Quality and Safety

Quality Assurance Activities Conducted throughout the Entire Value Chain

To embody one of the Company Mottos, “Quality and Uniformity,” the TOTO Group has established and operates a management system based on ISO 9001 standards. The Group’s quality assurance activities go beyond merely preventing defective products from entering the market. Their objectives are to identify risks and opportunities throughout the entire value chain and continuously improve customer satisfaction (CS). With regard to product safety, in particular, we have established the Basic Policy for Voluntary Action Plans on Product Safety and apply our own safety standards, which exceed the risk levels deemed acceptable by society, to products. The activities are reported to management through quarterly management reviews, which are used to optimize resource allocation and continuously improve the system.

･Collection and Management of Market Information

At the heart of TOTO’s “Quality Built-in” is a Design Review system (DR1 to DR5) that is incorporated into every development phase, from product planning to mass production. Since issues discovered late in the development process can have a significant impact, we rigorously apply a "Front loading " to prevent this, identifying and addressing all potential risks in the early stages. This approach employs strict "Stage-Gate Process", meaning product development does not proceed to the next stage unless the product receives a “pass” judgement at each stage of development. The process includes defining requirements based on market information analysis, design calculations, simulations, and rigorous verification using prototypes. This ensures conformity assurance based on scientific grounds.

1. Sharing design know-how and examples of failure

   2. Establishing and revising our own standards for safety and other elements

   3. Sharing information on how and in what environments our plumbing products are used
   
   

･Product Design and Development Initiatives

In the design and development phase, we conduct TOTO’s unique and advanced Product Safety Review (PSR) and Specialized Technical Review throughout the company, in addition to the standard QMS. Specifically, we make it mandatory to conduct a PSR with the participation of product safety experts to identify hazards and verify risk mitigation measures for each phase from DR2 to DR5. Furthermore, for fields requiring advanced, specialized knowledge, such as polymer materials, metals, and electrical equipment, we conduct technical reviews by the relevant specialized technology review control divisions in each field to verify the validity of material degradation characteristics and others. We utilize the Major Defect Recurrence Prevention List, a database of past major quality incidents, to assess the degree of correlation between external burden (Stress) and product resilience (Strength) from the perspective of the Stress-Strength Model (SSM). Additionally, based on scientific grounds and by identifying the product’s performance limits through accelerated and destructive testing, we have established a reliable safety design that prevents unsafe events (e.g., fires, electric shocks, injuries, and floods) even in harsh operating environments in the marketplace.

･Production Initiatives

The manufacturing processes ( production stages) are the phases in which we realize stable quality. Here, we place importance not only on ensuring the acceptance quality of materials and outsourced goods but also on the design and verification of the manufacturing process itself. In the mass production prototyping phase (DR5), we conduct the Quality Built-in procedure by performing risk analyses, such as process FMEA, to predict abnormalities in the manufacturing processes and by reducing operator-dependent tasks through the introduction of mechanical methods (e.g., QR code verification, image processing, and weight measurement). Through initial flow management after the start of production, we ensure that products entering the market stably meet design quality standards.

･Education on quality control and product safety
In addition to implementing the requirements of ISO9001, we are also taking the following steps. To improve the skills of our engineers, who are the key to the quality of our products, we provide technical education for research, development, and technology-related departments. In addition, as part of our Quality Month initiative every November, we provide education on product safety and quality enhancement under the policy that "Provide good products is of utmost importance."

In order to offer products and services that satisfy customers, we strive to maintain and improve their quality in collaboration with business partners such as materials and components suppliers, logistics operators, dealers, and constructors.

･Purchasing Initiatives

When starting transactions with new suppliers, the TOTO Group conducts on-site audits of those suppliers based on a comprehensive evaluation, including quality. For Ongoing transaction suppliers, after selecting the target, we conduct evaluations on quality and other items every year, and then provide them with the results. In regards to transactions, we clarify our requests and actions regarding quality assurance, and then offer guidance and training to suppliers who we believe need to improve their quality management levels in an effort to ensure and enhance quality. We explain the TOTO Group's policies to Key suppliers, share production information, and give out awards and letters of thanks to suppliers who help enhance quality.

･Logistics Initiatives

･Sales, Installation and After-sales Initiatives Services

For products that require special expertise in installation, we conduct a program that recognizes constructors which have received the proper training or have passed installation exams.

In addition, for business users involved in construction and plumbing, we provide information on products, repairs, installation, seminars, and more through our dedicated website, striving to ensure and improve the quality of our products and services.

In the event that we learn about accidents or a sign of accidents caused by our products, we will quickly gather information from customers and other related parties, and disclose adequate information and handle problems properly in collaboration with our sales dealers and others. In the case of a serious problem, we will likewise let them know about our plan to dissolve the problem including recall.