Hitachi Cable Group strives to fulfill its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), which is the basis for its business activities, in environmental protection as well as other areas. For purposes of environmental protection, use of hazardous substances in products is becoming significantly restricted or prohibited. In order to meet this trend, Hitachi Cable Group has developed a New Green Procurement Standard and determined to push forward with its penetration among the approximately 1,000 business partners of Hitachi Cable, Ltd. and its associated companies in Japan.

The New Green Procurement Standard applies to 29 chemical substances specified in the JGPSSI (Note 3), including 6 chemical substances (Note 2) specified in the RoHS directive (Note 1). With the aim of constructing a database of chemical substances contained in several tens of thousands of its products and purchased raw materials and components by the end of this year, Hitachi Cable Group will request its partners to submit a certificate of nonuse of the 15 substances designated JGPSSI Level A (Note 4), and an information sheet on the use of 29 other substances, and as necessary it shall analyze supplied materials and conduct process inspections of its partners. This database will improve the reliability of the management of chemical substances contained in Hitachi Cable Group?s products, aid in the selection of appropriate, environmentally sound components and materials in the development of new products, and expedite responses to customers? requests for surveys of chemical substances contained in its products, the number of which at present reaches 1,000 to 1,500 a month.

Hitachi Cable Group is aggressively working to promote environmental protection through the introduction of environmental accounting, acquisition of ISO 14000 series certification, eco-friendly products such as ?ECOGREEN (R)? (environmentally friendly wire and cable), recycling of waste wires and cables, and enforcement of compliance with laws and regulates.

(Note 1) JGPSSI (Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative)
An association whose aim is to reduce the amount of work necessary for the surveys associated with Green Procurement and enhancing the quality of survey information by standardizing the list of target substances and the format of the survey sheet.

(Note 2) 6 substances specified in the RoHS directive Lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybromobiphenyl, and polybromodiphenyl ether.

(Note 3) RoHS (Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
Restrictions on the use of certain hazardous substances contained in about 70 items of electrical and electronic equipment that is currently enforced in 15 EU (European Union)-member countries.

(Note 4) 15 substances designated as JGPSSI Level A
Cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, TBTO, TBT/TPT, polybromobiphenyl, polybromodiphenyl ether, PCB, polychlorinated naphthalene, short-chain paraffin chloride, asbestos, azo dyes and pigments, ozone-depleting substances, and radioactive substances.

[For more information, please contact:]
Planning & BPR Promotion Group, Procurement Center, Business Support Group 03-5252-3277
Environment & Disaster Prevention Group 03-5252-3293