Laden...
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Japan for Sustainability Newsletter #184
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December 28, 2017
Copyright (c) 2017, Japan for Sustainability
Japan for Sustainability (JFS) is a non-profit communication platform to
disseminate environmental information from Japan to the world, with the
aim of helping both move onto a sustainable path.
See what's new on our web site: http://www.japanfs.org/en/
E-mail: [email protected]
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In the December 2017 issue of the JFS Newsletter:
- 15-Year Integrated Forest Environment Education in Shimokawa, Hokkaido
to Support Sustainable Forest Management
- Actions Toward 100% Renewable Energy in Japan
- "Good Companies in Japan" (Article No. 1):
Valuing Employee Happiness and Trust
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15-Year Integrated Forest Environment Education in Shimokawa, Hokkaido
to Support Sustainable Forest Management
https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035978.html
Introduction
The last issue introduced the town of Shimokawa, Hokkaido, whose
industrial promotion and regional energy supply were developed on the
basis of its local forests. Years of efforts there bore fruit and starting from
2014, the trees planted by former generations have been cut down and
seedlings planted in their place. This has enabled the town to implement
recycling-based forest management and realize sustainable forest
management. Based on its forest resources, the town has generated
various new industries and the number of people moving there is increasing.
For Shimokawa, forests are an important resource for generating income,
producing energy for industries and the local region and attracting
people to move there. To protect these important forest resources, the
town is also educating its people about forests. This issue of the JFS
newsletter introduces a comprehensive forest environment education
program targeting children from preschool to high school ages over a
course of 15 years.
Background and Objectives
Shimokawa's forest environment education initiative started in fiscal
2006 with forest play programs targeting the Childhood Center's pupils.
These were organized by the non-profit organization (NPO) Forest Life.
Then, in fiscal 2007, the Shimokawa Town government started to hold its
own forest experience programs for elementary, junior high and high
school students in town. In fiscal 2009, to systematize these programs
and make them more understandable, they were all consolidated into a
forest environment educational system. In this way, a unified education
was established on forest environments and provided to children
attending the town's Childhood Center and its elementary, junior high
and high school.
Since fiscal 2009, Forest Life has been running these programs as
coordinator under contract with the Shimokawa Town government. We
introduce the contents of these programs below, based on a report
prepared by Forest Life.
Objectives of Forest Environment Education
The objectives of Shimokawa's forest environment education are as
follows:
- To help children mature personally through learning in a familiar
natural environment.
- To help children grow into individuals who can think about the
environment on their own and take action to protect it.
- To help children understand regional forest-based industries.
15-Year Integrated Forest Environment Education Programs
Forest environment education is provided about once a month at the
Childhood Center and once a year at the elementary, junior high and high
school. The program for the elementary and junior high schools consists
of three sessions: a pre-program classroom lesson, an actual on-site
program in the forest and a post-program classroom lesson, which are
incorporated into the school curriculum for a few days. At the high
school, a more advanced forest environmental education is provided by,
for example, using the school's forest.
The programs are organized and operated based on the Learning About
Forests (LEAF) program, a forest environment education program that
originated in Northern Europe. LEAF now operates in 26 countries. In
Japan, the NPO FEE Japan is promoting the program.
LEAF's vision is to have children become aware of forests and learn that
they play a key role in helping people's lives become sustainable. Under
the philosophy of "Clever Question, Good Decision," the program,
consists of participatory sessions centered around activities and adopts
a practical approach to informing participants of the cultural,
ecological, economic and social functions that forests fulfil so that
they can learn about forests from a number of diverse, multilayered
standpoints.
Specific Contents of the Six-step Program
Forest Life provided 27 programs to a total of 1,310 children in fiscal
2016. Below, we introduce the programs implemented that year. They were
offered in accordance with the six steps of LEAF.
