Updated on May 29, 2026 Quality Management

　The quality assurance activities of the Kuraray Group include 1) systematized activities with ISO as a basis, 2) those carried out by respective business divisions and departments on their own (flexibly), and 3) those carried out jointly by the Corporate Sustainability Division and respective business divisions.
　With regard to ISO 9001, which serves as a foundational structure for our Quality Management System (QMS), certifications are primarily obtained by each production site, which develops a framework for quality assurance based on ISO 9001 and carries out quality management and quality assurance activities on a daily basis.
　We have also obtained certifications for ISO13485 (QMS standard for medical devices), IATF16949 (QMS standard for the automobile industry), and others, depending on our businesses.
　Quality improvement activities carried out by each business division or department include Soushin Katsudo (innovation activities) conducted by each division at each production site. Good practices for quality improvement activities are shared through in-house reporting meetings, quality conferences, and quality reporting meetings at internal companies and divisions.

　In addition to these activities undertaken by each business division or each department, we have initiatives in place that aim to upgrade quality management for the entire Group with the collaboration of the Corporate Sustainability Division and respective business divisions. Since 2020, we have been promoting the introduction of our Quality Management System (to ensure reliable storage and traceability of quality data, enhance the visualization of quality information, enable direct data capture from analytical instruments, and integrate with core enterprise systems) to standardize the quality management workflow and prevent human errors such as typographical errors. We have started operation at several business units globally. We will continue to promote the global implementation of our Quality Management System and further enhance our Quality Management practices.
　We believe that it will become increasingly important to ensure the quality assurance spanning the entire value chain, from the purchase of raw materials to the manufacture of products and their consumption in the future. Aiming to further enhance the reliability of our product and service quality for customers through the participation of all employees involved in business activities, we will continue to provide products and services through these activities in 2025 that achieve greater customer satisfaction.

　The Kuraray Group publishes the Kuraray Group Quality Handbook for our employees, which outlines the Group’s approach to quality. This Quality Handbook prescribes the following five basic key items commonly applied to all members working for the Kuraray Group:

　Employees receive basic education on the Quality Handbook in an e-learning format. Through this type of basic education, we are committed to anchor awareness in employees that each of them plays an important role in customer satisfaction. 

　At the same time, as a more practical form of education, we focus on in-house seminars aimed at enhancing the capabilities of both managers and staff responsible for quality assurance. In 2025, we held an in-house seminar in which an outside presenter spoke about the theme of “How to Promote Effective Outsourcing Management.” In addition to those in charge of quality assurance and quality control as well as production, sales, and development departments also attended the seminar. We will continue our activities to improve the quality awareness of all Kuraray Group members.

　Within the Kuraray Group, information on quality complaints received from customers is managed by its divisions, so responses to customers can be made promptly and action taken swiftly to prevent recurrence of the same flaws. However, Group-wide response schemes for material complaints and claims are prescribed by the Rules-on Product Liability (PL)-related Accident Response and Quality Complaint Report.

　On the occurrence of a material product accident, the Corporate Sustainability Division will submit a situation report to the management and an administrative agency set forth by law, while establishing the Corporate Emergency Headquarters to take prompt and appropriate action from the customer’s point of view. Moreover, a mechanism to take corrective actions to clarify the cause and prevent recurrence has been established not only for a material product accident which requires an emergency arrangement but also general accidents.