Product Quality and Safety

Basic Approach

The Sumitomo Heavy Industries Groupʼs mission is to contribute to the development of society by providing first-rate products and services. We believe that earning the long-term trust of customers around the world will lead to our sustainable development and enhance our corporate value, while enabling us to meet the expectations of all stakeholders.
In order to continue providing high-quality products and services that customers can use with satisfaction and confidence across various industries, we have built quality assurance systems suitable for each product and adhere to the processes defined within these systems, while striving to pursue continual quality improvement.

Quality Principles and Policy

SHI Group Quality Policy

Quality Principles: Through the continuous and unwavering pursuit of world class quality that is recognized globally, we will supply customers with products and services that they recognize as adding value to their business.

Quality Policy

Customer First:
Define quality targets based on the expectations of the customer
Continuous Progress:
Continuously advance the quality system and incorporate quality with a process mindset
Everyone Participates :
Every person involved in quality sets an objective and tackles quality issues head on as a team

Quality Assurance System and Quality & Safety Governance

We have established a system of management oversight in which critical quality and safety nonconformities and customer complaints, as well as risks of legal and regulatory violations, are reported to the appropriate bodies according to the significance of each matter.
To ensure independence of the quality assurance function, quality assurance departments directly report to the head of each Strategic Business Unit (SBU) and the presidents of our subsidiaries and affiliates. In addition, these quality assurance activities are overseen group-wide by the Corporate Quality Group from the perspectives of management quality and the quality of products and services.
Risks of legal and regulatory violations and important compliance matters are monitored through the Compliance Committee and reported regularly—at least twice a year—to the Board of Directors. In addition, critical quality and safety matters are promptly reported to the management through the responsible SBU, subsidiary, or affiliate, and information sharing and supervision are conducted by the Board of Directors, as needed.

Initiatives to Improve Quality

Process Review: We conduct Process Reviews in which segment heads visit the manufacturing sites of SBUs and affiliated companies within their respective segments to review business processes.
Beginning with assessments of manufacturing sites and focusing primarily on quality and manufacturing issues, segment heads engage in in-depth discussions with the relevant business heads on process issues and areas for improvement, thereby promoting continual improvement.

Quality Assurance Department Managers Meeting: Organized by the Corporate Quality Group, this meeting brings together the heads of quality assurance departments from SBUs and affiliated companies to share quality improvement initiatives, policies, and best practices, fostering mutual learning and strengthening organizational capabilities.
Participants continue to engage in multifaceted discussions on the theme of “shifting from strengthening recurrence prevention activities to preventing problems before they occur.”

QMS (Quality Management System) Audits: The Corporate Quality Group conducts annual QMS audits to confirm the effectiveness of our quality assurance systems. We handle a diverse range of products and have established quality assurance systems tailored to the business characteristics and scale of each SBU and product category. We verify the effectiveness of each quality assurance system by reviewing the processes used to implement quality improvement activities.
We also exchange quality-related information monthly, continuously monitor customer satisfaction indicators (KPIs) to assess customer relationships from a quality perspective, and regularly discuss opportunities for improvement.
ISO 9001 certification rate: 96% of our major manufacturing business divisions (as of the end of FY2025)

Strengthening Process Improvement through Quality Education and the Introduction of Six Sigma: We regard product safety and ensuring quality as important issues that require a high level of awareness among all employees. Accordingly, we provide all new employees, including new graduate and mid-career hires, with training on fundamental quality concepts upon joining us.
We have also adopted Six Sigma, an internationally recognized process improvement methodology, as our common approach to quality improvement and have continuously provided practical training in process improvement since FY1999.
To strengthen our processes, we develop and assign Master Black Belts, who oversee process improvement at SBUs and affiliated companies; Black Belts, who provide guidance on solving advanced and complex problems; and Green Belts, who lead projects to solve workplace issues.
As of the end of FY2025, 2,630 employees were certified as Green Belts and 211 as Black Belts.

Ensuring Quality Compliance: Our Compliance Manual, which sets out the laws and regulations that the officers and employees of our group must observe as well as specific standards of conduct, includes a section entitled “Prohibition of Improper Conduct in Quality Control.” Through this provision, we work to ensure thorough quality compliance throughout our organization.
To prevent the recurrence of improper conduct in quality control that occurred in the past, we also continue to strengthen our quality control processes and quality audit systems, while enhancing compliance awareness through education and training.

Promotion of Product Security Activities: We strive to improve product quality in accordance with the following policy.

Product Security Policy

The Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. Group (hereinafter referred to as “the SHI Group”) recognizes that ensuring the security of its products and services is a critical management priority, directly linked to reducing customer risk and ensuring safety. To enable customers to use its products and services with confidence, the SHI Group is committed to implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving the following initiatives.

Compliance with Laws and Regulations: All executives and employees shall comply with applicable laws, regulations, contractual obligations, and other relevant requirements related to product security.

Establishment of a Product Security Management Framework: The SHI Group shall establish and maintain a management framework to effectively promote and oversee product security initiatives.

Implementation of Product Security Measures: To prevent or minimize damage caused by unauthorized access or other threats to the confidentiality, integrity, availability, and other critical attributes of its products and services, the SHI Group shall implement security measures throughout the product lifecycle. These include embedding security into the design and development phases, providing vulnerability information related to its products and services, and conducting regular security assessments as appropriate.

Incident Response: In the event of a product security incident, the SHI Group shall promptly notify customers and relevant stakeholders of appropriate countermeasures through suitable communication channels. Subsequently, root cause analysis and corrective actions shall be undertaken to prevent recurrence.

Education and Training: The SHI Group shall provide product security education and training to executives, employees, and, as appropriate, business partners, to foster continuous improvement in product security awareness and practices.

Reporting Flow for Product-Related Incidents

In the event of a serious accident, such as a fire or personal injury caused by a product supplied by the Group, we report the matter in accordance with the Sumitomo Heavy Industries Group Emergency Contact Guidelines to ensure prompt communication with top management, accurate information gathering, and swift and appropriate action.

*This includes the Sumitomo Heavy Industries Head Office, works, branches, SBUs, subsidiaries, and affiliates