Introduction

SocialManagement

Social Innovation

Environmental

SocialGovernance

Assurance

Hitachi Sustainability Report 2023

114

Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Human Capital
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Basic Concept

Human Rights

Hitachi was founded on the founding spirits of Harmony, Sincerity, and Pioneering Spirit. We ensure product quality and safety by adhering to these principles, along with the basics and ethics,

Responsible Procurement

Quality and Customer Satisfaction

and by putting right and wrong before profit and loss. We engage in quality assurance activities through our unique practice of OCHIBO-HIROI, which means “gleaning” in English and involves
analyzing and learning from failure to further develop our technologies.
We also place great importance on communication with customers and strive to reflect their opinions in our management, products, and solutions.	Executive Summary
Quality and Product Safety Management
Customer Satisfaction

TopicOverview

Social Contribution Activities

The Hitachi Group Codes of Ethics and Business Conduct states our commitment to quality and safety. We define our basic principles for quality assurance in Quality

Social Data

Assurance Standards, and we communicate these principles to ensure employee awareness.
Quality andProduct Safety
Management

As well as establishing a framework for quality assurance, we are engaging in incident prevention activities that go beyond incident recurrence prevention.
Specifically, we confirm safety across all product development processes and conduct risk assessments from a wide perspective in collaboration with related BUs
and research laboratories.
We also conduct regular external audits of product safety for certified products and other products. In addition, We acquire certification from external certifying organizations and we are committed to effectively apply the findings of third-party evaluations to our improvement activities.
To improve communication with customers, we are strengthening our global account management and foster digital management to manage and monitor marketing

Customer
Satisfaction

information centrally for the entire Hitachi Group. We have established and operate under various guidelines in our advertising activities to comply with laws andregulations, in addition to showing deference to society as a whole. In addition, we established a global support portal on our website to respond to various types ofinformation received.

Introduction

SocialHuman CapitalDiversity, Equity and Inclusion
Human Rights
Responsible Procurement

Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Executive Summary

Quality and Product Safety Management

Management

Social Innovation

Quality and Product Safety Management
Approach to Quality Assurance Activities
Approach

Hitachi was founded on the founding spirits of Harmony,
Sincerity, and Pioneering Spirit. We ensure product quality andSocial

Environmental

Governance

Hitachi Sustainability Report 2023

Assurance

GRI 3-3/417-1

Assurance Group at the headquarters, creating a system forclose information sharing. Furthermore, by giving greater

Global Quality Assurance Framework

authority to the Corporate Quality Assurance Group weHitachi strengthens our global quality assurance frame-

strengthened our quality governance.

work as a high-priority initiative. Specifically, we encour-

When a product incident occurs in the Hitachi Group, theage awareness of Hitachi’s basic principles of quality

safety by adhering to these principles, along with Basics andquality assurance division in the Business Unit (BU) or Groupassurance globally, receiving incident reports fromEthics, and the principle that “right and wrong” is more import-company with relevant oversight reports the incident to theGroup companies outside Japan. As in Japan, we areant than “profits and losses.” We engage in quality assurance

Corporate Quality Assurance Group. Weekly reports areestablishing international quality assurance reporting

Customer Satisfaction

activities through our unique practice of OCHIBO-HIROI, which

provided to management executives, including the Executive

lines that are independent of the business divisions, asSocial Contribution Activities

means gleaning in English and involves analyzing and learning

Chairman, and the President & CEO at Hitachi, Ltd. In thewell as practicing OCHIBO-HIROI.

Social Data

from failure to develop our technologies further.

event of a serious incident, the quality assurance division inAs stipulated in the Hitachi Group Code of Ethics andthe BU or Group company reports the incident to manage-

Business Conduct, we aim to provide products and services

ment executives, including the Executive Chairman, and thethat meet the needs and requirements of our customers,

President & CEO at Hitachi, Ltd., as promptly as possible.

complying with relevant laws and standards and ensuring

We review these response procedures every six months andquality and safety by setting additional standards of our own

make improvements as necessary.

cate these principles to ensure employee awareness.
The Hitachi Group Code of Ethics and Business Conduct
https://www.hitachi.com/corporate/about/conduct/pdf/conduct_e.pdf

Framework for Quality Assurance
Structure

GRI 2-25

the safety and trust of customers are the top priorities. To
strengthen this structure further, we made quality assurance

Materiality

activities in every process—from planning and development

Board ofDirectors
Audit
Committee

InternalAuditing Office

to design, manufacturing, testing, delivery, and maintenance.

