Environmental Activities of the Hitachi Cable Group

Two events-a natural disaster and a man-made environmental catastrophe-occurred simultaneously in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. With radioactive contamination spread over a broad region, the aftermath of the twin disasters has created signifi cant problems in the area of environmental conservation. With this knowledge, the Hitachi Cable Group has renewed its determination to tackle environmental conservation more sincerely than ever before.

The Hitachi Cable Group Corporate Behavior Standards stipulate the missions and roles that the Group and its members must fulfi ll. In line with these standards, we formulated the Hitachi Cable Group's Action Guidelines for Environmental Protection in 1993 and have accordingly promoted activities to protect the environment. In 2005, we added to the guidelines a new clause clarifying our stance regarding stakeholder engagement and renamed the guidelines the Hitachi Cable Group's Action Guidelines for Environmental Conservation. In 2011, we again amended the guidelines, newly providing for ecosystem protection in business activities. Meanwhile, in 2006, we formulated the Hitachi Cable Group CSR Policy, which clarifi ed the Group's social responsibility.
In line with these policies, we have established the Environmental Action Plan, with particular focus placed on the four areas of: (1) balancing production activities with environmental conservation considerations; (2) creating products that help reduce environmental burdens; (3) promoting environmental management and an environmental mind-set; and (4) facilitating environmental collaboration with stakeholders. Underpinned by this plan, we are promoting environmental conservation activities.

Purpose

In order to realize an environmentally harmonious and sustainable society through products and services, the Hitachi Cable Group is committed to meeting its social responsibilities by promoting globally-applicable "MONOZUKURI" (designing, manufacturing or repairing of products), which is aimed at reducing environmental burdens of products throughout their entire life cycles, ensuring environmental conservation.

Hitachi Cable Group's Action Guidelines for Environmental Conservation

1.	Global environmental conservation is a critical challenge shared by all humans. We are committed, therefore, to fulfilling our responsibilities by assisting in the realization of an environmentally harmonious and sustainable society as one of our management priorities.
2.	We will make efforts to contribute to society by developing highly reliable technologies and production processes, while identifying needs considering concerns related to the prevention of global warming, conservation of resources, and preservation of ecosystem.
3.	Members of the board in charge of environmental conservation are responsible for facilitating appropriate environmental conservation activities. Departments responsible for environmental conservation should endeavor to promote and ensure environmental conservation activities, including improving environment-related rules and regulations and setting goals for environmental burden reduction. These departments should also confi rm that their environmental conservation activities are conducted in a proper manner and ensure that these activities are maintained and improved.
4.	We will promote globally-applicable 'MONOZUKURI' with the aim of understanding and reducing environmental burdens at every stage, including product research and development, design, production, distribution, sales, usage, and fi nal disposal.
5.	We will investigate and review the environmental impact caused in the course of our MONOZUKURI processes. Hitachi Cable will also introduce excellent technologies and materials useful to safeguard the environment, in other words, to reduce environmental burdens through energy and resource saving, recycling, chemical substance management, consideration for the ecosystem, and other measures.
6.	Our environmental conservation efforts are not only to be focused on observing international environmental regulations and those of national and local governments, but also on conserving the environment by implementing voluntary environmental standards when necessary.
7.	Regarding globally-applicable 'MONOZUKURI' activities, impact on the local environment and community are to be considered. In addition, measures that meet local communities' requests should be implemented.
8.	We will educate our employees to take action in order to obey environment-related laws, raise their global environmental awareness, and encourage their interest in environmental conservation having wide-view about society activities.
9.	We will evaluate potential environmental problems and prevent them from occurring. In the event that any environmental problem occurs, Hitachi Cable will take appropriate measures to minimize the environmental burden.
10.	We will make efforts to disclose information on our environmental conservation activities to our relevant stakeholders. We will also actively communicate with these stakeholders so as to strengthen mutual understanding and forge cooperative relationships with them.
	Amended March 2011