Management Committees at respective business sites promote specific environmental protection activities in accordance with the basic policy made by the Environmental Committee, which is made up of senior management and executives.
NLM has focused effort on the development of the environmental management systems that are the cornerstones of environmental protection activities. Nearly all production sites and R&D sites (26 in Japan and 7 overseas) have already acquired certification in the ISO14001 international environmental management standard. Also, our physical distribution sectors acquired certification in "Green Management" from the Foundation for Promoting Personal Mobility and Ecological Transportation. We make efforts for continuous improvement through the uninterrupted operation of environmental management systems.
NLM has established a voluntary action plan to prevent global warming and strives to curb emissions of greenhouse gases. Many of our production sites are converting fuels from heavy oil to city gas and installing energy-saving facilities. We are also promoting energy conservation activities together with improvements in production efficiency as the entire group.
