CSR Plan / Assessment
Third-Party Assessment
This commentary has been written on the basis of the contents of this CSR Report and interviews with Alpine employees from Environmental Protection, Personnel Affairs, and CSR.
I can say with confidence that Alpine has effectively begun the PDCA management cycle for fundamental CSR programs such as reducing environmental stress.
Points that should be rated highly
Alpine deserves high ratings for its progress in developing lightweight products, substantially reducing the number of handouts at events, and limiting the production of waste materials. The company has also implemented Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for some products; we hope the target number of products will increase in the future. We also strongly hope the company will continue to promote reductions in environmental impact by people using Alpine products, through such means as developing lower-power-consumption products and developing equipment that boosts car fuel economy.
The company also deserves credit for establishing "Eco Car Priority" zones in company parking lots. We look forward to the company granting parking privileges in these zones to people designated as "Environmental Leaders." This would include people who attend Eco and Safety driving classes, practice ecological and safe driving methods, or who won awards for energy-saving ideas.
Points that are in progress but require further effort
The company deserves high ratings for establishing key words that express clear-cut action principles in environmental policies -- for example, fast, light and visible. However, work sites gave the overall impression that substantial reductions in environmental impact were mainly a result of facility upgrades rather than the accumulated efforts of individual employees. Looking ahead, we hope the company will: (1) clearly specify the business goals of every department and each individual employee through key words such as fast, light and visible, (2) publicize a number of successful case examples through press releases and the company website, and (3) encourage greater effort at the factory level.
Efforts to develop human resources both in Japan and abroad, including the International Service Personnel System by means of which employees at overseas subsidiaries are given temporary assignments at the Head Office in Japan for a duration of three years should be highly rated. Continuing on from last year, it is expected that the portfolio of human resources within the group be based on a long-term plan, so as to facilitate recruitment and development of talents with diverse profiles from around the globe.
Points where further efforts are expected
We hope the company will provide more accurate, detailed data on the Group as a whole with regard to the editing principles and posted website content. While the company submits environmental performance data for all major business sites, it provides only a few examples of its efforts in social issues and other areas. Quick improvement is expected in this area. This would have the added benefit of making it easier for operating divisions and business sites to share information.
Concerning the Corporate Social Responsibilities of suppliers, we believe Alpine should not only encourage suppliers to reduce environmental impact, but also fully explain the need to respect and support the basic human rights of their employees. To help with this effort, we will continue to strongly recommend that Alpine adopt a checklist system that makes it easy to visually track the efforts of suppliers on issues related to environmental protection and human rights. We also recommend undertaking such efforts as sharing case studies, presenting awards, and establishing a system for solving problems through closer communication.
In order to further promote employment of the disabled, additional efforts are needed to learn from others' practices and develop job categories for them, with a view towards meeting the legal employment ratio as soon as possible.
International Institute for Human,
Organization and the Earth (IIHOE)
CEO Hideto Kawakita 
IIHOE is a non-profit organization established in 1994 with the goal of achieving "democratic and harmonious development of each and every life on Earth." In addition to offering management support for civic groups and social workers, Mr. Kawakita is involved in CSR support for many leading companies.
http://blog.canpan.info/iihoe/
（Japanese language only）
In our 2008 CSR Report, we requested a third-party assessment of our efforts from Mr. Hideto Kawakita, CEO of IIHOE (International Institute for Human Organization and the Earth).
The following is a report on Alpine's progress in response to last year's recommendations.
| Contents of Recommendations | 2008 Efforts and Future Actions |
|---|---|
Points that require further effort |
|
While the fact that surplus molds (runners), which are produced as a result of parts molding, are used as a material for jigs and tools for production should be rated highly, it is also expected that production lines be redesigned so that little surplus is produced. |
We will continue to make improvements in the use of surplus molds (runners). Also, beginning right at the process design stage, we will focus efforts on creating a production plan that reduces surplus production to an absolute minimum. |
Your efforts to develop human resources both in Japan and abroad, including the International Service Personnel System by means of which employees at overseas subsidiaries are given temporary assignments at the Head Office in Japan, should be highly rated. In the future, it is expected that the portfolio of human resources within the group be based on a long-term plan, so as to facilitate recruitment and development of talents with diverse profiles from around the globe. |
We will continue to make plans to upgrade our recruitment and development system based on the long-term portfolio of human resources through in-house conferences. We will further strengthen links between local and international head offices, and we will enhance our employment and human resource system by ensuring that we provide proper personnel training and utilize employees appropriately. |
Points where further efforts are expected |
|
It is expected that more detailed data on group companies in Japan and overseas will be included to provide a more accurate description of what the Alpine group is doing. Scarcity of data and its inclusion can mean that not much is being done to monitor the realities and promote related programs. You are encouraged to become strongly aware of this, and improve this situation as soon as possible. |
To improve the accuracy of our report documentation as a Group, we have worked to provide environmental performance data for each Group company and to disclose the results of Group activities. We also worked to introduce Group company activities to the fullest extent possible this fiscal year, but we realize that we fell short of our goal. We will strengthen these efforts. |
Concerning CSR at suppliers, not only the reduction of environmental impact, but also more comprehensive accounts are desired concerning what suppliers do to respect the human rights of their workers, so that they will be encouraged to take more concrete actions. It is also expected that suppliers' efforts and issues in the areas of environmental protection and human rights will be visualized, so that best practices may be shared and commended, and problems may be solved through closer communication. |
With regard to our suppliers, we have conveyed to them the importance of undertaking CSR efforts in accordance with advances in the supply chain, and recommended that they set standards and hold explanatory workshops. We will make it a point to encourage suppliers to strengthen their efforts in both environmental protection and human rights. |
In order to further promote employment of the disabled, more additional efforts are needed to learn from others' practices and develop job categories for them, with a view towards meeting the legal employment ratio as soon as possible. |
To promote greater employment of the disabled, Group companies in Japan set goals in the first half of the previous fiscal year and took part in regional meetings aimed at expanding job opportunities and developing work sites. We will continue researching ways to expand job opportunities and develop work sites, including by studying cases from other companies. |
