環境マネジメント

Environmental Management

The Hoshizaki Group adheres to a management philosophy to be an evolving company that supports customers as well as society.

Based on this management philosophy, we are working with our partners and promoting activities that reduce our impact on the environment. All departments at all factories throughout Japan are engaged in environmental improvement activities. We also formulated the Hoshizaki Eco Plan, which underpins efforts that include developing environmentally conscious products, encouraging recycling, and recovery of fluorocarbons from products.

ISO 14001 Environmental Policy

Guided by our management philosophy that good products come from a good environment, Hoshizaki Corporation strives to create factory environments rich in greenery. And recognizing that protection of the environment on a global level is a priority issue that people everywhere share, we strive for business activities that can be sustainably developed in harmony with the environment.

  1. As a manufacturer that develops and produces food service equipment, such as ice machines, refrigerators, dishwashers and dispensers, Hoshizaki acknowledges the impact that these business activities have on the environment. With this in mind, the Company establishes a structure to support constant improvement in its environmental management system, which extends to environmental performance, and thereby prevents pollution.
  2. Hoshizaki naturally strives to fulfill environment-oriented compliance obligations, but the Company also sets its own control standards and strives to raise the bar on environmental management.
  3. The following measures are considered priorities to effectively address environmental impact stemming from business activities undertaken by Hoshizaki.
    • •Response to climate change
    • •Promotion of effective use of resources
    • •Decrease use of chemical substances, improve level of management
    • •Promote development and design of environmentally conscious products
    • •Protect natural environment
  4. To implement these measures, Hoshizaki will set environmental targets where technically and economically feasible, work toward these targets, and review progress on a regular basis.

This policy is documented, implemented, maintained, and made known not only to Hoshizaki employees but also to all personnel engaged in our operations throughout the organization through training and PR activities. In addition, the information is disclosed to any and all outside parties who request it.

January 5, 2023

Environmental Management System

Scope

Our environmental policy guides Hoshizaki in building an environmental management system, pursuing continuous improvement of the system, and promoting a robust program of environmental protection activities.

The scope of our environmental management system is described below.

  1. Company name
    Hoshizaki Corporation
  2. Business sites (functional and physical locations)
    • (1) Head Office and Head Office Factory
      3-16 Sakae-cho Minamiyakata, Toyoake, Aichi
    • (2) Shimane Head Office
      271-13 Kisuki-cho Yamagata, Unnan, Shimane
    • (3) Shimane Factory No. 1
      546 Kisuki-cho Jiryo, Unnan, Shimane
    • (4) Shimane Factory No. 2
      834 Kisuki-cho Kisuki, Unnan, Shimane
    • (5) Shimane Factory No. 3
      231-3 Kisuki-cho Yamagata, Unnan, Shimane
    • (6) Shimane Yokota Factory
      2525-1 Nakamura, Oku-Unnan-cho, Nita-gun, Shimane
  3. Activities, products, and services
    Design, development, production, and sales of food service equipment, as well as services conducted on company premises that involve subcontractors who make or transport products and over whom Hoshizaki has an influence
  4. Employees
    Hoshizaki employees as well as employees of subcontractors, temporary staffing agencies, and other personnel who are assigned to the Company and who are involved in Hoshizaki’s business activities under our organization

Promotion structure

Hoshizaki has established a structure that encompasses all departments at all factories in Japan to promote participation in environmental improvement activities. We draw on company-wide goals for improvement as a basis for medium-term targets over a three-year period across all sites and at each department level. Every year, we formulate action plans in two-month increments that clarify concrete measures to be unrolled over this timeframe, and promote improvement activities to reach our end goal.

Hoshizaki Eco Plan

At Hoshizaki, we promote our Hoshizaki Eco Plan, which is based on a corporate philosophy that has guided us since the Company’s founding. We have systematized and actively promote various environmental protection efforts, including product development, recycling, and replacement and recovery of fluorocarbons, which impact the environment.

