SDGs
Declaration
We shall do all we can for the happiness of our employees and local communities
Taking “to build things is to build human resources” as its motto, Hokuichi is a company where employees in a wide range of age groups work energetically while heightening each other’s skills.
Together with our employees, who are our biggest asset, we aspire to the achievement of better corporate activities, environmental protection, and fulfilling lives. To this end, we hereby declare our resolve to contribute to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations.
We at Hokuichi endorse the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations, and shall actively work for a sustainable society.
Creation of workplaces that have an atmosphere of openness and fulfilling work
Putting the equation of building things with building human resources at the foundation of our company, we shall prepare an environment enabling each and every employee to aim for career advancement.
Environmental measures
We shall construct and operate an environmental management system, and strive for protection of the local environment by taking approaches to saving energy and reducing waste.
Community and social contribution
We shall strive to be a company that is rooted in the local society, grows with the local society, and makes people glad they chose Hokuichi.
Management & organizational setup
We shall aspire to be a sustainable company through continuous CSR activities and BCP measures based on establishment of a setup for compliance with all pertinent laws and regulations.
Examples of approaches to SDGs
Creation of workplaces that have an atmosphere of openness and fulfilling work
We endeavor to create workplaces that, while grounded in management of working hours as a fundamental principle, emphasize career advancement and fulfillment through work. We provide maximum support for activities in life events such as marriage, childbirth, childrearing, and nursing care without loss of employment, in step with the situation of each and every employee.
Preparation of a setup for managing working hours
We operate a system for attendance management interlinked with employee ID cards. The operator checks the overtime put in by all employees on a daily basis, promptly consults the superior if the overtime is likely to exceed the prescribed limit, and advises action in response.
Support for obtaining certifications
All of our employees obtain a Grade 4 certification in the quality management and control (QC) exams conducted by the Japan Standards Association. Even after this certification is obtained, we implement exams ever year to confirm the related knowledge. Employees of the Quality Technology Section and other units requiring a higher level of knowledge take aim at receiving Grade 3 or 2 certification.
Launch of in-house improvement committees
We have instituted three committees for in-house improvement: 1) the 6SVM Committee (in-house environmental conditioning), 2) No. 1 Committee (human resource development), and 3) Improvement Proposal Committee (problem-solving). Each of these committees meets and takes action once a week. They undergo a change of membership every year so that more employees can participate in them. The 6SVM Committee also receives advice from outside consultants.
Taking perinatal leave and leave for childcare
For both female and male employees, the rate for taking childcare leave is 100 percent (since fiscal 2021 in the case of male employees). Some male employees have taken childcare leave for up to two months. We exercise flexibility to meet the wishes of the individual employee.
Environmental measures
We are promoting activities to alleviate the burden on the global environment through steps such as reviews of plants and in-house facilities, and reduction of CO2 emissions and power consumption.
We have acquired certification under ISO 14001 for analysis of environmental risks in corporate activities and constructed a scheme to mitigate those risks in the company.
Rigorous sorting of waste and promotion of recycling
Installment of in-house equipment that is environment-friendly
We installed a photovoltaic power generation system in 2015. We also installed a ventilation system with a heat exchanger using geothermal heat, and thereby decreased our heating and cooling costs. In addition, we are steadily making a switch to LED lighting and vending machines that consume less power.
Our photovoltaic power generation system making effective use of the large size of the plant and its siting on an open tract. We sell the power generated by this system.
This system uses geothermal heat whose temperature stays around 13 degrees Celsius throughout the year. It supplies interior space with cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter.
Community and social contribution
We strive to be able to offer fulfilling work to people regardless of age and whether or not they have disabilities. We want to be a company that grows with the local society by hiring local people and consigning work to local facilities.
Creation of employment for local people and senior citizens
More than 80 percent of our employees commute from the city of Murakami, which is the location of our main plant (as of September 2022). Almost all of our other employees also live nearby, in communities such as the City of Tainai and village of Sekikawa. Even after they reach the age of retirement, those who so desire may extend their employment to age 65. In fiscal 2021, all (100 percent) of the employees eligible to extend their employment did so.
Consignment of work to welfare facilities
We consign work such as assembly on an ongoing basis to social welfare facilities used by disabled persons. These consignee facilities number three in the City of Murakami and one in the City of Tainai (as of September 2022).
Management and organizational setup
We have made arrangements for rigorous compliance with all pertinent laws and regulations, and fulfillment of our corporate social responsibility. We aim to be a company that can continue its business in a sound manner, for both its employees and local communities.
Training related to social media use and information leakage
We use the service LINE WORKS for efficient contact of all employees simultaneously and other purposes. Because this involves use of personal smartphones, we invite experts to provide training that heightens employee awareness about information leakage and other risks, in order to manage them.
The use of LINE WORKS has made it possible for us to centrally manage the confirmation of employee safety in the event of fires and other emergencies.
Efforts to inform all employees about SDGs
We provide information on the details of our SDGs Declaration on our website. We also periodically hold in-house study sessions on SDGs, and are making thoroughgoing efforts in the aspects of both knowledge and action.
We hold in-house study sessions on SDGs. We designate certain days for these sessions, and stop the production line for them so that all employees can attend.
Periodic disaster-prevention drills
In preparation for disasters, we have all employees participate in evacuation drills (three times a year) and drills for handling fire hoses (twice a year). In addition, we conduct drills for action to confirm employee safety using LINE WORKS.
About SDGs
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are international goals that were adopted by the United Nations in September 2015 and are to be attained by 2030.
Formulated in the spirit of the slogan “leave no one behind,” the SDGs are composed of 17 goals and 169 targets. Their aim is to resolve various problems facing society in areas including poverty, climate change, racial & sexual discrimination, and work style, and to build a bright future for the whole world.
