NGK and the EnvironmentAt NGK, our Environmental Philosophy seeks to contribute to solutions supporting global environmental conser-vation. We conduct environmental conservation activities as an integral part of business operations in our driveto contribute to the realization of a recycling-based society. In line with our Corporate Philosophy, which states“NGK products and technologies must create new value and contribute to the quality of life,” we seek todevelop solutions to environmental challenges through our work in the “Triple-E” business domains of Energy,Ecology and Electronics. Based on environmental action guidelines, we develop and improve environmentalmanagement systems, and are introducing an environmental accounting system and working to obtain ISO14000 certification. We also carry out educational and public relations activities, such as publication of an Environmental & Social Responsibility Report, to raise environmental awareness among employees and thegeneral public. NGK and SocietyWorking toward the goal of becoming an excellent company, NGK, as a good corporate citizen, seeks toimprove the lives of all people through community relations activities based on a global perspective. Wepromote practical activities that are characteristic of NGK, founded on the four concepts of “Globalism,”“Community Contributions,” “Employee Participation,” and “Continuity.”Five-year Environmental Action PlansFirst Five-year Environmental Action PlanWe largely achieved the targets of the First Five-year Environmental Action Plan, which concluded in thefiscal year ended March 31, 2000. Our major domestic and overseas subsidiaries obtained ISO 14000 orequivalent certification, and we put into place a Group environmental management system. We positionedthe reduction of CO2 emissions as the most important management issue, since CO2 is emitted in all of ourproduction processes. We not only succeeded in holding down increases in CO2 emissions resulting fromproduction increases but also reduced the volume of total CO2 emissions. We were also successful in reducing to zero emissions of manufacturing by-products.Second Five-year Environmental Action PlanThe Second Five-year Environmental Action Plan will run from 2000 through to 2000 and build on theachievements of the first plan. We have already started implementing initiatives that will deliver substantialresults by the final year of the plan.The Second Five-year Environmental Action Plan will take us to the second phase of “Green Manage-ment.” The plan will further expand the scope of group environmental management and allow us to addressenvironmental issues on a global scale, at both domestic and overseas subsidiaries. The plan also has seteven higher goals for environmental protection. In short, the Second Five-year Environmental Action Planaims at ushering in Green Management to meet the needs of the times.Corporate GovernanceBasic Approach and Status of InitiativesTo ensure appropriate operations and transparent management,NGK has set its sights on establishing and maintaining an orga-nization capable of swiftly responding to changes in the businessenvironment, and a fair and open management system thatemphasizes the interests of shareholders.Considering the importance of swift and optimal decision-making and execution, NGK introduced a corporate officersystem, thus separating the management’s decision-making andsupervision functions from business execution functions, andclearly defining the responsibilities of both.Status of Corporate Governance System
NGK has adopted the Corporate Auditor System for corporate
governance. This system is comprised of the following bodies:
Board of Directors
NGK’s Board of Directors is responsible for deliberations and
decisions on matters stipulated by the Corporate Law and on other
issues of vital concern to management, in addition to supervising
the directors in the performance of their duties. The board’s
membership consisted of 12 directors as of March 31, 2000.
Subsequently, following approval at the 141st Annual General
Meeting of Shareholders, NGK has reinforced the supervisory
functions of the board with respect to business execution by
appointing two external directors. Consequently, the Board of
Directors is comprised of 14 members as of the date of NGK’s
securities report filing on June 28, 2000.
Board of Corporate Auditors NGK’s corporate auditors are present at meetings of the Board
of Directors and are involved in other processes that enable
them to supervise the performance of the directors. The Board of
Corporate Auditors has four members, two of whom are from
outside the Company.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee deliberates issues related to NGK’s
operations, serving in an advisory capacity on matters that are
decided by the president. The committee is comprised of the
president, directors and standing corporate auditors, and the
heads of certain corporate divisions and executive officers
appointed by the president.Resolutions by the Board of Directors Regarding
Systems for Ensuring the Appropriateness of
Business Operations
Pursuant to the Company Law and its enforcement regulations,
the Board of Directors approved resolutions on May 11, 2000 to
develop systems to ensure directors perform their duties in com-
pliance with applicable laws and the Articles of Incorporation,
and systems deemed necessary to ensure the appropriateness
of other NGK business operations.
•Systems to ensure directors perform duties in compliance with
all relevant laws and the Articles of Incorporation
•Systems for the storage and management of information
pertaining to directors’ performance of duties
•Regulations and other systems related to management of risk
of loss
•Systems to ensure directors perform their duties efficiently
• Systems to ensure that employees carry out their duties in com-
pliance with applicable laws and the Articles of Incorporation
•Systems to ensure that the corporate group composed of NGK
and its subsidiaries engages in appropriate business activities
• Items applicable to employees who may be called upon toassist the corporate auditors in their audit duties
• Items regarding the independence of the aforementioned
personnel with respect to the Board of Directors
•Systems for directors and employees to submit reports to the
corporate auditors, and for the reporting of other matters to the
corporate auditors
•Systems to ensure the efficacy of other audits performed by
the corporate auditors
Internal Control Systems
The Board of Directors and the business execution bodies over-
seen by the president are responsible for establishing and oper-
ating NGK’s internal control system. The system consists of the
Auditing Department, a specialist internal audit body for opera-
tions of the company, and specialist committees under the CSR
Committee that construct, maintain and upgrade NGK’s internal
control systems.
