Social Aspects Highlights

Social Aspects • Highlights

Promoting a Model Business Project Based on Local Recycling of WoodBiomass through Public-private Partnership

The maintenance and preservation of forests, which can absorb atmospheric carbondioxide, thought to be the cause of global warming, has become a significant socialissue. Nowadays, however, with the decline of the forestry industry leading toincreased neglect of forests, there is a need for measures to stimulate local economiesso as to ensure a sustainable and healthy future development for the forestry industry.

In this context, the Yazaki Group is working in the framework of a public-privatepartnership with the aim of creating a model business based on local recycling of woodbiomass.* By promoting the efficient use of wood biomass through a public-privatepartnership, the aim is to stimulate the forestry industry and at the same time tomaintain and preserve forests and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. Currently, thescheme is being rolled out in three locations, Yusuhara Town in Kochi Prefecture,Kawane-honcho in Shizuoka Prefecture, and Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture, throughmodel business projects implemented in partnership between the Yazaki Group,prefectural and municipal governments, and local forestry cooperatives. The modelbusiness in local recycling of wood biomass involves collecting thinned wood fromforestry maintenance operations, wood cut-offs from sawmills, and other remnantmaterial and recycling them into pellets for local use as fuel. By doing so, the schemeaims to promote the principle of local production for local consumption in timber andenergy supply through efficient use of forestry resources.

This model business provides benefits to the locality such as creating employment,stimulating the forestry industry, and providing a low-cost energy source. At the sametime, it promotes the maintenance and preservation of the forest and the use of woodbiomass energy as an alternative to fossil fuels, thus helping to prevent global warming.

Wood Biomass Local Recycling System

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With the aim of creating environmentally consideratebusinesses, the Energy Equipment Operations department inwhich I work was renamed Environmental Energy EquipmentOperations in June 2005 and began a new program ofbusiness development. As we explored new businessoptions, I felt that there were two points we needed to focuson. One was the realization of our Corporate Policy so as tobuild a business fit for the 21st century, which meant thinkingabout how to retain Yazaki’s strengths while keeping our eyeon the kind of environmentally considerate enterprise wewant to be in the future. The second was the issue of energy,since the reconciliation of energy needs with the environmentis the greatest issue facing society. It was in this context that Iheard that the municipality of Yusuhara Town in KochiPrefecture was looking at ways of using forestry resourcesmore efficiently. So we brought together the ideas we haddeveloped at the time to present proposals for a modelbusiness based on local recycling of wood biomass as a wayof harmonizing the environment, energy needs, and forestmanagement.

This business project involves a wide range of activities,including forest maintenance and preservation, the design offacilities for pellet production from excess thinned wood andsawmill wood cutoffs, and the setting up of a pellet factory.Taking these activities forward in a public-private partnershipwith the municipality of Yusuhara Town, the Yazaki Group iscommitted to fulfilling the roles expected of a 21st centuryenterprise. Working closely with local government bodiesand the local community will allow us to stimulate theforestry industry and other local industries and take action onenvironmental issues while at the same time strengtheningties with the local community. We hope that this activity willbe one answer to the challenge of creating a businessbecoming of the 21st century and are determined to see itthrough to success.

Since autumn 2005, I have been on assignment toYusuhara Town, where I have been directing the setting up ofthe project. The combined key to success is collection of low-cost pellet material, creation of an optimal production system,and securing a reliable customer base. It is not a mattersimply of producing pellets at low cost; the aims of theproject also include elements of economic circularity, such asreinvesting capital in the forestry industry and creatingemployment. We are also working to develop and introduceproducts such as heating and air-conditioning facilities thatrun on wooden pellets as fuel. This will help secure demandin summertime and spread consumption more evenly, whichin turn will help our factory operate at a high level ofproductivity. Representing a business model for joint projectsbetween government, industry, and the private sector, I thinkthis project will succeed because of the unique strengths ofthe Yazaki Group.

Kazuo ShimizuManager,Wood Biomass Business Section,Environmental Systems Division,Energy Equipment Operations

Creating a business fit for the 21st century

Agricultural produce

Forest

Use as fertilizer

Thinned wood/Wood cut-offsCharcoal fuel

RecyclingCultivation/

Maintenance

Efficient use

Facility Equipment that usewood pellets

Pellet factory

Local Recycling System

Air conditioningand water heating

Pellet saleAlternative energy Wood pellets

Hideaki Kurokawa Assistant Manager, Wood Biomass Business Section, Environmental Systems Division, Energy Equipment Operations

*Wood biomassBiomass refers to resources derived from living things. Wood biomass includes thinned wood andwood cut-offs from sawmills. Since trees planted to replace the wood burned as fuel can absorb carbondioxide, this resource has attracted interest as a carbon-neutral fuel, that is, one which does notincrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Signboard for the Yazaki Forest View from the Yazaki Forest (near Kujukumagari Pass, Yusuhara Town, Kochi Prefecture)

The model business in local recycling ofwood biomass which the Yazaki Group istaking forward in partnership with themunicipality of Yusuhara Town is centered onactivities by the Yusuhara Town ForestryCooperative. These activities have includedstimulation of the forestry industry throughFSC certification* of the cooperative, whichhas been carried out so far by the municipality.As a way of realizing the concept of creating a‘culture of forest and water’, the Yusuhara Town municipality aims to create forestenvironments that will serve as places for communing with nature, engaging in outdooractivity, undertaking environmental education, and encouraging healthy lifestyles. In concertwith the model business project, a municipally owned stretch of forest at the KujukumagariPass has been named the Yazaki Forest and has become the scene for joint activities by themunicipality and the Yazaki Group aimed at creating a model forest for the future.

The Yazaki Group will continue to engage jointly in operations for the maintenance andpreservation of the Yazaki Forest, and through the joint project with the Yusuhara municipality,is committed to fulfilling the roles expected of an enterprise in the 21st century.

The municipality of Yusuhara Town* in Kochi Prefecture is an area with a rich naturalenvironment, 91% of which is occupied by forest. The town is engaged in a number ofactivities with an environmental theme. One of these is the Forest Volunteer JointAfforestation Project begun in 1999, under which forest cultivation activities are carriedout every year on Green Day (a public holiday in spring).

Given that the Yazaki Group is in agreementwith the main thrust of the Yusuhara Town’senvironmental activities and is also engaged locally inthe wood biomass local recycling model business,Yazaki decided to take part in 2006 in the ForestVolunteer Joint Afforestation Project. Some 100volunteers, including employees of our subsidiaryMinami Shikoku Parts Co., Ltd., which has a factoryin Yusuhara Town, gathered together in a stretch offorest which has been named the Yazaki Forest,where they worked energetically planting Himesharabushes, a type of Camellia, and pruning a naturalforest.

