Top > Corporate Social Responsibility > Third-Party Opinions
This year again, Benesse has asked One Akiyama, President of Integrex Inc., to provide some comments on Benesse's CSR activities from the perspective of a CSR expert. Ms. Akiyama identified three characteristics of the Benesse Group's overall CSR efforts which are worthy of mention.
Ms. Akiyama Profile
One Akiyama,
President, Integrex Inc.
A graduate of the Keio University Faculty of Economics, Ms. Akiyama worked as a bond trader for a US-based securities company before leaving in 2001 to form Integrex Inc., a company which promotes socially responsible investment and CSR activities. She serves as a judge for Toyo Keizai's "Green Reporting Award" and a committee member for the Social Investment Forum Japan.
1. Positive features of the current CSR Report
This year’s report conveys senior management’s commitment to realizing the Group’s corporate philosophy of Benesse=“well-being”) through Group-wide efforts, and clearly defines the Benesse Group’s CSR activities as “activities that raise social value,” which begin from this philosophy. The Company has also begun formulating CSR Achievement Targets for the medium and long terms. The report begins by clarifying the relationship between the corporate philosophy and the CSR Achievement Targets. I highly commend the Benesse Group’s concerted efforts to systematically push CSR activities forward. In setting out its CSR Achievement Targets, the Company has confirmed the Group’s strengths and issues through feedback both from within and outside the Company. This testifies to the sincere approach the Benesse Group brings to its CSR activities.
The feature section spotlights the Company’s business in China and the high school education business. Both are very interesting, and I found this section impressive. It highlights the Company’s consistent approach of developing an understanding of issues by listening closely to customer feedback, working to solve problems as a partner, and providing new value.
In describing the Company’s activities, as with the fiscal 2010 report, this year’s report presents the Benesse Group’s five “Basic Principles of CSR” for fulfilling the Company’s corporate philosophy of “well-being,” and clearly identifies how Group-wide CSR activities are assigned to each major Group company in line with each of the five principles. The Company provides a wealth of information on the topic of human resources, particularly on its website. This clearly underscores the importance placed by the Company on ensuring the “well-being” of its employees, so that it can do the same for its customers. I also highly commend the fact that the Company has established common Group-wide policies by formulating the Benesse Group Conduct Guidelines and the Benesse Group Environmental Policy. This was achieved by reviewing traditional policies in light of the need to promote coherent activities across the Group.
The activities of the foundations introduced in the column articles are aligned in the same direction as corporate business activities, based on an unwavering principle that vibrant and rewarding communities contribute to the happiness and ‘well-being’ of each individual. This highlights the Company’s firm commitment to these activities under any social conditions.
2. Points which the Group should address in future CSR reports
After formulating the CSR Achievement Targets, I expect that the Company will have each Group company draw up and implement concrete activity plans aimed at achieving each objective. I look forward to future reporting on the progress and self-assessments of these activities, as well as on issues to be addressed and new activity plans for addressing them, among other details.
To make certain that employees implement the activities continuously, it will be crucial for them to embrace the concept of “well-being” and share common goals. It will be important for the Company to continue activities that help employees to share key goals and attune themselves to the corporate philosophy. The Company will also need to regularly assess the extent of shared awareness and penetration of policies within the organization.
Furthermore, in addition to pursuit of individual activities by each Group company, I hope that the Group will take advantage of its Group-wide strengths to link various businesses in the fields of education, lifestyle, and nursing care, with the aim of helping to solve various issues facing the public and creating new social value.
3. Looking Ahead
In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, interaction and teamwork among all members of society have become very important, including between corporations and people, corporations and communities, and corporations with one another. This echoes the philosophy of Ichien-Yugo (Circle of Interdependence) put forward by the Japanese philosopher Sontoku Ninomiya. Ichien-Yugo means that all elements of society must be viewed as an interdependent whole supporting one another, not separate parts in isolation. I believe that the Ichien-Yugo philosophy, as interpreted in the context of modern-day society, is consonant with the ideals and business model of Benesse.
I look forward to seeing the Company implement innovative initiatives that fill everyone involved with excitement and anticipation as it works to contribute to the “well-being” of all members of society.
Response to Third Party Opinion
Kenichi Fukuhara
Representative Director, Executive Vice President and CFO, Benesse Holdings, Inc.
In February 2011, the Benesse Group launched an effort to develop CSR activities with a medium- and long-term focus, with the creation of a CSR Promotion Dept. and a CSR Committee which includes representatives from all Benesse Group companies. In this year’s CSR report, which is the first that we have prepared under the new organizational structure, we have tried to provide an easy-to-understand explanation of the Company’s current CSR concept and activities.
In this report, we include comments from an outside expert, Ms. Akiyama, who offered some positive feedback on Benesse’s CSR efforts. Among other things, she praised the fact that the Benesse Group’s CSR report “clearly defines the Benesse Group's CSR activities as "activities that raise social value," which begin from Benesse’s corporate philosophy,” and that the Group “has also begun formulating CSR Achievement Targets for the medium and long terms.” Ms. Akiyama stated that she “gives the Company high marks for having pursued a systematic CSR strategy.” She went on to comment that “It will be important for the Company to continue activities that help employees to share key goals and attune themselves to the corporate philosophy,” and that ”the Company will also need to regularly assess the extent of shared awareness and penetration of policies within the organization.” Her comments once again reinforce the lesson that CSR objectives need to be clearly stated and embraced, and should intertwine with the corporate philosophy of Benesse=“well-being.”
In the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, we launched various projects to build a brighter future for our children. Since the future is in their hands, we hope that projects such as “Challenge for the Future”, and other measures adopted immediately following the quake and tsunami, will be perpetuated over the long term.
With the continued support of our stakeholders, we will strive to continue making positive contributions to society, through our ongoing CSR activities.
