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Home > About Toshiba > CSR > Highlights of CSR Activities > Activities in the Past > Toward Promoting CSR-oriented Management Worldwide > In Asia
Overview
Creating a Procurement Policy Calling for "Considerations to Human Rights, Labor and Safety"
Asia is not only an important market for Toshiba Group but also a region that we consider vital to promote the growth of our business, as we have many production sites and suppliers there. Asia is characteristic of various countries and regions with their own circumstances and conditions, including cultures, religions and levels of economic development. We, at Toshiba, feel that we should play a role in contributing to a better environment in which all nations can establish and develop a sound society by promoting the most necessary activities based on an understanding of their history, culture, customs and circumstances.
To this end, Toshiba Group has been promoting CSR management based on the "UN Global Compact" and "Toshiba Group Standards of Conduct" among its group companies in various parts of Asia.
In FY2008, to extend these activities to our suppliers, based on the UN Global Compact, we revised our procurement policy, urging our suppliers for "Considerations to Human Rights, Labor and Safety." The Corporate Procurement Division along with the CSR Division conducted a field audit in order to ensure a thorough implementation of CSR management.
Toshiba Group is working to reinforce our structure for cooperation with suppliers in Asia to help create a sound social environment in the region.
Case Study
Performing a Field Audit at a Thai Supplier
We urge our suppliers to follow our revised procurement policy. Following the revision of the policy, we conducted our first audit in Thailand which has been an important manufacturing base since 1969 when our overseas subsidiary was founded over there. Toshiba Consumer Products (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (TPT) is Toshiba's largest manufacturing site in Thailand, which manufactures home appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines. In November 2008, we conducted a field audit at one of TPT's suppliers. The selection of the supplier was based on certain conditions such as the supplier is a local company and handles chemical agents during the manufacturing process.
Auditors from Toshiba Group, including TPT staff, visited the supplier's site to verify how the processes were being carried out based on the results of the checklist provided to the supplier for self-assessment. Though no serious problems such as use of child or forced labor were found, we identified some problems including inadequate implementation of safety rules, such as not wearing protective goggles and safety shoes, and poor management of waste disposal sites and workplaces handling chemicals. Accordingly, we instructed the supplier to make improvements in those areas.
We will continue to promote CSR activities in the supplier chain by performing regular audits at supplier sites.
Voice of an Employee Involved in the Audit at a Local Supplier
We Aim to Strengthen Our Relationship with Our Suppliers through Such Audits
Cooperation from our suppliers is vital in order to manufacture products of high quality at low costs. To achieve that, maintaining sound health and working conditions of the workers of our suppliers is also important.
Audits like this will increase our awareness on the human rights and labor conditions of not only sales people of the suppliers, with whom we are in daily contact, but also those of workers who manufacture products.
Sompis Srimakham Manager
R/F Purchasing Section (PCR)
Toshiba Consumer Products (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
- Toshiba in Asia and Oceania Region
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- Consolidated Subsidiaries:
- 61 companies (in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, etc.)
- Number of Employees:
- Approx. 20,000
