Environmental Audit - Toshiba

 

Introduction of Toshiba

Toshiba corporation is a Japanese multinational company, headquartered located in Tokyo, Japan. Toshiba was founded in July 1875 (144 years ago) by Tanaka Seisakusho having a net income of ¥1.01 trillion in the year 2019. Toshiba is listed in Tokyo Stock Exchange. Toshiba Corporation is manufacturer of computers and electronic devices for consumers and industry.

Toshiba is organized into four groupings that is the Digital Products Group, the Electronic Devices Group, the Home Appliances Group and the Social Infrastructure Group. Midea Group, a Chinese company, bought a controlling 80.1% stake in the Toshiba Home Appliances Group of Toshiba.

Toshiba is the ninth largest semi-conductor manufacturer company in the world. Semi-conductor means a material that in some cases will conduct electricity. Good electrical conductors, like copper or silver, easily allow electricity to flow through them.

From the point of view of environmental audit

Toshiba corporation conducting environmental audits for the first time in 1989, as it deals with electronic items. So, there is maximum chances of pollution. Toshiba Group developed a full environmental audit system and has been using the system since Financial Year 1993 to conduct audits based on standards established by the group. From 1989 to 2019, Toshiba Group conduct environment audit in different areas. The audit system originally developed was composed of four categories: 

(1)  Management system audits (environmental promotion systems)

(2)  On-Site audits (levels of compliance with rules regarding environmental facilities)

(3)  Virtual provider edge (VPE) audits (levels of achievement of goals set in the voluntary plan) 

(4)  Technology audits (product environment management system, environmental performance) 

Toshiba Environmental Audits were conducted over two days to check these items during first time. The most unique approach of these categories was on-site audits, reflecting the shop-floor approach.  

On-Site Audit means meeting of the team with the appropriate personnel of the unit to record and documentation review, interview with staff and physical inspection of the facilities.

Specific areas where Toshiba doing Environmental Auditing

 The chairman and president of Toshiba conducted the Environment Auditing in Key group companies (Subsidiaries) having 40 divisions and 80 sites, sites consist of factories and building.

Toshiba Group’s Environment Audit System dividing into three types.

1.)    Environmental Management Audit which covering Key group companies.

2.)    Environmental Technology Audit of Products which covering of 40 division of Toshiba.

3.)    Environmental Audit of sites which covering of 80 sites consist of factory and buildings. Also, Production sites and Non-Production sites that consume large amounts of power.

During Financial Year 2012 to Financial Year 2016, Toshiba evaluated the level of

environmental management based on audit items linked to the goals of the Fifth Environmental Action Plan. The Fifth Environmental Action Plan consist of

 

a)      To maintain the overall quality of life

b)      To maintain continuing access to natural resources 

c)      To avoid lasting environmental damage

d)      To consider as sustainable a development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

e)      Legislation to set environmental standards for company.

 Toshiba Group’s do Environmental Management Audit as a part of Environment Audit in key group companies (Subsidiaries) respectively as follow sector

I.                  Environmental policies and systems

II.               Legal compliance and risk management

III.            Business processes

IV.            Products and services

V.              Information disclosure and communication

Toshiba Group’s do Environmental Technology Audit of Products as a part of Environment

Audit in 40 division respectively as follow sector

I.               Energy Systems

II.            Infrastructure Systems

III.         Storage & Electronic Devices Solutions IV. Retail & Printing Solutions

Objectives to Environmental Auditing in Toshiba

As Toshiba Corporation is manufacturer of computers and electronic devices for consumers and industry. In order to manufacture electronic items, there is lot of uses of plastic and toxic material. So, there is maximum chances of pollution. For following directions Toshiba Corporation do Environmental Auditing.

1.)    Toshiba Corporation do all kinds of environmental audit programmed which is properly designed and implemented in the organization to improve environmental performance.

2.)    Toshiba corporation is regularly monitoring the optimum utilization of the resources to achieve its organization goals and evaluating the Toshiba corporation at national and international level.

3.)    Toshiba corporation as a manufacture of solar panel also using alternative energy with the name of private use solar power demonstration facility.

Conclusion

Thus, I would like to conclude that Environment audit is provide suggestion to company management about how environmental organization system and equipment are performing. Toshiba is the world top leading semi-conductor manufacturer company which release many toxic and harmful material in the environment while manufacturing. So, in order to check the environmental condition in the surrounding, Toshiba do repeatedly Environmental audit and adopting the method to control the pollution in the environment whether it can be air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and noise pollution.

In the last I would like to says that it is not the responsibility of companies or government to check the pollution in the cities. It is the responsibilities of every citizens to control the pollution for better future. 

India is the first country in the world to make environmental audits compulsory. The government of India, show its gazette notification on 13 March 1992, made it mandatory for all industries to provide annual environmental audit reports.