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Promotion of Employee Initiatives

Ongoing education and training in environmental issues is provided to all staff of the Kobe Steel Group to heighten environmental awareness and constantly encourage environment-friendly activities in the workplace. We also promote the sharing of information, in-house awards and acquisition of qualifications related to the environment among our staff.

Raising Employee Awareness of the Environment

Sharing information by Intranet

An "Ecoway Network" has been set up on the Kobe Steel Group Intranet. Information on environmental laws and regulations, examples of environmental and energy-saving initiatives and environmental business information are posted in a timely way so that they can be used effectively.

Group environmental award system

Improvements that lessen environmental burden related to energy-saving, controlling the generation of wastes, and recycling are implemented on an ongoing basis in the course of daily work. To share these improvements throughout the Group, examples are presented at the annual Kobe Steel Group Environmental Conference, and awards are made in outstanding cases. Examples are also presented and awards are made for environment-friendly products, technologies and services, to raise awareness and to reinforce efforts made throughout the Group to benefit the environment.

Promotion of environmental certification

Kobe Steel is increasing its number of qualified pollution control managers and energy managers, to strengthen environmental management and raise awareness.


Number of staff with environment-related qualifications (Parent only)

Qualification	Number of qualified staff
Pollution control manager (air)	137
Pollution control manager (water)	105
Pollution control manager (noise)	144
Pollution control manager (vibration)	144
Pollution control manager (dust)	33
Pollution control manager (dioxins)	28
Senior pollution control manager	5
Energy manager	85
Heat management manager	57
Electricity management manager	21
Certified environmental measurer	3

Environment talk given at Kakogawa Works

On June 23, 2008 during the Environment Month, a lecture was held as one of the annual events at Kakogawa Works. Mr. Ryuta Uozumi, president of AZSA Sustainability Co., Ltd. talked on "The Environment and Compliance."

The lecture was given twice and was attended by a total of about 730 staff drawn from management staff at the Works, and from affiliated companies.

Lecture in progress

Environmental Household Accounting

The Kobe Steel Group distributes a Kobelco Eco-Life Notebook to all employees' households to keep check of the amount of gas, electricity, etc. used at home. This is to raise awareness among employees of the need to save energy and change lifestyles.

Environmental Education and Training

Kobe Steel is continuing the full-scale environmental training programs started in fiscal 2006 for all staff at all levels. The measures taken to handle the emissions problem are being used for education and training as case material in improving environmental management and have also been distributed to all workplaces in the Group.

Kobelco Green Procurement Guidelines

Kobe Steel has formulated Kobelco Green Procurement Guidelines for use when purchasing office supplies, computers and other office equipment. For example stationery and office materials must contain large proportions of recycled material, computers must be low-energy models, must switch automatically to low-energy or sleep modes when not being used, and must contain recycled plastic. Photocopiers must be low-energy models designed for easy reuse of parts and recycling of material when they can no longer be used.

Office Energy-Saving Activities

Kobe Steel Group companies are promoting "Eco Office" activities. Summer "Eco Style" campaigns to encourage employees to wear light clothing so that less air conditioning is required, and Winter Energy-Saving campaigns, where the thermostat is set at a lower temperature, are organized to reduce energy consumption. Other efforts include converting lighting, computers, etc. to low-energy equipment.

Eco Commuting at Kakogawa Works

Kakogawa Works is encouraging its employees who use cars to commute to the Works to switch to buses or other public transport, or to cycle or walk, with the aim of cutting almost by half the number of vehicles arriving at the site, from 8,000 to 4,500. It is calculated that this policy will reduce CO₂ emissions by 8.7 metric tons a day, after adjusting for the extra buses required.

As a result of this measure, the plant was the first in the Kinki region to be accredited as participating in the Eco Commuting through Mobility Management scheme sponsored by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Accreditation ceremony