Executive Chairman,President & CEOVice Presidents

Executive officers(BU heads)/Groupcompany presidents

lishes quality assurance divisions within business divisions tofacturing divisions, creating a framework for activity in which

Activities

ogy, and human capital aspects of our quality assurance
Quality Assurance Structure

To ensure full control over quality governance, Hitachi estabact independently from product design divisions and manu-Quality Assurance Activities

Hitachi strengthens organization and management, technol-

where necessary. We define our basic principles for quality
assurance in Quality Assurance Standards, and we communi-115

Business
divisions

Qualityassurance
divisions inBUs/Group
companies

We engage in incident prevention activities that go beyond
incident recurrence prevention, based on our approach that
Executive
Officer incharge ofQuality
Assurance

prevention is the essence of quality assurance.

Corporate
Quality
AssuranceGroup

To strengthen quality in software and services, areas that

Quality Enhancement Activities Related to Service,
Software, and Security
continue to grow in scale, we have established a Service andSoftware Quality Enhancement Division and share quality
improvement activities and current challenges. At the same

Close
information
sharingtime, we ensure the software development capabilities andexpertise in improving reliability owned in solutions divisions
are incorporated in product divisions, ensuring higher levels

divisions independent from business divisions. We alsoof reliability in increasingly sophisticated and complex soft-strengthened the reporting line to the Corporate Quality

ware. Furthermore, we are improving and incorporating

Introduction

SocialHuman CapitalManagement

Social Innovation

secure development and maintenance processes for ourproducts and services to respond to the increasing security
risks arising from network connectivity and openness.

SocialEnvironmental

GovernanceInternational Standards Certification for
Our Quality Management System

Technical Law Compliance Activities

Hitachi’s quality management system has acquired certifica-

Hitachi promotes internal awareness of product regulations,tion from external certifying organizations. We are committed

Responsible Procurement

revised statutes, and enforcement dates in each country andto effectively applying the findings of third-party evaluations toregion. We also work to clarify product-specific laws (with

our improvement activities as well.

Quality and Product Safety Management

our product-specific laws map), pursue regulatory compliance, and implement continuous process improvements

Social Datalished by UL Solutions, a safety certification com-

We have also obtained quality management system certifi-

Quality and Reliability Education
Training

Hitachi regularly provides various forms of education andcation for each of our product categories worldwide.

training related to quality and reliability, including the safety ofunder our product compliance management system.

The chart below shows a representative sample.

products and services, depending on the target employees.

Pursued thorough Safety Design and Safety
Monitoring for Products and Services

Management System Certification

Customer Satisfaction
Social Contribution Activities

116pany. (Frequency of external audits: 4 times/year)

Human Rights

Executive Summary

Hitachi Sustainability Report 2023

UL Mark: Indicates compliance with safety standards estab-Activities

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Quality and Customer Satisfaction

Assurance

In addition to implementing e-learning courses on Hitachi’sArea

Name of standard

When developing products and services, Hitachi makes the­philosophy regarding quality, available at any time for all
Number ofcertified sites

position specific and executive-­oriented training, as well as

safety of customer lives, health, and property the top priority

Overall quality

ISO 9001

in product design. We strive to ensure safety at every step,

Railway business

ISO/TS 22163

13 sites

technical reliability-­related for specialists every year. Each BU

from development and production to sales and maintenance.

Medical devices

ISO 13485

22 sitesalso conducts specialized technical courses regarding manu-We strive to ensure safety through risk reduction accordingto the following order of priority: design (fundamental safety

1,046 sites

employees, we also ­feature quality assurance as a topic for

Note: Survey results as of the end of June 2023

design), protective measures (safeguards), and usage information such as user instruction manuals. Also, we conduct
risk assessments from a wide perspective in collaboration
with related BUs and research laboratories.

