Professor
Katsuhiko Kokubu
Graduate School of Business
Administration, Kobe University

The most striking feature of AGC Group's environmental management is that the Group shows how it approaches environmental management in its “Aspirations for 2020,” which represent our top commitment, and the Group is implementing specific measures to fulfill the aspirations. AGC Group defines environmental management not simply as implementing environmental conservation activities but as an essential part of its business management. In light of this, we can expect that AGC Group will conduct environmental management in a steadier and more substantial manner in the future.
In particular, it should be highly evaluated that the Group is implementing a range of initiatives to “Deliver technology solutions for climate change.” It is especially important that they are working to improve the energy efficiency of their own manufacturing processes and transportation activities in addition to providing society with environmentally friendly products. Companies can succeed in environmental management only when they implement measures for both their products and processes. People tend to pay attention only to ecofriendly products but if a company really wants to reduce its environmental impact, it needs to implement comprehensive measures not only for its products but also for processes. AGC Group's activities are indeed appreciable in this point, too. It also merits noting that the Group promises to continue making investments in environmental R&D on the page of environmental accounting in this report. Such R&D would indeed contribute to the fulfillment of the Group's social responsibilities.
AGC Group has also made improvements in environmental management using the AGC Environmental Indicator and Asahi Glass has achieved zero emissions on an unconsolidated basis. In the future, I suggest that AGC Group could focus more on improvements made through the innovations of its manufacturing processes. I expect that the Group will increase its resource productivity as a whole and build and show a corporate model for the solution for climate change instead of simply showing end-of-pipe-style information.

Professor
Masao Mukaidono
Department of Computer
Science, Meiji University

For companies to foster their occupational health and safety activities, it is essential that they improve the effectiveness of risk assessment (RA) in implementing their occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS). RA should be carried out in each of the design, installation, and use phases of mechanical equipment and it is especially important to conduct RA in the design and installation phases. In the past, RA was mainly carried out in the use phase, but in fact RA should be performed without fail in the design and installation phases as well, and the information obtained in these phases should be communicated to the next phase.
AGC Group attributes importance to RA in the implementation of its OHSMS and promotes RA not only in the use phase but also in the design and installation phases. This is indeed a pioneering approach. Moreover, starting in fiscal 2010, the Group will mandate RA in the design phase of equipment to be delivered to the Group by external companies, which is a noteworthy approach that will bear a great impact on mechanical safety in Japan. I expect that the Group will “visualize” the information obtained from RA in the design, installation, and use phases of equipment and appropriately communicate the visualized information to build a safety culture and provide safer workplaces as a manufacturing company that leads others in terms of mechanical safety.
In order to ensure the effectiveness of RA conducted in the design, installation, and use phases, it is also important to provide enough training to those in charge of RA. In particular, for a global company like AGC, it would be necessary to establish a common training system for all employees working in different countries and regions, who have different ideas and awareness levels about safety. It is great that AGC Group has adopted a qualified safety assessor system and will expand it to include cooperating companies in Japan and Group companies in Asia in the targets of the system. I hope that the Group will continue to make concerted efforts toward building an ever greater level of safety on a continual basis.