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Quality Control
Quality Control Policy
Based on Toshiba Group Quality Control Policy, we aim to provide our customers with safe and reliable products, services and systems, and are working to ensure superior quality as perceived by our customers. By increasing our sensitivity to potential risks and dealing with them swiftly, we strive to eliminate product accidents and provide unrivaled customer satisfaction.
Toshiba Group's Basic Policy on Product Assurance: Standards of Conduct
- We engage in quality assurance from the customers' point of view.
- We observe relevant laws and contracts and respect the rights of customers and third parties.
- We maintain quality systems aimed at achieving 100% quality.
- We ensure that all of our departments and all of our employees act on this Quality Control Policy.
- We aim for essential improvement by investigating the root causes of process failures.
Quality Promotion Structure
Under the global quality control structure, the Chief Quality Officer is responsible for quality control throughout the Group, while Chief Quality Executives are in charge of quality control within in-house companies and key group companies. The Chief Quality Officer convenes periodic meetings to develop policies and discuss quality control measures with the Chief Quality Executives who are responsible for providing guidance and conducting audits of factories, suppliers, maintenance and service companies and manufacturing outsources worldwide to enhance the quality level throughout product life cycles, from development and production through to final disposal. In addition, we established the training system to foster personnel who can contribute to quality improvement. We develop and promote education programs depending upon the requirements of each division in Toshiba Group to improve awareness on quality management as well as to improve skills on reliability techniques and quality control methods.
Quality Promotion Structure
Promoting initiatives aimed at enhancing capabilities to ensure product quality
Toshiba Group is working to enhance its capabilities to ensure quality by adopting a proactive approach to quality rather than the conventional protective one. Of the four main pillars of quality listed below for promoting initiatives, we focus on improving the Quality Management System (QMS), not simply obtaining ISO 9001 certification but also improving the system by means of raising the quality of design and procurement, the root cause of losses, as well as by enhancing the training of personnel who can support the development of the system. Compliance is the foundation for all these activities.
Four pillars to enhance quality capabilities
In order to enhance its capabilities to ensure product quality, Toshiba Group is promoting failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) mainly for design work as one of its DFQ initiatives for preventing defective designs. For further reinforce FMEA activities, we formed a working group to exchange information obtained from these activities and trained instructors to make FMEA an integral part of our all four business domains.
Training personnel in charge of quality assurance
We established the Toshiba Quality Training System to foster personnel who can contribute to quality improvement at all concerned divisions. We develop and promote education programs to improve awareness on quality management depending upon the requirements of each division, as well as to improve skills on reliability techniques and quality control methods.
In order to foster personnel that are capable of taking charge of quality assurance, we develop and implement 21 quality training programs for employees in all divisions related to product life cycles on methods of analyzing the causes of product accidents and preventing them. In FY2011 a total of 1,227 employees participated in the training programs. We also provide compliance training and e-learning on the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act for approximately 103,000 Group employees and overseas subsidiary staff at a Group-wide level.
Promoting local-based training programs in the key manufacturing base of China
Quality improvement training program at the Toshiba China Academy
The Toshiba China Academy of Toshiba China Co., Ltd. plays a central role in Toshiba Group in raising the skills of quality assurance personnel and improving the education system. In FY2011, in addition to existing training programs, improvement of the quality of procurements, and quality innovations, we implemented the following programs in which 171 employees participated: new programs in which various cases were incorporated as training materials, “Quality awareness and quality risk management,” and “How to audit suppliers” in Dalian, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other areas. We will continue our efforts to contribute to the improvement of quality levels in China.
Strengthening the system to prevent reoccurrence of serious product accidents by sharing information within Toshiba Group
Guidebook for Preventing Reoccurrence of Accidents
In 2011 we created the “Guidebook for Preventing Reoccurrence of Accidents,“ which is a compilation of accident cases that have occurred since 2004 in Toshiba Group. The Guidebook was distributed to division managers and meetings were held to explain the content to the persons in charge of quality issues in the Group in order to strengthen measures to prevent reoccurrence of accidents. In addition, the information was converted into an e-book for access by personnel in charge of quality and safety-related issues in the Company via the intranet. A serious accident not only signals an alarm for the quality and safety of products, but also can provide precious insight into product development and assessment. We will promote the system of sharing information within the Group and strive to prevent reoccurrence of product accidents.
Emphasizing on-site quality control inspections and participation in third-party quality evaluations
Excellent company award for quality management
In order to improve product quality, it is necessary to analyze factory processes and remove defective factors. In addition to the close examination, evaluation, and testing of each process, Toshiba is strengthening its awareness of hidden problems and reviews them proactively so that it can detect latent risks and take measures swiftly even after product shipment, in response to the opinions of customers.
We also actively participate in an annual survey called “JUSE (Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers) Quality Management Level Research.” In the sixth survey in FY2010, Toshiba ranked fourth and was recognized as an excellent company.
The survey was not conducted in FY2011 subject to organizer. We will continue to actively participate in the survey.
ISO9001:2000 Certification (Employee ratio)
Product Operations and Toshiba Group companies have put in place management systems for obtaining certification for the ISO 9000 family of standards for quality management systems.
Toshiba Corporation
Toshiba Group (in Japan)
Toshiba Group
(overseas subsidiaries)
Toshiba Group
(in Japan and overseas subsidiaries)
- Note1:
- Certification ratio = Number of employees of certified sites / Number of all employees
- Note2:
- Data as of March, 2012
Securing Cooperation from Suppliers to Ensure Quality
Toshiba Quality Assurance Guidelines for Suppliers
Suppliers are Toshiba Group's indispensable business partners and ensuring the quality of procurement items is being increasingly important. In order to ensure the quality of procurement items, we distribute TOSHIBA Quality Assurance Guidelines for Suppliers summarizing Toshiba Group's quality assurance policy and supplier expectations. Based on cooperation among procurement, quality assurance and engineering operations, Toshiba Group audits suppliers at appropriate intervals in view of the types and importance of the procurement items in order to ensure quality of procurement items.
Disclosure of Information on Quality
In the event that incidents related to quality occur, information is disclosed on the Toshiba website in order to notify customers of such incidents as quickly as possible.
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CSR Performance
- Strengtheing CSR Management Based on the Principles of ISO 26000
- FY2011 and Targets & Plans for FY2012
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