  1. Environmental protection and ISO 14001 certification
    We have established the Hoshizaki Green Foundation to promote initiatives aimed at protecting natural environments, and under our environmental policy, we actively engage in meaningful environmental actions.
  2. Recycling at eco-factories
    Our eco-factories handle recycling operations, and at these eco-factories, used Hoshizaki products, including end-of-lease equipment, are refurbished based on our equipment cleaning process.
    We currently have 12 sites in operation in Japan.
  3. Recovery of fluorocarbons from products
    The Act on Rational Use and Appropriate Management of Fluorocarbons was enacted in Japan in April 2015.
    The Hoshizaki Group actively supports customers in legal compliance efforts by ensuring that key points of the act are explained to customers when equipment in use is inspected or repaired.
  4. Provision of maintenance support
    The Hoshizaki Group conducts equipment checks to ensure products continue to perform as intended through proper maintenance and appropriately identify any resource waste that may arise as products age. This not only helps to reduce running costs but also extends the service life of equipment, which is turn contributes significantly to a reduced impact on the environment.
  5. Development and promotion of environmentally friendly products
    The Hoshizaki Group develops and sells electrolyzed water generators that contribute significantly to a decrease in the large amounts of detergent used in kitchens and the control of carcinogenic trihalomethanes. The value provided by electrolyzed water has promoted its widespread use beyond kitchens in agriculture and livestock.
  6. Development of energy-efficient products
    Guided by the Hoshizaki Eco Plan, we strive to develop environmentally friendly products. Our commercial refrigerators and dishwashers are examples of products that deliver dramatic energy efficiency.

Protecting Biodiversity

The Head Office Factory and the Shimane Factory are rich in greenery and surrounded by numerous trees. In the past, we have conducted surveys of the vegetation on our sites to ensure that the location of the factories and their facilities do not have a significant impact on local biodiversity. Going forward, Hoshizaki will strive to operate its factories in harmony with the rich natural environments found in each area.

Compliance with Environmental Laws and Regulations

Provisions under environment-related legislation and ordinances, including the Act on Rationalization of Energy Use and Shift to Non-Fossil Energy and the Act on Confirmation, etc. of Release Amounts of Specific Chemical Substances in the Environment and Promotion of Improvements to the Management Thereof (Law Concerning Pollutant Release and Transfer Register / PRTR), impose numerous notification requirements. To ensure all legally required notifications are submitted without omission, Hoshizaki compiles a list of applicable facilities, reasons for notification, document names, submission destinations, submission deadlines, legal provisions, etc., for each law and regulation, such as those addressing air, water quality, noise, vibration and soil. Law revision status is also constantly monitored. In addition, at a designated time every year, Hoshizaki implements a compliance evaluation to comprehensively ensure that all required notifications have been submitted.

Note that in FY2023, there were no violations of environment-related laws and regulations and no penalties imposed on the Hoshizaki Group.

Internal Environmental Audits

ISO 14001 calls for regular implementation of internal audits and evaluations of compatibility between ISO requirements and requirements determined by Hoshizaki as well as the effectiveness of systems. Every autumn, we conduct internal environmental audits of all departments at all sites.

To enhance the effectiveness of measures to correct deficiencies identified through an internal environmental audit, Hoshizaki has four individuals—someone from the audited department, the attending auditor, the chief auditor, and the chief environmental management officer—verify effectiveness. If the cause of a given nonconformity is unclear or the effectiveness of corrective measures is inadequate, advice is offered and measures are instructed to be taken again to achieve the desired results.

Enhancing skills of internal environmental auditors

Hoshizaki conducts its own independent checks—internal environmental audits—every year to see if environmental management systems at each business site conform to predetermined rules and if the rules are being properly applied and upheld. These internal audits are performed by qualified internal environmental auditors. There is a concern, however, that individuals’ skills may decline over time. To maintain and further refine the capabilities of internal audit personnel, Hoshizaki holds seminars prior to annual audits each year. An active environmental auditor is invited to provide instruction at the seminars, and participants polish their skills with each other through intense practical training based on actual case scenarios. The knowledge gained is put to use in the internal environmental audits that take place soon after.

Cultivating Environmental Awareness Among Employees

Hoshizaki issues an Environment/Quality Policy Card to employees who work at an ISO 14001- or 9001-certified workplace. This card outlines the Company’s environmental and quality policies. Carrying this card provides employees with a tangible reminder of quality and environmental management systems, and reinforces awareness of compliance efforts.