Participation in Joint Afforestation Project with Yusuhara Town Municipality

Creating a ‘Culture of Forest and Water’

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Amid the increasing trend toward amalgamation ofmunicipalities, Yusuhara Town aspires to become a municipalitywith an individual identity, but to do this we need to stimulate ourindustry. As part of this plan, we decided to make use of theforest which accounts for over 91% of our land area to stimulatethe forestry industry and contribute to the creation of a recycling-based society, and so we set about drafting a specific model.

It is significant that the model business in local recycling ofwood biomass was developed jointly with a private-sectorbusiness in the form of the Yazaki Group; using corporateexperience, technology, and expertise to open up the resourcesof Yusuhara Town and create a local recycling system hasboosted the local economy and established the business firmly. Isee this project, including the human communication aspects,becoming a model for business ventures by other provincialgovernment bodies in the future.

Takeyoshi Nakagoshi Mayor of Yusuhara Town,Kochi Prefecture

Model business breathing new life into theforestry industry and the local community

In Yusuhara Town, we had already been working to stimulatethe forestry industry, for instance by acquiring FSC certification, butprogress had not been satisfactory. The participation of anenterprise which had no previous link with the forestry industrywas highly welcomed. That is also because I think the success ofthe project requires the tough approach that a private-sectorbusiness brings.

At present, Japan’s forests achieve a production level sufficientto cover domestic demand for timber and the use of timberresources helps to protect Japan’s mountains and forests. I wouldlike to see Japan’s forestry industry progress, taking the jointproject with the Yazaki Group as a model.

The municipality of Yusuhara Town has developed theconcept of a ‘culture of forest and water’ in which the forestchannels water, water supports human life, and human cultureblossoms. This concept is based on the idea of valuing and livingin harmony with the forest, which is at the concept’s source. Inorder to put this ideal into practice, we thought about the idealstate of the forest, and came up with the Yazaki Forest model.This is a place where a diverse range of trees grows, where localpeople can relax and enjoy themselves, and which bringsstimulus to local industry. With the cooperation of the YazakiGroup, we hope to build a resource which will last into the futureas a Yusuhara Town asset.

Toshishige NakagoshiDirector,Yusuhara Town Forestry Cooperative,Kochi Prefecture

*FSC CertificationCertification involves an inspection of the forest management unit byan independent FSC-accredited certification body to check that theforest complies with the internationally-agreed FSC Principles ofResponsible Forest Management. Certified forest operations can claimthe forest products they produce come from a responsibly managedforest. By choosing such products, consumers supportenvironmentally considerate forest management.

Yazaki Forest signboard unveiling ceremony

Mitsuo OzakiDepartment Chief,Industrial Development Division, Yusuhara Town Municipal Government, Kochi Prefecture

Yusuhara Town websitehttp://www.town.yusuhara.kochi.jp/(Japanese only)

KochiPrefecture

*Yusuhara Town

Tree planting PruningVolunteers meet in the early morning

Wooden badge givento visitors to theYazaki Forest

Social Aspects

Highlights

YAZAKI Social & Environmental Report 2006

Since its foundation, Yazaki has made “a corporation instep with the world” and “a corporation needed bysociety” its Corporate Policy. This policy has been theunchanging pillar that supports all business activities of theYazaki Group despite the many changes that society hasundergone. Yazaki operates in accordance with a uniformstance and code of conduct based on its Corporate Policyto fulfill its responsibilities and mission as a manufacturerthat provides only the highest quality products whenneeded, to anywhere in the world, via the optimal routeand at an appropriate cost.

Yazaki also seeks to be a multi-cultural corporation thatcan develop together with the rest of the world and hascreated a unique corporate management style andcorporate culture based on autonomy, equality, andharmony.

The Corporate Policy is a shared policy that links GlobalYazaki’s raison d’être with its corporate values.

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Yazaki’s BasicStance

Unchanging Shared Principles

Yazaki’s Stance on Corporate SocialResponsibility

Yazaki’s Basic Stance on Fulfilling its Corporate Social Responsibilities and Mission

The Yazaki Group has evolved as a multi-culturalcorporation while responding to the changes in the globalautomotive industry. The single most important elementin ensuring continuous development in business activitiesis the formation of relationships based on mutualunderstanding and trust with all stakeholders in Japan andoverseas. The Yazaki Group considers engaging ineffective bilateral communication with each stakeholdergroup based on the Corporate Policy and FundamentalManagement Policy to be a part of Yazaki’s corporatesocial responsibility.

Compliance, including high ethical standards and faircorporate activities, is an essential condition for fulfillingcorporate social responsibility. As all aspects of businessglobalize, the importance of compliance is growing, andthe Yazaki Group is working to further define compliance,raise awareness and enhance compliance management.

Government

Subcontractors

Competitors

All companiesof the Yazaki Group

DirectorsEmployees

Criminal Code(bribery and corruption),environmental lawsand regulations

Anti-Monopoly Law(unfair trade)

EU ELV Directive,*Kyoto Protocol*

Subcontracting Law

Anti-Monopoly Law(bid rigging),Unfair CompetitionPrevention Law,Patent Law

Corporate Policy Fundamental Management Policy

Conduct GuidelinesEthics Regulations

Conceptual Diagram of Yazaki Stakeholders and Compliance

Product Liability Law,Personal DataProtection Law,Consumer ContractLaw

Foreigncountries

Businesspartners

Consumers

A Corporation in Step with the WorldA Corporation Needed by Society

In order to bring the Corporate Policy to fruition, the Yazaki Group must act based upon the following policies.

Corporate Policy

Fundamental Management Policy

1 Through adoption of new ideas and continuous efforts, increase the company efficiency, and provide the greatest value to our customers worldwide.

2 Uphold the law, respect regional culture, and contribute to economic and social development.

3 Contribute to a prosperous future society through business focused on the environment and safety.

4 Conduct business openly and fairly, and aim for mutual coexistence.

5 Care for people, by creating a corporate culture that maximizes the capacity for individual and team-work, while sustaining people’s dreams.

*EU ELV DirectivePlease see p.18 for furtherinformation

*Kyoto ProtocolThe Kyoto Protocol is theinternational agreementadopted at the ThirdSession of the Conferenceof the Parties to the UnitedNations FrameworkConvention on ClimateChange (COP3). TheProtocol imposes onparties an obligation toreduce emissions ofgreenhouse gases,including carbon dioxide, amajor cause of globalwarming.

The Yazaki Group made “Thorough Compliance” apriority policy for FY2005. In conjunction with thisdecision, a survey of compliance awareness wasconducted to assess awareness of ethics and laws by allemployees. The survey investigated the degree ofpermeation of the corporate culture that fosters correctunderstanding of rules to be observed in the performanceof work duties and the observance of those rules, one ofthe foundations of compliance.