Shimokawa's Childhood Center -- Forest Play
April 21: Tasting white birch sap
May 17: Observing plants and flowers around them
May 19: Observing spring plants and learning their names
June 2: Spring family excursion (harvesting mugwort: an edible plant of
the daisy family)
July 21: Observing leaves and flowers of trees and wildflowers
August 25: Finding summer creatures
September 1: Autumn family excursion (gathering fallen leaves and
branches)
September 15: Enjoying roasting sweet potatoes
September 21: Harvesting acorns
October 5: Harvesting acorns, mushrooms and fallen leaves in the forest
December 15: Enjoying snow and finding traces of animals
January 25, 2017 (Walnut Class only): Making bookmarks using white birch
bark (craftwork)
January 26 and February 9: Enjoying sled rides on a snowy hill
March 2: Closing ceremony (forest play slide show and presentation of
certificates by the forest fairy)
Shimokawa Elementary School
First grade students: Finding their favorite tree
- Cultivating a sense of attachment to nature in the local area through
craftwork using familiar natural items as a motif
Second grade students: Making their own tree guide book
- Promoting awareness of diversity of tree species and increased
interest in and respect for forests by having the students make their
own tree guide book
Shimokawa Elementary School
Third grade students: Studying the mechanisms at work in forests
- Deepening the students' understanding of the circulation mechanisms at
work in forests by learning about the roles of insects, animals,
mushrooms and trees.
Fourth grade students: Learning about forest development
- Increasing interest in and respect for tree planting and growing
activities and understanding of the town's recycling-oriented forest
management by participating in the Shimokawa Tree Planting Festival
Shimokawa Elementary School
Fifth grade students: Learning how to utilize wooden materials
- Increasing interest in and respect for the activities of people
engaged in developing and utilizing forests and learning about the
interaction between humans and nature by conducting a survey on
forests, cutting trees and visiting factories and facilities that
utilize timber from forest thinning
Sixth grade students: Considering wooden products and our daily lives
- Learning more details about tree species and wooden materials,
increasing interest in wooden products by having the students make
their own chopsticks and considering choices that they can make in
their daily lives
Shimokawa Junior High School
First grade students: Orientation on learning through charcoal making
- Recognizing the relationship between themselves and the natural
environment of Shimokawa, an environmental model town, and becoming
able to take actions conscious of that relationship during a charcoal
making experience.
- Understanding the history and methods of charcoal making.
Second grade students: Observing various kinds of forest work
- Learning about various kinds of forest work conducted in Shimokawa, an
environmental model town, and considering their future careers and how
to lead their lives through briefing sessions and work experiences.
Third grade students: Learning about, discovering and telling others
about Shimokawa now
- Becoming aware of the positive environmental, industrial and
historical aspects of their town by researching how forest resources
are utilized in Shimokawa. Also, becoming aware of how the town needs
to improve from an objective viewpoint.
Shimokawa Commercial High School
First grade students: Campus exchange program between Hokkaido Shimokawa
Commercial High School and Hokkaido Shibetsu Shoun High School
- Deepening the students' understanding of Shimokawa Town's forest
resource utilization initiatives.
- Strengthening student exchange between Shimokawa Commercial High
School and Shibetsu Shoun High School.
Second grade students: Studying the economic value of forests and
forest-related work in Shimokawa
- Deepening the students' understanding of the economic value of forests
and having them consider careers related to forests and forestry.
Third grade students: Tree Planting Festival
- Increasing the students' interest in and respect for tree planting and
growing activities and their understanding of the town's recycle-oriented
forest management through participation in the Shimokawa Tree Planting
Festival
Activity Fields
As shown in the illustration in the following weblink, activities are
implemented at various sites in the town that serve as activity fields.
https://www.japanfs.org/ja/files/nl_171228_01.jpg
Cooperation with Schools
After carrying out the programs, Forest Life conducts a questionnaire
survey of school teachers to improve the programs based on a
quantitative assessment. It also holds a meeting of people involved in
Shimokawa's forest environmental education twice a year to encourage
relevant entities, such as educational institutions, the town's board of
education and the town hall, to participate in the process of planning,
assessing, and improving the forest environment education, so as to
advance it under a cooperative structure.