CSR Committee
The CSR Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the presi-
dent, deliberating on issues of vital concern to management,
including those related to compliance with laws, regulations,business ethics, accidents and incidents. Subcommittees
responsible for the development of compliance, security, internal
control systems, and corporate citizenship are set up under the
CSR Committee. The Compliance Committee, whose members
include an external consulting attorney, operates the Helpline to
ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and busi-
ness ethics. The Helpline enables employees and others involved
in implementing the NGK Group Guidelines for Corporate Behav-
ior and carrying out NGK’s operations to receive advice on and
to report compliance issues. The main purpose of the Helpline is
to restrict, prevent and resolve quickly any behavior that may run
counter to the guidelines. As expected in an era of consolidated
management, Group companies also come under the auspices
of the CSR Committee.
企业社会责任
NGK与环境
在NGK中,我们的环保理念,旨在为支持全球环境保护的解决方案做贡献。我们进行的环境保护活动,作为商业运作的一部分,是有助于实现循环型社会的驱动力。与我们的企业理念一致,其中规定“NGK的产品和技术必须创造新的价值和对生活质量做出贡献”,我们通过我们在“Triple-E”,即能源、生态学和电子产品商业领域的工作,寻求解决环境挑战的对策。基于环境行为准则,我们制定和完善了环境管理体系,引进了环境核算系统并致力于获得ISO14000认证。我们还开展了教育和公共关系活动,如出版环境和社会责任报告,以提高员工和公众的环境意识。
NGK与社会
正在向成为一家卓越公司的目标而努力的NGK,作为一个优秀的企业公民,通过基于全球视角的社区关系活动,以寻求提高全民的生活。我们提倡建立在“全球化”、“社区贡献”、“员工参与”和“持续性”四个观念上的实践活动,这是NGK的特色。
五年环保行动计划
第一个五年环保行动计划
我们在很大程度上实现了第一个五年环保行动计划的目标,这是在截止于2000年3月31日的财政年度做出的推断。我们的主要国内外子公司获得了ISO14000或等效认证,并启动了一组环境管理系统。我们把减少二氧化碳排放量放在管理问题的首要位置,因为在我们所有的生产过程中都有二氧化碳的排放。我们不但成功地抑制了产量增长引起的二氧化碳排放量的增加,还减少了二氧化碳总排放量。我们也成功地将加工副产物的排放减少到零。
第二个五年环保行动计划
依靠第一个五年计划,第二个五年环境行动计划将从2000年实施,直到2000年。我们已经开始实施措施,这将在计划的最后一年提供实质性成果。
第二个五年环保行动计划将把我们带到二期“绿色管理”。这个计划将进一步扩大集团环境管理的范围,并使我们能够在国内外子公司中解决全球环境问题。该计划同时提出了更高的环境保护目标。总之,第二个五年环保行动计划旨在引领绿色管理以适应时代的需要。
公司管理
基本方法和措施的地位
为确保合理操作和透明管理,NGK着眼于建立和维持一个能够迅速应对商业环境变化的组织,和一个强调股东利益的公平公开的管理系统。
考虑到快速最优决策和执行的重要性,NGK引入了公司官员制度,从而将管理的决策和监督职能从商业执行职能中分离出来,并明确了双方的职责。
公司管理系统的地位
NGK采用了公司审计系统做公司管理。这个系统包括以下机构:
董事会
NGK的董事局,负责审议和通过公司法的规定决策事务,并决定其他管理上极其关注的问题,以及监督董事履行其职责。自2000年3月31日起,董事会的成员由十二名董事组成。
随后,根据第141次年度股东会议,NGK通过任命两名外部董事加强了董事会关于商业执行的监督职能。因此,自NGK的证券报告提交之日2000年6月28日,该董事会由14个成员组成。
董事会的公司审计师
NGK的公司审计师出席了董事会会议并参与了其他进程,这使他们能够监督董事履行其职责。公司董事会的审计师有四名成员,其中2人是公司外成员。
执行委员会
执行委员会以顾问的身份,商议NGK的相关经营问题,这些事务由董事长决定。委员会由居民、理事、常务公司审计师、若干公司部门主任以及由董事长任命的执行官组成。
董事会对于系统确保商业经营合理的决议
依据公司法及其实施细则,董事会于2000年5月11日通过决议,开发系统以确保董事遵守适用的法律和公司条例,并遵循用来确保其他NGK商业经营适当的必要体制,来履行其职责。
确保董事按照有关法律和公司条例履行其职责的系统
存储和管理关于董事履行其职责信息的系统
关于损失风险管理的法规和其他系统
用来确保董事有效的履行其职责的系统
确保员工遵守适用的法律和公司条例,履行其职责的系统
确保NGK组成的企业集团及其子公司从事合理的商业活动的系统
适用于可能被要求协助公司审计师履行审计职责的员工的事项
关于董事会的上述相关人员独立性的事项
董事和员工用来提交报告给公司审计师,并向公司审计师报告其他事务的系统
确保公司审计师执行其他审计的效能的系统
内部控制系统
董事会和商务执行部由董事长监督,并对建立和运行的NGK的内部控制系统负责。该系统由审计部门,一个对公司运作的专业内部审计机构,和从属于企业社会责任委员会并负责建设、维护和升级NGK内部控制系统的专家委员会组成。
企业社会责任委员会
企业社会责任委员会对董事长行使顾问职能,审议管理的重大焦点问题,包括那些与遵守法律,法规,商业道德,事故和事件相关的问题。社会责任委员会下设对合规发展、安全、内部控制系统与企业公民负责的小组委员会。遵约委员会,其成员包括外部咨询律师,经营热线以确保遵守适用的法律、法规和商业道德。热线使员工和参与实施NGK集团企业行为方针与执行NGK经营的其他人能够接受咨询和报告合规问题。热线的主要目的是制约、防止和迅速解决任何可能违背方针的行为。正如强化管理时期所预期的那样,集团公司还受到企业社会责任委员会的保护。
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