Aiming at a Higher Customer Satisfaction Rating by Offering Safe and Quality Products and Services

Aiming at a Higher Customer Satisfaction Rating by Offering Safe and Quality Products and Services

◆ Stringent Quality Control
　As a manufacturer, the most important thing is to ensure the safe and satisfying use of your products. ASICS employs various PL (product liability) inspections that include product safety, application of quality improvement measures, and descriptions on product label and promotional materials. This is done at different points in the processes of product planning, development, design, manufacturing, QA, and shipment, based on the flowchart shown on the right.
◆ Product Description, Labeling, Advertising
　For products offered to a wide range of age groups and products for athletic competitions, it is important to ensure proper use. For this purpose, ASICS tries to use adequate and easy-to-understand expressions in user’s manuals, catalogs, and advertisements by coordinating information among all departments involved, from materials procurement to waste disposal.

　Stricter environmental regulations, such as the REACH Regulation and RoHS Directive in Europe, are being introduced to make environmental programs compulsory, rather than voluntary. As indicated by the moves of China and Korea to pass legislation following Europe’s example, an increased number of countries are introducing and increasing control over hazardous chemical substances. The REACH Regulation is based on the preventive principle, which is the fundamental concept for controlling hazardous chemical substances introduced in the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 adopted at The Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It aims to minimize the impact of chemical substances by 2020 (the first generation objective). In Japan, a similar legislation on examination of and manufacturing regulations for hazardous chemical substances, the Law Concerning Examination and Regulation over Manufacture and Handling of Chemical Substances, has been enforced to expand the application of law to growing, nurturing, and survival of plants and animals, in addition to preventing adverse effects on human health, as recommended by the OECD. ASICS has established the Guideline on Hazardous Chemical Substances, which sets rules for controlling and handling chemical substances contained in our products, based on the ASICS Environmental Policy dated April 1st, 2005, and enforced on October 15th of the same year. This guideline classifies chemical substances into three managerial ranks, namely prohibited substances, restricted substances, and controlled substances, based on regulations and environmental assessments. A set of management rules is defined for each rank to control operation, including those of commissioned manufacturers. In addition, revisions are made to include additional substances as needed to adapt to new regulations and changes in social and managerial environments. We believe that this program provides the core to our environmental preservation activities carried out as our duty as a corporation to minimize impact on the environment, health, and ecosystem.

　Implications of customer complaints for defects are not necessarily limited to a particular product group. Depending on the risk level, certain phenomena may have significant adverse effects on the "management quality" of the entire ASICS Group and result in serious crises in business operation. When there is a defect, whether it’s minor or major, or an accident caused by a defect, or even when there is a slight possibility of one, ASICS puts the priority on the safety of customers and makes every effort to contain the damage or prevent future recurrence. Besides fulfilling the manufacturer's duty, we believe this will minimize any damage to the business related to the defect. ASICS has set up separate communication routes based on its Risk Management Policy to report the occurrence of a defect accurately and promptly to the top management.

　Lots of swimwear (especially for competitions) is made of "polyurethane elastic textile" to improve their fit to the body. This textile performs well but is also a very delicate one that tends to deteriorate due to hydrolysis. Since its durability depends largely on how it is handled, it is very important to provide detailed maintenance information to the customers. ASICS and another three sports wear manufacturers have collaborated to publish Swimwear Guidebook, which explains material properties and how to take care of swimwear, and distributed 800,000 copies through department stores, specialty shops, swimming schools, and consumer information centers throughout Japan. The publication of the guidebook has been recognized by different consumer organizations as a successful case of industry-wide collaboration in relation to customer satisfaction and risk management. We will continue to work on common quality and safety issues in the industry through such collaboration.