External Audits Concerning ProductQuality Assurance
Activities

Hitachi commissions regular external audits of product safety
for certified products and other products.
Relevant logos indicate products that have received certification. We also commission regular external audits following
certification to confirm ongoing quality standards.
S-Mark: Indicates third-party certification for electronics
based on a certification system administered by theSteering Council of Safety Certification for Electricaland Electronic Appliances and Parts of Japan(SCEA). (Frequency of external audits: 1 time/year)

new employee ­education. We also hold various basic andfacturing, quality assurance, and maintenance.

Introduction

SocialManagement

Social Innovation

Response to Product Safety Incidents
Structure

Human CapitalIn the event of an incident, the division responsible acts swiftly

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

to resolve the problem. We not only investigate the technical

Human Rights

causes, but also thoroughly discuss the process, framework,

Responsible Procurement

and motivating factors leading up to the occurrence, along

Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Executive Summary

Quality and Product Safety Management
Customer Satisfaction

Environmental

In the case of a severe incident, we provide prompt status
agencies in line with legal requirements, and provide relevant

Incident
occurrence

through other communication channels. At the same time, weSocial Data

have a framework in place to ensure that fast and appropriate
action is implemented at all companies across the Group.
If we determine that retroactive action is necessary, we
notify customers via newspaper advertising and websites tocarry out the necessary repair or replacement program.

Assurance

Hitachi Sustainability Report 2023

117

Hitachi Group
Information gathering

ReportTop management

CustomerliaisonCustomers,
Retailers

Emergency
response
authorities

Decision onseriousness

Investigation of cause

Responseandreporting

ReportQuality
Assurance
DivisionConfirmationof status

information disclosure to customers on our website andSocial Contribution Activities

Governance

Response Procedure for Product Incidents

with ways to prevent recurrence, to ensure product safety.
reports to top management, issue reports to government

SocialOn-site
Product
investigation investigation

Investigationof theextent ofdamage

Investigative
committee onserious productincidents

Seriousproduct
incident

Consumer
Affairs
Agency, etc.

Productrecall
Notification
via web,
media

Introduction

SocialHuman Capital
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

ManagementCustomer Satisfaction

Social Innovation

Quality and Customer Satisfaction
Executive Summary
Quality and Product Safety Management

Customer Satisfaction

SocialGovernance

Assurance

Hitachi Sustainability Report 2023

118

GRI 2-25

Initiatives to Improve Communication
With Customers

Human Rights
Responsible Procurement

Environmental

Activities

We leverage this information in digital marketing to planbusiness strategy for growth, conduct customer targeting,raise the sophistication of proposals, and monitor progress inthe sales process.

website to respond to customer inquiries, opinions, requests,and marketing divisions at Hitachi, Ltd. listen to customer
solution strategies. These divisions assign an account manager to each customer to help grow the business of theActivities

Hitachi offers comprehensive global customer support on its

Hitachi values communications with customers. The sales
feedback when developing management, product, andComprehensive Customer Support Online

and complaints. We take corrective actions and measures toAdvertising Activities
Activities

prevent recurrence in the event of matters that we must
GRI 417-3

address or resolve in connection with information received.
We incorporate customer feedback when forming corrective

Social Contribution Activities

Hitachi Group. These account managers serve as points ofBecause Hitachi believes that advertising activities must show

actions or measures to prevent recurrence. We also conduct

Social Datacustomer contact with Group companies, leading initiatives

proper consideration for society as a whole, as well as comply

training courses, including a Web Inquiry Responsivenessfor improving communication with customers while working

with laws and regulations, we established the Advertisement

Improvement Course, to improve our handling of these inqui-to build closer relationships between customers andGuidelines. To ensure these guidelines are followed strictly atries. Going forward, the Hitachi Group will continue toaccount managers.

all business locations globally, even where languages andstrengthen and improve consultation desks/response mecha-

customs may vary, the guidelines include an Advertisingnisms among Group companies to respond more quickly andStrengthening Global Account Management

Material Checklist. All items on the checklist are confirmed inaccurately to customer feedback.

