Improving value
Quality improvement efforts

18

CSR REPORT 2020

Company profile

Quality improvement efforts

Improving value

The INOAC Group has implemented a comprehensive management system based on ISO 9001 to guarantee quality and provide products and services that
our customers can be satisfied with and use safely with confidence. We are also engaged in efforts to improve quality by collaborating with our customers.
In recent years, quality fraud has become a large social issue and trust in Japanese manufacturing is wavering. Against this backdrop, the global trend isQuality that can satisfy all customers■ Zero critical quality issues■ Ensure transparency of quality

Efforts(1) Product component audit for critical quality
We conduct audits and guidance at our production sites inquality issues in advance that could threaten our company’s
existence through the loss of social trust.

around 1965. These activities have since expanded worldwide. Starting in 1985 INOAC has held the QC Kaizen(Improvement) International
Competition on a global level in order to share quality control activities taking place throughout the group of companies. QC group activities arecurrently under way at 96 locations in 12 different countries. Each country holds its own preliminary round, and the best teams then advance to theQC Kaizen International Competition to give presentations and share what they have been doing. Broadening the deployment of the INOAC Group’s
production, technology, and quality control initiatives through this competition is not only leading to improvements in quality, but is also elevating
the cohesiveness and collective capabilities of the group as a whole.

We conduct audits of products created using new technologies,

Principles of QC group activities

with the goal of preventing serious quality issues in advance.

Audit areas
Material quality, product characteristics, product performance,structure, exterior, comparison with similar products,
product safety, production safety, quality risks

CSR REPORT 2020

• Help to reshape and advance the company

Governance & compliance

President, Global Technology Development Division,
Global Production Management Division, Legal Affairs Section,
Intellectual Property Section, Global Quality Assurance Division,
department supervisor, product technology supervisor,
quality assurance supervisor, sales supervisor• Respect others and create cheerful, purposeful workplaces

QC group activities have an effect on both humanresources development and stimulating ourworkplaces. With the skills that these activities
develop we complete PDCA cycles for
improvements at the field level, and aim to makeeven bigger improvements. In order for allparticipants to gain a deeper understanding of theoutstanding improvement cases that made it past
the tough preliminary rounds in each block in Japanand overseas, the World QC & Improvement
Competition is simultaneously interpreted in threedifferent languages (Japanese, English and Chinese).
This makes the event a place where the participants
can learn from each other through sharing ofinformation and interaction.

Supply chain management

Audit members• Harness people’s capabilities and help them unlock limitless potential

Comments froman operative

Producing an employee-friendly
workplace(2) Quality audit of new products

new materials, new processes or for new usage applications,19

QC (quality control) group activities for small groups to voluntarily gather on the topic of quality control have been taking place at INOAC sinceCommunication with society

Japan and abroad to improve quality and prevent any serious■ QC Kaizen International Competition

Improving value■ 1. Activities to prevent serious issues in advanceHarmony with the environment

moving toward enforcing transparency in product development and manufacturing processes, as well as clarification of responsibility.

Basic
policyFeature story

Transparency of quality is necessary in global competition