Home > About Us > Corporate Social Responsibility > Sustainability Report > Sustainability Report 2006 > On the Publishing of the Sustainability Report
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Environmental Management Sustainability Report 2006 |
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| On the Publishing of the Sustainability Report |
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| Striving to Be a Company Deeply Trusted and Appreciated by Society |
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 In September 2005, Kobe Steel celebrated its 100th anniversary. Since our founding, we have contributed to society through our commitment to manufacturing, and this remains an unchanging theme in the Kobe Steel Group to be succeeded by future generations.The Kobe Steel Group is a diverse enterprise active in the fields of iron and steel, welding, aluminum and copper, industrial and construction machinery, engineering services, the environmental business, wholesale power supply, real estate and electronic materials. By focusing on "Only One" upper-end products and strengthening our manufacturing capabilities, we contribute to society through our superlative technologies, products and services. In recent years, corporations are increasingly being judged on the basis of consolidated group performance as a whole. In addition, the issue of how companies fulfill their corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly important. In April 2006, we launched our Fiscal 2006-2008 Medium-Term Business Plan. This plan outlines a vision to stably maintain profitability and technical capabilities, while aiming for further growth. At the same time, one of the facets of the plan is the promotion of CSR as an important policy of the entire Kobe Steel Group. We are firmly committed to all aspects of CSR, from taking further action to protect the global environment to ensuring thorough corporate compliance; promoting sincere dealings with our customers, business partners, and shareholders; contributing to the well-being of local communities where we have a presence; and creating a corporate environment that employees find easy to work in. Despite this commitment, however, we have unfortunately seen a number of serious problems arise with regard to compliance and environmental conservation over the past two years. In 2005, we bid on a project ordered by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the former Japan Highway Public Corporation to built the upper structure of a steel bridge. In September of that year we were ordered by the Fair Trade Commission to retract our bid because it was judged to violate anti-trust laws. Then, in May of 2006, an in-house investigation revealed that our Kobe Works and Kakogawa Works had both exceeded permissible emission standards, and that the related data had been handled improperly. As a result, we received a stern reprimand from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and local governments. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize deeply to all of our stakeholders for the concern we have caused them. Although we have given top priority to corporate compliance and environmental conservation in our business policies, we were unable to prevent these lapses. We in top management take these regrettable incidents seriously to heart. To rectify the problem, we must first rigorously and sincerely take all measures necessary to prevent a recurrence and thoroughly reconstitute our approach toward compliance and environmental conservation. As a corporate group with a social mission that must be fulfilled, we will redouble our efforts to earn the deeper trust of all of our stakeholders. This fiscal 2006 edition of the Kobe Steel Group Sustainability Report introduces the CSR stance we have adopted, including our policies regarding compliance and environmental conservation. I hope it will serve as a reference point on our commitment to sustainability.
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