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Communication with our business partners

We ask our business partners to understand the azbil Group Basic Policy on Procurement and to agree to a basic transaction agreement that stipulates environmental conservation activiy. We have sent a copy of our policy to about 300 subcontractors and 700 business partners who regularly make large purchases to ensure that they are fully aware of it. The entire supply chain is involved in purchasing that considers corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Due diligence on new business partners

At the start of a new transaction with a new business partner, we issue a questionnaire to them on management, financial evaluation, quality and CMS audits, and preservation of the environment1 to assess whether or not we can do business with them. In addition, when selecting business partners, we conduct risk assessments of social and environmental aspects, such as human rights, health, and safety, based on our CSR Procurement Guidelines. Specifically, we conduct risk assessments using supplier self-evaluation questionnaires and other means. If the results do not meet certain standards but we determine that improvements can be made, we encourage corrective action and strive to ensure fair and appropriate procurement.

1. Specifically, we check environmental management philosophy and environmental policy, ISO14001 certification, training for employees, and establishment of an environmental management system.

Engagement with business partners

We conduct onsite surveys of suppliers and certify them as subcontractors when conditions are met. We issue an annual questionaire on preservation of the environment, and an onsite information security and safety audit every two years for about 300 subcontractors, recommend corrective action as needed to business partners, and confirm that corrective action has been taken. In addition, we provide our subcontractors with training on air conditioning basics and adjustment techniques with the aim of improving their productivity and profitability, which in turn will lead to the correction or elimination of issues related to the safety, health, working conditions, and human rights of business partners’ workers. In factory purchasing, we provide guidance when quality is non-conforming or when the results of audit of the management system for chemical substances in products indicate that improvements are necessary.

Capacity Development for Our Business Partners

1. Activities through FY2022
   The azbil Group companies have conducted training and education for our business partners using the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines, which outline the necessary initiatives for our business partners to address environmental issues such as climate change, pollution, and resource management, as well as social issues including respect for human rights. During this briefing, we explain our environmentally conscious business activities and human rights initiatives, while also conveying our expectations regarding human rights.
2. Activities for FY2023
   During visits to 50 of our business partners, we also conducted capacity building activities, including sharing best practices. Through this round of our business partners interviews, we discovered that many business partners find it difficult to develop their own environmental and social initiatives and wish to learn about examples of such efforts from peers in the same industry and of similar scale. Therefore, we have compiled a list of the case studies gathered during these interviews and provided feedback to all interviewed business partners. This list serves as a reference for each partner company when considering the implementation of measures. Since these are initiatives actually being implemented by azbil Group's business partners, they are highly relevant to our partners.
   Demonstrating how many partners are engaged in these efforts serves as a barometer of the initiatives' difficulty level, thereby supporting our partners' voluntary participation.
3. Activities for FY2024
   Considering external requests and industry standards and trends, we added new items to be addressed in the ethical and risk management field to the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines and conducted an online briefing session. This briefing served as an educational session for our business partners, covering not only the guideline content and initiatives we request from them, but also the background behind the guideline revision. It included explanations of the latest trends in SDGs and ESG, as well as the status of sustainable procurement activities within the azbil Group. To facilitate concrete action by our partners, we referenced underlying regulations and specific implementation examples while requesting their cooperation.

In addition to the above, we gather partner companies for service and construction work for monthly safety and health council meetings. During these meetings, we share best practices among partner companies by conducting safety patrol reports and implementing safety awareness and education activities.

azbil Group Sustainable Procurement Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (September 2025 Edition)

English (166KB)

The azbil Group conducts an annual questionnaire with our business partners based on the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines. We promote sustainable initiatives by collaborating on improvement activities, considering the self-assessment results of our business partners.
If you would like to view the questionnaire content, you can download it from here.