CSR Activity Report (CSR Guideline Activity Reports) - Product Quality and Safety

Initiatives for Quality Assurance and Product Safety

Reinforcing Compliance in Product Quality Assurance

Toray Group is pursuing five major tasks to reinforce quality assurance compliance throughout the Group.

  1. Reinforcement of structures related to quality assurance systems of the entire Toray Group
    After clarifying the required quality assurance framework for Toray Industries and its business sites and group companies around the world, the Company is providing guidance to relevant sites for quality assurance framework enhancement while closing the gap between the vision and actual performance.
    Furthermore, the Company is working to strengthen its auditing function through audits by the deputy general manager of the Quality Assurance Division and mutual audits by Quality Assurance Departments, in order to better audit the quality assurance framework and its operational effectiveness.
  2. Development of human resources and creation of workplace culture not allowing any misconduct
    Toray Group started implementing education on compliance in quality assurance during Quality Control month in November in fiscal 2020. Toray Industries provides training materials to its business sites and group companies around the world, while individual departments and companies are responsible for providing education for their employees. (A total of 23,918 employees received training in fiscal 2022.)
  3. Review and adjustment of actual contracts with customers regarding quality (assurance)
    In accordance with Guidelines for Contracts/Agreements with Customers on Product Quality and Product Quality Assurance set forth at the time contracts are agreed, Toray Industries is promoting ongoing efforts to thoroughly inspect and review agreements at its business sites and group companies around the world and is working to optimize the provisions in these contracts.
  4. Appropriate maintenance and management of measuring devices
    Based on risk assessment sheets for evaluating the necessity of replacement or maintenance of measuring devices, Toray Industries and its group companies around the world create and implement plans to replace the devices appropriately.
  5. Improvement of quality data management system to not allow any misconduct
    Toray Industries and its group companies around the world are developing data management systems that minimize human involvement, such as by automating measurement, transfer of measurement data, and issuance of inspection reports.

Education and Training for Quality Assurance and for Product Safety

Group companies implementing product quality assurance and safety education

■Reporting scope
Toray Group
■Target in fiscal 2022
100%

Result in fiscal 2022

100%

In addition to quality assurance compliance training conducted during Quality Month (November), Toray Industries promotes quality assurance and product safety training for newly appointed department and section managers at the Company and its group companies in Japan. It also provides education on quality assurance and product safety activities during company-wide technical training, as well as quality control (QC) training for frontline personnel. Toray is working to thoroughly raise awareness of the Group's quality assurance and product safety activities and improve its QC capabilities. Moreover, since fiscal 2013, all group companies around the world have conducted general training related to product safety, training for specific business operations, and internal rules training.

Enhancing Product Safety Reviews

Toray Industries and its group companies implement product safety reviews for all products. In addition to addressing product safety, the reviews examine the adequacy of information provided to customers via, for instance, safety data sheets (SDS), labeling, and instructions. Products are also assessed for impact on the global environment. Special precautions are taken for new products that are highly original, as well as for products for which the safety considerations have changed significantly from previous products. For these products, a Product Safety Review Board comprised of neutral assessors with specialized knowledge is assembled to review the safety of the product. Toray Group also ensures that newly established group companies rapidly establish a framework for product safety and implement product safety reviews.

Implementing product safety reviews for all products
Product Safety Review Flow Chart (Toray Industries, Inc.)
Product Safety Review Flow Chart (Toray Industries, Inc.)
  • 1 At group companies in and outside Japan, this position is held by the president or a director

Preventing Product Accidents

Number of product accidents

■Reporting scope
Toray Group
■Target in fiscal 2022
0

Result in fiscal 2022

12

  • 2 An incident occurred in which a customer suffered a finger cut while unpacking processed yarn sold by Toray. The injury was caused by a box cutter blade stuck beneath packaging tape. The hazard originated in the product packaging area of an outsourced manufacturer(sales) site, when an employee failed to notice that a piece of broken cutter blade had become stuck to the tape used to seal the product package for shipping. To prevent this from happening again, Toray has prohibited its outsourced manufacturer(sales) from using this type of box cutter and has instructed them to improve check procedures during packaging.

Providing Product Safety Information

Toray Group provides customers with product safety information specifically tailored to the product or service.

  1. Customer support lines
    In its efforts to create a convenient environment for customers, Toray Industries makes available toll-free numbers for customers to call and inquire about its mainstay consumer products such as home water purifiers and contact lenses.
  2. Safety data sheets (SDS)
    Toray Group designates the duties, management framework, and procedures for SDS on products that are manufactured or sold by the Group, and provides customers with adequate information on the safe handling of Group products. SDS are disclosed online so that they are readily accessible to customers.
  3. Product labeling and instructions
    Toray Group creates labels and instruction manuals (including catalogs) and provides them to customers only after clarifying the duties and management framework for product labels and instruction manuals, the procedures from creation to distribution, and other key processes.

Respecting the Eight Basic Consumer Rights

In providing products and services, Toray Group is fundamentally committed to respecting the Eight Basic Consumer Rights and strives to secure safety and quality of its products throughout the Group's business activities.

The Eight Basic Consumer Rights advocated by Consumers International (CI)

  • The right to satisfaction of basic needs
  • The right to safety
  • The right to be informed
  • The right to choose
  • The right to be heard
  • The right to redress
  • The right to consumer education
  • The right to a healthy environment

Click here for the main initiatives for CSR Guideline 4, “Product Quality and Safety” in CSR Roadmap 2022.