Harmony with Nature

Environmental Management

Environmental Management Structure

Policies regarding environmental management at Alps are discussed in the Environment Subcommittee chaired by the Senior Manager of the Environmental Planning Department and then reviewed by the CSR Committee for approval. In Japan, the Environment Conference, made up of representatives from each division, develops the approved policies into specific measures. Overseas affiliate representatives and environmental management representatives are responsible for implementing these specific measures in other countries.

The Environmental Planning Department has been set up under the supervision of the Corporate Planning Director to take charge of environmental management, including planning company-wide measures and collecting relevant information. The Department is also responsible for overseeing four working groups, which have been set up to examine specific issues, such as energy conservation and emissions.

Environmental Management Structure

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Environmental Training Programs

Environmental Training Programs

Environmental Training for New Managers

To ensure environmental measures are carried out by each employee, Alps headquarters provides grade-specific training in environmental issues for new employees and managers. Employees at divisions receive training that is more specific to their jobs, and people in specialized positions such as internal environmental auditors attend workshops for their distinctive area of work. Overseas production bases plan and carry out their own programs to provide effective training corresponding to the regulations and customs particular to each country and region.


VOICE|Environmental training programs to raise employee awareness

Akio Seki

Akio Seki

Engineering Department 3,
Magnetic Devices Division, Japan

Since acquiring ISO 14001 certification in 1999, our division has been holding study sessions on environmental issues for employees in engineering departments. In 2000 we also began quizzing employees once a month with an environmental questionnaire entitled “Environment Spiral Up,” in which they are requested to answer fill-in-the-blank questions. This questionnaire is prepared to help employees deepen their interest in the environment, enabling environmental management awareness to be established throughout the division. The March 2007 version was the 84th issue of the questionnaire, where its contents of suitable difficulty are compiled after referring to magazine and newspaper articles.

We expanded the study sessions in fiscal 2005 to include employees from the entire Magnetic Devices Division, and as of March 2007, 110 employees were in attendance. We hope to recruit attendees from other Alps Electric divisions in the future and implement these sessions at each of their facilities.



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Acquisition of ISO 14001 Certification at All Production-based Facilities

For Alps, ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental management systems, is an essential tool for environmental management. In fiscal 2005, we completed acquisition of ISO 14001 certification for all of our production-based facilities—10 in Japan and 13 abroad. In 2006, Dandong Alps Electronics Co., Ltd., which started operation in China in the same year, became a new addition to the list. Certified locations perform internal environmental audits at least once a year in accordance with the ISO 14001 requirements.


Domestic Production-based Facilities
Facility Date of Certification
Communication Devices Division, Soma Plant August 14, 1998
Communication Devices Division, Kakuda Plant
Automotive Products Division, Furukawa Plant October 30, 1998
Mechatronic Devices Division, Furukawa Plant
Mechatronic Devices Division, Wakuya Plant
Mechatronic Devices Division, Kitahara Plant
Business Development Headquarters,
Production Engineering Development Center
Peripheral Products Division, Onahama Plant November 27, 1998
Peripheral Products Division, Taira Plant
Magnetic Devices Division, Nagaoka Plant December 24, 1999
Magnetic Devices Division, Koide Plant
Business Development Headquarters,
Process Technology Development Center
March 17, 2000
Environmental Policy
Basic Philosophy

Alps, as a member of the global community, is committed to protecting the beauty of nature and to safeguarding our precious resources through the use of technologically advanced business practices and the efforts of its employees, in order to promote sustainable development.

Environmental Policy

Located in the lush Tohoku region, and in cherishing the global environment, we will act according to the following policies:

 

  1. We will supply products and conduct business practices in light of concerns for the environment throughout all areas of research, development, production and services regarding devices and modules backed by our core technologies in the information communications field.
  2. We will seek ongoing improvement and prevent environmental pollution in accordance with environmental management systems to the best of our technological and economical capabilities.
  3. We will comply with environmental laws, regulations, and other relevant requirements to which we agree.
  4. We will identify the real and potential environmental impacts of our products and business practices, and set goals and objectives in saving energy, reducing CO₂ emissions, conserving resources, recycling waste, and managing chemical substances.

This Environmental Policy will be made available to the general public, and its goals and objectives will also be made known to all employees.

