Green Procurement

Based on the Fujifilm Group Charter for Good Corporate Behavior, the Fujifilm Group conducts its procurement activities according to the principle, “We will engage in fair, open, and free competition, and fair trade.” Through the continuing provision of good products and services at all times, as a member of the international community, we want to contribute to the development of society by procuring the products and services that we need based on the three principles of “rational selection standards,” “openness and fairness,” and “observance of laws, conservation of natural resources and protection of the environment.”

We have expanded our approach from the “Green Procurement & Purchasing” activities that were formerly the focus of purchasing operations to include the management of chemical substance content all along the supply chain, including the management of processes that take place within Fujifilm.
We redefined our green procurement survey of products that we purchase more broadly as a survey for the management of chemical content in our products that has an impact on the natural environment.

Concern for the environment from the perspective of the procurement of parts, materials, and other items is one of the items for consideration in the Design for Environment that Fujifilm is implementing. Fujifilm sets green standards for its suppliers and the products that it procures and works to make improvement in both standards and products.
Under the green procurement standards, suppliers are expected to meet 9 of the 12 requirements that are required for ISO 14001 certification.
Fujifilm recommends that its suppliers obtain ISO 14001 certification, but for those suppliers that find this difficult, obtaining EcoStage*1, EcoAction 21*2, or KES*3 is recommended.

To comply with international regulations, such as Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives, it is necessary to manage chemical substances throughout the supply chain. To this end, Fujifilm is broadening its initiatives beyond “green procurement” to include the management of chemical content throughout the supply chain, including the supervision of its own processes.

Each electronic and mechanical product, for example medium-sized one, manufactured and provided by Fujifilm is made of 1,000 to 20,000 parts. In case those parts contain harmful chemicals, it is necessary to dispose the products appropriately after using it not to cause environmental pollution. Accordingly, there is worldwide activity as typified by the European directive of RoHS, to limit the use of these harmful substances contained in products.

We have expanded our approach from the “Green Procurement & Purchasing” activities that were formerly the focus of purchasing operations to include the management of chemical substance content all along the supply chain, including the management of processes that take place within Fujifilm. Beginning in fiscal 2004, we redefined our green procurement survey of products that we purchase more broadly as a survey for the management of chemical content in our products that has an impact on the natural environment.
In 2005, we established our Basic Regulations for Management of Chemical Content and Guidelines for Management of Chemical Content.
Subsequently, we have created related internal systems, conducted in-house seminars, and taken other measures to raise the awareness of these matters within the Group. Beginning in August 2005, we held nine seminars for 985 employees of 680 of our suppliers that handle chemicals covered by RoHS, with the aim of making our suppliers fully aware of related issues.

There are several thousand suppliers providing parts and other goods to Fujifilm. In view of the number of items to be surveyed and minimizing the troubles with suppliers, we have introduced electronic surveillance. Under this system, we rely on suppliers to conduct self-surveillance and then register information on the management of chemical content via the Internet.
Electronic surveillance items include the “green standards of suppliers” and the “management of chemical content.” Since the survey includes detailed checkpoints, we plan to ask for the cooperation of our suppliers as we hold a series of briefings and conduct other initiatives. At present, we are moving ahead with electronic surveillance activities in Japan (including trading companies that are engaged in procurement and sales) and plan to expand these activities overseas. We have already conducted the surveillance of several companies overseas on a trial basis.

Fujifilm provides guidance for its suppliers after examining the surveillance results and making on-site inspections when appropriate to confirm actual workplace conditions. The basic stance of Fujifilm is to provide guidance and support as required and to work with its suppliers.
In 2006, we prepared a database to monitor the survey results related to the management of chemical content. Going forward, we plan to draw on this database to give greater momentum to our activities. Issues to be addressed next include improvements in the electronic surveillance checklists, expansion of the coverage beyond the current 680 companies, promotion of response measures depending on the results of the surveillance activities, and improvement of our capabilities for surveillance overseas.