Sustainability

Message from Top Management

Sustainability Initiatives

Based on its CSR Policy, the Tomoe Shokai Group has established policies on four themes: the environment, ethics, labor and human rights, and procurement as it works to build a sustainable management framework.

CSR Policy
Established: September 01, 2024

< Basic Philosophy >

The Tomoe Shokai Group undertakes CSR activities based on the following policy in order to contribute to the creation of a society in harmony with the global environment and to create a more prosperous future.

< Basic Policy >

1. Implementation of Our Company Credo and Management Philosophy

We are constantly aware of our company credo, “doing for the benefits of our customers” and management philosophy, and embody these principles in all our corporate activities.

2. Building Relationships of Trust with Stakeholders

We aim to conduct business activities that value relationships of trust with our stakeholders (customers, suppliers, employees, local communities, etc.), and communicate with them in an honest and transparent manner.

3. Coexistence with Local Communities

We aim to work and grow together with local communities and actively contribute to their future development.

4. Pursuit of Sustainable Growth

We will strive to protect the environment and contribute to society, and promote initiatives to achieve sustainable growth.

5. Environmental, Material Procurement, Ethics, Labor and Human Rights Initiatives

We will establish policies and review them periodically and develop the necessary internal regulations to ensure effective internal controls in each group company.

< Responsibilities >

The CSR Committee, under the supervision of the officer in charge, is responsible for the formulation of the group CSR policy and related regulations, as well as for the management of CSR. It is also responsible for internal and external commitments and reporting to the board of directors.

< Review >

This policy shall be reviewed annually for its appropriateness, validity, and effectiveness, and shall be revised within a maximum of five years.

Environmental Policy
Established: September 01, 2024

< Basic Philosophy >

Taking advantage of its position as a trading company specializing in high-pressure gas and related products, the Tomoe Shokai Group is committed to environmental conservation and protection, including the effective use of resources, efforts to combat climate change, and the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, in cooperation with stakeholders. By promoting environmental risk reduction activities through the operation and continuous improvement of its environmental management system, our group aims to provide safety and security to society and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

< Action Guidelines >

(1) Contributing to Environmental Conservation

We will continue to contribute to the promotion of environmental conservation by providing environmentally friendly services and promoting sustainable consumption based on the following five themes:

1. Formation of a recycling-oriented society through waste reduction
2. Conservation of water resources
3. Prevention of air pollution
4. Consideration for biodiversity
5. Environmental impact of chemical substances

(2) Compliance with Laws and Regulations

All employees will actively work to comply with relevant laws, regulations and standards, and conduct business activities with sincerity while ensuring safety through self-monitoring.

(3) Ensuring Safety

We will work to maintain and manage gas, chemicals, and other equipment and containers, and monitor leakage due to defects, deterioration, and human error to prevent environmental pollution and disasters, and to ensure the health and safety of our stakeholders.

(4) Reduction of Environmental Impact

We will monitor energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to conserve resources.
We will also strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society by using environmentally friendly materials and equipment in our business activities.

< Action Goals >

1. Training on Environmental Conservation

By 2025, we will conduct in-house training on the contents indicated in "Action guidelines (1) 1～5" to more than 90% of employees and officers in the group.

2. Training on Compliance with Laws and Regulations

By 2025, we will conduct in-house training on reducing environmental impact to more than 90% of employees and officers in the group.

< Responsibilities >

The Tomoe Shokai Environment and Safety Department, under the president, is responsible for the formulation of the group environmental policy and related regulations, as well as for the operation of environment. In addition, the CSR Committee is responsible for internal and external commitments and reporting to the board of directors.

< Review >

This policy shall be reviewed annually for its appropriateness, validity, and effectiveness, and shall be revised within a maximum of five years.

Ethics Policy
Established: September 01, 2024

< Basic Philosophy >

Under our CSR policy of "contributing to the creation of a society in harmony with the global environment", our group aims to contribute to the creation of a fair and honest society by clarifying a basic policy for corporate ethics to be observed by each and every employee.

< Action Guidelines >

(1) Thorough Compliance with Treaties, Laws and Regulations and Norms

We will comply with applicable local ordinances and the laws and regulations of each country, and act responsibly with ethical standards in accordance with social norms.

(2) Fair Business and Competition

・ We will not tolerate any kind of corrupt practices (bribery, extortion, embezzlement, corruption, etc.) or misconduct, and will work to prevent unfair competition, and conduct fair transactions.
・ We will disclose necessary information regarding our business transactions.

