At least once a year, OMRON’s ISO 14001-certfied sites (factories) conduct on-site internal audits based on the requirements of ISO standards. In addition, these sites undergo regular external audits by the ISO registration/certification body to ensure the effectiveness and validity of their environmental management systems, while also guaranteeing objectivity in auditing.

For ISO 14001-certified sites in Japan, corporate audits are carried out by qualified auditors once every two or three years. Corporate audits focus on confirming compliance with environmental laws/regulations, supporting each site’s improvement efforts for environmental activities.

Group environmental auditing

In fiscal 2011, corporate audits were conducted at OMRON Switch & Devices Corporation’s Head Office, Kurayoshi Factory, and Izumo Factory, as well as OMRON Laserfront Inc. Implementation of corrective measures has been completed for all discovered problems.

Formerly, corporate audits had included examination of environmental performance and compliance. Since environmental performance monitoring can be covered by ISO 14001 audits for unified EMS certification, OMRON currently focuses solely on environmental compliance from fiscal 2011 onward.

To ensure environmental compliance in overseas production sites, it is important to strictly observe each country’s laws and regulations. In fiscal 2012, measures to respond to environmental laws and regulations will be carried out in China and Asia on a trial basis. Based on the results of the trial, OMRON will decide on measures to take after the following fiscal year.

OMRON's Auditing Scheme and Auditing Items

Internal environmental
auditor training

By fiscal 2011, the OMRON Group has trained 1,165 internal environmental auditors. Training is intended to raise the accuracy of auditing and maintain consistency.

The auditing teams in charge of on-site internal audits undergo pre-auditing training for aligning the standards for pointing out problems. The training also covers key points for achieving accurate, comprehensive audits, aiming to improve auditing skills.