Sustainability

Sustainability

OHARA is actively committed to environmental conservation and protection.

Environmental Initiatives

OHARA recognizes that achieving compatibility between corporate activities and the environment is one of the most important issues in running a business.  All employees at the company will build environmental management systems in keeping with international standards, pursue environmental management activities, and contribute to society through business activities in optical glass, specialty glass, and applied products that are compatible with the environment. In terms of environmental activities, we are pushing hard to reduce and reuse leftover glass materials, conserve energy, and efficiently use resources to protect our environment and Earth. 

 

Philosophy

Under the internationally accepted philosophy of sustainable development, OHARA recognizes that achieving compatibility between corporate activities and the environment is one of the most important issues in running a business. All employees at the company will continue to refine its environmental management systems in keeping with international standards, and to operate in the areas of optics, electronics, environment and energy, effectively harnessing the technologies we have developed for optical glass, specialty glass, and applied products. In this way, we will actively pursue environmental management activities and contribute to our society. 

 

Policies

  • We will comply with the international declaration, laws and regulations related to the environment of the countries and local jurisdictions in which we operate, as well as the rules of conduct of industry. At the same time, we will establish independent standards for environmental management and improve the environment.
  • We will reduce waste, encourage reuse, and conserve energy and resources. We will promote these measures with the substitution of harmful substances, etc.
  • We will develop melting technologies and products that benefit the global environment and strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • We will follow international rules and regulations, as well as customer requirements that have been accepted.
  • We will strengthen systems to help control the chemical substances contained in our products.
  • We will attempt to work together with our local community, customers, and related organizations.
  • We will implement and maintain environmental policies by operating environmental management systems and will make them known to all workers in our facilities.

 

Environment Management System ISO14001

In April 2000, OHARA obtained certification under the international ISO14001 standard for environmental management (the certification body was JIC Quality Assurance Ltd.). We attained the environmental objectives and targets and escalated environmental management systems through the Waste Reduction and Reuse Promotion Committee, the Resource Conservation Committee, the Energy Saving Promotion Committee, and environmental management activities at every department. **The scope of application of the environmental management system is as follows. The environmental management system is applied to the head office and factory of OHARA INC. and its affiliated companies.

LRQA Certified

Third Party Guarantee about Environmental Data

In all business activities, we will work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even at affiliated companies that emit relatively large amounts of emissions. OHARA will promote modal shifts in transportation activities for materials, processed goods, etc. to promote the reduction of greenhouse gases. You can view LRQA’s Independent Assurance Statements for the fiscal years of 2022 and 2021 here. 

Approach to Conflict Minerals

It has been an internationally significant issue that serious human-rights abuse is being committed by armed forces in dispute regions, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its neighboring countries. Minerals mined in such regions (tantalum, tungsten, gold and tin) are called conflict minerals. There is a concern that conflict minerals would serve as direct or indirect sources of funding for the local armed forces.

With respect to this issue, conflict minerals provisions under the Dodd-Frank Act were enacted in 2010. In addition, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued a Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict Affected and High-risk Areas. Through the above, companies are being strongly required to take responsible initiatives in regards to their supply chains. OHARA has been advancing initiatives towards the non-use of conflict minerals by, for example, conducting surveys on the circumstances of use of minerals in products, in order to fulfill social responsibility in procurement activities.