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Financial Information:
Annual Report 2005
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Environmental
and Social Activities |
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NSK aims to contribute to the
well-being and safety of society and to
protect the global environment through its innovative “Motion and
Control” technologies, as well as to become a truly international enterprise,
working across national boundaries to improve relationships between
people around the world. Our vision of NSK becoming a truly trustworthy
company to all stakeholders forms the basis of our corporate activities.
NSK
and Society
Electro-mechanic Technology Advancing Foundation
During the 17 years since its establishment in 1988,
this Foundation has supported a total of 474 projects,
including 332 R&D projects, 98 technology exchange programs,
and 44 lectures and seminars to promote the wider development
of mechatronics, one of NSK’s core technologies.
The Foundation’s activities not only leverage NSK’s
expertise in mechatronics but also provide opportunities
to create strong ties between NSK and the next generation
of engineers, such as students and young researchers.
Donating Goods and Funds to Disaster Stricken
Communities
In 2004, the world witnessed a number of major natural
disasters, particularly the devastating Indonesia Tsunami
and, closer to home, a large earthquake that hit Niigata
Prefecture in central Japan. Both events not only caused
major casualties, but also drastically altered the lives of
those spared.
The NSK Group, as a company and through volunteer
activities by its employees, donated a total of ¥40 million
to aid the quick recovery of these areas.
Industrial Accident Frequency
(Lost
Worktime Injury Rate)*
* Lost worktime injury rate: number of cases of absence from work due
to accident per million man-hours. |
Creating a Safe and Rewarding Working Environment
Striving to create a working environment that encourages
personnel to fulfill their potential, we are implementing
welfare systems that are tailored to modern life
and actively promoting employee health. In addition, we
are endeavoring to improve NSK’s corporate culture
based on the initiative of our employees to create a
more dynamic workplace.
In order to ensure workplace safety, NSK is creating a
Groupwide corporate culture founded on strict safety
compliance, primarily through a central managementemployee
safety committee. These efforts include safety
checks at each operating site led by managers, and initiatives
to prevent accidents that target equipment and
facilities as well as employee training.
NSK
and the Global Environment
Zero Emissions Attained at all Group Plants in Japan
NSK has been working to achieve “zero emissions*” by using
resources efficiently to minimize the generation of waste,
and by recycling any waste created using optimal methods.
NSK began these efforts in 2000, achieving zero emissions
at all domestic plants owned by or separated from NSK
Ltd. in fiscal 2002. In addition to ensuring that zero
emission status is maintained at these sites, we are
implementing measures to attain the same status at all
plants throughout the NSK Group. Six sites achieved this
goal in fiscal 2003, followed by an additional two sites
in fiscal 2004, resulting in zero emissions status for
all Group plants in Japan.
* Defined as the state where the volume of direct landfill waste
accounts for less than 1% of total waste emissions.
Acquisition of ISO 14001 Certification
NSK’s adoption of the internationally recognized ISO
14001 standard is not only reducing the Company’s environmental
footprint and environmental risks, it is also
helping to improve the quality of management in general.
NSK and all of its domestic plants owned by or separated
from NSK Ltd. acquired ISO 14001 certification by 1999,
and since then, NSK has worked to ensure its affiliates also
achieve the same standard of environmental management.
In July 2004, NSK Needle Bearing Co., Ltd.’s Takasaki
Plant acquired ISO 14001 certification, and as a result, all
NSK’s targeted domestic plants and technology divisions
are now certified.
Overseas, three plants acquired ISO 14001 certification
in fiscal 2004: NSK Bearings Manufacturing (Thailand)
Co., Ltd., NSK Iskra S.A. of Poland, and Rane NSK Steering
Systems Ltd. based in India. A total of 17 of NSK’s overseas
sites have now acquired this certification.
Measures Against Global
Warming
By fiscal 2010, NSK is aiming to reduce CO2 emissions
per production unit by 23% compared to levels in fiscal 1990 by using energy
more efficiently in manufacturing processes. In fiscal 2004, CO2 emissions
per production unit were reduced by 0.2% compared to the previous year,
and 21.2% compared to fiscal 1990. This puts NSK well on track to achieving
its fiscal 2010 target. Emissions at NSK affiliates also declined, falling
7.9% year on year. Our initiatives to cut emissions of CO2 simultaneously
help us to use energy resources more efficiently and significantly reduce
manufacturing costs.
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NSK
Included in Leading SRI Indexes
Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) indexes evaluate a company’s initiatives
in relation to corporate governance, the environment, social contribution and
other areas. NSK is currently included in the following global SRI indexes—
the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, FTSE4Good Global Benchmark
Index and the Ethibel Sustainability Index—as well as the first SRI
index in Japan, the Morningstar Socially Responsible Investment Index.
http://www.sustainability-indexes.com
http://www.ftse.com/ftse4good/index.jsp
http://www.ethibel.org
http://www.morningstar.co.jp/sri/index.htm
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CO2 Emissions and CO2 Emissions
per Production Unit
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| Note: |
CO2 emissions
per production unit means CO2 emissions per value-added
production of ¥1 million (value-added production = production - disbursements).
CO2 emissions of purchased electricity are calculated
assuming that the
electricity was generated using a thermal-power generation
system.
Energy conversion values are calculated based on peak
demand figures. Conversion of LPG, kerosene, low-sulfur
heavy oil, municipal gas, diesel and
gasoline consumption to CO2 emission values is based
on guidelines from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment. |
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For
more information on NSK’s environmental
and social activities, please refer to the NSK
Social and Environmental Report 2005. |
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