Children's Reactions
We interviewed Tsubasa Aso, representative of Forest Life, about the
reactions of children and their parents. The following are his remarks
from the interview.
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At the Childhood Center, I often hear of parents' comments like "Our
children are really delighted to go to the center," and "When they come
home, they say they enjoyed the activities there." Also, a mother told
me that one day when she was walking with her child on the street, the
child pointed at a weed and said, "Mom, you can eat this weed. Make me
tempura with it!" The weed was mugwort. At the center, children pick
mugwort leaves early every spring. That's why her child was able to
distinguish that plant from other plants.
In an earlier survey, we asked children if they had seen a tree being
cut down. More than 80 percent of children in Shimokawa answered yes,
while in general only 30 percent of children would have answered
affirmatively. Also, to the question of what they would like to be in
the future, a sixth-year elementary school girl replied "a forest
specialist." She looked into the occupation and presented it at her
school's presentation meeting in front of the students' parents.
There was one more thing that made me happy. In the "Let's discover
local treasures" class at the elementary school, second-year students
discussed what they thought Shimokawa's treasure was. They were divided
into six groups, and each group talked together and looked into the
subject. After the discussion, three of the six groups concluded that
Shimokawa's treasure was its forests and decided to investigate them.
So the teacher asked them, "To whom should you ask questions about the
forest?" And the students answered "Forest Life." I was really glad to
hear that. The students actually came to us and asked me questions they
had prepared. The questions were interesting. For example, they asked,
"How many trees are there in Shimokawa?" I replied, "Umm, I wonder how
many..." (laughter)
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His remarks assure us that forests have become more accessible and
valuable to children.
Conclusion
As noted in the previous issue, Shimokawa is considered a model for the
development of a sustainable municipality, in that it uses forests,
which cover more than 90 percent of its area, in a sustainable manner to
vitalize industry and attain self-sufficiency in energy. This issue also
noted that to achieve this, Shimokawa is also making steady efforts to
develop human resources.
In November 2017, Shimokawa Junior High School held a class for second
year students about sustainable development goals (SDGs). They were
divided into eight groups, and each group considered what kind of
municipality they wanted Shimokawa to be in 2030. Each group selected
three of the 17 SDGs as particularly important goals for the town and
discussed the three goals. Of the eight groups, seven groups selected
Goal 15 (Life on Land), showing that the importance of forests is firmly
rooted even in junior high school students. When these children grow up,
wouldn't it be exciting to see them develop the town further, using
forests as a foundation for sustainability!
Written by Junko Edahiro
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What kind of education is needed in your community to ensure that
local resources are utilized in a sustainable way?
Please share your ideas and leave comments!
https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035978.html#comment
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Actions Toward 100% Renewable Energy in Japan
The ISO Student Committee at Tokyo City University held its 19th
Environment ISO Forum on October 28, 2017. This event is held annually
to report on activities related to ISO 14001 (an international standard
on environmental management systems) at the Yokohama Campus of the
university. Besides the sharing of information, it also aims to raise
environmental awareness among the students.
At the 2017 event, Hironao Matsubara, chief researcher of the Institute
for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), presented the "Latest evelopments
of Renewable Energy in Japan and Overseas -- Global and Local Trends
Toward 100 % Renewable Energy."
This issue of the JFS Newsletter introduces the latest trends toward
100% renewable energy in Japan, summarizing the presentation by Dr.
Matsubara.
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Paris Climate Agreement and Global Trends for Renewable Energy
It's been a long time since I have spoken in front of so many students.
I am very glad that more and more young people like you are getting
interested in the renewable energy trend. Today I would like to talk
about a hopeful situation: how widely renewable energy has been
spreading both domestically and internationally -- in other words, how
we are heading toward a world of 100% renewable energy.
First, I would like to address a fundamental question: Why renewable
energy? Energy issues are intricately connected with the issue of
climate change. And it is renewable energy that will play a growing role
in all of this.