In addition, the Corporate Planning Division held studygroups on CSR and compliance. To create a corporateculture in which employees can easily do those things thatshould be done as a matter of course, Yazaki prepared aConduct Standards Manual and has started the process ofvalidating the “Yazaki DNA” so that the Yazaki spirit ofundaunted daring, foresight, and service that employeeshave relied upon since Yazaki’s establishment can behanded down to future generations.

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Achieving Thorough Compliance

Promoting CSR in Yazaki’s Unique Style

YAZAKI AI The YAZAKI AI, a system to protectwhistleblowers, was launched in FY2006 as a newcompliance consulting system to detect and respond tocompliance-related issues quickly. All Yazaki Groupemployees (including employees of subsidiaries) canreport information and seek advice on compliance issuesfrom bodies inside or outside the company.

New Compliance Consulting System Created

Overview of the Survey of Compliance Awareness

Request to implementinvestigative and

corrective measures

The employee’s name is not conveyed

Contact

Flowchart of YAZAKI AI System Operation

Reports and Inquiries

The user selects whichorganization to contact

Response/Contact

Response/Contact

All Yazaki Group Fulltime andTemporary Employees

Users

Divisions involvedin the report

or inquiry

Other InvolvedDivisions

Law Office

InternalOrganization

ExternalOrganization

Legal AffairsDepartment, Legal Affairs

Division

1. Survey title

2. Date of implementation

3. Survey subjects

4. Response rate

5. Survey method

6. Survey content

Implementation of a Survey of ComplianceAwareness to Create a Better Workplace:Survey of Ethics and Legal Compliance

November 2005

Approximately 10,000 Yazaki Group employees

Approximately 90%

• Questionnaire format using machine-scoredresponse forms

• Anonymous responses (only organizationalaffiliations were indicated)

• Understanding of the Corporate Policy andFundamental Management Policy

• Survey concerning the corporate culture• Awareness of the presence and causes of

risks and the degree of impact• Survey of awareness concerning work and

the company

Compliance Awareness Survey response form

Social Aspects

Yazaki’s Basic Stance


Two major pil lars of Yazaki’s business are theAutomotive Sector, covering development, production,and sales of automotive parts, and the EnvironmentalSystems Sector, dealing with the manufacture of a diverserange of household and energy-related products. Thedevelopment concept that is common to both sectors is‘linking’ technologies. The most significant feature of theYazaki Group is development of technologies that createnew value by ‘linking’ product and product, products andpeople, products and society, and so on. Yazaki constantlyseeks to determine how to create better ‘links,’ howproducts should be ‘linked,’ and to maximize the potentialof ‘links’ within manufacturing.

Refining ‘Linking’ Technologies NYS Activities Promote Continual Quality Improvements

Providing “the Greatest Value” to Customers Worldwide

15

The Yazaki Group has positioned the pursuit of highquality in all products and services as a top priority. Yazakipursues quality not only on production lines and indivisions engaging in quality management, but alsothrough NYS (New Yazaki System) activities,* a set ofcorporate reform activities in which all employeesparticipate to make improvements on a continual basis.Yazaki is raising customer satisfaction from a range ofdifferent perspectives, such as optimal procurement andzero processing defects, rapid and on-time productdelivery, and providing the right after-sales services.

Prosperingwith

Customers

Creating AttractiveProducts from

New Perspectives

FormingNetworks Modularization

Human-MachineInterface

(HMI)

The Yazaki Group’s Development Concept

Linking Linking

Information DevicesWiring Harnesses

Linking

Meters

Linking

Environmental Systems

Responding to computerizationMerger of operation and display

Streamlining powersupply systems

Responding to computerization

Responding to information from outside the vehicle

Supporting safe driving practices

Creating environmentally considerate and energy-saving equipment and systems

Responding to the information era

Security measures for safeguarding personal lifestyles

Automobilesand

Drivers

AutomobileDevices

People andLifestyles

Automobilesand Social

Infrastructure

*NYS (New YazakiSystem) ActivitiesA set of corporate reformactivities beingimplemented by the YazakiGroup

The S-type security gas meter used to be shipped from inventoryafter an order was received. The Sales Division issued temporarypurchase orders for all seventy-six models based on salesprojections, and the factory produced and certified meters and keptthem as inventory. However, with this system, customers receivedmeters with older certification dates, shortening the useful life* ofthe meters by the length of time they were kept in inventory.Therefore, Yazaki switched to a system that keeps only three daysworth of four basic models prior to certification and packaging, asthe standard inventory. Then by processing the standard inventoryinto seventy-six models during certification and packaging, basedon confirmed purchase orders, Yazaki is now able to make next-day shipments of just manufactured products.

*Useful life of the S-type security gas meter: Ten years followingcertification as set forth by the Measurement Law

76 models produced based on expected orders Shipment of products that were stored in inventory for 3 days to 3 months following certification

Before

After

Older inventory(Older tested products)

Shipment of just manufactured products(Certification after order receipt)

Assembly &certification

Packaging andstorage

76 models

4 basic models

76 models

Assembly &storage Certification & packaging

76 models

Customers

Shipment

Standard inventory (3 days worth of 4 basic models) Same-day testing and next-day shipment Customers

Shipment

Confirmed order

Confirmed order

Follow-on production

Shipping just manufactured S-type security gas meters that boast the longest product life in the marketIn Focus Improvement Example based on NYS Activities (Energy Equipment Operations)

Yazaki initiated the ELV Project with the objective ofcompletely eliminating the substances banned by the EUELV Directive.* With support from both the developmentand design divisions, and the SOC Analysis Subcommittee,Yazaki organized the Environmental Quality Assurance

Project Group, andcreated a system formanaging substancesof concern at allstages—procure-ment, development,production, and sales.The EnvironmentalQuality AssuranceProject Groupestablished working

groups in all divisions and promoted the establishment ofthe following four systems: (1) Product assurance systembased on actual data; (2) System for implementingenvironmental rules; (3) Audit system; and (4) System fordocumenting changes in materials and parts specifications,production processes, etc. In FY2004, the establishmentof the Environmental Quality Assurance System wasessentially completed.

Following the establishment of management systemsby group companies in Japan, Yazaki plans to globallyexpand its efforts and in FY2005 established a Global SOCCommittee for its overseas affiliates.

Global Expansion of the Environmental Quality Assurance System

In the Automotive Sector, Yazaki has established anindividual business unit for each automobile manufacturer.These business units gather information on customerneeds, make proposals, and provide timely feedback onproduct manufacturing toward the development of a saferand more convenient automobile society.

In the Environmental Systems Sector, Yazaki isdeveloping products that respond to societal needs forenergy conservation, renewable energy, and the utilizationof waste heat. In divisions involving gas equipment,Yazaki introduced a serial number system, the first of itskind in the industry, into automatic switchover regulators,establishing a traceability system. This new system isdesigned to enable Yazaki to manage productmanufacturing history and allow customers to manageinstallation sites and equipment replacement schedules.In addition, Yazaki is building systems to fulfi l l itsresponsibilities as a manufacturer to recycle resources by,for example, promoting the recovery and recycling of usedproducts.

