GC's philosophy is underpinned by four key areas
- Oral health linked to general health
- Quality management
- Environment and society impact
- Semui
An integrated approach to oral health
The driving force behind GC's work is and always has been the commitment to improving the lives of others through advancing their oral health. Science has now proven the link between oral health and general health in significant ways, highlighting the role oral health plays in a person's overall wellbeing. This core value has led GC to develop dental materials that don't only restore decayed teeth but prevent and protect teeth from decay in the first place, championing the field of minimum intervention dentistry in the industry.
Linked to this is GC's goal of becoming one of the world's leading oral health organisations by the year of its centenary celebrations, 2021. Known as Vision 2021, GC has set its course for a destination where it can have a positive impact on people's lives throughout the world, regardless of geographical location or status. This will be achieved through a number of initiatives, which include product development and the provision of dental education and patient information. These ideals will only be reached with the help of structured quality management across all areas of the organisation.
Quality in all areas
For GC, commitment to excellence is not about paying lip service to lofty ideals. As a company it holds itself accountable to reaching milestones and measuring up to international industry benchmarks. Total Quality management (TQM) has therefore become an integral part of how the company operates. Over the years GC has been awarded several accolades in the excellence arena, including being the first company in the dental industry to receive the internationally renowned Deming Award in 2000. This award is the highest honour in the area of quality, and is conferred upon companies, or individuals that have made a significant improvement in business results through TQM implementation.
GC was also the 18th company in the world to receive the Japan Quality Medal in 2004, regarded worldwide as the highest recognition for quality management in organisations. In Europe, GC has excelled in the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) award system, most recently qualifying as a finalist in the 2013 European Excellence Award. Prior to this it achieved five stars in EFQM Recognised for Excellence in 2010, four stars in EFQM Recognised for Excellence in 2008 and EFQM Committed to Excellence status in 2006.
In alignment with global and European standards, GC has achieved a number of key Management Systems Certificates. ISO 9001 is an international standard for quality management systems encompassing all areas of quality assurance as well as some aspects of organisational management, such as customer satisfaction and improvement. GC, as a global company, became one of the earliest to receive an ISO 9001 certification in 1994. In April 2004 GC received ISO 13485 certification, which specifically provides for the quality assurance of medical devices. GC was the first dental equipment/material manufacturer to receive either certification. Currently, all partner companies of GC are certified under ISO 9001 and ISO 13485.
Below is an outline of GC's certificates:
- 1994 ISO 9001
- 1996 EC Certificate of Production QA
- 2004 ISO 13485
- 2005 ISO 14001
- 2006 OHSAS 18001
By applying quality control systems and receiving international accolades, partners and customers can trust that GC products and services are delivered to the highest of standards. Ultimately, GC's contribution to health and society is to raise standards of oral healthcare through its dental materials.
Environment and society
GC strives not only to make highly unique products that meet customer needs, but also to make clean products by giving thorough consideration to the manufacturing process and global environment. Guided by its environmental policy GC has taken steps to reduce its carbon emissions across the organisation as well as waste management while closely monitoring electricity and water consumption.
On a global level GC's most important impact on society is its contribution to dental health care. As the pioneer of the pioneering Minimum Intervention Dentistry (MID) GC has developed a new philosophy in terms of treatment concepts. The various products directly related to the MI philosophy have resulted in an increased number of scientific studies.
Locally, GC also makes a positive contribution to society through a number of initiatives in each region. After the devastation of the earthquakes that hit Japan in 2011, GC raised vital funds that helped to rebuild and repair the damage. In Europe, GC's headquarters has a longstanding relationship with the local municipal authorities and the local university, fostering dental research and education.
Semui at the heart
No story about GC would be complete without mentioning the corporate philosophy of Semui because it brings together all of GC's key objectives. Semui can be described as the practice of putting the wellbeing of others before your own and treating others as you would like to be treated yourself. This approach informs GC's product development on a daily basis because it enables associates to place themselves in the position of the customer and ultimately achieve the best results. Semui is encouraged at all levels of the organisation, between employees, suppliers and customers.