(3) Prevention of Money Laundering and Exclusion of Anti-Social Forces

・ To ensure that our products and services are not used for money laundering or terrorist financing, we will strive to maintain employee training and monitoring systems.
・ We do not have relationships with antisocial forces, etc., and will strive to exclude inappropriate business partners, etc.

(4) Information Security and Privacy Protection

・ In order to prepare for all information-related risks, we will develop a system infrastructure with enhanced information security.
・ We will strive to maintain regulations and educate and train employees to prevent information leakage due to employee error or misconduct.
・ We will respect privacy and strictly manage personal and corporate information obtained through our business activities.

(5) Contributing to Local Communities and Society

・We will actively pursue regional and social development and the realization of a recycling-oriented society in our business activities.
・We will actively participate in local disaster prevention drills, local government and disaster prevention councils, and work together to ensure regional safety.

(6) Protection of Intellectual Property

・ We will comply with laws and regulations concerning patents, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights.
・ We protect the results of the intellectual activities of our stakeholders and respect the legitimate intellectual property rights of third parties.

< Action Goals >

(1) Training on Fair Business and Competition

By 2025, we will conduct in-house training to raise awareness of morals and ethics to more than 90% of employees and executives who handle trading and accounting.

(2) Training on Information Security and Privacy Protection

By 2025, we will conduct in-house training on personal information protection and information security to more than 90% of employees and executives who handle information.

< Responsibilities >

The Tomoe Shokai General Affairs Department, under the supervision of the general manager of the Tomoe Shokai Administration Division, is responsible for the formulation of the group ethics policy and related regulations, as well as for the operation of ethics. In addition, the CSR Committee is responsible for internal and external commitments and reporting to the board of directors.

< Review >

This policy shall be reviewed annually for its appropriateness, validity, and effectiveness, and shall be revised within a maximum of five years.

Labor & Human Rights Policy
Established: September 01, 2024

< Basic Philosophy >

In accordance with international human rights principles, we understand that the human rights of all those who can be affected by our business activities must be respected, and we are committed to ensuring that the dignity of these people is protected.

< Action Guidelines >

(1) Respect for Human Rights

We will respect human rights in all aspects of our business activities.

(2) Applicable Scope

We will strive to avoid discrimination and human rights violations in all of our business activities, and require that our business partners respect and not violate human rights in accordance with these principles.

(3) Prohibition of Forced Labor, Human Trafficking and Child Labor

We prohibit all forms of forced labor, human trafficking and child labor and will work to redress or eradicate labor practices that violate human rights.

(4) Respect for Diversity

・ We respect the diversity of the people we work with and will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or illness.
・ We will provide equal opportunity for all people and will hire, assign, evaluate, reward and promote employees appropriately based on their abilities, experience and results.

(5) Maintaining Employee Safety and Health

・ We will provide a safe and hygienic work environment and comply with and maintain laws, regulations, and internal rules in relation to safety and hygiene.
・ We place the highest priority on the safety of our employees and the public when performing physically demanding work or handling machinery and products, and will assess and control potential hazards and take appropriate measures to address health risks.
・ In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, we will make thorough preparations to prevent or minimize damage.

(6) Working Conditions

We will comply with relevant laws and regulations in relation to wages, working hours, overtime, and benefits. We will also work to reduce excessive working hours beyond compliance with laws and regulations.

(7) Support for Employee Training and Skill Development

We encourage employees to acquire relevant skills and know-how and develop themselves in order to demonstrate their individual abilities and creativity, and provide opportunities for education and training to support employee learning.

(8) Freedom of Association and Respect for the Exercise of the Right to Collective Bargaining

・ We respect the right of employees to form labor unions and their right to become members, and will allow the right to choose whether or not to participate, and will allow the effective exercise of collective bargaining rights.
・ We will engage in negotiations in good faith through constructive dialogue with employee representatives.

< Action Goals >

Training on Diversity

By 2025, we will conduct in-house training on diversity to more than 90% of employees and executives in the group.

< Responsibilities >

The Tomoe Shokai General Affairs Department, under the supervision of the general manager of the Tomoe Shokai Administration Division, is responsible for the formulation of the group labor and human rights policy and related regulations, as well as for the operation of labor and human rights. In addition, the CSR Committee is responsible for internal and external commitments and reporting to the board of directors.

< Review >

This policy shall be reviewed annually for its appropriateness, validity, and effectiveness, and shall be revised within a maximum of five years.

Procurement Policy
Established: September 01, 2024

< Basic Philosophy >

Based on our CSR policy of “contributing to the creation of a society in harmony with the global environment”, employees responsible for material procurement and outsourcing activities will engage in responsible procurement based on the following basic policy, with the aim of contributing to the creation of a fair and honest society.

