Aiming to Be a Corporate Group that Society Respects

Our Expanding Role as a Good Corporate Citizen in Global Society

To realize a sustainable society, we must accept greater corporate responsibility (CSR), such as by reducing our impact on the global environment while pursuing higher profitability and growth.

The Fuji Electric Group’s mid-term management plan (fiscal 2006–2008) declares its aim of conducting management activities that achieve economic, environmental and social harmony. As a good corporate citizen in global society, the Fuji Electric Group has realized the mission of deepening relationships of trust with all stakeholders, including local communities, customers and business partners.

In July 2008, Fuji Electric Holdings established Fuji Electric Group Corporate Social Responsibility Department. Through this offi ce, we aim to expand our role and earn a greater level of respect from society as a corporate group.

Helping to Prevent Global Warming

One of the roles we are expanding is to address global warming. We are positioned to respond to the issue of on two fronts. First, the Fuji Electric Group contributes to preventing global warming through technologies that create, or generate, electricity, as well as technologies that use, or control, electricity. On the generation front, we promote the dissemination of geothermal sources, fuel cells, solar cells and other sources of clean energy at lower cost. On the usage front, we are helping reduce power consumption by marketing inverters, which enable effi cient use of energy for various equipment, to steel foundries and manufacturing plants in China and India, where energy demand is increasing substantially. At the same time, we endeavor to reduce the environmental impact of our own business activities.

In the past, the Fuji Electric Group worked to reduce CO₂ emissions per unit of production. In fiscal 2008, we introduced a voluntary target on CO₂ emission volumes. To achieve our target of 181,665 t-CO₂ in emissions (down 6% compared with fiscal 2006), we are introducing groupwide efforts to reduce emissions at factories, offices and during logistics.

Providing the Best Technologies for the Safety of People and Machinery

Second, we provide safety as an added value to the products and services we offer. In the past several years, the safety of revolving doors and elevators has been called into question as accidents involving such products increase.

The Fuji Electric Group delivers a host of electrical machinery that is used in social infrastructure, industrial plants and retail environments. To such ongoing themes as performance and quality, we have added human and mechanical safety—such as incorporating automatic shutoffs in the event of human error—to our technologies and services.

Striving to Respect Employees and Honor Diversity

While introducing various initiatives is all well and good, companies constitute the groups of employees who actually put these initiatives into action. I believe that an important management issue for a corporate group that aims to earn society’s respect is to demonstrate consideration for its employees and show them the respect of training them.

The Fuji Electric Group strives to foster a lively working environment that caters to employees with diverse personalities. To this end, we have introduced a retirement postponement system, promote activities for women, encourage the hiring of people with physical and mental challenges and implemented other initiatives. We are also introducing welfare systems and initiatives to address the issues employees face in a society characterized by a dwindling birthrate and an aging population, such as nursing care and childcare.

Complying with Laws, Regulations and Social Norms

Corporate social responsibility cannot be fulfilled without compliance.. In recognition of this fact, the Fuji Electric Group gives compliance with laws, regulations and social norms topmost importance in the Charter of Corporate Behavior, in which the Group outlines the guiding principles for employees. We believe strongly that a company’s business activities cannot allow any divergence from laws, regulations and social norms.

Compliance-related risks have increased in recent years, as social systems have grown more diverse, the economy has become more global and our overseas business has expanded. In response, we have formulated the Fuji Electric Group Compliance Program to strengthen the establishment, monitoring, assessment and training regarding inhouse rules. The Group has thoroughly implemented this program and instituted a Business Ethics Helpline.

On June 10, 2008, a Group subsidiary underwent a spot investigation by the Japan Fair Trade Commission concerning its bid to supply electrical equipment for water purification plants to public entities in Hokkaido. The Fuji Electric Group has cooperated fully and responded thoroughly in all aspects of this investigation.

Communicating with Stakeholders through Employees

The Fuji Electric Group communicates proactively with a wide range of stakeholders, including local communities, customers and business partners. In particular, the Fuji Electric Group communicates with communities through its employees’ participation in local events. We consider such communications via our employees an important method of raising awareness of the Fuji Electric Group. Such activities also give employees the opportunity to experience society’s views of Fuji Electric firsthand. In 2008, we opened “environmental schools” for children in each community in which we operate. These events, which employees also attended, are another example of our dedicated efforts to maintain a connection with local communities.

The Fuji Electric Group aims to gain the trust of society and be a respected corporate group. Toward this objective, we will continue doing our utmost to maximize our role in society.

Haruo Ito
President and Representative Director

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