Promotion of Sustainability

Arrangements to promote sustainability

The Sustainability・ESG Committee was established in accordance with Benesse Holdings' internal Operating Company Management Regulations, which provide for the business management and support of consolidated companies.

The committee consists of full-time Directors of Benesse Holdings and is chaired by the company's Chairman, who also acts as the committee's final arbiter. It meets several times a year as necessary to discuss matters to enhance sustainability in the Benesse Group.Important matters and regular reports on activities are presented at meetings of Benesse Holdings' Board of Directors.

*As of March 2022

Activities to date

Activities in FY 2021

March 2022	Held Fourteenth meeting of the Sustainability・ESG Committee 【Agenda】・Philosophy Project/ Philosophy Booklet Application Strategies ・Report on Human Rights Initiatives ・Climate Change Trends and Directions for Group Expansion ・Organizing social issues and how to proceed Human rights study sessions for human rights staff from all group companies to exchange opinions with experts and knowledgeable persons and learn the latest information
January 2022	Benesse's morning assembly on the company anniversary was held. We invited Professor Maeno Takashi of Keio University Graduate School to give a special lecture entitled “Introduction to Well-Being for the Age of ‘Living Well’” to all our employees.
November 2021	Held Thirteenth meeting of the Sustainability・ESG Committee 【Agenda】・Increasing Value to Society ・Philosophy Project ・Sustainability Study ・ESG Progress Report and Human Rights Initiatives
September 2021	Benesse Group employees participate in the e-Learning course "Sustainability Study 2021.” Approximately 4,000 employees from 28 group companies participated.
September ~ November 2021	Conducted human rights due diligence with respect to group companies. Expanded the number of group companies covered since last fiscal year.
July 2021	Held twelfth meeting of the Sustainability・ESG Committee 【Agenda】・Sustainability and ESG - discussion for realizing the ideal as a medium-term plan ・Progress report on ESG assessment and consultation ・About a sustainability study
May 2021	Nikkei Sustainability and ESG Conference attended by Tamotsu Adachi, Representative Director, Chairman, and CEO of Benesse Holdings　*position as of March 2022 ・Holding lectures on Benesse's Sustainability and discussions with Kouichi Sakai, publisher of Nikkei ESG Held eleventh meeting of the Sustainability・ESG Committee 【Agenda】・About how to move forward with sustainability and ESGs this year ・Progress on ESG evaluation organization response ・Action plan for the Benesse Philosophy Project Acquiring SBT Initiative Certification

Activities in FY 2020

March 2021	Benesse Stakeholder Dialogue conducted Tamotsu Adachi, Representative Director and Chairman and CEO of Benesse Holdings, and Kouichi Sakai, publisher of Nikkei ESG, talked about such themes as initiatives for human resources for the growth of Benesse from the perspectives of sustainability and ESG.
February 2021	Held the tenth meeting of the Sustainability Committee 【Agenda】・Reported on human rights due diligence and future actions ・Evaluated the ESG strategy ・Reported the Benesse Sustainability Study 2020 results and future actions ・Reported philosophy project progress Gained the highest selection rank “Leader board” in CDP supplier engagement evaluation
January 2021	The sharing of materiality practice cases in the morning assembly meeting on company anniversary
December 2020	The conduction of the Benesse Stakeholder Dialogue to hear opinions from outside experts ・Invited professor Akie Iriyama from Waseda Business School, who is well-known for “Ambidextrous business” and set “Innovation” as the main topic for a dialogue with the Benesse Holdings’ CEO Tamotsu Adachi Being evaluated as the highest rating "A" in the CDP2020 survey "Climate Change" for the third consecutive year
August ~ November 2020	The conduction of human rights due diligence for the group companies
November 2020	The implementation of “Benesse Sustainability Study 2020” e-Learning course for Benesse Group employees ・Approximately 4,000 people from 28 companies in the Benesse group participated ・Conveyed how corporate philosophy and sustainability are linked together. After that, through some example activities cases, the employees gained a more in-depth understanding of materiality. Furthermore, there were explanations to employees about the importance of sustainability in the new middle term business plan. ・The Sustainability Promotion Committee considered issues such as “which current actions should be further improved upon” and “which are new things that should be attempted.” ・Collected some materiality example activities cases that are currently in progress. There are approximately 3,600 cases being collected. We have planned to expand examples of materiality activities on the site.
October 2020	Held ninth meeting of the Sustainability Committee 【Agenda】・The report of Benesse’s Sustainability Study for 2020 ・The report on the progress of the philosophy project ・The consideration for approaching the ESG field (specifically focusing on S – society area) and human rights
August 2020	The disclosure of example materiality activities cases on the sustainability site
July 2020	Held eighth meeting of the Sustainability Committee 【Agenda】・Consideration for planning the philosophical project ・The review of materiality penetration and practicing enhancement plan
June 2020	Held seventh meeting of the Sustainability Committee 【Agenda】・The report on the impact of the new Covid-19 epidemic on social changes and sustainability activities ・The consideration of materiality penetration and practicing enhancement plan ・The review of human rights activity plans The enactment of human rights policies by the Benesse group

