Basic Policy

The Sumitomo Forestry Group has established the Sumitomo Forestry Group Occupational Health and Safety Policy in order to further improve occupational health and safety activities in its corporations. Based on the fundamental concept of "SAFETY FIRST" and the implementation of the policy, we seek to create a thriving workplace by maintaining a healthy and safe work environment.

Sumitomo Forestry and all Sumitomo Forestry Group companies, as well as business partners involved in the Group's operations, are required to routinely engage in occupational health and safety activities as the foundation of corporate management in line with this policy.

The policy reflects the expectations of stakeholders for quality improvement, which were gathered through a questionnaire survey of Group employees on their quality values and activities, as well as interviews with internal executives, senior managers, and major business partners.

In addition to disclosing this policy on our website, we also use various tools to promote understanding and penetration of the policy, such as posting it on posters and including it in the employee handbook.

In addition, Sumitomo Forestry has established Rules for Safety and Health Management with an aim of fostering a workplace environment in which employees can perform their jobs in a safe and healthy manner. The rules prescribe that a general OHS manager is to be stationed at each place of business regardless of how big it is, and every year, the Company checks on the status of the officer and OHS committee meetings.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Promotion System

The Sumitomo Forestry Group has established Quality Control and Worker Safety Management Department as an office directly under the president strives to consistently improve product and service quality and eradicate occupational accidents. The office provides guidance and advice to the entire Group in Japan and overseas, as well as developing and strengthening the quality and occupational health and safety management system. In addition, the Sustainability Committee considers and reports on important occupational health and safety issues that affect the entire Group. We conducted a survey of the current status of quality management systems at 73 Group divisions in Japan and overseas in fiscal 2023 and presented the findings at the Sustainability Committee and other entities.

Personnel department manages non-consolidated OHS of the Sumitomo Forestry, and heads of the personnel department provide OHS instructions and support branches in establishing OHS systems. In addition, OHS committees chaired by the general manager of each business division (General Manger of Personnel Department at the head office) and composed of members such as health and safety managers, industrial physicians, and labor union members were established in each business division, and matters discussed each month are posted on the intranet for the purpose of information sharing and enlightenment.

We have established individual policies and manuals for safety and health management in each of our businesses, such as Forestry, Manufacturing, Environment and Energy, and Housing, based on the characteristics of each business, aiming to prevent accidents at work sites and ensure workers' health.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in Forestry Business

Forest Resources Department is promoting establishment of an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (ISO 45001) and acquiring ISO 45001 certification step by step to ensure a safe working environment. In fiscal 2024, Mombetsu Forest Office and Mombetsu seedling cultivation center plan to acquire certification, and Osaka Forest Office and Watarase seedling cultivation center plans to declare their own conformance*. In each office, a safety conference and safety patrol are periodically held to exterminate occupational injury.

*An ISO-based management system has been established, operated and adapted by the company

Occupational Health and Safety Management System Chart of Forest Department

Occupational Health and Safety System for Environmental Energy Business

The company is responsible for comprehensive management of health and safety of consolidated subsidiaries such as Mombetsu Biomass Electric Power, Hachinohe Biomass Electric Power, Okhotsk Bio Energy, Michinoku Bio Energy, and Japan Bio Energy, as well as equity method associated Kawasaki Biomass Electric Power, Tomakomai Biomass Power, Kanda Biomass Energy, and Morinomiyako Biomass Energy. The Group also performs quarterly disaster drills, frequent inspections of firefighting equipment, and safety training to confirm progress, in addition to reporting occurrence of occupational Injuries and sharing information how to prevent recurrence at monthly meetings. For example, we installed laser lights on the ceiling, so that drivers can see the truck stop location through mirrors. We have discovered risk of accidents when an inductor stands behind a truck and are taking countermeasures.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in Domestic Manufacturing Business

Sumitomo Forestry Crest Co., Ltd. has acquired ISO 45001 certification in its operation of Occupational Health and Safety Management System (ISO 45001). The ISO 45001 promotion staff at each plant is in striving for meeting targets and tracking progress. To ensure workplace safety, the Safety & Environment Department, which serves as the secretariat, coordinates activities of each facility and communicates health and safety information with the Sumitomo Forestry Group overseas manufacturing enterprises.

Each plant appoints a general health and safety manager in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Law as part of our health and safety management system, and a Health and Safety Committee meeting is held once a month with these members playing a prominent role. Past workplace accident cases, near-miss reports, and traffic safety training are discussed in the Safety and Health Committee meetings.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in Overseas Manufacturing Business

A safety and health officer is assigned to an overseas manufacturing company, and a safety and health committee is held every month to report on work-related accidents that have occurred, formulate countermeasures, analyze causes and formulate countermeasures for unsafe behaviors reported by safety patrols and Hiyari-Hatto (Equiv. near miss), as well as check the status of various safety improvement activities, risk prediction training (KYT), and risk assessment activities.

Sumitomo Forestry also conducts periodic safety audits to ensure that the safety and health management systems of each manufacturing company are in good order. In fiscal 2022, we audited five overseas factories, using audit checklists and videos taken on site, with interpreters in place to provide an environment that allows us to conduct full-scale safety audits remotely. In fiscal 2023, we resumed on-site safety audits in response to end of COVID-19 pandemic, and conducted both remote and on-site audits at eight plants in Japan and overseas.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in Housing Business

In accordance with Industrial Safety and Health Law, Housing Division has established a safety and health management system for building sites by designating branch and General Manager as Overall Safety and Health Manager in its safety and health management regulations for construction sites. At the beginning of every fiscal year, the Divisional Manager of the Housing Division formulates an Occupational Health and Safety Policy to provide notification based on circumstances such as the accidents that occurred in the previous period, the state of occupational health and safety promotion as well as compliance with relevant laws. In addition, permeating a safety culture has been designated as a basic policy, and we are working to achieve this in primarily three ways; compliance with the law, promotion of occupation health and safety education and eradication of occupational injuries. Always raising awareness toward the recognition of safety first permeates this safety culture. Offices, branches and building contractors set important management targets for the fiscal year to eliminate five-types of major accidents; falls, accidents with tools, things tipping over, accidents with heavy machines and heat strokes.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System for Construction Sites of Housing Business