Society

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Company profile

Sustainability Strategy

Resource Circulation Business

Used-cars-related Business

Other Businesses

EnvironmentSociety

Business foundation / Growth foundation

Global Resource Circulation Business

Activities to enhance safety and security in the workplace
is an important issue for the entire Group, regardless of the type ofbusiness operation, that we have begun to commonly share the caseexamples and effects of risk prediction activities at the Group’s
Environmental Safety Committee*. As a result of this extension, thenumber of industrial accidents in the Group decreased by 50%
compared with the previous period.
* Now renamed Environment and Safety Promotion Committee

ENVIPRO HOLDINGS Inc. places its highest priority on creating asecure and safe working environment. However, the number ofindustrial accident cases has been increasing over the past four years
and countermeasures were needed. The following are the safety
activities we are undertaking to reduce the risk of industrial
accidents and to ensure the safety of workers:■Development of risk prediction activities
At ECONECOL Inc., we put together the safety activities andpractices of the Engineering Department, which had no industrial
accidents at all for about eight years, and extended to otherdepartments of the Company the risk prediction practice that every
employee performs as daily routine. We learned that the routine risk
prediction practice not only nurtures common understanding about thedangerous spots of the day’s work but also ensures that all workers
clearly understand what they must do to get the work done correctly.
The extension of the risk prediction activities was made generally in a
unified manner but with necessary modifications and adaptations
agreed with the managers of production departments operating withmachinery and equipment, and with many workers. Each such plant
has installed a bulletin board on which risk prediction tables andcharts are put up, and they are updated every day by each crew (bythe shift team in the case of shift work). The program was extended
with necessary modifications also to sales departments, including
logistics teams, while its effectiveness was verified.
As a result of the internal
extension of the risk prediction
activities, the Company
experienced a 70% reduction in
the number of industrial accident
Posting of the risk prediction table & chartcases from the previous period.

■Horizontal extension within the GroupThe program is extended “horizontally” to other member companiesof Envipro Group, while monitoring the progress of its internal
extension at ECONECOL. Especially, Kuroda Recycle Co., Ltd. andSYN ECO Inc. are in the same waste recycling business and wereconsidered to have very similar risks. In addition, as risk prediction■Growing activities
The Environment & Safety Promotion Committee takes the lead indeveloping measures not only on safety aspects but also on the workenvironment and plant management aspects. As we need to cover awide range of areas, we share the efforts and information of a Group
company with other member companies for effective and efficient
adoption.
We are planning information sharing and horizontal extension of theintroduction and performance of drive recorders on forklifts. Group
companies that have plants or yards often use forklifts, and many of
the Group’s industrial accidents have involved forklift operations. We
are hoping this group-wide program will be not only useful forinvestigating accidents and taking remedial measures but alsoconducive to increased awareness about the importance of safe
forklift operations.
We will keep promoting continual
improvements by the Group
companies so as to “solidify thecorporate brand of being a safeand clean company.”
Changes in the number of industrial accident cases
30
25
20

26
20

20

15

13

10
50

2017/62018/6

2019/62020/6

Forklift with drive recorder

Sustainability Report 202030

Society

Contents / Editorial policy

Top Message

Company profile

Sustainability Strategy

Resource Circulation Business

Used-cars-related Business

Other Businesses

EnvironmentSocietyBusiness foundation / Growth foundation

Global Resource Circulation BusinessToward a workplace where everyone shines■ Creating a work environment where women can play more
active roles
For the sustainable development of ENVIPRO Group, we must
create a work environment where every employee can show his/herfull potential and where people of different backgrounds can keep
working together. We place a special emphasis on creating a friendly
work environment for female employees. We are active in updating
our programs and measures to facilitate full use of maternity andchildcare leave (“maternity/childcare leave”) and return to work.
We interviewed two female employees of our Group about theirexperiences with maternity/childcare leave.
(Left): ENVIPRO HOLDINGS Inc.
Yuri Ando(Right): SYN ECO Inc.
Arisa Naka

