csr communication book 2017 - casio

CSR Communication Book 2017Welcoming the Challenge of Helping to Build a Sustainable Global Society

Casio’s creativity goes deeper

than the surface of things. New

realizations and discoveries

abound, if you just look from a

different angle. View the binary

digit “0” from the side, and

you see a “1.” This illustrates

how Casio leverages multiple

perspectives to create new value.

Cover story

02 Message from the President

04 Social Trends and CSR Progress

06 Recent Social Trends and Casio Initiatives

08 Case Study: How Casio Achieves “Creativity and Contribution”

12 “Creativity and Contribution,” Taken Personally

14 Environmental Executive Message

16 CSR ConversationLearning from Model CSR Companies: Fujitsu’s Global Approach to Social Responsibility

20 A Visit to a Stakeholder

21 Launch of the CSR Leader System

In June 2017, Casio Computer Co., Ltd. celebrated its 60th anniversary. For six decades, Casio has

lived up to its corporate creed of “Creativity and Contribution” by giving the world products that

offer entirely new uses and features that no has ever seen before. Simply put, Casio’s approach to

product creation is “creating something from nothing.”

Each year, Casio issues this CSR Communication Book to share about its unique efforts to

fulfill social responsibilities in a way that embodies “Creativity and Contribution.” This fiscal 2018

edition takes a multi-angled look at the exciting new challenges Casio is embracing and is full of

fresh new content.

In the “Message from the President,” Kazuhiro Kashio describes how Casio continues to

differentiate itself by finding original ways to meet the changing needs of society, thereby ensuring

that its businesses always make a social contribution. “Creativity and Contribution” is the guidepost

for everything Casio does. This creed has been practiced for as long as Casio has been in business,

and it is the foundation for the company’s CSR efforts. The sections entitled “Social Trends and

CSR Progress” and “Recent Social Trends and Casio Initiatives” look back on how Casio’s social

responsibility initiatives have evolved with the times.

Everyone at Casio practices the corporate creed of “Creativity and Contribution” in their own

daily work. The Casio EX-Word electronic dictionary is used to illustrate how Casio people fulfill

the creed. Next, the section entitled “‘Creativity and Contribution,’ Taken Personally” features

employees sharing about how they each interpret and practice the corporate creed.

Of course, it is also vital to respond to public expectations regarding social responsibility. In the

“Environmental Executive Message,” Makoto Kobayashi, Executive Officer, General Manager, CSR

Promotion Department, discusses Casio’s response to the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable

Development Goals. Then, a special section summarizes a conversation with the head of Fujitsu’s

CSR department. Fujitsu is an exemplary Japanese company that has maintained outstanding

performance on international CSR norms. The conversation addresses the latest developments in

expectations regarding social responsibility for large corporations. Finally, sections entitled “A Visit

to a Stakeholder” and “Launch of the CSR Leader System” demonstrate how Casio is sharing about

its approach to CSR with external stakeholders.

We hope this book will give you even better insight into the corporate DNA that keeps Casio

“creating something from nothing.”

Please also visit the Casio website for comprehensive information on the company’s CSR

activities, provided based on guidelines from the Global Reporting Initiative.

http://world.casio.com/csr/

Contents

01CASIO CSR Communication Book 2017

“Creativity for Contribution” has become more

important to us than ever before. We seek to build

“co-creator” relationships with end users by directly

connecting with them to create new social value.

Revising the Charter of Creativity for Casio

As we celebrate our 60-year milestone, we are seriously

returning to Casio’s unique origins in “Creativity and

Contribution” and transforming our business structure

for even greater advancement.

Casio originality lies in our ability to discover

hidden needs, to bring people amazement and joy,

and to create new cultural phenomena. We are also

taking this chance to revise the Charter of Creativity for

Casio to better share Casio’s heritage company-wide

and pass it down to the next generation. The revised

charter will redefine our reason for being and where

we are heading. It will clarify Casio’s vision, desired

Creating Businesses Focused on Being Useful to People

Casio Computer Co., Ltd. celebrated its 60th anniversary

in June 2017. Based on our corporate creed of

“Creativity and Contribution,” we have achieved

growth by developing many innovative products using

the approach of “creating something from nothing.”

Over the years, Casio has made people’s lives more

comfortable and convenient.

In recent years, the environment has changed

dramatically. New value no longer stems from mere digi-

talization or advanced functions. The era of “dominating

the market by making superior products” is over.

Today, our goals are not just about developing

products. Instead, we set goals by asking how we can

help people and contribute to the world through our

products and services. We call this kotozukuri, a term

that refers to the craftsmanship of systems for delivering

new experiences and intangible value. Consequently,

Implementing “Creativity and Contribution”— Meeting Social Expectations by Creating Unique Casio Businesses

Message from the President

Kazuhiro KashioPresident & COO

02 CASIO CSR Communication Book 2017

by issuing integrated reports. After clarifying the com-

munication objectives and target audiences, we will carry

out effective disclosure of the appropriate information.

I am always asking that all employees heighten their

awareness that Casio’s future depends on them. Each

department has a role to play to fulfill the company’s

vision and policies. With a shared vision of what we

want Casio to be 10 or 20 years from now, we are

aiming to become a company that provides even more

value, through the full participation of our employees.

Casio is facing the future as a unified team.

direction, and business domains. By digging even

deeper into “Creativity and Contribution,” we will

prepare to fully promote the spirit of Casio in and

outside of the company.

Aligning Business Execution with Solving Social Issues

When considering our future direction, we will

participate in efforts to solve global issues, such as the

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at

the United Nations. We will use the 17 SDGs to make

our contribution targets even clearer from a global

perspective. For example, our education business, which

helps optimize education systems, contributes to SDG 4

(quality education) and is also related to SDG 1 (no pov-

erty) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth).

The current objective of our education business is:

“Improving the academic ability of students in regions

where our business is operating.” In the case of scientific

calculators, the goal is to enhance mathematical skills

by having educational sites adopt Casio scientific calcu-

lators. If we can fulfill these objectives and contribute

in the target markets, Casio sales will naturally increase

as a result. As the world population continues to

grow, the potential market is vast. While applying the

lessons learned from our successes, we will support the

academic development of the leaders of tomorrow.

In businesses other than education, as well, we will

practice “Creativity for Contribution” with the SDGs in

mind to simultaneously accomplish our business plan

and help solve social issues.

Emphasizing a Group-Wide Mission and Transforming the Business Structure

We will be working hard to transform our business

structure to create new value that is useful to people.

For many years, Casio was like a collection of

independent divisions. The reality was that each

division operated its own business separately without a

sufficient understanding of where Casio was heading

as a whole. In order to reinvent this silo organization, in

February 2017 we created the Consumer Development

Headquarters, putting it over the camera, signage and

musical instrument businesses. By combining our various

technologies and know-how, we can now generate

synergies, even in new genres.

We are also revising our evaluation system. While

the performance of departments and individual teams

and employees is important, there must first be a group-

wide mission, so the growth of individual organizations

can contribute to the growth of the entire group.

The same thing applies to CSR initiatives, which

also require a group-wide perspective. We will continue

to focus on increasing awareness of the material issues

(significant CSR issues) we identified in fiscal 2017,

throughout the Group.

