Sustainability
Community
Approach and Policy
The Takara Group will contribute to the development of local communities by seeking communication with local communities, recognizing their needs and issues, and undertaking initiatives to resolve them.
The needs and issues of local communities are diverse and are likely to change with the times. These range from global issues such as climate change, to local issues such as garbage, the education of children who will be responsible for the next generation, promotion of the economy and culture, and large-scale disaster support.
As a good corporate citizen, we strive to understand what challenges our local communities are facing and what they require through communication with stakeholders. We will then consider what we can do for the needs and challenges we have identified and take actions to contribute to the development of local communities.
Targets
| Initiative themes | Specific measures | Targets |
|---|---|---|
| Education for children | Hold events for the purpose of environmental education and food education, and conduct on-site classes at local elementary schools |
[ Takara Shuzo ] - Continue offering Takara Shuzo Farm School. - Continue offering Takara Shuzo Eco-School. [ Takara Bio ] - Continue offering visiting lectures and lessons for nearby educational institutions. (Continue to give lectures on topics such as gene therapy and regenerative medicine, and deliver presentations on experiences with activities to design career plans.) |
| Contribution to the promotion of local communities and culture | Participate in local cleaning activities and support local communities |
[ Entire Group ] Continue to participate in and cooperate with activities such as participation in cleaning activities as volunteers throughout Japan and sponsorships at local events. |
| Promotion of local economies | Continually foster community- based products |
[ Takara Shuzo ] Continue Takara CRAFT, which uses the precious gifts of the local natural environment and connects agricultural producers with consumers, and developing and nurturing products only available in specific regions that are tailored to local tastes. - Annually hold 20 activities supporting local fruit farming (harvest support/fundraising, etc.) by FY2030. |
| Develop local economies by effectively utilizing untapped resources |
【Takara Shuzo】 - Develop 10 upcycled products by FY2030. |
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| Support after large-scale disasters | Provide donations, supply water, and carry out volunteer activities in disaster-stricken areas |
[ Entire Group ] Provide aid as quickly as possible in response to requests from local governments through efforts such as carrying out volunteer activities with a focus on supplying water. |
Related SDGs
Initiatives
Education for children
Hold events for the purpose of environmental education and food education, and conduct on-site classes at local elementary schools
Takara Shuzo Farm School
Since 2004, Takara Shuzo has been providing an environmental education program, the Takara Shuzo Farm School, for the purpose of teaching children who will lead the future the importance of protecting the natural environment and its biodiversity and conveying the preciousness of natural bounty.
We could not hold the Farm School for the past few years due to COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2023 we hosted three classes, including rice farming experience and nature observation in a rice field in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, targeting elementary school students and their families.
Since "Takara Shuzo Farm School" could not be held at COVID-19 pandemic, "Takara Shuzo Farm School Online" was held on the web in 2022 and 2023.
Program contents ●Establishment of "Everyone's Cultivation Diary Page" where participants can post their rice cultivation at home using the "Rice Paddy Field Experience Kit at Home" (currently closed). ●Video clips of rice growing from seedling production to harvesting, as well as video clips of nature observation around the rice paddies, were made available.
Takara Shuzo Eco-School
Since 2012, we have been conducting an environmental education program, the Takara Shuzo Eco-School, for third to sixth grade elementary school students and their families, in which they can learn with fun about the current situation of waste problems and how to reduce waste while experiencing recycling. In 2023, classes were held in Kyoto City and also Koto-ku, Tokyo.
- * The event was cancelled in 2022 as in 2020 and 2021 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infections.
Takara Bio conducts on-site bio classes at elementary schools
Since 2018, as part of the comprehensive learning curriculum stipulated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the education curriculum guidelines, we have been conducting on-site classes at elementary schools in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture. To have children deepen their understanding of biotechnology, we introduce in an easy-to-understand manner the content of our work, including research on cancer therapeutic agents as a typical example, as well as videos of our employees actually working in the laboratory. We are working to have children learn independently and find an opportunity to think about how they live their lives, not only through textbooks but also cross-cutting, comprehensive, and exploratory learning experiences.
- * The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infections. However, we plan to reopen the event if the situation allows.
