Environmental Management System

- Experience of a
Malaysian company
Sony Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd (SEM) established an environmental committee in 1993 with the mission to help minimise and reduce the environmental impact of SEM's products and manufacturing processes, More importantly, the SEM Environmental Committee is an integral part of the management process of the company.

SEM Environmental Committee continually seeks to enhance the competitive edge of operations through:


The establishment of SEM Environmental Policy

Continual promotion and elevation of environmental awareness. The Environmental Committee has made environmental training one of its top priority through the development of rigorous training programmes. To date, we have developed a wide range of training programmes from basic awareness courses to specific ISO 14001 and environmental auditing programmes.

Providing of support to the establishment of Environmental Management System (EMS) and to assist Sony companies throughout Malaysia to achieve ISO 14001 certification.

Providing of technical support and consultancy services to the manufacturing facilities like waste minimisation, product design, etc.

Fostering of closer relationship with government bodies such as the Ministry of Science, Technology, and the Environment, SIRIM Berhad and Department of Environment (DOE).
In SEM, we believe that environmental management is a new and alternative approach to business. Why do we make such a statement?

Firstly, we strongly believe that having good environmental management will help us to gain better acceptability in the export market. SEM is an international company and most of our manufactured products are sold in the Western market where environmental concerns are far more advanced than in Asia.

Therefore, to achieve this SEM will have to:


Establish proper environmental management systems in all our facilities

Attain the ISO 14001 certification to demonstrate our commitment to continually improve our management system and with the ultimate goal of improving our environmental performance

Be attentive of and understand the laws and regulations of the countries we export to through monitoring of programmes and updates from our affiliates in these countries
Secondly, SEM's business relies completely on customers. Today, we are living in the age of Green Consumerism where our customers are more aware of environmental issues. Therefore, SEM must embark on programmes to further enhance customer confidence in our products through:


Development of Product Stewardship programmes such as:

Product labelling to better inform our customers of the environmental performances or uniqueness of our products

Product take back programmes at the end of the product's life, so that we can recycle or reuse the parts instead of them finding their way to landfills

Smarter ways of using our natural resources like using more of our recycled materials in our products, etc.
Thirdly, we would like to further enhance the Sony name to the public. We believe we can further enhance the Sony name by:


Demonstrating our leadership in the environmental field by chartering new environmental achievements

Being a good corporate citizen wherever in the world we operate by fostering greater trust in community
Till today, we are still being asked why does a company like SEM need environmental management at all? People always assume that we just do assembly operations, not water and energy or chemical intensive operations like DOW, DuPoint, Shell and ESSO. We always say that environmental management makes good business sense. It provides us opportunity to identify areas where we can improve our performance as well as to reduce costs. To date, we have seen positive results in our plant.

We also feel that having proper environmental management programmes will help us to avoid unnecessary trade complications as we would be well prepared for any surprises that may come our way like new environmental laws in Europe or USA, that could effect the way we manufacture our products.

Fourthly, there are always difficult moments in the areas of implementing environmental issues, especially in the areas of knowledge and awareness. Knowledge and awareness calls for basic requirements and understanding of the need for environmental promotion carried out plant wide, from the very top management right through the staff Organisation. With a population of employees like Sony Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd, the trigger point of environmental knowledge and awareness is definitely erupted from the Environmental Management System Committee itself. Information sources collected from Governmental and Non-Governmental organisations, posters, banners, education seminars and environmental literature, are a great asset when required to follow and spread these environmental knowledge plant-wide, creating awareness among all. On the whole the ISO specification and top management commitment to fulfil the requirements, has become a stronghold to continuously make the spread of environmental participation possible.

Today, the Malaysian industries are faced with more environmental pressures:


Government's introduction of newer and tougher environmental regulations

Investors and financial institutions today are very interested in the environmental performance of a company before carrying out any transactions.

Employees are more aware of environmental issues now than they were a few years ago, and they want to know if they are working in a company that is environmentally safe

Public has the right to know about our environmental performance and how our operations affect their livelihood

Business community and our corporate customers in the US and Europe want to know if our products are manufactured with environmentally sound practices

Media reports on our unfortunate environmental problems, no matter how small, will affect our company's image

Our greener competitors will put pressure on us to achieve better environmental performance
In 1993, Sony Corporate headquarters announced the Global Environmental Policy. This policy is applicable to all Sony companies world-wide which is endorsed by our company's President, Mr Nobuyuki Idei. The policy says:

"Sony recognises that global environmental conservation is one of the most important issues that the world faces. Sony therefore gives environmental conservation full consideration in every aspect of its operations."

In Asia, environmental activities and programmes formally began in 1993 with the formation of the Asia Environmental Office as the body that overlooks the environmental issues of Sony, in Asia. Within each Sony company in Asia, manufacturing or non- manufacturing, environmental committees were established to organise and implement environmental action plans for their respective companies. Top management support is the most important link to the success of a company's Environmental Management Programme. In SEM, the Managing Director is directly in-charge and involved in the Environmental Planning process.

In each country, Sony has also appointed a country environmental chairman, who is usually the most senior Managing Director in that particular country. The role of the country chairman is to oversee the environmental programmes and progress of all Sony companies in his respective country. In Malaysia, SEM is honoured that our Managing Director, Mr T.Tokita, is appointed as the Country Environmental Chairman.

The three years of active environmental activities have produced some significant environmental results for SEM. Some of the significant achievements are:


SEM is in the process of eliminating the use of toxic substances in our manufacturing process by substituting it with less toxic substances

SEM has implemented recycling programmes to recycle all our packaging materials with our vendors

SEM is continuously phasing out the usage of expanded polystyrene as packaging materials. Some of the alternative packaging materials are using corrugated boards and other recycled materials

SEM is in the process of (-Iiminating the use of toxic substances in our manufacturing process by substituting it with less toxic substances

SEM is in the process of switching to energy efficient lighting system such as electronic ballast and reflectors. The savings in our energy bills have been very encouraging
Today, Sony places great emphasis on the development of proper Environmental Management System (EMS), as required by all Sony manufacturing plants world- wide, where EMS must be established and ISO 14001 certification achieved. This requirement is spelt out in Sony Corporation's ISO 14000 policy, which states very clearly that all manufacturing facilities world-wide must achieve ISO 14001 certification by fiscal year 1997 and all non-manufacturing companies by fiscal year 2000.

From 28 to 30 October 1996, SEM had completed the Environmental Compliance Audit with SIRIM and was officially awarded the ISO 14001 certification on Manufacturing of Audio Products on the 17 December 1996. Thus, making SEM the first company to obtain this certification in Malaysia and meeting Sony Corporation's ISO 14001 policy target.

Lastly, SEM as the pioneer in the area of environmental management for manufacturing products is committed in providing environmental conservation full consideration in every aspect of our operation. SEM will continue to be proactive in areas of environmental management by having environmental management programmes as a natural part of our management process.