Social
Occupational Safety and Health
We will enable our employees to achieve a healthy life style by creating an environment that assures their health and safety.
Basic Stance toward Safety and Health
Sanden responds to the diversity in employee values based on Sanden’s Principle that a company is as good as the people it keeps, and makes it possible for employees to manifest their individuality and realize self-fulfillment. To this end, Sanden works to ensure an employment workstyle and leave system that delivers a comfortable and enriched environment.We recognize that securing occupational safety and health for employees is an indispensable part of corporate activities and in November 2000 we established the Safety and Health Charter to maintain workplace environments in line with conditions in each country in which we are involved.
Based on the Safety and Health Charter, equivalent to a constitution for occupational safety and health, each Sanden Group company develops a safety and health policy every fiscal year.
Promoting Occupational Safety and Health
- Fiscal 2024 Occupational Safety and Health Policy
-
We implement proactive initiatives at each domestic and overseas manufacturing site based on third-party certification of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
- Occupational Safety and Health Promotion Framework
-
To protect the health and safety of all employees, we have established a global health and safety promotion framework to drive company-wide activities. Domestic safety and health committees are convened monthly at each site, and global safety and health committees are convened quarterly. These meetings cover the deployment of safety and health policies, KPI management of unified indicators, and preventive measures against accidents, fires, and injuries through monthly patrols, regular inspections, and corrective actions. In addition, we share customer commendations, best practices, and key promoters of safety activities at global sites through “Global News” to further encourage safety initiatives.
- FY2024 Targets
- Global Lost-Time Injury Frequency Rate
-
Despite a few workplace accidents in 2024, the global average frequency rate saw a significant decrease of over 80%, dropping from 0.11 in the previous year to 0.02.
- Global Lost-Time Injury Severity Rate
-
In 2024, the global severity rate remained stable with no serious accidents, thanks to strengthened equipment safety and the establishment of monthly safety patrols by executive officers and site managers, with corrective actions completed by the following month. We will continue to promote activities to prevent accidents, fires, and occupational injuries.
- Initiatives Toward Zero Workplace Accidents
-
As a global company, we proactively implement health and safety activities not only in Japan but also at overseas sites. Our Pakistan plant received high praise and awards for its safety management activities from business partners and the Hisense Group. To promote safety management, monthly safety patrols are conducted without fail by the Vice President and department heads in Japan, and by site managers overseas. Progress on corrective actions is shared as part of KPI management. We also incorporate examples from other companies into our preventive measures, and implement unique initiatives such as monthly inspections, emergency checks, and comprehensive inspections before long holidays to avoid routine complacency. In occupational health, we collect and share best practices from overseas sites regarding hygiene and health management, encouraging similar activities and new initiatives. Reports must include photos of responsible personnel.
- Achievements in Safety and Health Education
-
< Education >
We conduct annual safety and health training for the employees in Japan. Special lectures by the Director of the Labor Standards Inspection Office are provided for managers, supervisors, safety officers, health officers, and staffing agency representatives. These lectures cover key points for promoting preventive measures, illustrated with case studies. Posters featuring the three keywords—“Inspect, Confirm, Do Not Omit”—are designed in-house and distributed not only domestically but also to overseas sites, with wording adapted to local languages and cultures for workplace display.
Training for newly appointed managers focuses on acquiring essential safety and health knowledge and promoting line care, covering topics such as safety and health management, labor management, and mental health care. New employee training includes the basics of safety and health activities, health management, and mental health care to instill awareness from the start. Occupational safety and health education is conducted according to the training system, beginning with onboarding and continuing as hierarchical training. For employees engaged in hazardous work, forklift safety driving courses and high-pressure gas safety officer training are held annually without fail.
< Emergency Training >
Under the supervision of fire department personnel, we conduct disaster drills at all domestic sites and provide training for in-house fire brigades to ensure effective firefighting and safe evacuations during emergencies.