Aiming to Create More Value

Casio values communication with stakeholders and is

now looking at ways to further improve its corporate

communications. We want to enhance ESG information


Casio’s CSR activities have evolved with social trends over the years. This section reviews that history, showing the increasing importance of management focused on social responsibility.

Social Trends in the 1990sThe 1990s was a decade of growing public criticism of corporate practices, with repeated corporate scandals in Japan. As a result, the Japan Business Federation established the Keidanren Charter for Good Corporate Behavior, and more and more large companies created their own codes of conduct. As part of legal compliance efforts, Japanese corporations also began to use CSR terminology. Until this point, environmental efforts in Japan were mainly limited to controlling industrial pollution. In the 1990s, however, other issues emerged, such as depletion of the ozone layer, rainforest destruction, and global warming. This was also an age when global environmental problems became apparent. Also, with the creation of the ISO 14001 standard, many companies adopted environmental management practices, hoping to help foster a sustainable global environment.

Social Trends in the 2000sIn the 2000s, the CSR practices of Europe and North America gradually took root in Japan. Discussion grew on themes such as human rights, labor relations, society, and product liability, adding to the environmental efforts that Japanese companies were already engaged in. In addition, companies started to recognize the full range of stakeholders, and in the early 2000s, CSR reports began to be released as part of stakeholder communication efforts. Around 2003, a growing number of companies shifted to CSR management. More companies began to create CSR offices and appoint officers in charge of CSR. These efforts took place in the context of management strategy, as an indispensable element for sustainable development of the company.

Casio Initiatives in the 1990sRecognizing that the manufacturing industry had a major role to play in environmental conservation, Casio established its Environmental Conservation Committee in 1991 and began to pursue environmental management. In 1993, the Casio Environmental Charter was established. This led to environmental activities across the Casio Group relating to both products and production/business sites. When the ISO 14001 standard was created in 1996, Casio also moved to obtain certification for its business sites. As a company with a global presence, Casio understands that it is vital to comply with international norms as well as the applicable laws and regulations in each country and region. In 1998, the Casio Code of Ethics was created to ensure that all officers and employees act based on high ethical standards and sound judgement.

1991 Casio Environmental Conservation Committee launched1993 Casio Environmental Charter and Environmental

Fundamental Policies established1997 Environmental activities reported on the Casio website ISO 14001 certification acquired by Aichi Casio and

Yamagata Casio1998 Casio Group Code of Conduct established ISO 14001 certification acquired by Kofu Casio, Kochi

Casio, Casio Korea, and Casio Electromex (Mexico)1999 Green Procurement Guidelines established Environmental Report first published First exhibit at Eco-Products ISO 14001 certification acquired by Casio Electronics

s

1990 Action Program to Arrest Global Warming established1991 Act for Promoting the Utilization of Recycled Resources

takes effect Keidanren Global Environment Charter established1993 Basic Environment Act takes effect1994 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

takes effect 1996 ISO 14001 international environmental standard created1997 Kyoto Protocol adopted by the third session of the

Conference of the Parties (COP3)1998 Act on Rationalizing Energy Use revised Act on Promotion of Global Warming established

2000 United Nations Global Compact initiated Sustainability Reporting Guidelines issued by the Global

Reporting Initiative (GRI) Containers and Packaging Recycling Act established2001 Green Purchasing Act established Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources,

the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, and the Basic Act on Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society established

2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg

Act concerning Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR Act) established

2003 WEEE and RoHS Directives take effect2005 Kyoto Protocol takes effect2006 JEITA issues Supply Chain CSR Deployment Guidebook

Social Trends and CSR Progress

CSR management reinforcement Environmental initiative Information disclosure

Social TrendsCasio Initiatives

1990s: Establishing Environmental Management 2000s: Shifting to CSR Management

Social Trends


Social Trends in the 2010sIn the 2010s, the attitude of external stakeholders towards companies began to change dramatically. Movements boycotted the products of companies that were not meeting their social responsibilities. Companies are now being judged not just on the impact of their own activities, but on the impact of activities across their entire supply chain. In addition, there is renewed interest in socially responsible investment, as investors look at social benefits while pursuing investment returns. The trend is to evaluate CSR activities in terms of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, and then utilize this information for investment decisions. Companies now must pursue CSR activities at a level that matches the impact of their business activities on society. More and more companies are identifying their materiality (significant CSR issues), and emphasizing CSR in their management strategies.

Casio Initiatives in the 2010sCasio’s CSR management has also evolved in response to society’s grow-ing expectations. In 2011, the company signed on to the United Nations Global Compact, a framework for realizing sustainable growth, and started sharing information, exchanging opinions and collaborating with other signatories. Casio re-analyzed its CSR management and strength-ened efforts to address the issues of human rights and fair business practices, utilizing the ISO 26000 social responsibility guidance standard. In 2012, Casio issued its first CSR Communication Book. This book raises the awareness of employees and highlights points of contact with stake-holders, and it is being used to accelerate CSR management emphasizing communication with stakeholders. In 2016, Casio established a process for identifying materiality in dialogue with various stakeholders and incorporating public expectations into its CSR management.

2000 ISO 14001 certification acquired for production sites in Japan and four Casio Computer business sites

Environmental accounting introduced Green Procurement Standards issued and business partner

briefing sessions begin2001 Casio Taiwan and Casio Software acquire ISO 14001 certification2002 Casio Electronics (Shenzhen), Casio Electronics (Zhongshan),

and Casio Techno headquarters acquire ISO 14001 certification2003 The Charter of Creativity for Casio established2004 CSR Promotion Office and CSR Committee launched Environmental Report becomes Environmental Management Report2005 Environmental Management Report becomes the CSR Report RoHS compliance achieved for all products sold in Europe2006 CSR Report and Corporate Profile combined to create

Corporate Report2009 Casio Environmental Charter becomes the Casio

Environmental Vision, and the Basic Environmental Policy becomes the Casio Environmental Declaration

2010 Corporate Report becomes Sustainability Report Joined the United Nations Global Compact2011 Casio Group Biodiversity Guidelines established2012 Analyzed current status for ISO 26000 CSR Communication Book issued Replaced the Casio Environmental Vision with the Casio

Environmental Vision 2050, and the Casio Environmental Declaration with the Casio Environmental Declaration 2020

2014 Casio Group Basic Policy on Respect for Human Rights established

Joined the Consortium for Sustainable Paper Use2015 Casio Group Paper Procurement Policy established CSR materiality studied CSR Leader system established at Casio Computer2016 Material issues identified 2017 CSR Leader system expanded to group companies in Japan

ss

2010 ISO 26000 standard created2013 G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines released International Integrated Reporting Framework announced

by the IIRC2014 Fifth Assessment Report released by the United Nations

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the UN Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) signs

the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) ISO 14001 standard revised Paris Agreement adopted2016 GRI Standards released

Casio Initiatives in the 2000sCasio’s CSR management began with the establishment of the Charter of Creativity for Casio in 2003. While considering three key CSR aspects—economic, environmental, and social performance—and thinking about the type of management necessary to grow sustainably with society, Casio reviewed its corporate creed, “Creativity and Contribution,” in light of the times. The result was summarized as the Charter of Creativity for Casio. In 2004, Casio established its CSR Promotion Office and CSR Committee. It started to analyze the current CSR situation and identify problems before working to raise awareness within the company. In 2005, Casio identified its key stakeholder groups, and started issuing the CSR Report, which clearly described the group’s responsibilities to each stakeholder segment.