Responding Swiftly to Customer Needs and Societal Changes

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*“Non-use” CertificateDocument certifying non-use of the four substances(lead, mercury, cadmium,and hexavalent chromium)banned by the EU ELVDirective

*EU ELV DirectivePlease see p.18 for furtherinformation

Purchasing Divisions Parts Manufacturing Divisions Wiring Harness Manufacturing Divisions

Purchasing of raw materials, parts, and secondary materials

“Non-use” certificate*( Acquisition Confirmation) Actual measurement Regular testing Outgoing control

Environmental Quality Assurance Management Flow (Wiring Harness Division)

Purchasingof parts Shipment

Shipment

Incomingparts

Incomingrawmaterials

Purchasing of raw materials and secondary materials

Purchasing of raw materials, parts, and secondary materials

Inco

min

g pa

rts

Man

ufac

turin

g

Ship

men

t

Deliv

ery

Ship

men

t

Parts

man

ufac

turin

g

The industry’s first traceability system using serial numbers, which makes it possible to manage manufacturing history and replacement schedules

Material tester (energy dispersion typefluorescent X-ray analyzer)

Automatic switchoverregulator(LPG supply device)

Social Aspects

Prospering with Customers


Creating Partnerships for Mutually Beneficial Development

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Another Yazaki Fundamental Management Policy is thepursuit of mutually-beneficial relationships with businesspartners. In line with this policy and based on the principleof fair, impartial, and open dealings, Yazaki developspartnerships founded on trust in its business in Japan andoverseas.

Yazaki issued the Yazaki Green Procurement Guidelinesto its business partners in FY2002. This is Yazaki’srequest for support and cooperation from businesspartners for its company-wide global environmentalpreservation activities.

In FY2004, a detailed explanation was producedregarding the Yazaki Green Procurement Guidelines andseminars were conducted by Purchasing Operations for346 materials and automotive parts business partners. Atthe seminars, Yazaki made efforts to obtain theunderstanding of business partners and to bolstercooperative structures.

In FY2006, Yazaki will undertake a review of theGuidelines in response to additional environmentalrequirements from customers.

In FY2005, Yazaki made efforts to completely eliminatethe use of hexavalent chromium in automotive parts andhousehold electric appliances. Previously, the collectionand disposal of parts containing hexavalent chromium hadbeen handled individually by production sites in Japan andoverseas. This practice has now been prohibited and fromnow on all parts will be sent to a designated location inJapan for centralized collection and disposal. As a result, ithas been possible to completly dispose of all unusedinventories of hexavalent chromium-containing parts.Yazaki will continue the collection and disposal of partscontaining hexavalent chromium to promote its completeelimination.

Yazaki Green Procurement Guidelines

In order to comply with the EU ELV Directive,* theRoHS Directive,* and other legislation on substances ofconcern, environmental seminars were held for overseasbusiness partners in the same way as for partners inJapan. The seminars held in Thailand and China, whichwere attended by a total of 120 partner companies, weretaken as opportunities to promote understanding of theYazaki Group approach.

From a Survey of Overseas Environmental Seminars:

• Yazaki shows a clear commitment to action aimed at fullcompliance with legislation on substances of concern andwe as suppliers are also keenly aware of the serious natureof our responsibility. It was also brought home to us thatwe need to succeed in dealing with substances of concernas a matter of our future survival.

• I was reminded that environmental action is not only amatter of satisfying corporate needs but is a huge projectthat needs to be taken forward at a global level. I realizedthat it is not a matter of complying because regulations havebeen tightened, but rather that it is important to raiseawareness of environmental action among all employees.

Seminars for Overseas Business Partners

Toward Elimination of Hexavalent Chromium from Parts

Working withBusinessPartners

1. Purpose

2. Scope ofApplication

3. RequestedActions

Yazaki Green Procurement Guidelines

To promote collaboration in global environmental preservation activities

Covers suppliers and products purchased by Yazaki for use in production by the Automotive Sector

1) Creation of an environmental management system

2) Reduction of substances of concern3) Reduction of other designated

substances4) Provision of data on substances5) Designation of persons responsible

for environmental issues

Hexavalent chromium-containing parts in temporary storage beforehandover from the distribution center to the disposal contractor

Environmental explanation meeting conducted in March 2006 inHangzhou, China

*EU ELV Directive*RoHS DirectivePlease see p.18 for furtherinformation

The Yazaki Group strives to ensurecomp le te l ega l comp l i ance . Theenvironmental regulations concerningYazaki products are expected to becometighter, with the planned implementationof Chinese, U.S., and Korean versions ofthe RoHS Directive in 2007. Recognizingthis situation, the Yazaki Group is takingall necessary steps to achieve completelegal compliance, having begun bymaking it an important part of theEnvironmental Action Plan.

Regarding the EU ELV Directive andthe RoHS Directive, Yazaki has workedwith customers and business partners toensure full compliance. Yazaki beganefforts to eliminate lead from solder inFY2004, and in FY2005 extended thoseefforts to include elimination ofhexavalent chromium.

What is the EU ELV Directive?

Compliance with International Regulations

The EU ELV Directive is an EU legislation on recycling of end-of-

life vehicles which in principle bans the use of four substances—

lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium—in vehicles

shipped to or sold on the European market from July 2003. Lead,

mercury, and hexavalent chromium content of less than 1,000 ppm

and cadmium content of less than 100 ppm is permissible.

Infringement will result in heavy fines (with some exceptions).

What is the RoHS Directive?

The RoHS (Restriction on the use of certain Hazardous Substances)

Directive is an EU regulation limiting the use of designated hazardous waste

in certain electric and electronic appliances and means that products released

on the market from July 1, 2006, may not contain lead, mercury, cadmium,

hexavalent chromium, PBB, or PBDE. The directive covers a wide range of

appliances, from large household electrical appliances to medical appliances,

electronic game machines, and automatic vending machines.

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In Focus

LC optical connectors are needed for thebuilding of optical transmission networks.When the RoHS Directive was first issued,there was still no demand for environmentallyfriendly products in North America, which wasthe main market for optical connectors.However, Yazaki believed that such productswould become essential in the future andbegan efforts to comply with the RoHSDirective. Measurement and analysis of thecomponent materials of optical connectorswere carried out and all components andmaterials including metal and resin parts arenow RoHS compliant.

Solder material, plastic stabilizers, glass reinforcing agents, copper alloy materials, etc.

Sensors, cold-cathode tubes, etc.

Relay contacts, etc.

Anti-rust treatment of screws and steel plates, etc.

