Environmental Management
Honda has developed an institutional framework to put into practice the principles of environmental conservation as defined in the Honda Environment Statement. Honda's environmental management system, which mandates that environmental conservation initiatives be planned and executed appropriately, is described here.
Policy
Environmental Preservation Based on the PDCA Cycle
Based on mid-term policies determined by the Executive Council, environmental action plans are developed by individual departments. These plans are then discussed and approved by Regional Environmental Committees. Next, individual departments take responsibility for implementation based on the commitments specified in their plans. Results are evaluated by Regional Environmental Committees, and on the basis of their guidance, plans and targets are developed in each region (Japan, North America, South America, Europe/Middle East/Africa, Asia/Oceania, and China) completing the PDCA* cycle at the regional level. Issues considered to be global in scope are referred to the World Environmental Committee, whose deliberations are reflected in mid-term policy statements.
A hallmark of Honda environmental initiatives is that planning and execution are not delegated to specialists; rather, associates in all departments are involved directly. All associates are engaged with environmental issues as part of their duties.
* PDCA: Plan, Do, Check, Act
Organization
In December 1991 Honda created what is now the Japan Environmental Committee to play a central role in addressing environmental issues in Japan. Subsequently, the organizational framework was extended to North America, South America, Europe/Middle East/Africa, Asia/Oceania and China. In March 1995 the World Environmental Committee was established to frame and promote global plans. Efficiently focusing on issues common to the global organization, the company initiated the Green Factory project*1 in 1997 and the LCA Project in 2000. The Green Factory Promotion Center*2 was established in 2004 to intensify environmental initiatives in the production domain and advance the Green Factory initiative.
*1. The Green Factory project was initiated to promote manufacturing appropriate to a recycling-based society. In the context of the current Green Factory initiative, energy conservation and waste reduction measures are being implemented at Honda factories worldwide.
*2. The Green Factory Promotion Center oversees environmental initiatives in the production domain, supervising and coordinating environmental measures implemented at Honda factories. The center serves as a secretariat for internal environmental audits conducted by Honda factories and monitors the administration of environmental management throughout the organization.
Global Environmental Preservation Organization