Activities in FY 2019

February 2020	The Chairperson, Mr. Adachi, was a plenary speaker at Sustainable Brands 2020 YOKOHAMA, where companies, local government bodies, and organizations from Japan and abroad gathered ・Reported on progress of sustainability for the Group ・Introduced two examples of activities based on the Sustainability Vision Reference article Benesse plenary session at Sustainable Brands 2020 Yokohama - Conveying "Live well" to society, conveying "Live well" to the future (March 18, 2020) (Japanese Only)
February 2020	Held sixth meeting of the Sustainability Committee ・Details of the disclosure and identification of the Benesse Group's materiality ・Discussion on the Group's engagement with human rights ・Summary for the financial year and direction for next financial year
January 2020	Held morning assembly on the anniversary of the company founding ・The Chairperson, Mr. Adachi, delivered a message to the employees on the group's materiality ・Employee presentation on case studies
December 2019	Held External Seminar on Diversity Planned as a corporate study meeting to learn how to make a friendly workplace to people of diverse backgrounds but primarily LGBT. HR and general affairs representatives from across the group participated. Theme Diversity Guest Mika Yakushi (representative director, ReBit Authorized NPO)
November 2019	Held second Sustainability Meetup Theme Diversity Guest Miki Matheson (Education Committee Member, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and Education Committee Member, International Olympic Committee (IOC)) Reference article “Meetup” is an employees’ study group on social issues: Education can both make and change discrimination and prejudices (Benesse's action on sustainability, December 24, 2019)
October 2019	Held fifth meeting of the Sustainability Committee ・Reported results of the Sustainability Study ・Identification of the Benesse Group's materiality ・Progress of the Group's ESG activities, future direction Held training to experience SDGs at Benesse Group's Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute Duration Six days over September 26 to October 23 Details Held training to experience SDGs (sustainable development goals) through card games, and to deepen understanding Participants Approximately 250 TIEI employees from across greater Tokyo Reference article Wanting to talk to children about the SDGs in their own words: thoughts on TIEI’s new employee workshop (Benesse's action on sustainability, November 26, 2019)
September 2019	Held first Sustainability Meetup in which we invited outside experts to help employees consider social problems Theme child poverty Guest Hyungsik Lee (representative director, Learning for All NPO) Reference article “Sustainability Meetup” is an employees' study group on social issues: providing support for children dealing with problems (Benesse's action on sustainability, October 31, 2019)
August 2019	Started the "Sustainability Study", e-Learning for Benesse Group employees ・With the email sent from the Chairperson, Mr. Adachi, approximately 3,000 people tackled the e-Learning over three months. ・Explained why Benesse engages in sustainability and SDGs with reference to the corporate philosophy, focusing on the employees' in-depth understanding. ・At the completion of the e-Learning, gathered answers in relation to the "What Benesse should be in 10 years’ time ," which will be used for discussion for future materiality decisions.
May 2019	Held fourth meeting of the Sustainability Committee ・Considered employee communication measures for FY 2019 ・Discussed summary of the ESG evaluation, how to respond to issues, and opportunities for the Benesse Group.

Activities in FY 2018

March 2019	Third meeting of the Sustainability Committee ･ Employee feedback on sustainability activities reported ･ Finalization of Sustainability Vision ･ Sustainability activities in FY2019 Training sessions to raise understanding in the group of the SDGs ･ Approximately 20 individuals from group companies participated ･ Qualified employees acted as instructors to provide hands-on experience of the outlook embodied by the SDGs through SDG card game
January 2019	Morning assembly on company anniversary ･ Action on sustainability announced to employees by committee chairman Tamotsu Adachi
January 2019	Reporting of activities to outside directors and auditors
January 2019	Second meeting of the Sustainability Committee ･ Second meeting to consider the Sustainability Vision ･ Re-verification of corporate philosophy in light of the Sustainability Vision ･ Discussion of materiality process
December 2018	Committee's establishment and its activities announced to group employees in C, the Benesse Group's in-house newsletter
November 2018	Press release announcing establishment of the committee First meeting of the Sustainability Committee Part 1 Input by invited outside experts on theme of "SDG "commitments required of companies in the future" Part 2 First meeting to re-verify corporate philosophy and DNA, discuss 2030 social environment forecasts, and consider the Sustainability Vision
September 2018	Establishment of the Sustainability Committee and approval by Benesse Holdings' Board of Directors Group employees informed by committee chairman Tamotsu Adachi

Future activities

Based on the Sustainability Vision, the Sustainability・ESG Committee will further discuss "employee communication," "stakeholder communication," "promotion of activities based on materiality," "strengthening ESG management integration," "promotion of understanding of SDGs, and activation of initiatives." We will promote it with.