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Sustainability Management

Communication with Stakeholders

Communication with Stakeholders

With the Benesse Group's sustainability, we hold that each and every one of our employees will practice our corporate philosophy of “Benesse – well-being,” and carry it to their local communities, to society at large, and to the future.

We manage both principles and profit in our sustainability activities and expand our business activities, which are balanced between society, the environment, and the economy, while also working to solve the social problems faced by our stakeholders.

Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholders Engagement Initiatives
Customers

Continuous creation of services related to current and future problem solving for customers through appropriate communication with customers.

【Example Initiatives】

  • ・Customer questionnaires
  • ・Having customers' opinions influence business activities through face-to-face communication
Employees

Development of fair and vibrant workplaces through communication with employees.

【Example Initiatives】

Suppliers and partners

Treating partners as important co-creators of value and maintaining good trust-based relationships.

【Example Initiatives】

Communities and society

While creating local job through business activities, we generate new values and realize a society of abundance through education, culture, art, with the people living in the community.

【Example Initiatives】

Shareholder and investors

Disclosure through appropriate media and opportunities to maintain lasting trust with shareholders and investors.

【Example Initiatives】

Benesse Stakeholder Dialogue

In promoting sustainability management, Benesse considers it important to hold dialogues with various stakeholders and to implement business activities in which external opinions are listened to. To this end, Benesse continuously holds stakeholder dialogues as a forum for an interactive dialogue with external experts, stakeholders and others on sustainability issues.

■FY2023

 ● In June 2023, Mr. Yusuke Imai, President of Chance for Children, a public interest incorporated association that provides support to children from economically deprived households in order to solve child poverty and education disparities, gave his opinion on solving social issues through Benesse's education business. In the dialogue, Mr. Imai and Okada, Managing Executive Officer of Benesse Holdings and Chair of the Sustainability Promotion Committee, discussed the education gap, current issues surrounding children and teachers, support for both, and collaboration with NPOs. The opinions received are reflected in the materiality review process and other processes.

Dialogue with Yusuke Imai, President of Chance for Children, a public interest incorporated association

 ● In June 2023, Ken Shibusawa, Representative Director of Shibusawa & Company Ltd. and Special Advisor to the Chairman of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), and Okada, Managing Executive Officer of Benesse Holdings and Chair of the Sustainability Promotion Committee, held a dialogue on the Benesse Group's expectations for solving social issues. Mr. Shibusawa gave his opinions on the importance of human capital, diversity and how to show activities for movement from original targets towards the results. The opinions received are reflected in the review of the materiality and in the process of considering the content of future information disclosure.

Dialogue with Ken Shibusawa, President of Shibusawa & Company, Inc.

■FY2022

 ● Koichi Sakai, Publisher of Nikkei ESG, an ESG management magazine published by Nikkei Business Publications, and Hitoshi Kobayashi, President and CEO of Benesse Holdings, discussed Benesse Holdings' vision and its transformation, which is to build a value creation model that creates and circulates three values - customer value, economic value, and social value - and realise the basic philosophy “Benesse = Well-Being” through its businesses.

Dialogue between Koichi Sakai and Hitoshi Kobayashi, President and CEO of Benesse Holdings, Inc.

 ● We brought together managers of production plants in China that handle educational materials and toys to explain the importance of building a sound supply chain at the production site, including human rights issues and environmental considerations, and to exchange views. We also held regular meetings with domestic printing and bookbinding companies and plants to exchange views on a regular basis. Through these stakeholder engagements, if improvements were found to be needed, we worked together to make them happen.

A slide showing Chinese is displayed.
Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Activities through foundations

Benesse Group's solution for the social issue through its operations, which are supported by numerous stakeholders, go along with the missions of three foundations that promote social activity.

We work to solve social problems by supporting these foundations that aim to solve social problems through supporting the children who will carry the future and supporting the creation of good communities centered on education, culture, and art.

ベネッセのCSR全体像

This foundation was established in 2014 to achieve a society where children can expand their potential in an environment in which children with promising futures can learn with peace of mind.

Benesse Children's Fund Four Themes

This foundation carries out art activities centered around three projects: 1. art museums on Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima, 2. aid projects for regional development through culture and art all over Japan, and 3. independent and joint projects to support Art Setouchi, etc.
Through these activities, the foundation aims to help build better communities full of smiling seniors considering Benesse to mean "well-being".

地中美術館  写真: 大沢誠一
Chichu Art Museum Photo: Seiichi Ohsawa

This foundation supports activities that solve problems in the local community and create social value through education, culture, and art. They carry out their subsidy programs, awards, and independent projects, aiming to contribute to the development of human resources and the local community in Okayama Prefecture.

公益財団法人 福武教育文化振興財団

Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.