As you may know well, a major cause of climate change is greenhouse gas
emissions from the use of fossil fuels. To limit the rise in the global
mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, we
must cut greenhouse gas emissions to half of the 1990 levels by 2050. In
December 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted. The agreement aims at
"keeping a global temperature rise (...) well below 2 degrees Celsius
(...) and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5
degrees Celsius." It entered into force in November 2016.
This has two very important meanings. First, we shared a clear awareness
that it has become possible to spread renewable energy all over the
world. Second, renewable energy must inevitably become a major player,
now that it has been acknowledged that in the long-term, greenhouse gas
emissions must be effectively reduced to zero after 2050. In effect, it
was strongly acknowledged that we can and must reach 100% renewable
energy.
In fact, more than 600 leaders of cities and local communities, as well
as over 110 companies, have declared their intention to shift toward
100% renewable energy. Although Japanese companies lag somewhat behind,
some are starting to join this trend. In May 2017, international
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) collaboratively established the
Global 100% Renewable Energy Platform to accelerate this trend.
Regarding local governments, I am watching the movements of a network of
cities and regions aiming at 100% renewable energy. As of March 2017, 11
cities had joined.
Next, I would like to talk about how much renewables have been installed
worldwide. Wind power generation started to be introduced in the 1990s
and gradually increased in the 2000s, and the cumulative installed
capacity is now about 500 gigawatts (GW), equivalent to 500 nuclear
reactors. Meanwhile, solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation started to
increase about a decade ago. The cumulative installed capacity is about
300 GW, and the increase is coming at a pace faster than wind power.
According to the Renewables 2017 Global Status Report released by REN21
on June 7, 2017, the amount of investment in the renewable energy market
rose steadily from about 45 billion dollars in 2004 to about 310 billion
dollars in 2015, although it dropped to 240 billion dollars in 2016, or
23% down from the previous year. I wondered why it decreased at first,
but found a reason. It is because the initial cost of installation has
gone down drastically. The renewable energy market has now reached the
point where the amount of money invested can go down even while the
installed capacity increases.
How about the cost of electricity generated by renewable energy? The
costs of land-based wind, hydro, and geothermal power generation are
almost the same as for electricity generated by burning fossil fuels.
The costs of photovoltaic power generation have decreased to the same
level as thermal power, under the right conditions. The costs of
offshore wind power generation also have started to drop. Therefore, in
the future, the costs of renewable power generation as a whole are
expected to be equal to or less expensive than thermal power.
Japan's Path to 100% Renewable Energy
So, what must Japan do to move toward 100% renewable energy? We must
gradually reduce the use of non-sustainable energy, which comes from
fossil fuels and nuclear power. With the decreased use of energy as a
whole and the increased use of renewable energy, we can achieve 100%
renewable energy in the future.
Policy objectives have an important role to play in promoting renewable
energy. European countries have set targets of around 30% or greater as
the renewable energy ratio of power generation in 2020. Some have
already achieved their targets, and the rest are continuing to work
toward them. In contrast, Japan's target is just 24% in 2030. Compared
to European countries, Japan is 10 years behind. So the big question is
this: How can we catch up?
Looking at Japan's situation since 2011, nuclear power generation
dropped dramatically and fossil fuels went up for a while but later
declined, while renewable energy is increasing. As a result, we can see
promising numbers -- CO2 emissions are on the decline even as GDP
increases, indicating the start of what we call "decoupling." This
phenomenon has become the norm in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
For the energy mix in 2030, the Japanese government aims to achieve a
44% target ratio for what it calls "non-fossil-fuel" power, a
combination of renewable and nuclear energy. The official target ratio
for nuclear is 20% to 22%, but the restart of several nuclear plants has
been delayed due in part to their high risk, so some now say that we can
achieve Japan's energy mix target just by increasing the ratio of
renewables. Actually, Kyushu Electric Power Co., which is very
progressive in adopting photovoltaics, says that it does not need the
electricity generated from nuclear plants operating inside its own
service area, so it is supplying that electricity to other areas.
