Idemitsu Group has defined its basic stance on quality as follows. “In order to ensure product safety and minimize the impact on people and the environment, we aim to promote quality assurance activities that take into account the entire life cycle of our products and services, from development and consumption to disposal, and strive to improve customer satisfaction and protect consumers.” In addition, the Basic Essential Points on Quality Assurance serve as the highest- level internal regulation on quality, and set forth the following quality assurance policy as the basic concept of quality.
Our business divisions and affiliated companies conduct quality management activities at every stage of their operations, from product development to manufacturing and sales. These activities are intended to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the quality of products and services to meet the needs of customers and society. In addition, each business division and affiliated company has introduced a quality assurance management system to ensure the quality of products and services provided to customers. A total of 37 business units and affiliates in our group have acquired ISO 9001 certification. (As of the end of September, 2020)
In our lubricants departments , we strive to enhance product quality through an ISO 9001-compliant quality assurance management system with the aim of providing a stable supply of products with consistent quality to our customers worldwide. All Idemitsu-owned sites in and outside Japan are ISO 9001-certified. We continually strive to prevent complaints and problems, aiming for zero customer complaints.
The Quality Assurance Headquarters has been established as a corporate quality assurance organization to strengthen the governance of quality throughout our group. The Quality Assurance Headquarters is headed by the executive in charge of quality assurance (Director) appointed by the Board of Directors. Members of the headquarters consist of the heads of quality-related business divisions and the presidents of affiliated companies, with Safety, Environment (HSSE) &Quality Assurance Department serving as its secretariat. The Quality Assurance Headquarters formulates policies for company-wide quality assurance activities and promotes initiatives to address such important issues as the maintenance, review and improvement of the quality assurance management system. Each business division operates its own PDCA cycle in accordance with these policies. As a general rule, the Quality Assurance Headquarters meets once a year to monitor progress in quality assurance activities and determine our basic policies for the next fiscal year. We also conduct regular quality audits to improve the activities of each division.
