We believe we can reduce environmental load and risk by implementing environmental management based on the same ideas at all our Japanese and overseas factories and offices. That is why we consider environmental measures to be a critical issue and have worked since 1998 toward constructing an environmental management system (EMS). At present, our aim is to further develop our EMS by substantially expanding its scope and content.

ISO14001 Certification

We have been promoting ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for EMS. Since NGK Spark Plug's four factories obtained joint certification with a shared manual in December 2000, joint certification expanded to include our twelve Japanese subsidiaries by January 2004. We are also encouraging certification abroad, particularly at our production and sales sites.

Scope of ISO 14001 certification

Regarding certification progress, please view the detailed information in our Environmental and Social Report under [ ISO14001 Certified Locations ].

* In October 2009 Iijima Ceramic Co., Ltd., Nakatsugawa Ceramic Co., Ltd., and Kani Ceramic Co., Ltd., merged to become NTK Ceramic Co., Ltd.

System operation

To obtain joint certification within the Japanese group, we operate a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Action) cycle throughout the entire group and in each region (factory).

In our center and in each region, we have positioned an environmental committee as the supreme decision-making body, with a subordinate energy conservation expert committee and various sub-committees.

Environmental Activity Promotion Organization

• Chief Environment Administrator
  Most senior EMS administrator for the entire group
• Environment Administrator
  Most senior EMS administrator in each region
• Environment Committee
  Reviews progress towards goals and targets, raises awareness of issues and implements improvements
• Expert Committees and Sub-committees
  Reviews status of measures on individual themes and discusses related issues and problems
• Internal Environment Auditor
  Implements internal environmental audit once a year.