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Full Employee Participation in Initiatives

All Kobe Steel Group employees participate continuously in environmental learning to raise their level of environmental awareness and ensure that they always act out of consideration for the environment.

We also promote individual environmental initiatives, such as household environmental accounting booklets and eco-office activities.

KOBELCO Eco-Life Notebook Household Environmental Accounting Booklet

In 1998, the Kobe Steel Group introduced a household environmental accounting booklet, known as the KOBELCO Eco-Life Notebook. The booklet allows employees to grasp CO2 emissions at their household, become more aware of the importance of conserving energy, and adjust their lifestyles accordingly.

Since April 2010 we have been working to make the program more convenient, for instance with the addition of an online system to the previous paper booklet. In fiscal 2011 the number of households participating increased by 350 over the previous year, to 5,093.

Households Participating in KOBELCO Eco-Life Notebook

Households Participating in KOBELCO Eco-life Notebook

Examples of Eco-Life Suggestions for Participants

fan In order to reduce air-conditioning use in summer, place a frozen PET bottle full of
    water in front of a fan.

bicycle Switch from car to bicycle when commuting to work.

rain barrel, Set up a rain barrel, and use the collected water to water the garden or wash the car.

Power generation In order to reduce standby power consumption, unplug home electronics when not in
    use.

Improving Environmental Awareness

Environmental Training and Study

Since fiscal 2006 Kobe Steel has incorporated continuous environmental training and study into its differentiated (by position) training program at offices and plants. Additionally, regular e-learning sessions are held via the company intranet so as to raise environmental awareness among employees and guarantee a thorough knowledge of environmental laws and regulations.

The Kobe Steel Group Environmental Conference

Kobe Steel Group Environmental Conference

Kobe Steel Group
Environmental Conference

Presentation by Nippon Koshuha Steel on

Presentation by Nippon
Koshuha Steel on
"Strengthening Drainage
Management Systems"

The pursuit of environmental management requires a fresh and consistent approach from each and every employee. At the Kobe Steel Group Environmental Conference, held every year, presentations are given on exceptional examples of environmental activities. The purpose of the conference is to strengthen group-wide environmental initiatives, as well as raise environmental awareness

Promoting Environmental Qualifications

In order to strengthen environmental management and raise environmental awareness, Kobe Steel promotes acquisition of environmental qualifications such as for pollution control managers or energy managers.

Employees Acquiring Environmental Qualifications (Kobe Steel)

Qualification No. acquiring qualification Qualification No. acquiring qualification
Pollution control manager (air) 211 Pollution control manager (dioxins) 49
Pollution control manager (water) 152
Pollution control manager (noise/vibration) 186 Pollution control chief manager 7
Energy manager 162
Pollution control manager (dust) 47 Environmental measurer 10

TOPICS

Energy Conservation

Michiko Nakamura

Since 2011, Kobe Steel has been working steadily to restrict maximum energy usage during the summer and winter months when demand is highest. In addition to conservation at plants, we have also been working to conserve energy at offices, implementing measures such as adjusting heating and cooling temperatures, reducing the number of lights, and switching to LED bulbs.