Social Trends

2010s: Integrating CSR into Management Strategy

Casio Initiatives Casio Initiatives


BackgroundLately, it has become vital for companies to determine

which social issues are important for their management,

and what kind of future risks and opportunities they

present. Companies must also determine what kind of

business models and governance systems are required to

respond to these issues and how to create economic and

social value over the medium to long term. This is called

the integrated approach, and it has been emphasized in

corporate information disclosure in recent years.

As part of this worldwide trend, in September 2015,

Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF),

which has 140 trillion yen in investment assets, signed

BackgroundThe Paris Agreement, an international framework to take

effect in 2020, was adopted at the 21st Conference of the

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change (COP 21), held in Paris in December 2015.

This is a legally binding international agreement like the

Kyoto Protocol. It clearly sets out a long-term worldwide

goal of achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions from

human activities by the second half of this century.

Just prior to this, ISO 14001, an international

environmental management standard, was revised

in September 2015. The major revisions included

a new emphasis on improving the performance of

environmental activities, and a requirement to steadily

Recent Social Trends and Casio InitiativesSocial expectations of corporate activities are

continually changing along with societies

themselves. In recent years, the focus has been

on the integrated approach, strengthening

environmental management systems (EMS), and

contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.

Here is some background information on these

trends and Casio initiatives.

the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI).

This is a worldwide platform for investment based on

environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information

and was launched under an initiative of the United

Nations in 2006. In addition to traditional financial infor-

mation, signatory organizations are required to consider

ESG factors in the investment process. As a result, even

institutional investors who are entrusted with pension

investments by the GPIF are required to undertake ESG

investment initiatives. Furthermore, companies that

disclose information to investors also need to report their

corporate strategies, including ESG factors, along with

their corporate value.

reduce environmental impact via proper use of plan-do-

check-act cycles.

Thus, it is now essential for companies to formulate

appropriate plans and reliably achieve them in

accordance with international agreements such as the

Paris Agreement.

Casio Initiatives Casio will contribute to the fulfillment of the Paris

Agreement by aligning its greenhouse gas reduction tar-

gets with the medium and long-term goals of the Japanese

government. Specifically, based on its long-term environ-

mental management policy, the Casio Environmental Vision

2050, the company has revised its long-term greenhouse

1

2

Integrated Approach

Strengthening Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Initiative

Initiative


What Are the SDGs?The UN Sustainable Development Summit was held at

United Nations headquarters in September 2015. With

the participation of the leaders of over 150 Member

States, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

was unanimously adopted. This worldwide agenda sets

out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including

169 specific targets.

The SDGs set out the global objectives and priorities

to be achieved by the year 2030. They highlight specific

opportunities to put the world on a sustainable track, in

areas including poverty, hunger, energy, climate change,

and peaceful societies. Companies in particular are also

expected to actively strive for sustainability as part of

corporate strategy.

Corporate embrace of the SDGs is moving forward

rapidly, and more companies are checking their business

activities against the 169 targets while prioritizing issues.

There are high hopes for the SDGs as a tool to form a

relationship between social issues and business objectives,

as part of the integrated approach mentioned above.

Casio Initiatives The SDGs are helping Casio to clarify targets for

its social contribution activities. For example, the

company’s educational business goals can be linked

with the international movement to solve educational

problems. Going forward, Casio will look at how its

specific business activities relate to the SDGs, in order

to tie them in with its business plans. The company will

clarify the opportunities and responsibilities that the

SDGs represent, and all employees will take the needed

next steps. Casio intends to head towards integrated

management that can achieve business plans while also

helping to resolve social issues. The aim is to further

improve corporate value.

3 Contributing to the Achievement of the SDGs

Strengthening Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Initiative

Casio InitiativesLike other companies, Casio has received a growing

number of inquiries for the disclosure of ESG information

from institutional investors in recent years. In response

to this, Casio is revising its corporate communications

and is working to clarify economic and social value in its

medium to long-term growth scenarios.

Looking to issue integrated reports in the future,

Casio intends to further enhance its disclosure of ESG

information. After clarifying the objectives and audiences

for its various communications, the company will

promote effective information disclosure in response to

public expectations.

gas reduction target. Casio’s new target calls for an 80%

emissions reduction by fiscal 2050 compared with fiscal

2014. Instead of comparing results with fiscal 2006 levels,

the company has decided to set significantly higher targets

by changing the base year to fiscal 2014, when emissions

were lower than in fiscal 2005.

In compliance with the new revised ISO 14001 stan-

dard, Casio also promoted substantial reform of its EMS.

In order to carry out environmental activities based on

materiality, the company has established three committees,

each to address one of its material issues: realizing a

low-carbon society, building a recycling society, and living

in harmony with nature. The aim is to strengthen company

efforts to improve performance in these areas.


Case Study: How Casio Achieves “Creativity and Contribution”

Educational products are now a mainstay business for Casio.

What value is Casio trying to offer to society in areas such as

electronic dictionaries and language learning devices? Last year,

the EX-word line of electronic dictionaries celebrated its 20th

anniversary. Here, we reflect on its history and envision the

future of its contributions to education.

Sharing the joy of learning by

providing opportunities to acquire

knowledge and enjoy learning:

New creativity from Casio’s

electronic dictionary business


Helping People Worldwide to Acquire Knowledge and Enjoy Learning

In 1996, Casio released the EX-word, its first electronic

dictionary. Over the last 20 years, Jun Oshima has over-

seen the launch of EX-word products as a member of the

Product Planning Department, Consumer & Educational

Solution (CES) Product Division. We talked with him about

the history of customer development for this product.

“At that time, many other manufacturers had

released electronic dictionaries, so the EX-word was a

latecomer to the market. On the other hand, no one

had really clarified the key questions: who was using

words; and (3) have more chances to study thanks to the

better portability.”

Of course, the ability to promote the product with

confidence came from the team’s conviction that it

would truly be useful in helping students to learn. In

order to choose the paper dictionary to provide the

content for the device, the developers conducted a

survey to find out which schools used dictionaries by

which publishers and how often they were used. Even

after the initial product launch, the team continued to

utilize classroom feedback gathered by sales staff in

product development.

“For example, during our third year serving the

high school market, we received feedback that the

device broke too often. This was because many high

school students did not carefully handle the electronic

dictionary as a precision instrument, for example, or they

handled it more roughly than we had assumed. In order

to regain customer trust, we quickly developed a more

robust electronic dictionary, and since then resistance to

electronic dictionaries, how were they being used, and

for what purposes?”

High school students need something that makes

it easy to study for exams. University students want

something that is easy to carry to lectures, whereas

elementary school students are interested in something

that makes learning fun. We had to get clear about each

target customer segment, and then modify each product

and sales approach to fit it. Casio’s electronic dictionaries

really began to move when the development and sales

teams joined forces to drive the business.

