Raising Product Quality Levels and Ensuring Product Safety
The Panasonic Group builds customer trust through product quality and safety, and turns that trust into a source of competitiveness and corporate value. Guided by our founder’s belief that we should strive “to contribute to society through our products and services while always placing the customer first,” we conduct our business with a “Fairness and Honesty” attitude at all times.
Policy
By practicing quality management, the Group aims to enhance customer trust and satisfaction and thereby achieve sustainable business growth and enhance corporate value. As a guiding framework for these efforts, we have established Groupwide operational rules that set out the basic requirements for quality improvement and product safety. In particular, to prevent quality-related misconduct, the Panasonic Group Code of Ethics & Compliance clearly states that we meet our commitments to customers and society by prioritizing compliance with legal requirements and our customers’ specifications for the safety and quality of our products and services. In addition, the Group has established the Basic Policy Regarding the Voluntary Action Plan for Product Safety. As per this policy, the Group actively strives to ensure the safety of its products, while keeping to its principles of “the customer comes first” and of maintaining a “Fairness and Honesty” attitude.
Per our Basic Management Philosophy, the Group considers always ensuring the safety of the products we manufacture and sell and delivering safety and security to our customers as essential management issues and social responsibility objectives. Based on the profound lessons learned from the accidents involving FF-type kerosene heaters, specifically, we apply our unique product safety standards to each product lifecycle phase (from planning and design to service and disposal) for every product to ensure its safety. We also use our Group intranet to share information related to the product safety of all Panasonic products in a timely manner to all employees, including persons in charge of quality and design at each operating company and business site. We also strive to fulfill our imperative of having zero product safety incidents.
Responsible Executive and Framework
The Panasonic Group has established a framework to continually strengthen its quality management foundation. As of August 2026, the executive in charge of quality is the Group Chief Technology Officer (Group CTO). Each operating company has appointed a quality manager and, as a basic approach, put in place a system that enables it to manage its business with independent responsibility and self-sufficiency, while Panasonic Holdings Corporation (“PHD”) and Panasonic Operational Excellence Co., Ltd. (“PEX”) have put in place a structure that enables the Group to respond swiftly and appropriately to critical risks. We are also expanding quality-related assets across the Group.
▪Quality Policy Review Structure (Meetings and Committees)
The Panasonic Group reviews and discusses Groupwide quality improvement efforts and the state of product quality within the Group at its Chief Quality Officer (CQO) Meetings. Group CQO, CQOs from each operating company, and persons involved in relevant job functions such as quality and product regulations attend these meetings. Attendees discuss how we should handle quality over the medium and long terms, and they decide on initiatives meant to further strengthen the foundation of quality for the whole Group. The Group also holds the Quality Committees— attended by the quality managers of each operating company—as a place for more practical discussions on quality policies and measures.
Quality Management System
To earn greater trust from the customers served by each business, the Panasonic Group has established quality management systems tailored to diverse business characteristics and is continuously improving their effectiveness. To establish self-sufficient quality assurance processes in each operating company and business site, the Group published its Product Quality Management System (P-QMS) Guidelines in 2004. These Guidelines supplement the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard with the Group’s own quality assurance methods and expertise to create a quality management system and have been updated to comply with ISO 9001-2015. Operating companies and business sites work to implement quality management systems uniquely tailored to their business characteristics with reference to these Guidelines. At various levels, they conduct regular quality assessments and quality audits to review the progress of quality management while also formulating corrective action plans for any discovered deficiencies, all in an effort to continuously improve quality.
To properly address our continually diversifying business areas, each operating company operates according to the P-QMS Guidelines and industry standards appropriate to its field, including household appliances, residential equipment, devices, B2B solutions, pharmaceuticals, services, and other fields.
In addition to quality audits at operating companies/ business sites, the PHD Audit Department and the Quality Department jointly conduct quality function audits against operating companies (including against specific products) for the purpose of strengthening periodic second-party audit perspectives on products. We evaluate various processes in the development and manufacture of products, and work to understand the effectiveness of our operating companies/business sites’ quality management systems. Furthermore, our operating companies and their business sites are strengthening the oversight of all processes such as development, manufacturing, and inspection by regularly undergoing third-party audits including those related to quality certifications such as ISO 9001 and IATF 16949, thereby enhancing customer trust.