Resin fire retardants

Materials, parts and processes relevant to regulated substances

Lead

Mercury

Cadmium

Hexavalent chromium

PBB, PBDE

Compliance with the RoHS Directive LC Optical Connectors

Component parts and materials of LC optical connectors

When we began ourefforts to comply with theRoHS Directive, the varyingdegrees of understandingof the directive causedconfusion and we sometimeshad to explain the actionbeing taken by the YazakiGroup to our parts suppliers,

which caused difficulties, but in the end we managed to achievecompliance. A certain amount of lead use to smooth the surfaceof metal parts, is allowed, but we managed to eliminate leadfrom the aluminum alloy by solving the problem of surfaceroughness in a different way.

Kazuo Suyama and Masatake Ueno

Optical Engineering Department

Social Aspects

Working with Business Partners


The Yazaki Group has maintained an unchangingmanagement principle since its establishment: “Thecompany exists because of its people.” Yazaki believesthat human resources are a company’s most importantasset, and without good human resources, continualgrowth is not possible. Another of the Yazaki Group’sfundamental principles is “Manufacturing expertise is builton the skills of employees.” People are the foundation ofmanufacturing, and it is people that determine thequality—or lack thereof—of manufactured products. It isfor these reasons that fostering human resources holdsthe key to business and corporate growth.

Manufacturing Expertise is Built on the Skills ofEmployees

Yazaki’s Human Resource Development Seeks toEnhance Employee Skills

Fostering Human Resources by Providing Value to Employees

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Personal growth is to the benefit of the Yazaki Group aswell as the individual employees. The value of a companyis determined by the quality of its employees.Consequently, to raise corporate value, it is necessary toenhance the value of employees and raise their skills. Thisin turn requires support from a long-term and broadperspective. Based on this concept of fostering employeeskills, the Yazaki Group engages in comprehensive humanresource development not just for employees, but also fortheir families.

Collaboratingwith

Employees

Yazaki’s Principles of Comprehensive Human Resource Development

Youth Development

Elementary and Junior High School Students Prospective Employees Five Years After Hiring Managers and Higher Executives Employees who Retire at Retirement Age

Fostering Human Resources Utilization of the Skills of Senior Employees

Adventure School Follow-Up Training Discussion with the PresidentSummer Camp Anchor System*

Company-wide Educational Systems

Yazaki hires personnel irrespective of nationality and promotes the hiring of, and acquisition of skills by disabled people

Self-developed overseas training for prospective employees

A system for rehiring employees who retire at retirement age

OJT English training : A system for English-language training to support work

Global training program : Training for management candidates of overseas subsidiaries

Yazaki-juku (Yazaki cram school): Dialogue with the Chairman and the President on corporate philosophy

A hands-on camp experience for the children of employees in Japan

Young employee also participate as counselors and staff

Providing Valuable Experience to Tomorrow’s Leaders

Summer Camp Yazaki offers three summer campprograms each year for the children of employees: aJapan-based summer camp for children of employees inJapan who are in their fifth and sixth years of elementaryschool (introduced in 1977); an overseas summer camp forchildren of employees in Japan in their second year ofjunior high school (introduced in 1985); and the SummerCamp in Japan for the children of local personnel ofoverseas affiliates (introduced in 1988).

These camps were begun with the aim of givingchildren, with their whole lives ahead of them, theexperience of new insights into a different culture, but ithas also proved to be valuable training in humaninteraction and expanded the horizons of the youngemployees who participate as camp leaders.

Excerpt from a Statement of Impressions by a

Summer Camp Counselor

The children were extremely excited about their firstoverseas trip and their first encounter with a different culture.They showed surprising and insatiable curiosity but alsoshowed some timidity at unexpected times. Their words andfacial expressions brought back memories about myself that Ihad forgotten. In addition, my encounters with the othercounselors, staff, and personnel in Thailand were extremelyvaluable and will provide me with tremendous support in thefuture. Against the backdrop of our ever-changing society,participation in this year’s camp allowed me to feel a strongaffinity with the Yazaki spirit characterized by the twenty-oneyears that the summer camp has been held.

Children of Japan-based employees(elementary school fifth and sixth graders)

July/August Four-day camp Gotemba

Cumulativetotal

No. of participantsin FY2005

Type of camp

ParticipantsChildren of employees in Japan in their second year of junior high school

July/August 7-day camp Thailand

Children of local personnel of overseas affiliates

July Japan 8-day camp193 participants 112 participants 183 participants

18 times 1419 participants21 times 3315 participants29 times 4929 participants

Summer Camp Participants

Japan Overseas summer camp Summer Camp in Japan

*Anchor SystemThe “anchor” refers to thestrongest, most reliablerunner in a relay. TheAnchor System wasintroduced in 1990 topromote the rehiring ofemployees followingretirement (retirement agein the Yazaki Group is sixtyyears). In recent years,almost all employeesseeking reemploymentunder the Anchor Systemhave been rehired.

The 21st overseas summer camp in Thailand

The Yazaki-juku The Yazaki-juku is a training programconducted by senior management. The chairmanconducts follow-up training for employees five years intotheir careers to discuss the principles of the Yazaki Groupas well as the future goals of the individual participants.The president also conducts the Discussion with thePresident program for managers and higher executives toexchange ideas and opinions concerning the Yazaki GroupVision and Fundamental Management Policy. Theseprograms are opportunities for senior management andemployees to deepen their understanding of each other.One participant commented, “The direct dialogue withsenior management gave me a clearer understanding ofthe company’s future direction and management’sthinking.”

In order to create the foundation necessary for developingprofessional human resources for all types of jobs and alldivisions, the Yazaki Group fosters employee growth anddevelopment through its company-wide education system.This system implements education for specific job ranks, witha focus on role recognition and basic skills, language abilitiesand global skills, and other specialized training. Yazaki alsoconducts follow-up training for employees, such as the

“Yazaki-juku” or “Yazaki cram school,” which provides generalmanagers and higher executives the opportunity to discuss theCorporate Policy directly with the president; programs forenhancing organizational strengths with the aim of raising theeffectiveness of management and encouraging an invigoratingworkplace with motivated employees; and language study andvarious overseas training programs such as global personneldevelopment programs.

The Adventure School The Adventure School programcreated in 1996 as an element of new employee traininginitially consisted of several weeks of overseas training forall new employees. In 2001 the program was changed toprovide scholarships that enabled recently-hired universityand vocational school graduates to engage voluntarily inself-selected study programs at overseas locations of theirchoice. In addition, since 2005, all newly recruitedemployees who wish to participate in the training programhave been permitted to do so before they formally startwork.

In FY2005, a total of sixty-nine people completed thetraining program—twenty-nine in the one year course andforty in the six-month course.

