The NSG Group’s Attitude towards CSR
With the aim of establishing relationships of trust with stakeholders, the NSG Group is taking a CSR-oriented approach to business.
CSR Underpins the Group’s Management Philosophy
The NSG Group is a member of the Sumitomo Group and its management philosophy, “people are the most important asset of our company,” is deeply rooted in the 400-year-old Sumitomo Spirit. This spirit underpins the NSG Group’s CSR foundation, which espouses the basic ideas of “open and fair,” “thorough compliance with corporate ethics” and “contribution to global environmental issues.”
With the acquisition of Pilkington plc in June 2006, the business scale of the NSG Group expanded significantly and along with it, the scope of its social responsibilities. Consequently, the Group reviewed from a global perspective the management philosophy it had established in 1976, and in July 2006 formulated the new NSG Group “Values and Principles.” The concept “people are the most important asset of our company” provided a firm basis for the Group’s values and has been retained in the new management philosophy, which has been disseminated to all Group employees worldwide.
The Group’s “Values and Principles” statement defines the ideals to which it aspires, in addition to the basic CSR concepts that guide all of its business activities. The NSG Group regards the adoption of a CSR-oriented business approach to be synonymous with the implementation of its management philosophy and has consequently reinforced those activities that are founded upon its basic CSR policy. To help promote its CSR activities, the NSG Group has established subcommittees representing various stakeholder groups, including customers, shareholders and investors, employees, suppliers and the local communities in which the Group has operations. As part of its effort to spread these activities throughout the Company, the NSG Group created a CSR Handbook that explains the Group's CSR philosophy and activities in layman's terms. The contents of the Handbook have been published on the company intranet system. The Handbook is currently being further revised to reflect the development of the NSG Group into a global company.
NSG Group and Its Stakeholders
In its basic CSR policy, the NSG Group defines CSR as “an activity that establishes relationships of trust with all stakeholders; in order for it to operate as a socially reliable company.” This reflects the fact that the Group’s business activities are largely attributable to its stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, investors, employees, suppliers and local communities. Therefore, the Group is able to enhance its corporate value only by responding to their expectations.
The NSG Group established a CSR Committee in August 2005. The NSG Group assesses CSR activities throughout the Group. The President chairs the CSR Committee, with relevant officers, headquarters general managers, business line general managers and plant managers in Japan serving as committee members.