As Japan shifts toward renewable energy, we face the issue of not being
able to connect new renewable energy facilities with the grid due to the
lack of available grid capacity. In an attempt to improve the situation,
the Organization for Cross-regional Coordination of Transmission
Operators has been established to permit more flexible coordination of
electricity on broader regional scales, beyond the defined service areas
of the power utilities.
Thanks to electricity market deregulation in Japan, users can now choose
which company to purchase electricity from. However, power companies are
not required to disclose information on their mix of power generation,
so users don't receive sufficient detail even if they prefer renewables.
Against this backdrop, the Power Shift campaign has been created to
provide information online about power companies that are making the
effort to use renewables, and encourages users to switch to those companies.
Roles of Communities and Individuals
The movement toward 100% renewable energy needs to be community-driven.
It is also important to have economic benefits for communities, in order
to achieve social consensus and ensure that revenues return locally.
Some municipalities have adopted local ordinances to promote renewables.
In some large-scale renewable energy developments, forests have been
cleared to make way for massive photovoltaic facilities, and this has
attracted criticism. In response, some effort is now being made to
develop guidelines and zoning regulations prior to future projects being
undertaken. These examples show that consensus-building and
sustainability are also important in the world of renewable energy.
In May 2014, the Japan Community Power Association was established as a
network aimed at creating a sustainable society through community-driven
projects that promote renewable energy sources. The first World
Community Power Conference was held in Fukushima, Japan in 2016. The
initiative plans to expand globally, and in 2018, the second conference
is scheduled to be held in Africa.
Lastly, I would like to conclude my talk by summarizing what each of us
can do to achieve 100% renewable energy.
Know
- Know climate change risks
- Know the limits and risks of nuclear power
- Know the limits of fossil fuels
- Know the possibilities of renewable energy
- Know the advantages of energy-saving
Participate
- Participate in seminars and symposiums
- Become a supporter and/or a member of NGOs
- Participate in volunteer activities
- Participate in community activities
- Participate in politics such as via elections
Think
- Think about sustainable society
- Think about the next generations
- Think about visions for energy in the future
- Think about energy-saving methods
- Think about how to increase renewable energy
- Think about how to choose energy sources
Act
- Save energy
- Reduce CO2 emissions by 80%
- Choose renewable energy
- Adopt/install renewable energy
- As consumers, choose which companies to buy from
- Choose political parties and politicians
Today, I talked about the current situation and the future of renewable
energy. Were you able to have a glimpse of what your future might look
like? As you move forward on your life path, renewable energy will
definitely play a major role. I hope you will get involved somehow and
think proactively about all of this.
Edited by Nobuhiro Tanabe
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"Good Companies in Japan" (Article No. 1):
Valuing Employee Happiness and Trust
The April 2017 edition of the JFS newsletter introduced Kamakura
Management Investment Co. through an interview with Kazuhiro Arai,
director and asset manager of this Japanese investment company that is
striving to build a better society by investing in what it refers to as
"ii kaisha" ("good companies").
Supporting 'Good Companies' that Create Future Society
https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035814.html
In his book "Jizoku Kano-na Shihon Shugi" ("Sustainable Capitalism,"
published in 2017 by Discover 21, in Japanese), Arai wrote about the
world economy after the financial global crisis of 2007 and 2008,
criticism in Japan and overseas of the existing model of capitalism, and
the limits of efficiency-first and the pursuit of profit above all.
Through his past experience and a deep realization of the limitations of
the conventional financial system, Arai made up his mind to develop a
new system to make long-term investments only in "good companies." This
is the investment style Kamakura Management has adopted. They define
"good companies" as companies that are accountable both economically and
socially, the kinds of companies that are needed for the future of
society.
What kinds of " good companies" already exist in Japan? With Arai's
permission, JFS will introduce "good companies" covered in his book. In
this article, the first of a series, the JFS Newsletter introduces
companies that value worker happiness.