It was especially hard to develop products for high

school students, who were the largest market for paper

dictionaries. Oshima explained, “Even if we targeted our

promotions directly to high school students, the effect

would be minimal if the product could not also be used

at school. We realized we should first inform teachers

about the benefits of the product, so that they could rec-

ommend it to their students.” One by one, Casio sales

staff visited about 5,000 high schools all over Japan. This

was the start of a steadfast effort to carefully explain the

features of the electronic dictionary.

“At that time, teachers thought looking English

words up in a paper dictionary helped students to learn

new vocabulary. So, it was not convincing enough to

simply tell teachers that the entire content of a paper

dictionary was contained in the device. We needed to

thoroughly communicate the three advantages of the

digital format, which allowed users to: (1) find words

more quickly; (2) listen to native pronunciation of English

Jun OshimaManager, Product Planning Section-2, Product Planning Department, Consumer & Education Solution Product Division

EX-word RISE, a specialized digital device for learning English conversation


breakage even if dropped from a desk has become the

standard specification for a Casio electronic dictionary.”

The developers listened carefully to the voice of the

customer and improved the product in ways that resolved

the concerns and dissatisfaction. By repeating this

process, understanding of the convenience of electronic

dictionaries gradually grew, even among high school

teachers, who had been strongly attached to paper dic-

tionaries. Today, it is estimated that about 60% of high

school students across Japan use electronic dictionaries.

Oshima explained, “I believe that this popularization

is a direct result of our team getting out there and

pounding the pavement. In addition to developing

speaking, the likes of which has never been seen before.

Yoshifumi Yasuda, who is in charge of sales of products

such as electronic dictionaries, explained its purpose.

“Due to the increase in foreign visitors to Japan, the

need for English conversation skills is rapidly increasing

among those involved in customer service, but not all

of these jobs require a high score on a global test like

TOEIC. Still, there was no alternative testing system to

help service industry employees with their English learn-

ing goals. That’s why I thought we should create our

own test.”

The first exam was held in March 2017.

Approximately 50 companies agreed to lend their names

to the project, showing approval and support. Yasuda

said he feels strongly that there is a real emerging need

for this kind of testing.

“Regarding EX-word RISE, other companies are

beginning to develop competing products. However,

we are about more than just fighting for market share;

sometimes we like to cooperate with other enterprises to

expand the market for English conversation products.”

Through his work, Yasuda has come to realize

that learning is one of the basic motivations of human

beings. By helping to create an electronic dictionary or

an English conversation learning device that can be kept

handy all the time, Yasuda knows that he is providing

people with daily opportunities to enjoy learning.

“I also want to provide total support for efficient

learning by helping to create new learning styles based

on audio and visual information, going beyond the

dictionaries for elementary and junior high school stu-

dents, as well as for senior citizens, we went on to create

products including dictionaries not only for English, but

for various other languages such as Chinese, German,

and French. We even made specialist dictionaries for

medical, nursing, and other terminology. In everything

we have done, our goal has been to provide opportuni-

ties to acquire knowledge and enjoy learning to as many

people as possible.”

Creating a New Way of Learning a Foreign Language

Casio facilitates the joy of learning. This goes beyond

the enjoyment of acquiring knowledge with an

electronic dictionary.

The palm-sized English conversation learning device,

EX-word RISE, was released in 2016. It makes the most

of Casio expertise in electronic dictionary development.

Oshima recalled, “It was developed for customers who

want to actually converse in English, especially business

people. With the ability to speak English becoming more

and more important in Japan, we wanted to help business

people with their quest to master English conversation.”

In 2017, Casio initiated an English Proficiency

Testing Service in collaboration with a publisher and a

newspaper company. The test is designed to determine

the ability of people to provide customer service to

foreign visitors in Japan. It is a unique English proficiency

test with practical content that focuses on listening and

Casio aims to help eliminate disparities in education worldwide by exercising creativity in its educational products business.

This coincides with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, which calls for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Relationship with SDGs

Yoshifumi YasudaManager, Planning Section 1, Consumer & Educational Solution Products Marketing Dept.Global Strategic Marketing Division, Global Marketing Headquarters


into a school, or landing a job with a certain company.

To do so, we will carefully consider the socioeconomic

conditions in each country and capitalize on Japan’s pos-

itive image around the world to promote our products.”

Oshima, the creator of EX-word, added, “Educational

inequality is a major cause of poverty worldwide. This

problem cannot be solved in one quick step, but we

want to start doing what we can.”

Casio’s corporate creed, “Creativity and Contribution,”

means providing diverse kinds of value to the world by cre-

ating products that never existed before. Education is the

key to the future, and Casio aims to provide new products

that move the world forward.

Tomoaki SatohGeneral Manager, Product Planning Department, Consumer & Education Solution Product Division

conventional reading and writing methods for learning

English. In addition to providing hardware and content

such as electronic dictionaries and learning devices, we

are thinking about how we can suggest new ways to use

these products—in other words, whole new methods of

learning and teaching.”

Yasuda clearly has his sights set on the future.

Helping to Make Dreams Come True for Those Who Want to Learn Japanese

Aiming to create opportunities for people everywhere

to enjoy learning every day, Casio is working to increase

sales of electronic dictionaries outside Japan.

“Sales of electronic dictionaries outside Japan currently

account for only around 10% of our total,” said Tomoaki

Satoh, General Manager, Product Planning Department,

CES Product Division. “The way I see it, that means there is

great potential for sales growth outside Japan.”

Outside Japan, Casio has been focused mainly on

China in its electronic dictionary business. Going forward,

however, the plan is to expand the target market to learners

of Japanese not only in China, but also in Southeast Asia.

“The Japanese language is an important strength for

Japanese companies in the global market. More and more

people in other parts of the world covet jobs in Japan

related to healthcare, such as a nurse or caregiver. Their

stepping stone is acquiring Japanese proficiency. Casio

wants to help them learn Japanese by making Japanese

learning devices available in their local markets.”

There is work to do to ascertain market needs.

Products, sales channels, and markets all need to be built

from scratch. These are considerable obstacles, but the

team is determined to see it through.

Satoh explained, “In certain countries, there are

many people who would like to learn Japanese but can-

not afford to go to school. We want to provide products

that help make their dreams come true—like getting

Case Study: How Casio Achieves “Creativity and Contribution”

Past electronic dictionaries and language learning devices


The driving force of the Casio Group is our team of 12,000 employees worldwide. Casio employees practice social responsibility

by applying the corporate creed, “Creativity and Contribution,” to the work they do every day. Here are the stories of employees

from different departments who strive to fulfill the corporate creed from their vantage point, through their own work.

“Creativity and Contribution,” Taken Personally

Protecting Casio’s Intellectual Property and Supporting Secure Business Activities

Prioritizing Creativity and Promoting Product Appeal to Consumers

Tintin MenIP Licensing SectionIP Legal and Licensing DepartmentLegal & Intellectual Property Division

Mika TachibanaManager, Advertising Planning GroupAdvertising DepartmentCorporate Communication Division

In the field of legal affairs and intellectual property, it is my job to protect

Casio’s business activities in terms of patent rights. A patent is a powerful

right that enables a firm to seek compensation for damages and a production

injunction against anyone who infringes the patent. Even today there is a lot of

patent litigation in countries around the world. When Casio has to take steps

to protect its rights, we work to resolve the case promptly so as to minimize

any effects on the business. We also support Casio’s business by licensing

patents to other companies and effectively utilizing patents to resolve issues

with other companies.

