[ Japanese ]

The Sekisui House Group aims to deliver “the best quality and technology,” as stipulated in the Corporate Philosophy. For the Group, the “best quality” means earning the trust and satisfaction of our customers at every stage, including research and product development, sales, design, production, construction, and after-sales services. To achieve this, our employees continuously refine their skills to support this goal and actively pursue challenges in product development and proposals from the customer’s perspective. Since housing is an essential form of social capital, we are committed to our mission of providing customers with safe, secure, healthy, and comfortable housing. Accordingly, we strive for continuous improvement in quality management for products and services, as well as in after-sales services. Through these efforts, we aim to create high-quality housing stock for the future.

The Sekisui House Group is committed to ensuring the quality of its products and services to provide customers with safety, peace of mind, health, and comfortable living environments throughout their lives. In the event of serious quality issues due to unexpected human errors or other factors during our long support period, we have established a Quality Management Committee under the Risk Management Committee, which serves as an advisory body to the Board of Directors. This committee deliberates on risk identification and response measures from a specialized perspective. Under the Quality Management Committee, we have also formed quality review meetings focusing on five areas: products, design, production, construction, and customer satisfaction. Representatives from each Group company meet every two months to effectively manage quality-related risks and to implement preventive measures when necessary.

Quality management of products designed, developed, and produced by the Company is a crucial initiative that ensures the safety of the products we offer to our customers. Thus, we have established specific quality standards for the products we develop. Through the accumulated knowledge gained from our corporate activities and research, we design products based on a wide range of quality standards. After thorough verification, we develop products and components that are safe, high-efficiency, and high-quality. At our domestic and overseas manufacturing facilities, we operate under a quality management system compliant with ISO 9001, adhering to our unique standards. To continuously improve and maintain construction quality, our site supervisors work together with construction managers and crafters from all Sekisui House Construction companies and partner building constructors during the construction phase. They establish an inspection framework based on their respective responsibilities to maintain and enhance construction quality.

Product safety risk assessment in the design and development phase

We have established design reviews where relevant departments discuss design details at each stage of the process—from planning and concept to basic design—using a special format to ensure there are no oversights in verification items. Specifically regarding safety, we thoroughly validate the designs, including prototypes, to confirm their validity. Additionally, we manage improvement requests related to product specifications and past issue information through a dedicated database, which is utilized in creating new designs and improving existing ones.

Quality Management Certification

In 1998, our entire Production & Procurement Division, including all domestic consolidated Group factories,^*1 became the first in the industry to acquire certification under the ISO 9001 international quality management system standard. We have since maintained and updated this certification through regular audits. (Updated by the ESG Management Promotion Headquarters).
　　Overseas, we obtained ISO 9001 certification for all sites associated with the homebuilding business and apartment & mixed-use developments business at Sekisui House Australia in August 2025. As a result, in addition to the ISO14001 and ISO 45001 certifications the company has maintained to date, the company now holds triple certification, demonstrating that our business operations in Australia comply with international standards for quality, environmental performance, and safety.

Product quality management initiatives in the production and manufacturing phase

To ensure design quality at our production factories, we manage the four M’s related to production―man, machine, method, and material—while producing and manufacturing our products. We continuously observe manufacturing conditions with monitoring devices. Inspectors from the Manufacturing Division conduct daily checks and quality inspections. We periodically confirm the performance of key structural elements such as welding, adhesion, and paint coating through the Quality Control Division. The progress and results of these activities are shared across all factories. We are promoting automation and digital transformation (DX) technologies in inspections, ensuring the management of inspectors’ qualifications, automating pass/fail determinations, preventing omissions, and utilizing inspection records. Furthermore, we conduct periodic mutual audits between factories to eliminate discrepancies and maintain high-quality standards.

Quality maintenance and improvement initiatives in the construction phase

To achieve customer satisfaction, we are committed to maintaining and improving construction quality through collaboration among all Company business sites, Group companies involved in construction (Sekisui House Construction companies), and partner building constructors.

Compensation system for construction technicians

Established in FY2024, the Technician and Team Compensation System rewards interior carpenters, foundation technicians, and framing/exterior technicians based on fair evaluations of their production and skills according to their technician level ratings (from Level 1 to Level 4). This system aims to increase the production and skill level of technicians, improve construction quality, promote safety management, and enhance customer service.
　　Eligible individuals are construction technicians engaged in foundation, framing/exterior, and interior carpentry work for our new construction projects, and they must be registered in our construction workers database.
　　Evaluations consider construction capabilities at the start of the fiscal year, attendance records, and other information from the construction workers database. Level 4 determinations are made by confirming onsite working attitude and construction quality. Monetary rewards are subsequently distributed to eligible individuals or teams.

SekisuiHouseRemodelingMeisterSystem

This Sekisui House Remodeling Meister System, established in 2008 by Sekisui House Remodeling, certifies and registers outstanding technicians working for partner building constructors involved in remodeling projects. This certification evaluates the volume of work, technical skills, homeowner satisfaction, site manners and consideration, safety awareness, management capabilities, and the ability to mentor and develop young technicians.