- Third-Party Certification
-
We have obtained ISO 45001 certification for our occupational health and safety activities.
< COVID-19 Infection Countermeasures >
Following the spread of COVID-19 infections in fiscal 2020, we set up an emergency response office to quickly grasp the infection status in Japan and take appropriate measures.
In March 2020, we also created a company-wide COVID-19 countermeasure manual.
Based on the latest information on virus characteristics and trends, the manual was subsequently revised in May, August, and December 2020, February, April, and August 2021, and January, February, June, July, August and November 2022 and March 2023, and September 2024. We have continued to implement the measures against the infectious disease promptly, depending on the situation.
In fiscal 2022, we provided mental healthcare support and commodity support for employees transferred overseas who were facing a prolonged lockdown due to the further spread of COVID-19.
To improve our work environments, we made various efforts, including identifying high-risk workplaces by measuring carbon dioxide concentrations, and broadcasting messages to encourage regular ventilation. We also strengthened shoreline measures by proactively using an antigen test kit, and reduced the impact on business by encouraging low-risk employees to come to work. In addition, we implemented a mass immunization program against influenza within the company.
Efforts to maintain and improve employee health and create a comfortable workplace
- Basic Stance
-
The Sanden Group recognizes that maintaining and improving the health of employees is an important element of our management strategy, and from the perspective of health management, we promote the independent actions of our employees and create an environment that facilitates health promotion.
- Promotion Framework
-
As specialized committees under each site’s safety and health committee, we have established a Health Management Committee and a Health Management Subcommittee to promote systematic activities. Our occupational health staff consists of three full-time public health nurses, one dedicated occupational physician, and three part-time contracted occupational physicians (internal medicine and psychiatry), providing employee consultations, health promotion activities, and health management measures.
- KPI : Zero leaves for mental illness
-
< Results of Activities >
● Mental Health Care
-
Education
We provided self-care education for newly joined employees. In addition, we implemented line-care and self-care education for employees newly appointed in managerial positions.
- Interviews with all newly joined employees
- Interviews with all employees in their fifth year at the company
-
Lifestyle-related disease measures
We promote the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases through regular checkups, health guidance, and recommendation for a thorough physical examination by public health nurses.
< Anomaly observation rates in regular checkups >
(Target: Employees in Japan)
-
Exercise Promotion Activities
For domestic employees, we organized company-wide lifestyle improvement and exercise events, including walking events using an app, ball game tournaments, and softball tournaments, to promote physical activity and enhance communication.
-
Promotion of Health in Collaboration with Health Insurance Association
For employees in Japan and those transferred overseas, we, in collaboration with the Health Insurance Association, provided an online program to help stop smoking and offered specific health guidance. As part of healthcare services by the Health Insurance Association, we provide those eligible for regular medical examinations with screening for female-specific cancer, gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer, thereby promoting the early detection and treatment of cancer.
-
Women’s Health Promotion
In December 2024, we held a seminar titled “Supporting Women’s Health at Work – Understanding the Keys to Health: Basics of Hormones and Self-Care.” Male employees were also encouraged to participate, fostering an environment where women can work healthily.
-
Improvement of health literacy
For employees in Japan and those transferred overseas, self-care information is issued by a public health nurse once a month. In addition, an industrial physician's hygiene lecture is available to all employees via the in-house website.
-
Education
- Social contributions
-
-
Community Contribution
We contribute to promoting regional safety and health activities by serving as officers in safety and health-related organizations:
・Chairperson, Health Insurance Association Public Health Nurse and Nurse Liaison Council
・Officer, Regional Zero-Accident Movement Promotion Council
・Officer, Regional Labor Standards Association -
Academic Presentation
97th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Occupational Health
Symposium 9: “Utilizing GPS (Good Practice Sharing) – Focusing on the Use of Group Analysis Results in Stress Checks” -
Public Health Nurse Education at Nursing Universities
・Acceptance of student internships (2 schools, 24 students)
-
Community Contribution