Meanwhile, due to instances of irregularities for electronic materials products manufactured and sold by Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd., the international standards for quality management systems “ISO 9001” and “IATF 16949” of the affected business sites were revoked in March 2024 and May 2024 respectively. We have been working on improvements with the aim of obtaining recertification for both standards. Please refer to the “Ethics and Compliance” chapter for information on how the irregularities have been handled.
Key Initiatives
The Panasonic Group is advancing initiatives across the entire product lifecycle—from product planning and design to post-shipment response—including obtaining certifications under international safety standards, product labeling, product security, and inclusive design, with the aim of strengthening competitiveness and enhancing corporate value.
▪Recent Safety and Security Certifications, Including International Safety Standards
IEC 62443-4-1 Certification
This is an international standard that specifies a secure product development lifecycle process for industrial control systems. In fiscal 2026, the Industrial Device Business Division of Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd. was recognized as compliant with this standard.
EN 18031-1 and EN 18031-2 Certification
These are standards that meet the cybersecurity requirements of the European Radio Equipment (RE) Directive, covering common security requirements for internet-connected wireless devices, as well as data protection and privacy requirements. In fiscal 2026, Panasonic Connect Co., Ltd.’s rugged tablets and PCs “TOUGHBOOK” were recognized as compliant with these standards.
JC-STAR ★1 Conformance Label
This is a Japanese labeling scheme for security technologies. Based on criteria established in alignment with related domestic and international standards, it makes conformance with security requirements for IoT products visible. Since the scheme was launched in March 2025, many Group products have been recognized as conformant, beginning with an air conditioner that was the first home appliance in the industry to obtain the label, and the Group is continuing to expand efforts to obtain the label for additional products.
NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 Certification
NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 is an standard for the safety of drinking water used in the United States, Canada, and internationally. This standard establishes criteria for lead content in drinking water supply fixtures. In fiscal 2025, the drinking water system components in Panasonic Heating & Ventilation A/C (HVAC) Company’s heat pump water heater were recognized as compliant with this standard.
▪Internal Company Rules Concerning Product Labeling
Each operating company defines its own approach and requirements for product handling and operation, installation, and service, as appropriate for each product. Specifically, the design guidelines of warning labels and manuals (user/installation) specify how product safety warnings should be displayed, how legally required information on product recycling and disposal (including recycling laws) should be indicated, and what information should be provided to help customers use products and services safely, while taking care to prevent customer misuse.
▪Ensuring Product Security
As consumers conveniently use various products equipped with software and connected with networks, we must ensure product security to prevent harm from attacks initiated by malicious third parties who aim to leak or alter data or cause device malfunction. The Panasonic Group has established internal structures and rules, including a specialized department for Groupwide product security and guidelines for promoting security-conscious development. We ensure the security of our products by regularly reviewing the structure and rules in conjunction with our information security and production system security initiatives, so our customers have peace of mind when using our products.
Ongoing Information Collection
Product security issues and how to address them change on a daily basis. At the Panasonic Group, we collect the most up-to-date information on product security by joining various security focused organizations, e.g., FIRST*1, a forum to share information on security incidents, and attending various global conferences. This information is shared with any relevant divisions and used internally through initiatives to improve product security measures throughout the Group.
*1 Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams
Promoting Product Security from Development
During the development phase of a product, we consider what assets and functions need to be protected, as well as any potential attacks against them. Products are developed while minimizing these risks. In addition, security experts perform tests incorporating up-to-date attack methods on the product prior to shipment, to ensure that Panasonic products do not contain any “security vulnerabilities” from both a hardware and software standpoint.
Post-shipment Response
As part of the Group’s post-shipment monitoring of our products, we have a contact point to receive reports on vulnerabilities discovered in Panasonic products after shipment. When we receive information on vulnerabilities, we immediately verify whether they will impact Panasonic products. If we find that our products have security issues because of those vulnerabilities, we ensure product security through updates or similar means and take additional actions including establishing a check system to prevent the issue from recurring. We have systems in place that allow the Product Security Center to monitor progress and provide support until the relevant business divisions complete their responses.
We also have systems in place that make it possible for the Group to take a more active role in obtaining information on vulnerabilities and acting on it (rather than waiting for vulnerabilities to be reported) by continually monitoring the latest threats that might affect our products after sale.
▪Promotion of Inclusive Design and Universal Design
Since its founding, the Panasonic Group has embraced “empathy-driven manufacturing” as part of its corporate DNA. Guided by this belief, we promote inclusive design and universal design to help create a society in which people of all backgrounds can use products and services safely and with peace of mind.