April 1, 2007

Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
Communication Devices Division
Director and Division General Manager
Motohiro Shimaoka

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Environmental Policy
Basic Philosophy

Alps, as a member of the global community, is committed to protecting the beauty of nature and to safeguarding our precious resources through the use of technologically advanced business practices and the efforts of its employees, in order to promote sustainable development.

Environmental Policy

Located on the quality rice-producing and lush Osaki plains, and in cherishing the global environment, we found our policy on the following:

 

  1. The Mechatronic Devices Division, Automotive Products Division, and Production Engineering Development Center will supply products and conduct business practices in light of concerns for the environment throughout all areas of design to manufacture of tooling and machinery, along with research, development and production of electronic components and devices.
  2. We will seek ongoing improvement and prevent environmental pollution in accordance with environmental management systems.
  3. We are committed to preserving the environment to the best of our technological and economical capabilities while complying with environmental laws, regulations, and other relevant requirements to which we agree.
  4. We will set environmental goals and objectives in reducing waste (zero-emissions), saving energy, conserving resources, and managing chemical substances.The environmental goals and objectives will be reviewed regularly and revised where needed.
  5. We will document, implement, and uphold our Environmental Policy.
  6. Our Environmental Policy will be made known to all employees through educational and promotional activities. Material suppliers and associated companies will also be required to cooperate and accept this Environmental Policy.
  7. Our Environmental Policy will also be made available to the general public.

April 1, 2007

Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
Furukawa Plant, 6-3-36 Nakazato, Furukawa, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone +81 (229) 23-5111
Wakuya Plant, 230 Shibue, Wakuya-cho, Tohda-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone +81 (229) 43-2711
Kitahara Plant, 136-1 Kitahara, Tsukanome, Furukawa, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone +81 (229) 91-8311


Automotive Products Division
Managing Director and Division General Manager
Kazuya Yoshikoshi (Plant Representative)

Mechatronic Devices Division
Director and Division General Manager
Nobuhiko Komeya

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Environmental Policy
Basic Philosophy

Alps, as a member of the global community, is committed to protecting the beauty of nature and to safeguarding our precious resources through the use of technologically advanced business practices and the efforts of its employees, in order to promote sustainable development.

Environmental Policy

Located on the quality rice-producing and lush Osaki plains, and in cherishing the global environment, we found our policy on the following:

 

  1. The Mechatronic Devices Division, Automotive Products Division, and Production Engineering Development Center will supply products and conduct business practices in light of concerns for the environment throughout all areas of design to manufacture of tooling and machinery, along with research, development and production of electronic components and devices.
  2. We will seek ongoing improvement and prevent environmental pollution in accordance with environmental management systems.
  3. We are committed to preserving the environment to the best of our technological and economical capabilities while complying with environmental laws, regulations, and other relevant requirements to which we agree.
  4. We will set environmental goals and objectives in reducing waste (zero-emissions), saving energy, conserving resources, and managing chemical substances.The environmental goals and objectives will be reviewed regularly and revised where needed.
  5. We will document, implement, and uphold our Environmental Policy.
  6. Our Environmental Policy will be made known to all employees through educational and promotional activities. Material suppliers and associated companies will also be required to cooperate and accept this Environmental Policy.
  7. Our Environmental Policy will also be made available to the general public.

April 1, 2007

Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
Furukawa Plant, 6-3-36 Nakazato, Furukawa, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone +81 (229) 23-5111
Wakuya Plant, 230 Shibue, Wakuya-cho, Tohda-gun, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone +81 (229) 43-2711
Kitahara Plant, 136-1 Kitahara, Tsukanome, Furukawa, Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
Phone +81 (229) 91-8311


Automotive Products Division
Managing Director and Division General Manager
Kazuya Yoshikoshi (Plant Representative)

Mechatronic Devices Division
Director and Division General Manager
Nobuhiko Komeya

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Environmental Policy
Basic Philosophy

The Peripheral Products Division of Alps Electric Co., Ltd., located in Iwaki City abound in nature, and in cherishing the natural environment, is committed to active environmental preservation through its business practices and the efforts of its employees.

Basic Policy

Under the slogan "Conserving limited resources, caring for nature's beauty," every employee will commit to preserving the natural environment with the following policies, thus reducing environmental burden and contributing to the sustainable development of society through our mainstay products, services, and business practices in peripheral devices for computers and intelligent home appliances.