The key is responding promptly when problems occur. By continually

gathering information, I constantly monitor trends concerning patent litigation

As leader of the timepiece team in the Publicity Production Group, I devise com-

munication strategies, while planning and implementing promotional activities

for all Casio watch brands. The scope of my projects varies from new product

exhibits and TV commercial production, to management of the company’s offi-

cial social media accounts. By using expressions that maximize product appeal,

I aim to create publicity that will grab the attention of consumers and ignite a

passion to buy the product or share information about it. It is very rewarding

when my efforts trigger consumer activity—when the sales of a publicized

product go up, or when discussion is generated in the media or on social media.

In fiscal 2017, the G-SHOCK gorilla promotional video generated

shockwaves in the market. In order to convey the toughness of the product

in each country, as well as law revisions and cases related to patents. While

a wide range of knowledge is required, sometimes the best solution does not

involve a textbook response based on past cases. “Creativity and Contribution”

is the guide for me to determine the essence of a problem, and then to make

the proper use of my knowledge and experience, in order to find the best

solution for each particular case.

My goal is to become a specialist in the legal affairs and intellectual

property field by acquiring even more technical knowledge and studying

interpretations of patent rights. In addition to passively protecting Casio’s

products and brands from business risks, I would like to take on the challenge of

contributing more proactively to the security of Casio’s business activities.

in a simple and direct way, we set out to create a thoroughly realistic-looking

gorilla. It was really difficult to choose the best gorilla representation, but

the promotion was really well received, and we won the top prize at the 61st

President’s Awards.

In my own work, I see the “creativity” described in the first chapter of the

Charter of Creativity for Casio as the foundation of Casio. All of our corporate

values arise from this creativity. I think this leads to ensuring that our products

meet universal needs, and providing customers with delight, happiness, and

pleasure. I always strive to be original in my daily work, and I intend to keep

practicing “Creativity and Contribution.”


Creating Environments That Allow Casio to Continue Innovating in the Industry

Creating New Value for Casio by Effectively Using IT

Aki MakishimaProject Manager, Management Division Casio France S. A.

Momoko ChokaStrategic Accounting Group, Information Technology & Engineering Department

Since joining Casio, I have been involved in various operations such as

organizational personnel, recruitment, and system planning as a member of the

Human Resources Department. In order to maintain an awareness of what Casio

Group employees are thinking, both in Japan and abroad, we emphasize open

communication and seek to listen to everyone equally. Currently I am seconded

to Casio France. I happen to be the first member of the Human Resources

Department to be posted outside Japan. My current job involves a pan-European

personnel project and administration in France. When I first arrived here, I worried

about my position—how I should communicate with the local staff. Now, though,

I find it very rewarding to serve as a bridge between the local staff in France,

the European headquarters, and the Japanese headquarters. My role is to share

The Information Technology & Engineering Department is responsible for

discovering operational problems faced by development, production, sales,

service, and back office departments, etc., and solving and improving them

through the effective use of IT. Currently, I am mainly in charge of building

accounting-related business systems, and I am working on projects in planning,

requirement definition, system development, and introduction. Since Casio’s

business environment is continually changing, we are striving to create opportu-

nities to rethink the way operations are currently done. While considering things

with the user department, such as whether the original purpose of an operation

is being fulfilled properly, or whether an administrative task is taking too much

time, we are utilizing IT to make improvements.

European cases with the Human Resources Department at the head office in

Japan, and I am facilitating discussions to help resolve various personnel issues.

I think the universal goal for human resources staff at the Casio Group is

to build a framework that enables employees to demonstrate their creativity

and to be able to fulfill “Creativity and Contribution” with professionalism and

enjoyment. We want to expand employee discretion and support the creation of

environments that will allow Casio to continue freely innovating in the industry

with bold ideas. I strive to fully understand the motivations for group employees

everywhere, while acquiring human resource knowledge and expertise from all

over the world. I believe this will help us to create human resource systems that

leverage Casio uniqueness.

The demand for data utilization will increase further in the future. Our

operational systems create huge amounts of data every day. But the data has

no value if it is not utilized. Our important missions include transforming data

into very useful information, and providing mechanisms for information sharing,

analysis, planning and decision making. In this way, we can contribute to the

development of new markets and the expansion of existing business.

I am delighted when I get feedback from users of a system that I have

been involved with. I am gratified when they say that the operational speed has

improved or they have been able to get the data they need. By cooperating with

user departments, I will continue to promote “Creativity and Contribution” as I

create systems that make new methods and value possible.


a real challenge by incorporating strategic environmental efforts

into business management.

Promoting Environmental Activities Linked to Internationally Agreed Goals

Since Casio is a company actively pursuing global growth,

we consider how our environmental efforts are related to

international agreements: the Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. One of the major aims of the

2015 Paris Agreement is keeping a global temperature rise this

century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

In light of this, the Japanese government adjusted its goal for

reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 26% by fiscal 2031

compared with fiscal 2014. Casio decided to align its targets

with this national goal.

We know that it is crucial to link Casio’s material issues

with the 17 SDGs. Casio’s three material environmental goals

are realizing a low-carbon society, building a recycling society,

and living in harmony with nature. These objectives are closely

related to SDGs 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 and 15, namely, clean water

and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, responsible

consumption and production, climate action, life below water,

and life on land, respectively. It is vital that we always stay

Reviewing Greenhouse Gas Reduction Efforts and Setting Even Higher Targets

In February 2017, we reviewed our long-term greenhouse

gas reduction targets based on the long-term environmental

management policy, Casio Environmental Vision 2050. A new

target was set for an 80% emissions reduction by fiscal 2051,

compared with fiscal 2014. By changing the base year from fis-

cal 2006 to fiscal 2014 (when emissions were below the fiscal

2006 level), in effect we have set significantly higher targets.

We also updated our medium-term targets in accordance

with this change. By fiscal 2017, we had already mostly

achieved our goals of a 30% emissions reduction by fiscal

2021 compared with fiscal 2006, as set out in the Casio

Environmental Declaration 2020. So we set a much higher

emissions reduction target of 26% by fiscal 2031 compared

with fiscal 2014.

The new targets are challenging ones that cannot be

attained merely by extending our previous efforts. In addition

to manufacturing processes, we have to revise the distribution

of products, the way business sites work, and how employees

work. We have basically pledged ourselves to dramatic changes.

This latest target revision is a demonstration of Casio’s

determination as a leading environmental company to take on

Fulfilling Social Responsibilities as a Leading Environmental Company

Environmental Executive Message

Makoto KobayashiExecutive Officer, General Manager, CSR Promotion Department


meet our standards as Casio Green Star Products and Casio

Super Green Star Products, we are strengthen connections with

customers in order to show users the value they can expect

from these Casio-certified products.

