Basic Approach
The basic mission of the Maruha Nichiro Group is to be "a corporate group that contributes to people's affluent life and happiness by providing authentic, safe, and healthy 'food' that is needed by society" based on the Group's philosophy. The Maruha Nichiro Group made a voluntary consumer-oriented declaration in March 2018. The Maruha Nichiro Group will promote consumer-oriented management by firmly recognizing and acting on these three activities: "listening to and making use of customers' voices," "working for the future and the next generation," and "complying with laws and regulations and strengthening corporate governance."
Voluntary Declaration of Consumer Orientation (Japanese only)
Follow-Up Activity Report (Japanese only) (PDF: 295 KB/ 7 page)
Management Structure
Based on the “Maruha Nichiro Group Quality Assurance Policy”, each company in the Maruha Nichiro Group has established a quality assurance system tailored to its business field based on a common approach. We also reflect customer feedback in our quality assurance activities.
Quality Assurance Structure
Main Initiatives in FY2023
To Deepen Communication with Customers
The Consumer Relations Center plays a crucial role in maintaining communication with customers even after products are delivered. Specifically, as part of our BCP measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have enhanced our services by establishing a system that allows employees to respond to calls from home and by providing information through a dedicated Consumer Relations Center website.
On that website, we have a 24/7 automated response feature called "Chatbot," which answers customer inquiries. Since February 2023, we have been analyzing customer questions monthly to ensure more accurate responses for all retail products.
Additionally, since obtaining a corporate official account on the Q&A site "Yahoo! Chiebukuro" in December 2019, we have been addressing various inquiries to the best of our ability, helping to resolve many questions posed by customers.
To further utilize “customer feedback” for improving products and services, we regularly hold "Product Improvement Study Meetings" with participation from executives and department heads. In FY2023, 22 improvements were adopted as a result of these efforts.
Customer Service Center (Japanese only)
Internal Integration of “Consumer-Oriented Management”
In order for all employees of the Maruha Nichiro Group to understand and act on "consumer-oriented management," we have established an internal promotion system and continue to promote the implementation of awareness-raising training on “consumer-oriented management” and the enhancement of business activities based on "customers' voices."
Since FY2020, the Maruha Nichiro Group has been conducting internal training on “Consumer-Oriented Management” for its employees using an e-learning system. In FY2023, approximately 4,800 employees participated, deepening their understanding.
Additionally, in the 2023 Quality Management Reconfirmation Campaign, we conducted a survey for all Maruha Nichiro Group employees regarding their opinions after using our products. This feedback is shared and utilized within the company to enhance our consumer insights.
The “customer opinions” received daily are distributed to the president and other executives and employees, and we are striving to strengthen our system for utilizing the "customer opinions" in our business operations. In addition, as part of our efforts to ensure safety and security, we identify potential problems in the "Customer Comments" and continue to distribute them once a week.
Quality education and training for employees (Japanese only)
Communication with customers (until delivery of products) (Japanese only)
Award from the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs
The “Consumer-Oriented Management Excellence Awards” are conducted by the Consumer Affairs Agency to recognize outstanding initiatives by businesses in consumer-oriented management, aiming to promote such practices since FY2018. Maruha Nichiro was the first domestic food and fisheries company to receive the "Cabinet Office Minister's Award" at the "Reiwa 5th Fiscal Year Consumer-Oriented Management Excellent Case Awards" hosted by the Consumer Affairs Agency.
Reasons for the Selection of Award
Maruha Nichiro is working to reduce its environmental impact and protect marine resources through efforts such as the egg-to-harvest aquaculture of bluefin tuna (a “circular” aquaculture model in which eggs are collected from artificially hatched fish, hatched, and raised), which was successfully carried out for the first time by a private company in the world, as well as its plan to construct a land-based Atlantic salmon aquaculture facility to promote commercialization.
In the area of nursing-care food for the elderly, Maruha Nichiro is working to address the challenges of a super-aging society through efforts such as providing well-being value through ”small but satisfying meals" while exchanging information with healthcare and nursing care workers and contributing to shorter cooking and serving time for employees at such facilities.
Source: “Reiwa 5th Fiscal Year Consumer-Oriented Management Excellent Case Awards: Reasons for selection,” Consumer Affairs Agency