 

  1. We will seek ongoing improvement and prevention of environmental pollution in accordance with ISO 14001 environmental management systems.
  2. In addition to complying with environmental laws, regulations, and other relevant legal and customer requirements to which we agree, we will set further voluntary standards that are as stringent as possible.
  3. We will accurately identify the environmental impacts of our products, services and business practices, in order to set, implement, and regularly revise to the best of our technological and economical capability, our environmental policies, goals, and objectives.
  4. We are committed to improving environmental performance through the active preservation of nature in accordance with the following activity, in light of the impacts our business practices have on the environment.
    1. Realizing the importance of global warming prevention, we will reduce CO₂ emissions by using less electricity, fuels, and water.
    2. Realizing waste comes from important resources, we will maintain zero-emissions and reduce waste volumes.
    3. In line with our responsibilities as a corporate citizen, we will prevent leaks of oil and other stored material by abating and lessening environmental risks.
    4. Together with strict management and reduction of exhaust, liquid, and chemical substance discharge into the atmosphere, rivers and soil, we will continue to reduce and find alternatives for chemical substances governed by our own voluntary regulations.
    5. We will promote green procurement and environmentally conscious design of products.
    6. We will improve operations in order to achieve outcomes benefiting the environment.
    7. We will engage in activities that contribute to society and the environment. We will cooperative with the Fukushima Prefecture and Iwaki City local governments concerning environmental administration.
  5. This Environmental Policy will be made available to the general public, and to all people who work at or for our Division.

April 1, 2007

Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
Peripheral Products Division
Director and Division General Manager
Yasuhiro Fujii

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Environmental Policy

Under our Environmental Charter's Basic Philosophy and Action Program, the Magnetic Devices Division will prevent pollution and improve the environment through the following policies regarding our business practices centered around product development, design and manufacture.

  1. We will prevent pollution and consistently work to reduce environmental burden by establishing environmental goals and objectives, revising these goals regularly, and always taking into consideration the environmental impacts of our business practices.
    1. We will lessen burden on the environment by recycling, saving energy, reducing waste, and conserving resources.
    2. We will prevent pollution by controlling the use of chemical substances and their discharge into the atmosphere, waters, and soil.
  2. We will establish a framework for environmental management, and work toward its continual improvement by performing the relative auditing.
  3. We will comply with environmental laws, regulations, and other relevant requirements to which we agree.
  4. This Environmental Policy will be documented, implemented, upheld, and made known to all employees.
  5. This Environmental Policy will be made available to the general public.

April 1, 2007

Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
Magnetic Devices Division
Division General Manager
Toshihiro Kuriyama

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Environmental Policy

As citizens of Izumi, we are committed to environmental preservation through our business practices in an effort to pass on our natural environment to the next generation.

  1. We will research, design and create environmentally-friendly products that help conserve resources and save energy.
  2. We will promote ongoing improvement of our environmental initiatives, which involve all employees.
  3. We will prevent environmental pollution by complying with environmental laws, regulations, and other relevant requirements.
  4. We will set environmental goals and objectives, and work to achieve them using a planned approach. Goals will also be revised on a regular basis.

Established April 10, 2007

Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
Process Technology Development Center
Top Management
Isao Kuwabara

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Overseas Production-based Facilities
  Facility Date of Certification
Ireland Alps Electric (Ireland) Limited April 9, 1997
Germany Alps Electric Europe GmbH,
Dortmund Plant
July 3, 2000
Malaysia Alps Electric (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.,
Jengka Plant
September 12, 2000
Korea Alps Electric Korea Co., Ltd. June 18, 2001
Mexico Alcom Electronicos De Mexico,
S.A. de C.V.
December 6, 2001
China Wuxi Alps Electronics Co., Ltd. March 20, 2002
China Dalian Alps Electronics Co., Ltd. June 14, 2002
Malaysia Alps Electric (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.,
Nilai Plant
August 12, 2002
Czech Republic Alps Electric Czech, s.r.o. January 15, 2003
China Shanghai Alps Electronics Co., Ltd. January 6, 2004
China Ningbo Alps Electronics Co., Ltd. June 1, 2004
China Tianjin Alps Electronics Co., Ltd. December 11, 2004
United Kingdom Alps Electric (UK) Limited November 30, 2005
China Dandong Alps Electronics Co., Ltd. September 20, 2006

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Legal Compliance

Being committed to full compliance with laws and regulations related to the environment, Alps Electric sets up voluntary standards that are more stringent than those legally required in each country. In fiscal 2006, Alps did not experience any environmental accidents, nor was it the subject of any environmental fines, legal actions, or complaints from local residents.

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