Educational Systems that Cultivate True Human Skills

Voluntary Overseas Study for New Employees Promoting Mutual Understanding Among Senior Managementand Employees

Company-wide Education Systems

Role recognition /Basic skills

Language ability /Global skills

Continued higher education within Japan

Corporate philosophy /Values

Yazaki-juku(Yazaki cram school)

New employee training

Programs for EnhancingOrganizational Strengths

Role recognition / Expanding horizons

Basic skills

Management skills

Language ability /Global perception

Continued higher education overseas

Follow-up training

Discussions with the President

Management training (newly appointed Dept./Section Managers/Associate Directors)

OJT English training

Adventure School (newly recruited employees)

Global training program

Training prior to overseas assignment

Overseas study at business schools

Collaborative research at universities in North America

Toyota Technological Institute (undergraduate degree)

Training for specific job grades

New employee training New employee training

Skill Development Stage Skill Enhancement Stage Skill Application Stage

Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 AssociateDirectorGrade 9Grade 8Grade 7Grade 6Grade 5Grade 4Grade 3Grade 2Grade 1

Section

Toyota Technological Institute (advanced degree)

20

Looking Back

The Adventure School was one of the reasons I wanted to work for Yazaki. I took aminiature African drum known as a Djembe with me and gave performances while traveling inAustralia and Canada. My sense of music as well as my thirst for knowledge changeddramatically. Thanks to my desire to play the drum and to learn everything I could, I had theopportunity to meet many people. I am still keen to learn more about the Djembe and otherAfrican music. One thing that I mustn’t forget, however, is that my one year experience wasno more than a trial run, and my real life is going to start now. If I were to sum up my year’sexperience in a single word, I would say that it was an “appetizer.”

Seiji Nishi, Participant in a One-Year Adventure School Program

Adventure School was a One-Year “Appetizer”

Practicing the Djembe in Montreal (Jan ’06)

Social Aspects

Collaborating with Employees


Conventional full keyboards are designed for inputusing numerous keys, and consequently, finding theintended keys correctly and quickly by touch orotherwise requires considerable skill and practice. Toalleviate this problem and make computers easier touse by visually impaired people, Braille transcriptionvolunteers, and people who are learning Braille, Icreated the Braille keyboard. I believed that specialBraille keyboards could be improved andunderstanding of Braille could be enhanced. Duringdevelopment, I had visually impaired individuals usethe actual keyboard and listened to their opinions, and I worked hard to close the gap betweenmy own inclinations and ease-of-use.

Business English OJT* This is a one-on-one Englishlanguage training program conducted in training rooms attwenty-one business sites in Japan. Training is conductedfor fifteen or thirty minutes each day during working hoursover a period of one year. Employees engage indiscussions with native English language instructors tohelp in their work and learn English conversation. A totalof 3,861 employees have participated in this program from1984 through 2005.

English-Language Instruction at the Workplace

Global Training Potential candidates for management positionsat Yazaki Group overseas affiliates are invited to Japan to participatein a one-year management training program. By interacting withJapanese people and learning about Japanese culture, theseemployees gain Japanese language and work skills and develop a

stronger awarenessof improvementin the workplace.Since the programwas launched in1996 a total of 165employees haveparticipated through2005.

Management Candidates of Overseas SubsidiariesUndergo Training in Japan

Diversity in Hiring

21

Collaboratingwith

Employees

The Yazaki Group implements policies designed tocreate a diverse workforce with global perspectives for thefuture, including hiring personnel irrespective of nationalityand hiring disabled people.

The Global Recruiting Program for group companies inJapan, launched in FY2003 to encourage internationalpostings and develop a multi-cultural corporateatmosphere, targets mainly foreign students in Japan. Inthe past three years, thirty-one people from fifteencountries have been hired under this program.

Yazaki Business Support Co., Ltd., which wasestablished with the objective of expanding employmentopportunities for disabled people, was authorized as aSpecially Approved Subsidiary Company* in April 2005.Yazaki intends to further increase employment of disabledpeople at all sites through enhanced efforts as a SpeciallyApproved Subsidiary Company, as well as create friendlyworkplace environments which are responsive to thespecific needs of disabled employees. Yazaki is also proudto actively support employee participation in theAbilympics (Olympics of vocational abilities for people withdisabilities), with the goal that participating employeesacquire further technical skills.

Looking Back

Tadashi Iwata, System Solutions Research Division, Yazaki Technology Center

37 Key Braille Input Keyboard Developed

*Specially ApprovedSubsidiary CompanyA subsidiary that adoptsspecial measures toemploy disabled peopleunder standards approvedby the Public EmploymentSecurity Office

*OJTOn the Job Training

China 9

Malaysia 3

South Korea 3

United States 2

The Philippines 2

Slovakia 2

Mexico 1

India 1

Bangladesh 1

Thailand 1

Indonesia 1

Myanmar 1

Vietnam 1

Romania 1

Uzbekistan 1

Russia 1

Hiring by Nationality (Cumulative Number for FY2003-FY2005)

Total 31

Mr. Iwata received a commendationfrom the Governor of ShizuokaPrefecture

USB-Compatible BrailleKeyboard• Compliant with USB standards

for keyboards• Key arrangement takes

operability into consideration • Users can select from three

different input modes

Native English language instructorsprovide one-on-one training

Trainees from various countries spend oneyear learning about Japanese culture andother topics

The Yazaki Group, which operates 163 business sites inthirty-seven countries, makes every effort to ensure that itsemployees can work in safe and healthy environments whenoverseas.

Information concerning the security situation in variouscountries around the world is provided on the companyintranet and measures are taken to raise awareness

concern ing safetywhi le overseas,including seminarsfor employees whoare sent on overseasassignments and theirfamilies. Each overseasaffiliate has prepareda crisis managementmanual and appointeda crisis managementofficer. Yazaki continuesto take measures toensure the safety of allemployees such asreinforcing cooperationamong different businesssites and creating anemergency notificationnetwork.

In FY2005, Yazakilaunched the Healthful

Health Management Service,* which is both a new YazakiGroup business and an overseas employee health managementsupport system. Services are provided at nine business sites infour countries, including China.

To maintain the mental and physical health ofemployees, various physical exams have been enhanced.The Health Plan program is conducted to provideemployees with information on preventing lifestyle-relatedillnesses. The Mental and Physical Health ConsultationHotline provides all employees and their families 24-houraccess to specialists via telephone consultations onmental and physical health issues. Yazaki also beganoperating the Yazaki AI,* a system to protectwhistleblowers, in April 2006. Under this program,employees can consult with both internal and externalorganizations concerning any problems they might have.

Ensuring the Safety and Health of EmployeesTraveling and Assigned Overseas

Maintaining Mental and Physical Health

The Yazaki Employee Labor Union focuses its activities onimproving management and working conditions, raisingemployee benefits, and enriching the Yazaki organization inline with the principles of open dialogue and autonomybased on trust. In FY2005, the Women’s Committee, madeup of female union members, was created. As employmentof women grows, women are being encouraged to increasetheir participation in union activities, and to reflect theiropinions and ideas in union activities.