Under living in harmony with nature, we are taking into

consideration direct and indirect impacts throughout the value

chain, based on our biodiversity guidelines. We are now doing

environmental impact assessments for each business site,

starting in Japan, and we are accelerating our efforts in areas

where our response has been delayed.

Helping to Build a Sustainable World by Raising the Awareness of Every Employee

Based on our restructured EMS, we are now pressing forward

together as a group to tackle our material issues and produce

results. The key to success is that each employee understands

why these issues are important and the course of action Casio

needs to take.

While serving as a roadmap for the entire world, the 17

SDGs can also be used to foster new awareness within Casio.

We must ensure that every employee sees the SDGs related to

worldwide energy and environmental issues as issues vitally

connected to their own work, and fully understands that their

efforts to address our material issues will also contribute to

the SDGs.

Casio’s new efforts under this new framework have only

just begun. Our future activities will depend on our ability to

make the new system function properly and drive performance.

By taking strategic action from a group-wide perspective, we

will steadily work to help build a sustainable world.

aware of the global environmental challenges that Casio needs

to help solve.

Strengthening Group-Wide Initiatives under a New Environmental Management System

In fiscal 2017, Casio carried out a substantial reform of its envi-

ronmental management system (EMS) in order to focus on three

material environmental issues within a group-wide framework.

We had been using the ISO 14001 environmental

management system as a tool for environmental management

for some time. Now, Casio has reorganized its system to enable

joint acquisition of ISO 14001 certification by our three main

sites: the head office, Hamura R&D Center, and Hachioji R&D

Center, which had each been separately certified before. In

addition, we have established three issue-specific committees,

tasked with realizing a low-carbon society, building a recycling

society, and living in harmony with nature, respectively, by taking

environmental action based on these material issues. We link the

ISO 14001 system directly to the activities of these committees.

In these reforms, we also reviewed department-based

initiatives, which tend to focus on a micro level, and established

a system that effectively manages initiatives across the entire

Casio Group. In September 2015, ISO 14001:2015 came

out. To meet its standards, which place greater emphasis

on performance, Casio is working to raise its environmental

management to a completely new level. With our new EMS, put

into operation in fiscal 2017, the entire Group is working as one

to improve performance.

Working Steadily on Material Issues

We are now making steady progress by setting long-term

objectives for each of the three issues that are material to Casio:

realizing a low-carbon society, building a recycling society, and

living in harmony with nature. We are formulating goals and key

performance indicators (KPIs) with a clear timeline.

As part of our goal to help realize a low-carbon society,

Casio will further enhance its strengths in making products with

energy-saving performance, aiming to further differentiate Casio

from other companies. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions in

manufacturing and logistics processes, we have introduced an

energy conservation diagnosis process at sites in Japan.

As we work to build a recycling society, we are targeting

resource conservation and recycling across the entire product

lifecycle, not just at Casio, but also at suppliers. This is especially

important for Casio, which has minimal involvement in resource

input into the manufacturing process due to the characteristics

of its business. While continuing to develop eco-products that

Building a recycling society

Realizing a low- carbon society

Living in harmony with nature

Material environmental goals


Establishing the Fujitsu Way and Fostering Employee Understanding

Kimura: Please tell us how the Fujitsu Way was established.

Fujisaki: The first edition of the Fujitsu Way was

established in 2002, when the term “CSR” was just

becoming popular. Prior to that, we had a company

policy, “Reliability and Creativity,” that stood for

offering outstanding technology to customers who put

their trust in us. We decided to take the opportunity to

integrate documents such as our Corporate Vision and

Corporate Values, since we wanted to preserve these

original concepts.

Kimura: I feel that the key phrase, “contribute to the

creation of a networked society that is rewarding and

secure,” in your Corporate Vision is unique to Fujitsu.

Fujisaki: I agree. Of course, the core purpose of our

business is to provide value to our customers through

networks using ICT. Many of our customers are social

infrastructure administrators such as government

agencies, hospitals, and financial institutions, so we have

a strong commitment to providing ever-better products

to them.

Kimura: I know the Fujitsu Way has been translated into

multiple languages. I’m wondering what other methods

you have used to ensure employee understanding.

Fujisaki: There are several levels of employee understand-

ing. In the initial stage of introducing the Fujitsu Way,

Learning from Model CSR CompaniesFujitsu’s Global Approach to Social Responsibility

Sogo Fujisaki Senior Director, CSR Division, Fujitsu Limited (right)

Noriaki Kimura Manager, CSR Promotion Office, CSR Promotion Department, Casio Computer Co., Ltd. (left)

In June 2017, Sogo Fujisaki, Senior Director, CSR Division, Fujitsu Limited, visited Casio

Computer Co., Ltd., to talk with us about CSR. With 160,000 employees worldwide, Fujitsu is

one of Japan’s leading electronics companies and ICT vendors, and it is known for its advanced

CSR activities. Noriaki Kimura, Manager, CSR Promotion Office, talked with Mr. Fujisaki about

Fujitsu’s initiatives. He asked about the Fujitsu Way, the corporate philosophy that supports

Fujitsu’s global approach to social responsibility, and about what Fujitsu is doing to help achieve

the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

CSR Conversation


Learning from Model CSR Companies: Fujitsu’s Global Approach to Social Responsibility

governance, as required to satisfy global norms, such

as ISO 26000 and the Electronic Industry Citizenship

Coalition (EICC) Code of Conduct, are gradually growing

in importance. On the other hand, while the younger

generation’s CSR awareness is very high, we are still

figuring out how to foster bottom-up activities and

encourage their participation. Combining both top-

down and bottom-up activities is a serious challenge. We

would like to learn from Casio’s efforts in this respect.

Understanding the SDGs

Kimura: I’d like to talk about the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs). Since being adopted at

the United Nations in 2015, they have rapidly become

a common reference point worldwide. How is Fujitsu

tackling the SDGs?

Fujisaki: We are promoting both top-down and

bottom-up efforts related to the SDGs. One example

is our executive-level round-table discussions and

forums on how Fujitsu should position the SDGs as key

management objectives. The other day we invited guests

from the United Nations Development Programme and

the World Economic Forum to our Fujitsu symposium to

discuss the topic of how companies should help achieve

the SDGs by 2030. One key point raised was the need to

scale up problem-solving efforts. Rather than just being

the main measures involved preparing posters and small

cards, and conducting e-learning. However, in terms of

employee understanding on the practical level, we are still

trying out various approaches. The suitable approaches

vary by country, and sometimes there are challenges.

Kimura: On the executive level, was a consensus

quickly reached on establishing the Fujitsu Way as the

foundation of Fujitsu’s management?

Fujisaki: Yes, that went quite smoothly. I think the

top management quickly understood that the values

represented by the Fujitsu Way were very important and

needed to be properly shared.

Kimura: Did your CSR Division play a central role during

its establishment?

Fujisaki: Because the CSR Division did not exist at the

time, this work was done across divisions with the

involvement of the human resources and legal depart-

ments. So, nobody felt that it was a decision made in

just one part of the company.

Kimura: That probably made value sharing a smooth

process at Fujitsu. Which department was put in charge

of promotional activities, such as material translation and

poster creation?

