ESG Voice 2020

We started doing business with TS TECH in 1970, and we mainly supply urethane pads for seats and seat wadding material laminated with film. With encouragement from TS TECH, we have also expanded our business not just in Japan but also in China and Brazil.

As a reliable partner, we are committed to contributing to a mutually beneficial relationship, operating under strict guidance in the areas of quality, development, on-site improvements, and cost. With regard to our ESG initiatives, such as the resolution of social issues that we have been working on since the company’s founding, we are determined to fulfill our role as a member of the supply chain and respond in accordance with the TS TECH Supplier Sustainability Guidelines.

Given that the aftereffects of COVID-19 are expected to be prolonged, it is likely that various post-COVID changes will also occur in the automotive industry. We will share challenges with TS TECH and the Group will work together to resolve them with a sense of urgency.

As a result of developing Group-wide environmental initiatives in line with ESG management, TS TECH received a range of positive external evaluations in fiscal 2020 such as the top award in the Energy Conservation Grand Prize project and a CDP A- rating. I feel that the sum of our individual initiatives resulted in these accolades. Individual initiatives include third-party verification of GHG emissions, the installation of LED lighting, a switch to high-efficiency air conditioning, the acquisition and roll out of ISO 50001, and the completion of the new Head Office building.

Nevertheless, I believe we have yet to achieve our goal.

At the new Head Office building, which was recognized for high-level energy savings at a low cost, we are exploring further energy reduction measures such as improving air conditioning efficiency by circulating air between areas and optimizing lighting levels. In addition, we have only just begun to deploy ISO 50001 management techniques throughout the Group.

As a leading environmental company, TS TECH will continue to vigorously push forward with various measures that focus on the three areas of low carbon, resource recycling, and social contribution in order to contribute to a sustainable society.

I work at TS TECH AMERICAS, INC. (TSAM), the U.S. subsidiary that oversees TS TECH’s operations in North and South America. Since we operate in the U.S., which is home to people from all walks of life, we are a very diverse team of many different nationalities and ethnicities. We may in fact be the most diverse worksite within the TS TECH Group.

In the Americas region, we have focused on training based on the TS TECH Philosophy to create a workplace environment of mutual respect where individuals can make full use of their strengths. For example, under the 13th Medium-Term Management Plan, TSAM conducted gender sensitivity training for all Associates in the Americas to examine unconscious biases regarding gender and other personal attributes, as well as barriers to the advancement of women in the workplace. We are also looking into implementing a workplace mentoring program for Associates who have a heightened awareness of career advancement following these training sessions.

Diversity generates new ideas and innovation and promotes corporate growth. We will continue to work to improve the workplace environment and support each of our Associates at TSAM.

I first thought about childcare leave when my wife became pregnant with twins. When we decided that she would be at home after giving birth rather than staying at her parents’ house, as is the custom in Japan, I knew that I needed to be at home, too!

The first thing I did to prepare for my leave was to talk with my co-workers. Thanks to the understanding and cooperation of my supervisors and colleagues, I was able to seamlessly hand over my work to them. I am very grateful for their help.

After the twins were born, the burden on my wife was much greater than I had imagined, so I was really happy that we were able to tackle challenges together. By changing diapers and bathing the babies, which I had to learn how to do, I was able to really experience how they grew. I will always cherish this time spent together.

Although it is common for women to take maternity leave at our company, men are still unfamiliar with the concept. Many do not know much about the system. That was true for me, too, and I had to do a lot of research before I took childcare leave. I think if more people, both men and women, were to become familiar with this system and not regard it as something that has nothing to do with them, we could create even better workplace environments. This is another reason why I want to share my experience with everyone.