- Toshiba Group employees encouraged to participate in CSR activities in December
- Activities held all over the world
- Contributing to the achievement of a sustainable society guided by Toshiba’s corporate motto – Committed to People, Committed to the Future –
For over a decade now, December has been Toshiba Group CSR Month, a tradition and commitment that continues this year. Toshiba has long been guided by the principles expressed in our corporate motto—Committed to People, Committed to the Future—and CSR Month offers us all an opportunity to reflect on how best to build a management system and Toshiba Group that respect responsibilities to society. But more than that, it provides all of us, wherever we are in Toshiba’s global operations, with an opportunity to get involved in activities that make a direct and real contribution to the community.
Group companies encourage and support voluntary activities and projects year round, but that does not stop them from making a special effort this month. December 5 is International Volunteer Day, a UN-designated event that encourages organizations and individuals to shine a light on their activities. Toshiba Group organizes special events on and around this date that reinforce our long-standing support for volunteerism, and that also seek to involve as many of the Group’s 188,000* employees as possible.
In Japan, the centerpiece event this year is month-long food drive to support local food banks. Other events include hands-on tree-planting and cleaning-up at the Minamisoma Solar Agri Park in Fukushima, an NGO supported by Toshiba, a charity movie showing, with proceeds donated to organizations that support the hearing impaired, and charity concert by the Toshiba Philharmonic Orchestra to improve awareness of food drive.
Other activities around the world include donations of clothes and food in China, where some factories are also encouraging efforts to reduce food wastage, and distribution of food to townships in Africa. Toshiba Group companies in Singapore have already raised funds and initiated a gift-collection drive for a voluntary welfare organization, managed by the Singapore’s Children Society. The beneficiaries were also invited to a trees-decorating activity at the Botanic Gardens, in support of conserving Singapore’s natural heritage. In the US, Toshiba America Group companies are all coordinating programs that focus either on food and clothing donations or the aptly named “Toys for Tots”, benefiting local food banks and shelters in local Toshiba communities.
As ever, a highlight of CSR Month will be the annual CSR Conference, this year on December 13. The centerpiece of the conference is the presentation of the “ASHITA” Awards in recognition of outstanding achievements in CSR activities over the last year. Nominations this year totaled over 1,300, a potent reminder that the voluntary spirit is strong throughout Toshiba, and awards will be presented to 3 companies and one individuals.
CSR management and the community engagement promoted by CSR activities and CSR Month are strongly supported by Toshiba’s top management. In his message to employees worldwide to support the start of CSR Month, Satoshi Tsunakawa, Toshiba’s president and CEO, made the observation that: “Companies are supported by the understanding and trust of stakeholders, and must repay that by developing their corporate activities and contributing to the achievement of a sustainable society.” Through our CSR activities, we can join hands across the world and contribute to a better society and a better understanding of Toshiba.
*As of March 31, 2016