Q Did you have any concerns before taking the maternity/childcare leave?
● Ms. Ando
A: I was not sure if I could finish passing over my work properly intime for my maternity leave. I listed the tasks I was assigned to do
and discussed with the manager how to allocate them to mycoworkers. With the help of the manager, I was able to pass over thetasks systematically and in time without omission. I was a bit
concerned that I might not be able to do a smooth handoff of one of
my tasks which is done only once a year, but the department
manager kindly arranged for an appointment and I was able to have agood meeting with the client and my successor.
● Ms. Naka
A: I had hardly any concerns, but it so happened that I had to be
excused from work unexpectedly earlier than my scheduledmaternity leave period. I was worried because I could not haveenough time for passing over before starting my maternity/childcare
leave.

Q Did you have any concerns about your return to work?
How did you cope with them?
● Ms. Ando
A: I was worried whether I could satisfy the requirements of both
work and childcare after my return. Fortunately, I have many senior
female colleagues who had returned to work from maternity/childcare leave at ENVIPRO HOLDINGS and ECONECOL. I
consulted with them to let my worries go away.
● Ms. Naka
A: Although there were many people who had successfully returnedto work after maternity/childcare leave in ENVIPRO Group as awhole, I was the first one at SYN ECO. It was rather hard to imagine
what it would be like when I go back to work. One big concern waswhether I would be able to perform my previous tasks smoothly upon
my return to work. But I felt greatly relieved because I was given
enough time for the switchover and for re-familiarization. I am also
appreciative of the very friendly working environment, such as
considerate attention about the amount of work, the work hours, paid
holidays, and the introduction of the work from home system.
Q What was good about your return to work?
How did the people around you react?
● Ms. Ando

A: When I returned, the people in the workplace gave me a warm
“Welcome back!” I am really grateful to the people around me who,for quite some time after I came back to work, cheered me up withwords like “Don’t work too hard” and cared for me when I had toleave the office early because my child caught a fever all of asudden.
● Ms. Naka

A: I was very happy when one of my colleagues told me that: “I amglad that you managed to be back.” I am glad to be back, eventhough I realize that my work schedule is not the same as before andthat must be causing some extra burden on lots of people. I should
add that, during my maternity/childcare leave, many people in theGroup were kind enough to do necessary follow-up and support. I
have found that the tasks I used to do are now more streamlined andefficient. I am performing my service more smoothly than before theleave.

■ Supporting persons with disabilities
For the growth of a sustainable society, it is a must to prepare schemes
and an environment for persons with disabilities to have stable job
opportunities, and to extend necessary support for their self-reliance.
We promote collaboration among the member of our Group
companies to extend continual support for persons with disabilities towork actively.
ASTOCO Inc.
Developmental Disability Support Manager
for the Matsumoto Subdivision
Fumihiko Shimbo

In fiscal 2013, Nagano prefecture assigned a "developmental
disability support manager" trained and certified by the prefectural
government in each of the 10 Healthcare and Welfare Zone forPeople with Disabilities of the Prefecture. I started my service for
persons with developmental disabilities in this framework. As I workon my everyday service, everyone calls me by the abbreviatednickname "SAPOMANE". The role of the developmental disability
support manager is, rather than providing assistance directly topersons with developmental disabilities or their families, constructing
support systems in the subdivision by sending information to theassistance providers and related organizations, building networks,
consulting, and giving advice at interviews and meetings.
In response to a single phone call, I visit health centers,
kindergartens, nursery schools, elementary and junior high schools,senior high and technical schools, universities, companies, welfare
facilities, medical institutions, employment support organizations,judicial institutions, and administrative agencies. There are still manythings to be done, but with the help of people around me, I am
determined to do my best in acting as a “coordinator” between thelocal community and the persons with developmental disabilities andtheir families.

Sustainability Report 202031