< Action Guidelines >

(1) Compliance

We will comply with social norms, relevant laws and regulations, and internal regulations.

(2) Fair Business Transactions

We will maintain moderation and strive to prevent corruption and conduct open and fair transactions in our procurement activities.

(3) Maintaining Quality and Safety

In order to offer a stable supply of high-quality products and services to satisfy our customers, we will conduct procurement activities that emphasize quality standards and safety.

(4) Consideration for the Environment

We will conduct procurement activities with consideration for reducing our environmental impact, such as energy and resource conservation and waste reduction.

(5) Consideration for Human Rights

We will respect international standards on human rights and conduct procurement activities in consideration of the working environment and health and safety.

(6) Maintaining Information Security

We will work to prevent the leakage of confidential and personal information obtained in the course of transactions, protect intellectual property rights, and enhance information security.

(7) Self-Development for Employees

We will continue to raise awareness of sustainability across the supply chain through internal training programs, etc.

< Specific Procurement Policy for Sustainable Material Procurement >

In order to "contribute to the development of a sustainable society" stated in our “basic philosophy”, we have established the following specific policy regarding palm oil, conflict minerals, REACH regulations and the WEEE Directive.
1. We will use RSPO certified palm-derived materials.
2. We promote raw material procurement that does not use conflict minerals (Sn, Ta, W, and Au) and their derivatives mined in conflict areas.
3. We will promote the procurement of raw materials in compliance with REACH regulations regardless of whether they are exported to Europe.
4. We will promote product design in accordance with the WEEE Directive regardless of whether or not we export products to Europe.

< Action Goals >

Training on Sustainability

By 2025, we will conduct in-house training on sustainability to more than 90% of employees and executives involved in procurement activities.

< Responsibilities >

The Tomoe Shokai Accounting Department, under the supervision of the general manager of the Tomoe Shokai Administration Division, is responsible for the formulation of the group procurement policy and related regulations, as well as for the operation of procurement. In addition, the CSR Committee is responsible for internal and external commitments and reporting to the board of directors.

< Review >

This policy shall be reviewed annually for its appropriateness, validity, and effectiveness, and shall be revised within a maximum of five years.

Our Request to Suppliers(Code of Conduct)
Established: September 01, 2024

“The Tomoe Shokai Group Supplier Code of Conduct” clearly defines what we expect our suppliers and partners to respect and comply.
Please read through the following and if you agree to work with us on this initiative, sign the “Download(Code of Conduct) PDF or Word” below and return it to us.

< Observance >

1. Compliance with Law and Regulations

Comply with laws and regulations and promote appropriate and fair corporate activities in accordance with social norms.

2. Promotion of Fair and Appropriate Business Practices

Strive to secure appropriate profits and avoid or minimize losses while conducting appropriate transactions through fair, transparent, and free competition.

3. Securing Customer Trust

Strive to secure their trust by further improving our quality standards while giving due consideration to safety, stable supply, and the protection of personal information and confidential customer information, in order to deliver satisfaction and peace of mind to our customers.

4. Maintaining Strong Relationships with Our Stakeholders

Disclose information in a fair and transparent manner and strive to build and maintain strong relationships with our stakeholders through constructive dialogue.

5. Maintaining Healthy Relationships with Government/Local Government

Maintain healthy and appropriate relationships with politicians and agencies to prevent bribery and corruption.

6. Respect for Human Rights

Fulfill our responsibility to respect human rights, be accepting of diversity in terms of age, gender, disability, nationality, race, and values, and eliminate discrimination and harassment.

7. Work Styles and Workplace Environment

Strive to promote a rewarding work-life balance and develop human resources capable of demonstrating their individual abilities, and prevent accidents and disasters by ensuring the health and safety, not only of our employees, but also of our subcontractors and other related parties.

8. Reduction of Environmental Impact

Strive to reduce environmental impact and prevent environmental pollution in the course of our business activities.
Also encourage the implementation of environmentally friendly planning and design suggestions, and work to reduce our environmental impact through energy and resource conservation and waste reduction activities, and prevent environmental pollution such as water and air pollution, and promote biodiversity.

9. Respect for Intellectual Property Rights

Respect intellectual property and do not infringe on the intellectual property rights of other companies or parties.
Take promptly appropriate action in the unlikely event that an infringement is discovered.

10. Exclusion of Antisocial Forces

Take a resolute stance against antisocial forces that threaten the order and safety of civil society, have no relationship with them, and firmly reject any unreasonable demands.

11. Sustainable Economic Growth and Resolution of Social Issues

Develop and provide products and services that are useful and safe for society and create new value to achieve sustainable economic growth and resolve social issues.