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Trust in Workers Fosters Motivation:
Mirai Industry Co .
Mirai Industry Co. is a manufacturer and distributor of installation
equipment for electricity, water, and gas, with its head office located
in Gifu Prefecture. Mirai Industry is a "good company" that not only
pays employees good salaries but also develops a feeling of enthusiasm
among employees by trusting them, and connecting this to growing the
business.
Mirai Industry does not have a system to supervise or control its
employees, and does not compel them to do anything. The company has done
away with "reports, progress updates, and asking for advice from the
boss," which are typical business practices elsewhere and strongly
encouraged in the Japanese corporate world. It never imposes quotas,
directions, or orders on its employees. In Mirai Industry, employees are
not controlled by supervisors but are fully trusted to do their job. The
finance department does not even verify reported expenses when
reimbursing employees for business trips, or keep track of the number of
times an employee uses of the company cafeteria. The extent of the
company's commitment to this approach is revealed in numbers. Just over
ten management staff work in this company of more than 800 employees.
Mirai Industry encourages its employees always to think, instead of
managing and controlling them. That's the basic philosophy of the
company. For example, the company has a reward system that pays at least
500 yen (about U.S. 55 cents) for any proposal from employees. Employees
were told they could return to conventional systems if this approach
didn't work out, but as a testament to how profoundly the new values had
spread, employees fearlessly proposed a mountain of new ideas that led
to the creation of new products, and more than 3,000 patents, new uses,
and designs.
Mirai Industry does not promote overtime work, which is a controversial
issue in Japan these days. Employees who do not work overtime are
regarded as good employees. The company returns the money saved from not
working overtime to the employees as a subsidy for lunch money, so they
make an effort to be efficient and avoid overtime work. With the
company's stance to avoid seeing personnel expenses as a cost, every
employee is hired as a regular employee, not as non-regular such as
part-time or temporary staff. Retirement age is set at 70 years of age.
The company's salaries are among of the top level in Gifu Prefecture.
Mirai Industry continues making high profits under the company's
philosophy of trusting employees and offering a pleasant and highly
motivating work environment. The recurring profit margin in the last
three years shows 10 percent growth year on year.
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The 'Annual Growth Ring' Approach to Corporate Management:
Ina Food Industry Co.
Ina Food Industry in Ina city, Nagano Prefecture, is a manufacturer of
powdered agar, a traditional gelatin product derived from seaweed. It
shares its own definition of what it means to be a good company.
--------
High profit is not a prerequisite of a good company. A good company
is one that every stakeholder recognizes as a good company in
general conversation. A good company makes everyone happy,
including we who work here. This is the true meaning of being a
good company.
From the Ina Food Industry website (in Japanese)
translated by JFS
https://www.kantenpp.co.jp/corpinfo/rinen/
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The unique management of Ina Food Industry is seen in the company's
philosophy of "annual growth ring management." Text below is translated
from the company's website.
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Trees grow every year, making an annual growth ring, and they never
stop growing, although the width of the annual ring changes
depending on environmental factors such as cold, heat, wind and
snow. Trees consistently make an annual ring. This is the natural
model for companies to aim for.
The annual rings are wide when trees are young and gradually narrow
when trees grow to a certain level of size. This is the natural
providence. The growth rate of trees is smaller with narrowing
rings, but the absolute quantity is larger as the circumference and
inner volume of trees grow every year. If companies try to increase
the sales by focusing only on temporary sales figures, other
elements related to the business may fail to keep up, generating an
inner cavity.
We do not have a numerical target for growth. We think sales and
profit figures are the results of our natural style of business
with "annual ring management," so we don't think it is important to
have target numbers. Rather than aiming to increase sales, we aim
at making our employees fully use their abilities and develop in
various ways.
