The Audit Group conducts audits to determine whether all our business operations across all related organizational units are carried out appropriately and effectively in accordance with applicable laws and regulations as well as our own internal rules. These audits encompass overseas subsidiaries as well as the administrative departments, plants, and laboratories of ZEON Corporation and affiliated group companies. Departments to be audited each year are selected through a risk-oriented method. Audits were carried out at 34 departments including five overseas subsidiaries during fiscal 2010. In fiscal 2011, we plan to audit 33 departments including five overseas subsidiaries.

 

Starting in fiscal 2010, we have been conducting general and specialized audits. For general audits, a team led by the director in charge of environment and safety visits company worksites once a year to perform a Responsible Care audit from a managerial perspective. Specialized audits, on the other hand, are conducted by a team led by the head of the Safety Environmental Affairs Department, which performs a Responsible Care audit from an expert’s point of view.
Auditing the status of safety management implementation and continuous improvement at operation sites that have acquired certification for high-pressure gas safety inspections (completion examination) is conducted as part of Responsible Care audits.
The status of improvements is reviewed for issues identified in the audit using the “Specified Issue Improvement Plan and Implementation Report.”

 

A team led by the head of the Safety Environmental Affairs Department conducts an audit and offers guidance on the implementation status of Responsible Care activities at affiliated group companies once a year.

 

An audit team led by the executive in charge of the Quality Assurance Department performs an annual audit focusing on product liability and chemical safety at the operational departments and affiliated group companies.

 

A team led by the head of the Quality Assurance Department performs an annual audit focusing on quality assurance at the operational departments, plants, laboratories, and affiliated group companies.

 

An annual information security audit is conducted for all departments of ZEON and affiliated group companies that handle information assets. Its purpose is to confirm that information security rules are being correctly observed and to offer guidance on improvements as required. In fiscal 2010, measures to improve the level of security were conducted in the form of self-analysis, in which individuals evaluated themselves using a questionnaire.