Basic Policy

The Sumitomo Forestry Group has established the Sumitomo Forestry Group Occupational Health and Safety Policy in order to further improve its occupational health and safety activities. Based on the fundamental concept of "SAFETY FIRST" and the implementation of the policy, we seek to create and maintain 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 our stakeholders for the improvement of our safety awareness, which were identified through a questionnaire survey of Group employees on their safety-related values and activities, as well as through interviews with our executives, General Managers, and major business partners.

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

In addition, Sumitomo Forestry has established the Rules for OHS 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 shall be stationed at each place of business regardless of its size, and adherence to such rules is checked along with the frequency of OHS committee meetings.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Promotion System

The Sumitomo Forestry Group has established the Quality and Occupational Safety Management Department with a view to consistently improving its product and service quality and eradicating occupational accidents. This organization provides guidance and advice across the entire Group in Japan and overseas, while developing and strengthening the quality and occupational health and safety management systems. In addition, the Sustainability Committee discusses and reports on important occupational health and safety issues that affect the entire Group. We conducted a survey on the current safety management status concerning “rotating machinery” and “falls,” which are two major risk factors, at all Group departments in Japan and overseas in fiscal 2025 and presented the findings at the meetings of the Sustainability Committee and others.

The Personnel Department is in charge of issues related to occupational health and safety, and the General Manager of the department gives related instructions and support to the business sites for the establishment of OHS systems on-site. In addition, an OHS committee chaired by the manager in charge at each site and composed of members such as a health and safety manager, industrial physician, and labor union members is established at each office. Matters discussed at the monthly committee meeting 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 protect workers' health.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in the Forestry Business

The Forest Resources Department is promoting the establishment of occupational health and safety management systems and is working to acquire ISO 45001 certification for the systems step by step to ensure a safe working environment. In fiscal 2025, the Osaka Forestry Office acquired the certification. In each of our business sites, a safety conference and safety patrol are periodically held to eradicate occupational injuries.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System of the Forest Resources Department

Occupational Health and Safety System in the Environment and Energy Business

Sumitomo Forestry is responsible for the comprehensive health and safety management of its consolidated subsidiaries (Mombetsu Biomass Electric Power, Hachinohe Biomass Electric Power, Okhotsk Bio Energy, Michinoku Bio Energy, and Japan Bio Energy) as well as of its equity method affiliates (Kawasaki Biomass Electric Power, Tomakomai Biomass Power, Kanda Biomass Energy, and Morinomiyako Biomass Energy). We report about the occurrence of occupational injuries and share information about how to prevent the reoccurrence of similar incidents at monthly meetings held with the companies. We also quarterly check their implementation status of disaster control drills, regular firefighting equipment inspection, and safety training.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in the Domestic Manufacturing Business

Sumitomo Forestry Crest Co., Ltd. has acquired ISO 45001 certification for its occupational health and safety management system. Its ISO 45001 facilitators are leading the efforts to meet the related targets and manage progress on the targets at each of its plants. To ensure workplace safety, the Safety and Environment Department, which serves as the secretariat for the activity, makes coordination among the plants and shares health and safety information with overseas Sumitomo Forestry Group manufacturing companies.

Each of the plants appoints a General OHS Manager in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and under its occupational health and safety management system. The OHS Committee led by the manager holds a meeting once a month and makes reports about the past workplace accidents and near-miss incidents reports. The committee also provides traffic safety training.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in the Overseas Manufacturing Business

We assign health and safety managers to the manufacturing sites and hold a meeting of their OHS committee once a month, where reports are made on the occurrence of occupational incidents, their causal factors and the countermeasures to be implemented. Also, at the meeting, causes of the unsafe places and unsafe behaviors identified through safety patrols and near-miss incidents reports are analyzed, countermeasures are planned, and the implementation status is checked for various safety improvement activities, risk detection training (KYT) and risk assessment activities.

Moreover, the management departments of Sumitomo Forestry’s head office regularly conduct safety audits to check the safety and health management systems and activities of its manufacturing plants. We also conduct on-site checks to identify unsafe spots for improvements.

Information about the occupational incidents faced by the plants is shared on the day of the occurrence to alert them against such incidents and prevent the occurrence of similar incidents.

Occupational Health and Safety Management System in the Housing Business

In accordance with the Industrial Safety and Health Act, the Housing Division has established the Rules for OHS Management to build occupational health and safety management systems at its construction sites by designating the branch managers as safety and health officers, as provided for in the internal rules. At the beginning of every fiscal year, the Divisional Manager of the Housing Division formulates and announces an Occupational Health and Safety Policy in light of the circumstances, such as the accidents that occurred in the previous term, the state of occupational health and safety promotion, as well as compliance with relevant laws. In addition, the Housing Division is working to permeate a culture of safety as its basic policy, working to achieve this mainly by implementing measures to (1) eliminate occupational injuries; (2) ensure compliance with laws and regulations; and (3) promote occupation health and safety education. By constantly urging employees to give first priority to safety, the division is fostering a culture of safety and encourages its branches and building contractors to set their important management targets for the fiscal year to eliminate the major five types of incidents, which are caused by falls from height, the use of tools, falls, the use of heavy machines, and heatstroke.

Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems for Construction Sites