Regular training in product safety and quality management

Training in the design phase

Based on the experiences of our designers nationwide and customer satisfaction surveys, we conduct Planning Standard System (PSS) training, aimed at further improving housing-related design standards. Additionally, we provide practical structural design training tailored to years of experience and skill levels. We also regular hold training session for all technical employees to increase awareness of laws and regulations and deepen understanding of compliance with certification and accreditation systems. The completion rate for this training was 100% in FY2025.

Training in the production and manufacturing phase

Employees within our Production & Procurement Division (Head Office Production & Procurement Division, five factories across Japan) participate in annual training on quality management based on the Quality Policy. This training helps improve their knowledge and skills, and in FY2025 the completion rate was 100%.

Training in the construction phase

Sekisui House onsite supervisors and construction managers of Sekisui House Construction companies undergo inspector certification training to learn inspection skills used in quality control tasks. We implement periodic renewal tests to maintain these skills. Additionally, Sekisui House Construction companies regularly hold training sessions for construction managers to enhance their inspection skills. Chief inspectors monitor construction quality, management systems, and inspection capabilities while providing support and training to onsite supervisors and construction managers. This ensure we consistently deliver high-quality buildings to customers nationwide. In FY2025, a total of 3,210 participants attended training sessions related to maintaining and improving construction quality.

Even after handing over a house to a customer, Sekisui House remains committed to enhancing customer satisfaction. Guided by our philosophy of “always being there for our customers and watching over homes for a lifetime,” we have established the Customer Service (CS) Promoting Department^*6. This dedicated department serves as the primary contact point for customer inquiries and complaints, while also monitoring and supporting customer service activities within our Group companies. On February 1, 2025, we established Sekisui House Support Plus, Ltd. as a separate entity responsible for after-sales services, including regular inspections and maintenance. This move underscores our commitment to valuing our customer base, one of the Group’s core competencies, and reinforces our role as a partner in our customers’ daily lives.

Centralization of customer inquiries through the Owner Desk for customer service

To ensure that quality housing can continue to be used over the longer term, we focus on building relationships with new customers after a change in occupants, thereby protecting the value of buildings. We established the Sekisui House Support Plus Customer Service Center Owner Desk,¹ a system that accepts customer inquiries 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
　　This initiative centralizes customer inquiries, converts response details into data, and creates a Company-wide management system. Additionally, to enhance our responsiveness, we have implemented an inquiry system that utilizes chatbots and other automated communication tools.

To provide customers with homes where they can live safely with peace of mind, health, and comfort throughout their lives, Sekisui House is dedicated to improving quality. We have established a system to prevent defects and ensure they do not recur. Central to this initiative is the feedback received from customers through our Customer Service Centers and consultation desks. We value this feedback and use it to investigate and analyze our services and products, sharing the results with relevant departments. Additionally, we verify whether improvements are being made based on feedback on defects and other sources, continually striving to enhance customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction surveys

Sekisui House conducts customer satisfaction surveys to evaluate the housing products and services we provide. For customers of detached houses, we conduct surveys that align with the homebuilding process. The “Move-in Survey” assesses satisfaction with each phase of the process, from preliminary discussions to the handover, as well as regarding the employees in charge of each step. The “One-Year Post-Move-in Survey” evaluates satisfaction with the living experience, usability, and after-sales service. For owners of rental housing, we conduct a “Two-Years Post-Handover Survey” to gauge overall satisfaction, workmanship, likelihood to recommend Sekisui House, satisfaction with various parts of the building, and satisfaction with the power generation system. These survey results are regularly aggregated and analyzed, and feedback is provided to relevant departments. This process aids in daily operational improvements, enhances service structures, and contributes to the development of new components and products, ultimately improving safety and comfort of our customers.

Management responsibility: safety of products offered

If defects are identified in our products after delivery, we use our Customer Service Centers as points of contact and collaborate across the Group to implement preventive measures to stop recurrence. Furthermore, the head office discusses preventive measures, properties involved, implementation periods, and other related topics with relevant departments, and manages the progress of these measures.

Accident investigation and preventive measures for products offered

In the event of a fire or similar accident affecting a Company-provided building, reports from Customer Service Centers nationwide are sent to the head office and related departments. For fire incidents, we confirm whether the cause is related to our products or construction, and promptly report to the Quality Management Committee under the Risk Management Committee, if it is. The final determination of the cause is based on the fire department’s verification. We also investigate whether accidents resulting in personal injury are related to our products or construction. In all cases, we implement preventive measures to stop recurrence. If the Quality Management Committee deems the incident to be at a crisis level, it is immediately reported to the Risk Management Committee.

Emergency response procedures to ensure product safety

When a product-related crisis (cases that may impact the Company on a wide scale) occurs, we respond appropriately according to our Crisis Response Manual, which serves as a guideline. We aim to minimize damage to the Company’s social credibility and trust, as well as limit losses to corporate management and business operations. For major crises, a crisis countermeasures headquarters is established to collect information, determine appropriate responses, decide on public announcements, and promptly initiate first response.

