SDGs Goal 1: Best Practices by Japanese Companies

Many Japanese companies have come to mention the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on their websites and reports. The SDGs consist of 17 goals, but they are handled quite differently depending on the goal. Some are often covered, others can only be taken up by a limited number of companies. Some goals are taken up in various situations alone, others are taken up by the embrace with other targets.

In this series, we will take a look at how large Japanese companies are currently taking up their goals. The first is Goal 1: No poverty.

Conducted in business partner management and community engagement

Of the 17 goals, this goal is the least covered. Only about 75 Japanese companies (15% of the top 500 companies) disclose activities related to this goal. This is partly due to the fact that Japanese companies tend to disclose domestic initiatives, and that they have not taken up much of the region suffering from poverty. It also means they refer this goal in the field of business partner (i.e. suppliers and subcontractors) management and community engagement, rather than in their own businesses.

For example, Toda Corporation has cited "job creation through the development of business throughout Japan" and "fair payment of statutory wages" as initiatives related to the Goal 1. Both are initiatives against subcontractors. In order to prevent potential poverty, it constantly places orders and pay appropriate wages to around 1,600 partners.

TODA CORPORATION

Since 2008, Isuzu Motor has been providing educational support activities to the Auto Mechanic Training Center for young people who are not financially underprivileged in the Philippines. About 300 students have graduated so far, some of whom have worked for the company's after-sales support company, and although they are not at their core, they support the company's business.

IPC, TESDA hold graduation ceremonies for 15th batch of Auto Mechanic Training Program in Tacloban City | Isuzu Philippines

Root of other goals

The Goal 1 is also the root of other goals, in conjunction with other goals such as Goal 2: Zero hunger and Goal 3: Good health and well-being. In the example of Isuzu Motors mentioned above, Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth and Goal 10: Reduced inequalities are also disclosed in the set.

For example, Kewpie is promoting children's cafeterias at the Kewpie Mirai Tamago Foundation. The children's cafeteria is an effort to provide meals to children from poor families, but it takes place a "Place-making Summit" that gathers those involved and shares management issues. In other companies, children's cafeterias are mentioned with Goal 2: Zero hunger and Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.

Topic竭。 Food education activities to support children窶冱 mental and physical health through their diets | Sustainability | kewpie

Tokio Marine Holdings, a non-life insurance company, develops and sells insurance products for small farmers. Of course, weather can cause the harvest to fluctuate violently, which can lead to the loss of small farmers' livelihoods, so there is no doubt that it is related to poverty. However, it can also be related to the Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, because of their financial inclusion.

Resolving Social Issues × SDGs | Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.