Hitachi established the Global Marketing & Sales Transforma-

multiple languages when creating advertisements.

tion Division within the Corporate Sales & Marketing Group to

When conducting communications and promotional

Activities to Improve the Satisfaction ofHome Appliance Customer

achieve sustainable global business growth, driven by theactivities on social media channels, we abide by the Hitachiconcepts of Green, Digital, and Innovation. This headquarters

Social Media Policy, which consists of the Communication

works closely with business units (BUs), Group companies,Guidelines and the Guidelines for Employees, to not onlyand regional headquarters as One Hitachi to support theprotect our brand, but also to avoid violating the rights ofdelivery of solutions to key customers and partners.

others. The policy stipulates our rules for social media use

The Customer Satisfaction Division of Home Appliances busi-and specific promotional methods. To raise awareness of thisness provides services and solutions to improve the quality ofcutes sales strategies to develop new global businesses inpolicy among members of the company, we carry out

life for people of all ages and regions. In Japan, these initiatives

the Green and Digital sectors. The division also assigns

e-learning activities in Japanese, English, and Chinese aboutare carried out under the slogan, 360° Happiness: More smiles

global account managers to key customers to enhance

the use of social media and associated risks.

to life for one and all.

As a priority initiative, the division develops and exe-

global sales activities.

Digital Marketing
Hitachi created the One Hitachi CRM to manage HitachiGroup marketing information centrally. We are also consoli-Activities

We noted no instances of violations of regulations or

The call centers and websites of the Customer Support

voluntary standards related to corporate advertising activities

Center and Repair Contact Center handle about 2.04 million

in fiscal 2022.

customer inquiries, repair requests, and complaints about

About Hitachi’s Social Media Activities
https://www.hitachi.com/utility/socialmedia/index.html

washing machines, refrigerators, and other appliances everyyear. We have undertaken a number of initiatives to responddating the role of market analysis for the Hitachi Group on abetter to inquiries and to reflect customer feedback in our

global level.

MONOZUKURI (Manufacturing). These initiatives include

Introduction

SocialHuman Capital
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Management

Social Innovation

database about voice of the customers, including consultations, inquiries, and complaints; and enhancing our website’s FAQ section.
We also conduct customer service evaluation surveys at
Based on the answers, we are improving after-sales services
through CS training courses and other programs.

Social Data

97.3

96.5

to the questionnaire, and 92.6% of respondents expressed

92.6

85

75

satisfaction with our customer service.

02018

Customer Contact Cases, Call Completion Rate*1at Customer Support Center (12-Month Average)(%)

100,00010082.3

82.0

78.9

62.3

60,00040,00077.1

36,40732,26436,28080

38,47439,0232022(FY)

Customers for whom repair services are provided(approx. 1.0 million cases a year)
Question:
How satisfied were you with the service from the repair
request to completion?
Responses:
Satisfied/Somewhat satisfied/Somewhat dissatisfied/
Dissatisfied (4 levels)
Satisfaction level: Percentage of respondents who answered Satisfied orSomewhat Satisfied

Flow of Customer ServiceCustomers

02020

2021

40202019

2020

60

20,0002018

2019

Note: Target scope:(Cases per month)

80,000

95.4

94.6

80

In fiscal 2022, more than 27,000 customers respondedCustomer Satisfaction
Social Contribution Activities

10090

Responsible Procurement

Quality and Product Safety Management

(%)

95

approximately 90 service centers in Japan every month.

Executive Summary

Governance

Results of Evaluation Survey for Customer Repair Services (CS)

improving the connection rate of call center; creating a

Human Rights

Quality and Customer Satisfaction

SocialEnvironmental

2021

Electrical Home Appliances, Audio-Visual Products (Left Axis)

20220(FY)ResponseInquiryRepair

Customer Support CenterRepair request

Repair Contact Center

Input indatabase

Connection Rate (Right Axis)*1 Call center call completion rate

Feedback on
improvements

Information
on repairservice

Feedback

Individual business division
Qualityassurance
division
Response activity

Designdivision
Flow of information

Manufacturing
division
Information sharing

Assurance

Hitachi Sustainability Report 2023119