Contribution to the promotion of local communities and culture
Participate in local cleaning activities and support local communities
The Takara Group actively participates in and cooperates with various activities. These include participation in cleaning activities as volunteers throughout Japan and sponsorships at local events. Furthermore, social contribution activities by employees, such as cleanup activities, are promoted through ISO 14001 by assigning points to each business unit and setting numerical targets.
| Examples of community contributions in each area |
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- Support for local environmental events (Including Open Forest in Matsudo, Flower Support in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Environmental Festival for Trying With Children, Reuse Containers Support Program, and more) |
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- Distribution of the container recycling picture book, “Takara Shuzo Recycle Road,” to anyone who wants it |
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- Distribution of the Try Rice Paddies at Home Kit to anyone who wants it |
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- Participation in local volunteer cleaning activities (Including Edogawa River Cleanup Campaign, Kyoto City Town Beautification Campaign, Nishikyo-ku Tenno-no-Mori Cleanup Campaign, Kaguchi Beach Cleanup, Gotemba Cleanup Campaign, and more) |
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- Cleaning areas surrounding our offices and plants |
| Contribution to the local hot spring water supply business by providing waste hot water free of charge |
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Promotion of local economies
Continue to foster community-based products and support producers
Takara Shuzo Wins 52nd Food Industry Technology Award
Takara Shuzo's " Promotion of domestic fruit cultivation using chu-hai" won the 52nd "Food Industry Technology Award" in the "Regional Creation Category". The reasons for the award are as follows.
◇FARMER’s STORY "Kyo Lemon Sour"
By actively using rare domestic fruit, which is produced in small quantities and tends to be expensive, in a variety of ways, the company supports fruit growers in various regions and cooperates from the ground up in cultivation and branding. A portion of product sales is donated to purchase 500 lemon seedlings to contribute to the local community.
◇Takara can chu-hi "Sumika"
The use of domestic fruit, including its peel, which would otherwise have been thrown away, has led to an increase in income for growers.
◇Takara Craft
By establishing a position as a souvenir in various regions and creating demand for local products that can only be purchased here, the product contributes to regional revitalization.Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, shipment quantities are expanding.
Takara Craft
We will continue to carefully select ingredients unique to each region and develop and nurture products that are rooted in the region and loved by local people, such as "Takara Craft," a region-specific chu-hi made with the "Hitotemazukuri" method, in which local ingredients and base alcohol are carefully selected and carefully prepared to bring out the characteristics and individuality of the ingredients. In addition, since the aging of the population and other factors are causing a shortage of labor during the harvest season in the production areas of each region, we have begun activities in which our employees visit the production areas to help with the harvest.
Odawara Lemon Harvest Volunteers
◇Kyo Lemon
Takara Shuzo has been participating in the activities of General Incorporated Association Kyoto Lemon Project Council since its inception in 2018. In this project, producers, processors, and sellers are working together to cultivate and brand "Kyo Lemon" with the aim of effectively utilizing abandoned farmland and supporting new farmers. In 2023, five years after the launch of the project, Takara Shuzo launched "Takara CRAFT Kyo Lemon" using "Kyo Lemon". Through expanded sales of this product, we support the stable and expanded harvest of "Kyo Lemon" and donate a portion of the sales to General Incorporated Association Kyoto Lemon Project Council.
◇Ogasawara Passion Fruit
We participated in a project to revitalize agriculture in the Ogasawara Islands and launched "Takara Craft Ogasawara Passion Fruit" using fruit from the Ogasawara Islands. While the summer tourist season in the Ogasawara Islands runs from July to August, the harvesting season for passion fruit, a specialty of the islands, is from April to July, before the tourist season. We developed this product together with the producers, based on the local people's wish that "tourists should also taste the local specialty. Currently, the product is also sold on board the ferry that connects the mainland with the Ogasawara Islands. We will continue to contribute to raising awareness of the product, and work to revitalize the production area while conveying the good qualities of the Ogasawara Islands.
Provide donations, water supply, and volunteer activities
In the event of large-scale disasters, we provide relief supplies and monetary donations to support the affected areas. In addition, our employees participate in relief activities as volunteers.
Major Donations
| Year | Reason | Amount | Other support | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Great East Japan Earthquake | 30 million yen | Supplying water from large wate | Japanese Red Cross |
| 2014 | Great East Japan Earthquake recovery support | Donated land owned by the company in Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture, to the city for | Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture | |
| 2016 | 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake | 10 million yen | Japanese Red Cross | |
| 2018 | 2018 Torrential Rains | 10 million yen | Japanese Red Cross | |
| 2018 | 2018 Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake | 5 million yen | Japanese Red Cross | |
| 2019 | 2019 East Japan Typhoon | 10 million yen | Japanese Red Cross | |
| 2020 | Shuri Castle Reconstruction | A percentage of product sales | Okinawa Prefecture Shuri Castle Restoration and Reconstruction Support Donations Secretariat | |
| 2022 | Humanitarian Assistance in Ukraine | 10 million yen | United Nations World Food Programme | |
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2024 |
2024 Noto Penisula Earthquake |
10 million yen |
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Japanese Red Cross |