Fujisaki: That was performed by the Fujitsu Way Unit,

which was created at the same time. However, the Fujitsu

Way contains so many elements that it cannot be pro-

moted by one department alone. For example, the legal

and compliance departments are largely responsible for

the Code of Conduct, and our CSR Division is in charge

of areas related to the Corporate Values. The allocation

of roles fell into place naturally. In addition, there is a

Fujitsu Way Promotion Committee, in which managing

directors and above participate. This committee reviews

the content of the philosophy three times a year.

Kimura: You also have an organization called the CSR

Global Community, right?

Fujisaki: We renamed the CSR Promotion Leaders, who

had been appointed at sites in and outside Japan, as part

of an effort to give them a more practical role. One leader

from each site or department and persons at a general

manager level position participate in the Community,

which aims to promote individual measures in collabora-

tion among relevant departments. In the Community, they

share best practices within their organizations.

Kimura: I see. As a global initiative, Casio has been

holding CSR Leader Meetings for about a year and a

half, and we would like to extend this measure to group

companies in and outside Japan as well. The meetings

provide intensive training for CSR Leaders, who then

return and share new insights with their respective

organizations. What do you think about this kind of

bottom-up approach?

Fujisaki: I think it is very important, and this is a focus

for us, too. So far we have been promoting awareness

of the Fujitsu Way through efforts such as posters and

workshops. However, measures relating to vertical


satisfied that the company is performing some beneficial

activities, we should identify critical global problems

that need to be addressed, in accordance with the

scale of the company and the expectations of society.

Especially in the case of Fujitsu, we are transitioning

from a business that creates and provides products, to a

business that helps solve problems by providing services.

When thinking about what issues to address, I felt that

a “common reference point” like that provided by the

SDGs is very important.

Kimura: How about your bottom-up efforts?

Fujisaki: At present, we are working together with

our environmental headquarters and others. As part of

the environmental management system, we are asking

each division to list initiatives that can contribute to

the SDGs, and we are advancing internal promotional

activities with the marketing headquarters. Workshops

are also being held for sales, system engineering, and

other departments.

Kimura: There are 17 SDGs, as you know. Are any of

them a particular priority for Fujitsu?

Fujisaki: The goals we should be aiming for are the

ones that best match our interests and capacities as

well as society’s expectations of us. So, an example with

immediacy for us is the food-related goals. Currently

our Akisai Food and Agriculture Cloud service is used

by about 350 agricultural providers, and there may be

other contributions we can make on the distribution

side to eliminate food waste. Based on this, we want

to contribute to SDG 2 (zero hunger), as well as SDG 3

(good health and well-being). We now have a network

with about 7,000 medical institutions and nursing

caregivers, so I think that there is something we can do

using that. Then there is SDG 9 (industry, innovation

and infrastructure), which is the work we are doing

in our main business. SDG 11 (sustainable cities and

communities) is also related to our work on disaster

prevention, transportation optimization, and smart city

development. Those are probably the main priorities for

us. We’d like to issue a clear statement about this in the

very near future.

Kimura: Is this a statement of how your company will

promote SDG initiatives?

Fujisaki: It will be a definition of how Fujitsu under-

stands the SDGs and embraces their importance. Within

the company, more and more departments are starting

to talk about the SDGs by linking them with their busi-

nesses. This is the first step, recognizing that issues we

thought were other people’s problems are actually also

our own. In some cases, however, the process gets stuck

at this stage, and the SDGs become just a PR tool. If you

just utilize the SDG wording, but do not connect it with

the organization’s self-transformation, then it becomes a

meaningless arrangement of the latest jargon. I think a

statement is necessary to call attention to this point.

Kimura: It seems that recognition of the SDGs is still low.

Have you made any efforts to improve that at Fujitsu?

Fujisaki: We address the SDGs at workshops and

in-house lectures, in addition to the executive-level

round-table discussions I mentioned earlier. Various

elements need to come together for employees to

thoroughly understand that the SDGs will actually

become a part of their business activities; otherwise it is

impossible to generate momentum. This is why we want

CSR Conversation


to incorporate SDG elements into our management pol-

icy. Even at the round-table discussion with our outside

directors held last year, one of them made a very critical

comment, saying he could not see the overall strategic

picture concerning the SDG initiative. With that in mind,

I think awareness among top management is increasing

regarding the need to explain our objectives properly.

Translating Global Norms for Internal Stakeholders

Kimura: You have been preparing integrated reports

since 2015. Did you experience any internal difficulties in

the transition to integrated reporting?

Fujisaki: Four or five years ago when we first started

talking about adopting integrated reports, the IR team

remarked that it wasn’t necessary as investors never ask

about non-financial information.

Kimura: How did you persuade them?

Fujisaki: The opportunity for me to press for integrated

reporting at Fujitsu was the International Integrated

Reporting Council (IIRC); we are a member of its busi-

ness network. It was not an idea that I came up with on

my own. I initially told others at Fujitsu that integrated

reporting was becoming commonplace internationally,

and if we didn’t do it, external stakeholders would criti-

cize us, and there would be risks involved. So I convinced

them that we had better consider it.

Kimura: Is it the role of the CSR department to

“translate” and convey such external norms to those

inside the company?

Fujisaki: You may be right. After all, when faced with

something they do not understand or they cannot do,

people tend to not want to do it or look at it again,

especially when there is both lack of understanding

and capacity. I think it is important to first help people

understand the need for change and then increase what

they can do about it. It took quite a while for us to get

integrated reporting going, but it seems the turning

point came when the IR team realized that integrating

CSR elements into the annual report was also useful for

their own work.

Kimura: That is a very helpful story, since we are now con-

sidering integrated reporting at Casio. Finally, as someone

looking at Casio’s CSR activities from the outside, could

you share with us your opinions and expectations?

Fujisaki: I think it goes without saying that Casio has

a very strong track-record in terms of activities that

link its products with society based on “Creativity and

Contribution.” I’d like to hear more detail about this. If I

had to say something, I’d say that, since the Casio brand

is known worldwide and you have a core strength in

devices, I think Casio could collaborate more with com-

panies from different industries and with UN agencies

to widely publicize the various activities that you already

do. A host of new possibilities could be opened up by

combining your strengths with the different strengths of

other companies and organizations.

Kimura: Thank you for taking time to talk with me

today. This was a very valuable experience.

Learning from Model CSR Companies: Fujitsu’s Global Approach to Social Responsibility


ROHM Co., Ltd. supplies low-power LSIs and dis-

crete circuits to Casio. A dedicated sales section

in ROHM’s West Tokyo Sales Division handles

all the business with Casio. Kenji Muramatsu

leads this section, and Tsuyoshi Kouda of the

Purchase Planning Section in Casio’s Purchasing

Department went to have a chat with him.

Stakeholder Voice A Visit to a Stakeholder

watch market, you adopted our technically advanced CMOS LSIs

for the Casiotron watch, and this circuit is now used in most of

your products.

Kouda: What’s your impression of Casio?

Muramatsu: Casio is a company that really values its business

partners. We are grateful that your employees always appreciate

our point of view as a supplier and act accordingly.

Kouda: Casio strives to take care of its business partners, and we

are equal partners.