From the Ina Food Industry website (in Japanese)
translated by JFS
https://www.kantenpp.co.jp/corpinfo/rinen/01.html
--------
One of its main products, powdered agar, became a big boom item among
consumers at one point, and employees were excited to receive a rush of
orders. Seeing the situation from the perspective of annual growth ring
management, company chairman Hiroshi Tsukakoshi was alone in feeling
some concern that this boom might lead to a crisis for the company. He
avoided chasing after the temporary boom by making an excessive
investment in equipment, even though production was behind in filling
orders, but sought instead to have more modest but steady growth in
natural manner. As the result, the company has successfully achieved
increased revenues and profits for the 48 straight years since it was
established.
In order to make all stakeholders happy, including themselves, Ina Food
clearly states in its philosophy that it will build a company in which
employees feel happy.
--------
Nowadays, we see too many business managers and companies who have
lost their vision of how things should be. Such a condition might
cause a worldwide economic recession.
We believe that what business leaders should do is to make a
company a happy place for employees and to contribute to society.
Sales revenues and profits are merely means to achieve that.
It is easy to understand if we see a company as a family. Employees
are family members. Even if we do not have enough food, we just
can't drive some family members away so the rest can eat. A company
should be similar. Just like we wish happiness for our family, it
is important for management to wish for employees' happiness. Being
so will keep bringing a positive cycle in business management.
From the Ina Food Industry website (in Japanese)
translated by JFS
https://www.kantenpp.co.jp/corpinfo/rinen/04.html
--------
To make employees happy, the company sees each employee's personal
growth as being more important than its sales and profits. Employees are
like family, so the company does not fire them for corporate downsizing,
and it provides a place for employees to keep working even after the
mandatory retirement age. Ina Food seems to be a company that employees
are proud to work at. They voluntarily start cleaning the large head
office grounds in the morning, ashamed if any litter appears there.
Ina Food sees serving local people as its main business -- local people
are not only its customers but many of them also work for the company.
Therefore, it participates regularly in cleaning the neighborhood and
supports local events.
When the company employees commute by car, they avoid turning right
across the oncoming traffic to enter the company's site (in Japan, cars
travel on the left side of the road). This is because they will clog the
road while waiting for the chance to turn. To avoid this, the employees
will continue driving past to a point further ahead where they can turn
around, and then come back to turn left and get to work.
In addition, Ina Food's employees voluntarily try to park their cars as
far away from the entrance of local supermarkets as possible to leave
parking spots closer to the entrance available for people who need them,
such as expectant mothers and the elderly.
By consistently making small efforts like these, Ina Food has become a
company that is very positively received by the local community. It
nurtures feelings of pride and happiness within employees, which
motivates them to contribute further to the company and community.
------------------------
In this article we have introduced two examples of companies that
emphasize employees' happiness rather than corporate profits. Their
practices generate motivation and voluntary actions by workers, which
eventually lead to growth of the company. Future JFS articles will cover
more Japanese "good companies" from a variety of viewpoints.
Please stay tuned!
Edited by Noriko Sakamoto
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Season's Greetings from JFS
*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*
We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for
the interest, encouraging feedback, and continuous support we have received
from our readers and supporters during the past year.
In the coming year 2018, we intend to keep moving forward and
contributing to efforts to make our world more sustainable.
To this end we welcome your collaboration and feedback at any time.
Please note that our office will be closed from December 29 to January 3
and any requests received during that period will be handled after that
date.
We wish you a happy and more sustainable new year in 2018!
Japan for Sustainability
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[JFS Web Site Additions of the Month]
- This month's cartoon:
Winter is a big energy-saving opportunity! (2017/12/07)
https://www.japanfs.org/en/manga/manga_id035962.html
- JFS Newsletter No.183 (November 2017)
Fifth Contest to Award Excellent Environmental and Social
Practices by Junior High, High School Students(2017/12/21)
https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035960.html
Coco Farm & Winery: An Amazing Model of Special Needs
Students and Community(2017/12/13)
https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035961.html
Sustainable Community Building in Shimokawa:
Recycling-Oriented Forest Management Enabling Permanent Use
of Forest Resources(2017/11/30)
https://www.japanfs.org/en/news/archives/news_id035953.html
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