Labor and management are working together toimplement the Working Practices Improvement Project, aprogram that is intended to improve working practices andreturn “cheerfulness” and “vitality” to the workplace. Allemployees are currently participating in a fundamentalreview of jobs, improving practices, structures, and systemsto eliminate unnecessary procedures, and creatingcomfortable, lively workplaces where employees can workefficiently. All employees are currently participating in afundamental review of jobs, and the project involves weekly“no overtime days,” “lights out” at 9:00 p.m., andemployees taking at least one paid day off each month.

Labor-Management Relations Based on Trust and Dialogue

Maintaining and Creating Jobs

22

Providing Peace of Mind to Employees as A Priority Initiative

The Overseas Safety intranet siteprovides information on local securitysituations and healthcare conditions.

New Sectors

Nursing careand Healthcare

businesses(9 companies)

Home-visit nursing

Day-care center nursing

Live-in nursing and moderate care assistance

Sales and rental of welfare equipment

Nursing homes

Group homes for senile people

Reusing toner cartridges

Paper recycling

Glass recycling

Converting food waste to fertilizer

Flower cultivation

Retrieving gas meters

Gas heater maintenance

Accident insurance agencies

ETC installation in vehicles

Gas fitting etc.

Recyclingbusiness

(5 companies)

Servicebusinesses

(23 companies)

Paper recycling

Nursing care business

Healthcare business

Reusing toner cartridges

Glass recycling

Converting food waste to fertilizer

Safety inspection and maintenance of large size gas heaters

’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 (Year)

Started July 2004

Started June 2001

Started June 2003

Started December 2005

Started July 2004

Started February 2004

Started April 2000

*Healthful HealthManagement ServiceHealthful is a health-management terminal thatmeasures various data,including blood pressureand electrocardiograms,and employees can receiveadvice concerning theirhealth conditions via anetwork.

*Yazaki AIPlease see p.14 for furtherinformation

A safety seminar before employeesare sent on overseas assignments

The Yazaki Group is continuing its efforts to developnew businesses to maintain employment at itssubsidiaries and create environments where employeescan work with a sense of security. Yazaki creates newbusinesses that will carry out the corporate principles,including reducing environmental impact and contributingto local communities, and provides full support for actionsof subsidiaries.

Social Aspects

Collaborating with Employees


Shizuoka Branch April 2005 saw the completion of thenew premises of the Shizuoka Branch, the design concept ofwhich was ‘all welcome.’ Working in harmony with localcommunities was emphasized. Barrier-free design wasapplied throughout, including slopes to replace steps andtoilets adapted for disabled people. Among the other featuresare the provision of a meeting room for the local communityassociation and benches within the grounds for use bycustomers waiting forthe bus.

The city of Shizuoka is built in an area which is frequentlythe epicenter of earthquakes. As a contribution to the localcommunity in the case of an emergency, the branch isaccordingly equipped with bulk type LPG storage tanks,drinking water, and food rations. In the event of it being usedas an emergency shelter in a disaster, the facilities will allowthe branch to cook food, boil water and supply lighting for upto six days.

Currently, the branch joins with local residents and the localgovernment twice a year to carry out a fire safety exercise . Tocoincide with this, the branch organizes a range of communityevents, including traditional rice-cake making. These aredesigned to raise awareness of the role of the ShizuokaBranch as an emergency shelter.

Entrance to Shizuoka Branch, built to barrier-free design

Working in Harmony with Local Communities Grants for Scientists and Researchers

Building a Better Society through Positive Action

23

The Yazaki Memorial Foundation for Science andTechnology was established in 1982 in commemoration ofthe fortieth anniversary of the founding of YazakiCorporation. Every year it provides grants and aid in thethree fields of new materials, energy, and information toresearchers engaged in innovative technology researchthat is both particularly creative and has a high degree ofpracticality. In FY2005 the Foundation awarded fiveGrants for General Research, ten Grants for ResearchEncouragement, which are awarded to young scientists,and twelve Grants for International Exchange.Additionally, Grants for Special Research are awardedevery year for designated themes. In FY2005, onecandidate was selected after careful scrutiny ofapplications in the designated themes listed below:

1. Research into technology that supports a safe andconvenient lifestyle;

2. Research into green/bio environmental technology.

Environmental Education for Children

At the Fuji Factory of Yazaki Electric Wire Co., Ltd., studyvisits to the factory and talks on the factory’s environmentalaction are organized within the framework of the Mount FujiNetwork Environmental Education Project to teach local childrenabout the environmental impact of manufacturing processes,and about environmentally considerate manufacturingoperations. By taking part in activities such as trash collectionon Mount Fuji and releasing carp and amago trout into localrivers, the children learn about the importance of environmentalconservation. At the same time, these activities help toheighten the environmental awareness of employees.

Working withLocal Communitiesand Society at Large

Gas storage tanks for use by local residents inthe event of an emergency

2006 Grants presentation ceremony

Fifty local elementary school students taking part in a study visitRice-cake making after fire safety exercise

As part of its social contribution activities, the YazakiEmployee Labor Union participates in the JHP* project forconstructing schools and playgrounds in Cambodia, whichis organized by JAM* Shizuoka. Now in its fourth year,this consists of collecting donations, dispatchingvolunteers to build swing sets, and collecting stationery,musical instruments, and other articles to send toCambodian elementary schools. In August 2005, themuch-awaited second elementary school was completedand, following a competition to select a popular title, wasnamed the Himawari School.

At Kawane Parts Co., Ltd., itwas noticed that truck engineswere often left running whilepartner companies deliveredgoods. In response, a campaignwas launched to stop this engineidling. A “Stop Engine Idling”poster was displayed on theentrance doors and leaflets listingpoints for environmentallyconsiderate behavior weredistributed at supplier meetings asa way of encouraging cooperation.

Elementary Schools for Cambodia

Yazaki factories and offices work toward thebeautification of surrounding land and rivers as a part oftheir contribution to local communities.

Since the company’s earlydays in 1985, YamaguchiParts Co., Ltd., has markedEnvironment Day* in Juneevery year with a clean-up ofsidewalks around the factory,in which it picks up trash,empty cans, and so on.

Five or six times a year,Higashi Shikoku Parts Co.,Ltd., uses the occasion of apublic holiday to recruitvolunteer employees forscenic improvement activitiesfocusing on roadside guttersand other facilities on andaround the factory site. Thisactivity to conserve thenatural environment alsoencourages communicationwith local residents andimproved environmentalawareness among employees.

The entire staff of theChugei Factory of MinamiShikoku Parts Co., Ltd. carriedout a volunteer clean-up withthe aim of making the streamthat flows through a localpark habitable for carp. Fishhave since returned to theriver as a result. The clean-upmet with praise from thelocal community and alsoimproved the team spirit ofthe employees.