Certified as long-life quality housing

The average lifespan of houses in Japan is said to be about 30 years, making prolonging home longevity the key to effectively utilizing resources and improving asset value. Society is facing calls to transition from a consumption-based model of building and demolition to a supplied housing model of building high-quality structures, properly maintaining them, and using them with care over the long term. Under the Act for the Promotion of Long-Life Quality Housing, which went into effect in June 2009, the Japanese government established the Long-Life Quality Housing Certification Program, which aims to build up a stock of high-quality, long-lasting housing. Houses that meet certain standards for structure and facilities are certified as “Long-Life Quality Housing” and are eligible for various tax benefits. To achieve our goal of creating high-quality housing stock, the Company actively works to acquire “Long-Life Quality Housing” certifications. Since the start of the program, our certification rate for detached houses has remained high, comprising 90.8% in FY2025.
　　As a specific initiative regarding our detached houses, we operate Ie-Log, a regularly updated database of historical data about each residence. This database includes basic building information, homeowner information, design plans, inspection results, and repair records. Sekisui House also offers an initial 30-year warranty program (for contracts signed on or after April 1, 2018) that covers the structural framing and any parts used to prevent rainwater leakage. This program provides 20 years of warranty on top of the 10-year defect liability period required under the Housing Quality Assurance Act. Additionally, all other parts are under warranty for varying periods. Even after the initial warranty period expires, homeowners can use the unique Company-managed U-trus System to extend warranties in 10-year intervals by paying for inspections or repairs not covered by active warranties.

Promotion of SumStock quality housing stock

　Ensuring that high-quality housing is passed on to the next generation as a social asset is a crucial initiative contributing to the formation of a sustainable society that effectively utilizes supplied housing. Sekisui House’s Customer Service Centers (Sekisui House Support Plus as of February 1, 2025), along with Sekisui House Remodeling, Sekisui House Real Estate companies, and other Group companies, are collectively promoting SumStock.
　SumStock is a circulation system for high-quality existing housing stock, managed by the Provision of Quality Housing Stock Association, a general incorporated association founded in 2008 by 10 major housing manufacturers, including Sekisui House. This integrated circulation system for existing homes involves all steps from value appraisal and certification to resale. Specifically, the basic structure (“skeleton”) and interior furnishings and fixtures (“infill”) of a house are appraised separately by years of depreciation, and the value of the building and the land are indicated separately in this proprietary circulation system. Each house supplied by member companies must fulfill three requirements to qualify: has a database of residential data; has seismic resistance that exceeds recent standards; and has been on a 50-year-plus maintenance program.
　We are working to firmly establish the SumStock brand as a circulation system for high-quality existing housing, promote the spread of such housing, and create a society rich in housing stock. Thus, through SumStock, the industry is working to increase quality housing stock and invigorate the resale market. In FY2025, we reached 815 contracts for SumStock housing.

Since the 1980s, we have consistently pursued safety and accessibility in housing design based on the lifelong housing concept. This approach takes into account the evolving physical characteristics of people over time, ensuring that our homes are convenient and usable for everyone, including the elderly and individuals with disabilities.
　　In 2002, we swiftly established the proprietary Sekisui House Universal Design (SH-UD) standard, based on the concepts of safety, peace of mind, and ease of use. Building on this foundation, we introduced Smart Universal Design in 2010, which extends our focus to include comfort. Our internal guidelines are applied in the planning and design of all buildings, including outdoor landscaping.
　　Furthermore, we have developed specific guidelines for ensuring accessibility to essential facilities, such as train stations, bus stops, public amenities, and commercial establishments. These guidelines are integrated into the design and development of all real estate projects, including residential lots for sale and condominiums with a strong emphasis on barrier-free and other such considerations. Our commitment to Smart Universal Design has been recognized by the public, earning us Good Design Awards and numerous Kids Design Awards. Particularly in terms of safety, we apply internal regulations aimed at enhancing safety from the research and development stages of housing components. This rigorous process has obtained the Child Safety through Design (CSD) Certification from the NPO Kids Design Association.

For customers who require special considerations, such as those with disabilities, we established a working group in October 2022, which consists of ten employees with disabilities, to provide appropriate support from both an equipment and customer service perspective. Following repeated discussions and reviews based on the experience and insights gained from the research and development process as well as interactions with various customers, in July 2023 we formulated the Company Facility Design UD Guidelines to use as a set of design standards for customer-facing facilities and workplaces (including display homes), as well as the Sekisui House Universal Design Service Handbook, which serves as response guidelines for onsite customer service.
　　Since then, we have been working to continuously improve equipment through the use of the Company Facility Design UD Guidelines. In terms of customer service, we have appointed 120 employees (nationwide) to serve at the branches of Custom Detached Houses Business departments and provide dedicated response to customers’ requests for special considerations and adjustments. We are also working to foster an inclusive mindset through participation in certification programs offered by the Japan Universal Manners Association, and internal training that aims to promote understanding. Moreover, we are also working to improve understanding among new employees of detached housing business departments through training that includes disability simulation activities.
　　For our website and TV commercials, we are improving the accessibility of our official website based on the Web Accessibility Policy and providing closed-caption subtitles in our TV commercials.