Chemical Management
Basic approach
artience group "Strive to reduce environmental impact throughout the entire life cycle, including raw material procurement, production, distribution, use, disposal and recycling, and strive to protect and restore the environment and give consideration to people's health and safety" in the "Basic Policy on the Environment" (revised in January 2024) and the "Basic Policy on the Management of Chemical Substances" ( Established in May 2024). In order to comply with these basic policies, we appropriately manage chemical substances in each process, including product design, raw material purchase and import, production, storage, transportation, and disposal, and strive to substitute or reduce highly hazardous substances.
As a chemical manufacturer that handles a wide range of chemical substances, the artience Group (hereinafter referred to as the “Group”) aims to create a sustainable society in which chemical substances are properly managed and handled, by minimizing the environmental impact caused by chemical substances, and by ensuring the health and safety of those who work with chemical substances and use the Group’s products, at all stages of the product life cycle—from raw material procurement to development, manufacturing, transportation, storage, use, disposal and recycling.
Based on this basic approach, we have established this Basic Policy on Management of Chemical Substances (hereinafter referred to as this “Basic Policy,”) and engage in chemical substance management based on the pillars of compliance with laws and regulations and voluntary control in all business activities relating to chemical substances.
- Scope of application
This Basic Policy applies to all of the Group’s business sites that handle chemical substances, either directly or indirectly. In addition, this Basic Policy applies to all raw materials and products (including prototypes, etc.) handled by the Group, intermediates in manufacturing processes, products outsourced by third parties for manufacturing, and products procured from third parties and provided to customers that contain chemical substances.
- Establishment and operation of a chemical substance management system
The Group will appoint a general manager of the chemical substance management department at each operating company of the Group, and establish an organization to implement appropriate control of chemical substances handled by each company. The department that oversees chemical substance management at artience Co., Ltd. will oversee chemical substance management departments of these companies, and establish and operate a group-wide chemical substance management system that links them. Through this group-wide structure, the Group will share information and develop measures at the group-wide level, and implement appropriate chemical substance management as the Group.
- Legal compliance and establishment of voluntary control standards
The Group will collect and understand information on laws and regulations—and other related information—relating to the chemical substance management in the countries and regions where all of the Group’s business sites and distributors who sell the Group’s products are located, or where the Group’s products are distributed or used, and endeavor to comply with them. We will also promote global standardization of chemical substance management by establishing voluntary control standards for chemical substances whose inclusion is prohibited or restricted by international treaties and national laws and regulations, and by prohibiting or restricting the handling of such substances.
- Minimization of chemical substance risks
The Group will endeavor to minimize chemical substance risks by implementing initiatives to continuously reduce risks arising from hazardous properties and exposure amount of chemical substances. Specifically, we will take risk countermeasures such as reducing the use of highly hazardous raw materials, adopting alternative raw materials, reducing the amount of chemical substances emitted in production activities, and reducing worker exposure at production sites.
- Disclose information to stakeholders
To reduce the environmental impact of chemical substances and ensure the health and safety of product users and local communities, the Group will disclose information on the impact of chemical substances it handles on the environment and people, and information on their safe use, in an accurate and easily understandable manner. We will prepare, provide, and display SDS (Safety Data Sheets) and product labels—means of disclosure—in accordance with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) in each country. We will also disclose information on the Group’s chemical substance management activities through public reports and our website, and endeavor to communicate with society.
- Educational training program
The Group will implement educational training programs that are useful for employees engaged in the Group’s business activities to acquire and improve the knowledge and skills necessary to handle chemical substances safely and appropriately, and to appropriately manage and operate information relating to chemical substances. At the same time, we will instruct our employees to endeavor to acquire and improve the knowledge and skills required for the work they are engaged in, and encourage them to participate in educational training programs.
- Revision, abolition and management
Decisions regarding the revision or abolition of this Basic Policy shall be made by the Board of Directors of artience Co., Ltd.
The department in charge of the revision and abolition of this Basic Policy shall be the department that oversees the chemical substance management of artience Co., Ltd.
Established on May 10, 2024 (resolved at the Board of Directors on May 10, 2024)
Providing product safety information globally and complying with laws and regulations
Promotion system
artience Co., Ltd. Production-Logistics Planning Department and ESG Promotion Office work together to supervise and manage the environment, chemical substance management, and trade management for the entire group. In addition, we are working to comply with the laws and regulations and practices of each country.
Targets and achievements
Targets
Goals for material issues (material issue 2)
artience Targets for 2027 (FY2024~FY2026)
Achievements
In fiscal 2023, emissions of chemical substances designated as Class I designated under the Act on the Identification and Management of Chemical Substances (PRTR Law) and substances designated by the Japan Chemical Industry Association were 102.8 tons in Japan (down 31.3% from the previous year) and 144.8 tons (up 34.9% from the previous year) at overseas affiliates.
Scope of aggregation: Major domestic factories and factories and domestic affiliates, and overseas major overseas production-related companies
*In FY2023, we revised the operation method of the aggregation system and reviewed the substances subject to PRTR, so we are reviewing the figures retroactively.
- Complying with chemical substance management regulations
- Chemical substance risk assessment
- Human resource development through in-house training courses