At Jot International Co., Ltd., whichoperates the Yazaki Group welfare andrecreation facility YYY CLUB iE RESORT,once a month thirty to forty of the hotelstaff carry out a clean-up around the touristsites, harbor, coastline, roads and otherfacilities of the island of Iejima in Okinawawhere the hotel is located.

Local Scenic Improvement Initiatives

Stop Engine Idling Campaign

In the municipality of Ochi, where Minami Shikoku PartsCo., Ltd., has its head office factory, a cosmos festival isheld every year in October. To contribute to a greenerlocal environment and to the revitalization of the region,with its declining population, a cosmos meadow is plantedand maintained every year in partnership with the localchamber of commerce and industry. By supporting suchevents, which help the local economy, Yazaki strengthensits sense of solidarity with the local community.

Growing Cosmos Flowers

24

Other Main Scenic Improvement Activities

YazakiParts Co., Ltd. Hodozawa Factory

Fujinomiya Parts Co., Ltd.

Shimizu Parts Co., Ltd.

Tottori Parts Co., Ltd.

Around eighty volunteers, consisting of staff of the Hodozawa and two other factories and their families, went hiking on Mount Fuji, clearing trash as they went.

Weekly clean-up of the surrounding area encouraged local residents to start their own clean-up activities

Clean-up activities in the area surrounding the factory site encouraged active communication with local residents

Staff participated voluntarily in locally organized activities to clean up the coastline and parks

A “Stop Engine Idling”poster

Children of Himawari Elementary School with volunteers

*JHPJapan Team of YoungHuman Power, aninternational NGO

*JAMThe Japanese Associationof Metal, Machinery, andManufacturing Workers, aunion with approximately400,000 membersorganized on prefecturallines

*Environment DayDesignated as June 5 tomark the United NationsConference on the HumanEnvironment held inStockholm in 1972All employees participate in the

clean-up

Staff volunteers carry out a clean-up on a public holiday

Creating a clean stream habitat for fish

Commemorative photograph marking the Iejima beachclean-up carried out in conjunction with local elementaryschool students

Social Aspects

Working with Local Communities and Society at Large


The Yazaki Group launched the “Mottainai”* series ofadvertisements in March 2004. These advertisementswere in Japanese only and used the word “Mottainai” toexpress the spirit of eliminating waste, a fundamentalelement of the manufacturing industry. The objective ofthese advertisements is to gain widespread recognition ofwhat has been Yazaki’s stance concerning manufacturingsince its establishment.

In FY2005, Yazaki reverted to the advertisement designand concept used at the start of the campaign and added“MOTTAINAI” in English to reflect the fact that it isbecoming a more familiar concept throughout the world.In addition, at the request of the Japanese Ministry of theEnvironment, the “Team Minus 6%” logo that theMinistry is using for its national campaign to help preventglobal warming was added to new advertisements, whichwere run in magazines for the first time in order to furtherpromote connection between the campaign and Yazaki’soperations.

A new “Mottainai” advertisement displayed inside Japanese bullet trains

“Mottainai” advertisements that were run in magazines

The “Mottainai” Advertising Campaign Social & Environmental Report Issued

Seeking Better Communication With Society

25

The Yazaki Group issues itsSocial & EnvironmentalReport to broadly disseminateinformation concerning itsenvironmental activities andto reflect evaluations of thoseactivities in future activities.In an effort to expandreporting of the social aspectsof the Group’s activities, theSocial & EnvironmentalReport 2005, which coversactivities during FY2004, wasdivided into two sections--onesection on social aspects andanother on environmentalpreservation activities. A total of 9,000 copies of theJapanese version and 2,000 copies of the English versionwere issued. Opinions and comments on the reportsubmitted by readers via a questionnaire are used toimprove the content of future reports.

Production sites have issued individual site environmentalreports in Japanese since 2002. These reports are used asenvironmental educational tools for employees andcommunication tools for increasing understanding by localresidents of the environmental preservation activities aswell as the social contribution activities of each site. InFY2005, all thirteen production sites* issued siteenvironmental reports for FY2004.

The Social & EmvironmentalReport 2005 issued inSeptember 2005

FY2005 individual site environmental reportsDaitou Factory (left)Ohama Factory (right)

*The “Mottainai” spiritPlease see p.55 for furtherinformation

*Thirteen production sitesPlease see p.45 for furtherinformation

Working withLocal Communitiesand Society at Large

The Yazaki Group has been holding stakeholdermeetings since FY2004 as a means of obtaining variousopinions directly from stakeholders and using thoseopinions to become a better company. Following the firstmeeting for reviewing the Social & Environmental Reportheld in June 2005, the “Let's look, listen and talk aboutYazaki!” stakeholder meeting* was held in March 2006.Stakeholder meetings are an excellent opportunity forrepresentatives of suppliers, local governments,environmental NPOs, and local residents to express theirfrank opinions and proposals and to deepen theirunderstanding of the Yazaki Group.

Stakeholder Meetings Held

Yazaki Group companies actively display at exhibitionsand events to make their next-generation technologieswidely known to society and to promote further researchthrough the use of extensive feedback.

At the 2006 JSAE Automotive Engineering Exposition*held in May 2006, Yazaki displayed products with a focuson miniaturization, weight reduction, and safetytechnologies under the slogan “developing and supportingeach other’s growth.” The miniaturization and weightreduction technology included steering column integratedspeedometers and press-fit connectors,* while safetytechnologies included the YAZAC-eye drive recorder,which detects and records conditions during a collision.These technologies drew many visitors to the Yazakibooth.

Yazaki Participates in Exhibitions and Events

The Yazaki Group works to disseminate accurateinformation to all stakeholder groups as a part of itscommunication activit ies designed to deepenunderstanding of the Group. In FY2005 the Yazaki websitewas enhanced to provide even more information.Considerable efforts are also being made to improvecorporate communication tools such as the Directory ofbusiness sites in Japan and overseas; Yazaki World, anexplanation of Yazaki Group products and technologies;and the Yazaki News, an internal newsletter for employeesand suppliers.

Improving Corporate Communications Tools

26

The Yazaki Group booth at the 2006 JSAEAutomotive Engineering Exposition

The Yazaki Directory (left) provides comprehensive information onall business sites in Japan and overseasYazaki World (right) is a tool for customers that describes YazakiGroup products and technologies

The Yazaki News is aquarterly internal newsletter

*“Let's look, listen and talkabout Yazaki!” stakeholdermeetingPlease see p.27 for furtherinformation

*2006 JSAE AutomotiveEngineering ExpositionJapan’s only automotiveengineering exposition.Approximately 60% of thevisitors are engineers. Theexposition is held topromote exchanges oftechnical information, toallow researchers to giveresearch presentations,and to provide a forum forinteraction betweenengineers in Japan andoverseas.

*Press-fit connectorsPlease see p.42 for furtherinformation

Social Aspects

Working with Local Communities and Society at Large


Social Aspects Highlights

Documents

Transcript of Social Aspects Highlights