Product Stewardship - Quality Assurance
Based on our policy of providing global top-level quality to contribute to the sustainable development of society, we are conducting the following activities:
Product safety management
To help customers use the Resonac Group’s products safely and with peace of mind, we have a risk-based screening system to decide whether or not to ship a sample new product to a customer or release a new product into the market, in addition to conducting risk assessments targeting all our products.
In 2021, we set our vision for quality assurance & management and for product safety with a focus on the maximization of customer experience (CX), and fully revised our quality assurance and management rules. Based on the revised rules, we will supply products that customers can use in an even safer manner and with greater peace of mind. We also centrally manage information about the safety of chemicals and related legal regulations by establishing a comprehensive chemical substance management system. Specifically, we use our Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)*1, product labels and yellow cards*2 to provide customers with the latest and appropriate information on product safety. As for product information and labeling, we conduct checks in line with the labeling guidelines and have never been subjected to punitive action or warnings for violation of product labeling-related laws.
- *1 SDS (Safety Data Sheet): This is a document provided by the supplier to the user (customer) of a chemical substance, covering such matters as its name, toxicity, and physical/chemical properties; cautions concerning its handling and storage; and emergency measures.
- *2 Yellow card: This refers to an emergency contact card, which is recommended by JCIA, to briefly describe appropriate response by transportation company personnel, police, and firefighters in the event of accidents involving hazardous or toxic substances.
Enhancement of on-site capabilities
In order to raise our quality assurance and management level, we set the target of enhancing the capabilities and quality awareness of onsite workers and clarified the level to be attained by the departments in charge of quality assurance. We then checked the current level of the Divisions, Plants, and Group companies and made a specific plan to raise their levels. Furthermore, we are taking the measures to automate the quality checking system, not only to increase our operational efficiency but also to prevent quality fraud and human error.
Quality risk diagnoses
Personnel from the Head Office’s Quality Assurance Office visit and carry out annual quality risk diagnoses at the Group’s sites, including the Divisions, Plants, and Group companies, to clarify their strengths and weaknesses and share the findings. Through this activity, we identify the quality risks that exist in our business activities in order to reduce them. Since 2022, we have conducted a product audit with a focus on compliance on a trial basis for the start of such auditing in 2024.
Quality-related complaints
The Resonac Group has been working to reduce the number of product quality-related complaints by 50% relative to the 2015 level. To this end, we have implemented measures to prevent the reoccurrence of similar problems in consideration of the fundamental causes of complaints and also made use of the lessons learned from past complaints made to the Group. As a result, in 2021, the number dropped to 14, showing a substantial decrease year on year.
We aim to reduce the number of quality-related complaints by 20% each year to halve it in 2025 relative to the 2022 level.