The Shin-Etsu Group’s Activities

It is the responsibility of the Shin-Etsu Group to ensure community safety and to improve the workplace so that employees can work in a safe environment every day. Moreover, we regard safety and environmental conservation as top priorities, and we make them basic policies of our business activities.

The Shin-Etsu Group regularly conducts comprehensive disaster drills. In the fall of 2011, Shin-Etsu Handotai’s Shirakawa Plant conducted a comprehensive disaster drill focusing on quick evacuation, while also checking personnel and the workplace in order to ensure early recovery. This drill was a simulated “earthquake with a seismic intensity of upper 5 and 150 gal”, and was conducted because they were affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.

Every year in August, the self-defense fire companies from the Takefu Plant of Shin-Etsu Chemical, Nisshin Chemical Industry and the Takefu Plant of Shin-Etsu Handotai, participate in the Self-defense Convention held by Echizen City, Fukui prefecture. At this convention, they compete in fire engine and small fire pump categories.

To improve environmental control and safety, the Shin-Etsu Group annually conducts comprehensive environmental safety audits of four of Shin-Etsu Chemical’s plants, and also of our main domestic manufacturing bases, including Nissin Chemical Industry, JAPAN VAM & POVAL and Shinano Electric Refining, among others.

Shin-Etsu Chemical’s Matsuida Plant in the Gunma Complex installed a wind generator system. Electricity generated by wind energy is mainly used in buildings for employees’ welfare. Our rare-earth magnets are used at the heart of power-generating equipment, and our silicones are used for paint application.

The Japan Responsible Care Council holds a meeting every two years in the Kashima area in Ibaraki prefecture for the purpose of dialogue with members of the community. At the meeting held at Shin-Etsu Chemical’s Kashima Plant, we reported about our “Responsible Care” activities.

CIRES regularly conducts fire drills with the local fire department and local residents. They conduct fire drills that are designed in the event of a combustible gas leakage or fire at the pipe frame near the product warehouse.

Shin-Etsu Malaysia conducted a fire drill with the local fire department. Employees were trained how to handle fire extinguishers, and safety exercises were conducted based on emergency evacuation plans.

Shin-Etsu Chemical’s Gunma Complex provides opportunities for plant tours and work experience to local students for the purpose of learning about local industries and the meaning of work. Students can hear a lot of stories from our employees, and have experiences that they would otherwise not have at school. These activities are a good opportunity for students to understand our business and environmental activities.

The Shin-Etsu Group regularly conducts blood donation activities as part of our contribution to society. For instance, our employees in Japan make blood donations during their breaks or in between work at a Japanese Red Cross Society blood drive bus that visits the plants.

Each company in the Shin-Etsu Group actively cleans up the local area.
Naoetsu Electronics’ sets June as “Environmental Month”, and their employees clean up around the company.

Shintech’s employees participate in “Neighbor Day” which is sponsored by The United Way. The United Way does much to improve people’s lives through the beautification of local towns and neighborhoods.

In June 2015, Shin-Etsu Silicone (Thailand) Ltd. and Asia Silicones Monomer Limited participated in a safety education program provided for local schools through AIE-CSR¹. Both companies gave lessons with the theme of “how to use electricity safely” to children and taught basic knowledge on electricity, how to use electrical products safely and how to act in case of electric shocks.

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AIE-CSR
The CSR Working Group consists of 11 companies in the industrial park where both companies are located.

For many years, SE Tylose has been providing assistance to students interested in the natural sciences. Student trainees majoring in chemical technology are given opportunities to visit the company. Furthermore, the company has donated analytical instruments and gas chromatography equipment to them.

Simcoa Operations joins forces with “Growing Towards Wellness”, a horticultural program for people living with mental illness. The Company gives gardening opportunities to patients.

Every year, the town of Naoetsu celebrates the traditional Naoetsu Gion Festival. Many of our employees in the Naoetsu area join in “Minyo Nagashi” and wear Japanese summer kimonos bearing the Shin-Etsu logo.

Shin-Etsu Chemical’s Takefu Plant collaborates with The Magnet Contest hosted by Fukui National College of Technology. Due to the fact that the plant is the base of production and R&D of rare earth magnets, we have worked together with this contest since 1995. Many of the college’s graduates work at this Plant.