Muramatsu: Also, I think Casio is a company that works well

as an organization. Sometimes important work will be given to

a young employee in the development or materials departments

early on. Your corporate culture allows younger team members

to experience failures and successes, and I think this helps you

develop professional employees.

Kouda: I agree. Even G-SHOCK went through a lot of trial and

error in development. Casio has a very healthy appreciation of the

usefulness of failure.

Taking on Difficult Challenges and Growing TogetherKouda: I imagine that it can sometimes be hard for you to meet

Casio’s needs.

Muramatsu: As a company competing in the consumer market,

Casio always brings us extremely difficult challenges. Almost every

time someone in our development team says, “It can’t be done.” It

is very rewarding for me, though, to persuade our employees that

Impressions of CasioKouda: I think Casio began to work with ROHM in the early 1970s.

Muramatsu: Initially, you purchased our reed switches for your

calculator input keys at the time when we were Oki Semiconductor,

the predecessor of Lapis Semiconductor.* After Casio entered the

we need to take on the challenge as a company, as it will surely

benefit us in the future.

A now-retired Casio employee once told me about a time

when a new LSI needed to be developed. After other suppliers

refused to develop it, our employees at the time said that it was

difficult, but they would give it a try. Unfortunately however, they

were not successful. Even though their attempt failed that time,

ROHM eventually achieved the requested specs. The retiree told me

his opinion of ROHM was greatly enhanced by that approach.

Kouda: It is truly a relationship where our companies grow

together. ROHM is now in the top tier of low-power LSI makers.

Muramatsu: This is the result of our relationship with Casio.

The president of Lapis Semiconductor always says that ROHM was

raised by Casio.

Expectations for CasioMuramatsu: Casio has produced many hit products over the

years, so I would like you to continue making hit products.

Kouda: That is our No. 1 priority.

Muramatsu: ROHM has a 40-year history with Casio, and we

hope to continue working with you to create new technologies

and electronic components.

Kouda: By fostering mutual prosperity, we want to keep working

together to create great products.

* This ROHM group company provides logic, memory, and driver LSIs. It has unique technologies such as low power consumption, high-frequency, and mixed analog/digital IC technologies.

Right: Kenji Muramatsu, Manager, CASIO Sales Section, West Tokyo Sales Division, East Japan Sales Headquarters, ROHM Co., Ltd.Left: Tsuyoshi Kouda, Purchase Planning Section, Purchasing Department, Supply Chain Control Unit, Production Headquarters, Casio Computer Co., Ltd.


When I became a CSR Leader, I thought CSR would be a completely

new job, as it didn’t seem to have any direct connection to my work.

After participating in six CSR Leader meetings, though, I now see

that CSR efforts are directly linked to what we do, and that Casio

has clear responsibilities as a corporate member of society. This

means it is essential for me as a Casio employee to come up with

my own ways to promote CSR activities. Previously, my outlook

only included the people, concepts, and things directly related to

my work. Now however, I am able to look at my job from a broader

perspective, and I have a stronger focus on what Casio can do as a

manufacturer to contribute to society.

Participating in a career education program as part of my

CSR Leader activities was also a great learning experience. I visited

elementary and junior high school classrooms, played games to

promote communication with the students and talked about my

own work experiences. This was something I would never have

experienced in my regular work. It was also very inspiring to see the

smiling faces of the children and experience their sincerity, while

also feeling the joy of being useful and appreciated by others.

Rather than being something extraordinary, I feel that CSR is a

very natural activity to engage in. You always find people at the center

of CSR activities, whether they be corporate activities, environmental

activities, rule creation or operations. The first step toward social

responsibility is simply caring about people. I believe that Casio can

fulfill its corporate social responsibilities by ensuring that all employees

make the most of their own strengths and experiences to benefit those

who need them, namely our stakeholders. As a CSR Leader, I would like

to promote volunteer activities that are unique to Casio. My aim is to

help enhance Casio’s profile through these kinds of efforts.

In fiscal 2016, Casio launched a CSR Leader System with the aim of enhancing awareness of CSR within the

company. The system trains key people who are responsible for strengthening the understanding of Casio’s

social responsibilities in each department. Employees are selected in each department to become the key

CSR human resources in their respective organizations, and they are given priority CSR education. Currently,

about 100 CSR Leaders have been appointed within Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Going forward, leaders will

also be chosen at group companies in and outside Japan to strengthen Casio’s global CSR infrastructure.

Kazuo TachikawaStrategy Management GroupCorporate Strategy & Management Department

3rd Meeting: May 2016 Themes: “Corporations and Human Rights” and “LGBT Issues”

4th Meeting: August 2016 Theme: “CSV and SDGs”

5th Meeting: November 2016 Theme: “Addressing Climate Change with the Paris Agreement”

6th Meeting: February 2017 Themes: “Linking Your Job with Efforts to Solve Social Problems” and “Business Initiatives to Help Achieve the SDGs and the Paris Agreement”

Basic CSR education

FY2017 FY2018 FY2019

CSR inclusion in departmental plans

Participation of group companies in Japan

Application of PDCA cycle

Participation of group companies outside Japan

Launch of the CSR Leader System

Main Activities

Upcoming Action Plans

The main activities of the CSR Leaders include participat-

ing in CSR Leader Meetings held each quarter, sharing

and promoting understanding of CSR case studies in

their respective organizations, and providing feedback

Using the CSR Leader system, Casio Computer Co., Ltd.,

aims to create a platform that can strategically incorporate

CSR approaches and concepts into the daily operations of

individuals and departments, and apply them to its core

business. Serving as a concrete road map, a three-year plan

has been put in place to manage initiatives using the plan-

do-check-act (PDCA) cycle. In fiscal 2018, Casio will expand

this system to group companies in Japan and will work to

formulate departmental and individual goals for managing

CSR promotion within medium and long-term plans.

Feedback from a CSR Leader

VOICE

Activities in FY2017

on company-wide policy to their departments. At CSR

Leader Meetings in fiscal 2017, experts gave lectures and

workshops on the following topics, and steps were then

taken to increase CSR literacy within the company.


Corporate Overview

Company data Group companies by region

Sales by segment and region

• Molds, etc.

Sales: ¥8,675 million(2.7%)

Others

System Equipment• Handheld terminals• Electronic cash registers• Office computers• Page printers• Data projectors, etc.


Consumer• Watches• Clocks• Electronic dictionaries• Calculators• Label printers and photo printers• Electronic musical instruments• Digital cameras, etc.


Asia and others

Japan

North America

Europe

Sales by segment

Sales

¥321,213million

Sales by region

Americas6

companiesMiddle East

1company

Europe8

companies

Asia(including Japan)

32companies

33.3%

12.8%15.3%

38.6%

Name: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: 1-6-2, Hon-machi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 151-8543

Established: June 1, 1957

Chairman and CEO: Kazuo Kashio

President and COO: Kazuhiro Kashio

Employees: 2,754 (consolidated: 12,287)

Paid-in capital: ¥48,592 million

Net sales: ¥321,213 million (consolidated)

Operating profit: ¥30,636 million (consolidated)

Ordinary profit: ¥26,239 million (consolidated)

Profit attributable to owners of parent: ¥18,410 million (consolidated)

* As of March 31, 2017

csr communication book 2017 - casio

Documents