As society and lifestyles evolve and needs become more diverse, we focus on usability issues and potential risks that may previously have gone unnoticed, thereby helping to raise product quality levels and ensure product safety.
Groupwide Promotion Based on Internal Regulations
To advance these initiatives on a Groupwide and ongoing basis, we revised the Operational Rules for Universal Design, originally established in 2003, and renamed them the Operational Rules for Inclusive Design and Universal Design in February 2025. The revised rules clarify the action guidelines and requirements that must be met and have been rolled out across the Group as a framework for incorporating dialogue with diverse users and user verification into the development process.
Implementation and Co-Creation in the Development Process
From the planning stage of products and services, we engage in continuous dialogue with people who experience barriers in everyday life, gaining insights that deepen our understanding of the contexts and barriers people experience. In addition, internal Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), special subsidiary companies, and departments including legal, quality management, technology, and design work together to conduct verification while incorporating diverse perspectives.
One such outcome has been the development of an “Attachment Chip” that improves the operability of home appliances with flat control panels to better meet individual needs. In addition to improving ease of use, this also helps reduce potential risks such as unintended operation and malfunctions during use.
Contribution to Value Creation
Through these initiatives, we provide products and services that people of all backgrounds can use safely and with peace of mind, while also creating new value. These efforts have also received international recognition, and we widely share the knowledge gained outside the Group through activities such as hosting visitors from Japan and overseas and speaking at international conferences. See “Awards and Recognition” on for more details.
Going forward, through the continued practice of inclusive design and universal design, we will continue to advance our “empathy-driven manufacturing” and contribute to a sustainable society.
Major Incidents and Responses
▪Responding to Product-Related Incidents
We are continuously strengthening our capability to respond to product-related incidents and working to sustain and enhance our corporate value by ensuring customers’ safety and maintaining their trust. In the event that a product-related incident occurs, we immediately confirm the facts related to the incident, and analyze and verify its causes. If the incident is deemed to be serious, operating companies and business sites as well as PHD/PEX work together to take appropriate measures to ensure customers’ safety. Specifically, the Group’s first response is to notify relevant government bodies such as the Consumer Affairs Agency, as well as the operating company President, Group CEO and senior management, who then consider the response policies. In addition, based on incidents that have occurred in the past, operating companies prepare manuals detailing responses to product failures, safety test documentation, etc., and put these into practice in new product development, specification changes, etc. to prevent incidents’ recurrence.
▪Serious Product Incident Information
In Japan, the Panasonic Group publicly reports serious product incidents*2, including incidents suspected of being caused by products*3, and incidents for which it has been determined that it is unclear whether a product was the cause*4, based on the Consumer Product Safety Act and the Group’s Basic Policy Regarding the Voluntary Action Plan for Product Safety.
*2 “Serious product incidents” refers to the following incidents specified in the Consumer Product Safety Act:
- Incidents resulting in death;
- Incidents resulting in serious injury or illness (injury or illness requiring at least 30 days of treatment), or incidents resulting in physical impediment;
- Carbon monoxide poisoning;
- Fires (confirmed as such by firefighting authorities).
*3 Any of the following:
- Incidents relating to gas devices or kerosene devices (including incidents in which it has yet to be determined whether the product was the cause);
- Incidents relating to products other than gas or kerosene devices for which it is suspected that the product was the cause.
*4 Among serious product incidents, incidents for which the Product Safety Group of the Consumer Economic Affairs Council of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan, has determined that it remains unclear whether a product was the cause.
Outside of Japan, the Group also identifies and discloses information on product incidents based on the laws and guidelines of each country.
▪Progress in Response to Accidents Related to FF-Type Kerosene Heaters
It has been 21 years since we undertook emergency Groupwide market measures as a result of product safety accidents involving FF-type kerosene heaters in 2005. We continue to work, led by the Corporate FF Customer Support & Management Division, to prevent any new incidents.
Although our search activities to identify products subject to recall had focused mainly on the Tohoku region and Nagano Prefecture, in fiscal 2026 we expanded them to the Hokuriku region, where we conducted door-to-door surveys of the intake and exhaust ducts of target products and distributed leaflets to notify customers about the recall. We also continued to use the IT tools introduced in fiscal 2025 and promoted operations that lead to new discoveries. In addition, we are making every effort to recover products even from customers whose units have already been inspected and repaired, while continuing outreach activities to ensure that the recall reaches all customers.
