ESG Voice 2019

Features of the construction methods we chose to build the new TS TECH Head Office

As a Zero Energy Building (ZEB) with state of the art environmental performance, the new Head Office has received third-party ”Nearly ZEB” certification. Using the following approach, we employed a design that aimed to achieve ZEB. First, decrease the amount of energy-consuming equipment. Second, utilize highly efficient facilities. Third, continue energy-saving operations without fail. As one example, we reduced the size of air conditioning equipment by improving insulating properties by equipping exterior walls with superior insulating panels and keeping window areas low. At the same time, we placed an atrium in the center of the open office to introduce light and create an open feeling, thereby achieving both comfort and energy conservation. We also used highly efficient air conditioning equipment, in which the outside units are cooled by a sprinkler system, further improving cooling efficiency. In order to enable energy-saving operations for a variety of work styles, including when staff use flextime working hours, we installed image sensors that automatically turn air-conditioning and lighting on or off depending on the presence or absence of people.

Our approach to realizing TS TECH’s vision

In planning the new Head Office, we were given the ambitious target of reducing the amount of electricity purchased by 40% from that of the old Head Office. Even before the term “ESG” became common, TS TECH included the resolution of social issues through its business in its business policy.
Since this building is the head office of such a global company, we wanted to ensure that the ZEB initiatives undertaken here would be wide-reaching, spreading first to other offices in Japan and abroad and then to society at large. We, therefore, approached our work on the new building with the concept of “Accessible ZEB,” considering not only energy reduction, but also “comfort, economy, use of general-purpose technology, and convenient, easy-to use energy-saving operations.” We hope that the new building will be the catalyst for making ZEB more accessible both inside and outside the company.

Hopes for TS TECH going forward

These efforts to achieve ZEB status would not have been realized without TS TECH’s firm resolve. Moreover, the company has been ISO 50001 certified at all of its business locations in Japan, so one can sense its strong resolve to reduce energy use. I hope TS TECH takes the lead in making all of its business activities carbon-free to become a model company for Japan and the world.

I learned that TS TECH’s corporate message “Beyond Comfort” encompasses the intent to take up the challenge to realize a world that is still unseen. It would be our pleasure to be of some small assistance to TS TECH and join in its mission to help build a sustainable society.

For many Associates, TS TECH Philosophy Education provides an opportunity to engage in self-reflection and reexamine how they can contribute to the company. Whether it’s a manager who has become more careful about how he or she acts in order to set an example or an Associate who really identifies with our vision to be “a company sincerely appreciated by all” and is eager to give back to the community, the TS TECH Philosophy offers reliable, trustworthy guidance for each and every Associate to consider before planning or acting.

Things like language and corporate culture may vary by location, but a shared understanding of the TS TECH Philosophy makes it easy to facilitate communication and interaction between Group companies. As a promoter, I work to create environments that make it easy for every Associate to learn, regardless of background, work style, or title. Moving forward, I hope to help Associates further embrace the TS TECH Philosophy through an array of tools, such as classroom-style workshops held on a regular basis and video training via an e-learning system, and contribute to the Group’s unity and growth.

The TS TECH Group is an enterprise that values its domestic and overseas employees. This culture has also spread to its overseas Group companies, and I feel that we are aiming to become a company sincerely appreciated by all around the world. I have been working for TS TECH (HONG KONG) CO., LTD. for 16 years, since the company launched. At first, I faced difficulties such as language barriers and cultural differences. However, in the course of working with the Japanese employees stationed in Hong Kong, even though our language and culture were different, I often felt that they shared my passion to make good products and contribute to society, and this impressed me. That experience is still a source of encouragement.

I was appointed as a director in 2013, when the TS TECH Group started to strengthen its operations in China. I do not think that there were many cases where foreign companies hired local staff as executives at the time, so I was quite honored to be chosen, and it made me feel that TS TECH was a company that was not afraid to take challenges. In the future, I want to contribute to Group unity and embody the TS TECH Philosophy to drive further growth.

The recently established TS TECH Supplier Sustainability Guidelines are highly comprehensive and cover important issues in the supply chain. However, setting guidelines is only the first step in supply chain management. I would like the company to build an in-house management and promotion system that will make suppliers follow the guidelines and improve overall manufacturing quality.

Various problems have been pointed out at supplier workplaces such as issues related to foreign workers, which have attracted special interest in recent years. It is difficult to grasp and make improvements to the current situation without on-site confirmation and audits, so we expect on-site action to be taken to see that operations are being run in accordance with the guidelines. We also expect continuous disclosure of the actual on-site situation and the extent of improvements made in these areas.