In fiscal 2026, we added 64 units to our list of products discovered or confirmed to have been discarded. In total, 118,706 units have been recorded, representing 78% of the units sold as of March 31, 2026. Some customers have continued to use the products without realizing they were recalled, which means that a significant risk still remains. We will continue our search efforts.
Training
Across the Panasonic Group, we are promoting initiatives to foster a culture of quality and strengthen our human capital, from senior management to frontline employees. The Group conducts training every year for all quality managers at each operating company and business site, with the aim of training key quality personnel to promote quality management innovation.
In particular, the Group regularly holds a Business Division Director Quality and Environment Workshop for business managers responsible for the quality management systems in their respective divisions, as well as other activities geared toward learning about results-driven, quality-based management, including guest lectures and training through case studies. In addition to training for specific employee ranks, we are promoting awareness of Groupwide quality improvement through ongoing quality training for quality function employees during the first three years after joining the company, as well as customized training specific to products and businesses. To spread a corporate culture that places the highest priority on product safety throughout the Group, we offer e-Learning programs such as “Fundamentals of Product Safety.” The Product Safety Forum, an event that provides a venue for thinking about product safety using examples from the Group and elsewhere, was held once in fiscal 2026, marking its 86th event in total. In addition, each operating company conducts Quality Control (QC) Activities through which employees learn problem-solving methods used in the workplace, as part of efforts to strengthen quality on the production floor.
The Group has also established a Product Safety Learning Square at the Team & Talent Development Center in Hirakata, Osaka, with the aim of conveying lessons based on actual business sites and actual products, and of providing instruction to enhance product safety-related skills. The Product Safety Learning Square offers an opportunity to see actual products that were recalled in the past—such as those recalled after the FF-type kerosene heater accidents—as well as other information on the causes of their problems, the steps taken during the recall, and the measures taken to prevent the critical unsafe phenomena (including tracking or strength degradation). The Virtual Product Safety Learning Square also provides an online exhibition that can be viewed freely online. The Product Safety Lab recreates an actual space that was filmed in 360 degrees to allow viewers to move around that space freely, and even read information panels or watch views by simply clicking on an icon. We also conduct educational activities for employees in distant locations and outside Japan by expanding our reach.
We also pass down the lessons learned from customer safety incidents, especially those involving FF-type kerosene heater accidents, through lectures given in various training programs and educational materials posted at the aforementioned Hirakata Product Safety Learning Square, the Kusatsu Product Safety Museum, the Nara Learning Center, and the Mobile Learning Center. We strive to foster a Panasonic Group culture that prioritizes product safety. As we mark the 20th year since the accidents, we have updated the exhibitions in Hirakata and Nara in fiscal 2026 to raise awareness of what happened and to demonstrate our top management’s commitment to quality, as well as promote behavioral changes aligned with our “customer comes first” philosophy. A new Quality Compliance Zone has also been established in Hirakata.
Awards and Recognition
▪Product Safety Awards
The awards program was established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2007. The program aims to encourage companies to take a more active role in improving product safety and to firmly embed a “product safety culture” that recognizes product safety as a crucial value in both business activities and consumers’ daily lives. In this way, it contributes to the sustainable improvement of product safety and to the realization of a safe and secure society.
▪IAUD International Design Award
Established by the International Association for Universal Design, the awards program recognizes groups and individuals that have undertaken or proposed especially noteworthy activities aimed at creating a UD society in which everyone can live comfortably. Various products and initiatives of former Panasonic Corporation received the IAUD Gold Award for seven consecutive years through 2018, in addition to more recent recognitions listed below:
- FY2021
Panasonic LED Torch Light, Silver Award, Innovation for Everyday Use and Emergency Situations
First Shaving Series, Bronze Award, Product Design - FY2022
Panasonic IC Card Reader with Facial Recognition, Gold Award, Healthcare and Welfare Design
Emergency Broadcasting Equipment, Silver Award, Security and Public Safety - FY2025
Panasonic’s Inclusive Design, Grand Award (Business Strategy Category) - FY2026
“Attachment Chip”, Gold Award, Product Design
▪Zero Project Award
Established in 2008 by the Essl Foundation in Austria, Zero Project works to realize a barrier-free world based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. As part of these efforts, the Zero Project Award recognizes innovative initiatives from around the world. The Panasonic Group’s Inclusive Design was selected for the award from among 586 entries from 93 countries.
