Contributions to local communities and society
Contributing to society
Use of the corporate hometown tax program
We used the corporate hometown tax program to donate to the cities of Muroran, Hokkaido, Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture, Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, and Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture-each of which is a location of a major Group production facility. The Japanese government's corporate hometown tax program makes it possible for businesses to donate to support the activities of municipal community vitalization projects certified by the national government. Companies using the program can reduce their tax burdens by up to roughly 90% of their donation amounts.
The first donations using the corporate hometown tax program in the Group were made in 2022, reflecting our desire to contribute to the municipalities in which we do business every day and to improve the lives of their residents and our employees through supporting various projects in the local communities that are home to our major facilities.
Charitable Christmas activities (North America)
MSSC Canada Inc. (Canada) collected unused toys and monetary donations from an in-house raffle event for the No Child Without a Christmas Campaign. This annual campaign organized by the local Goodfellows organization seeks to ensure that all children can receive toys at Christmas. MSSC Canada continued its participation in this event in 2022, helping to brighten the holiday season for the thousands of residents of Chatham Kent.
Every year MSSC US Inc. (United States) supports the activities of the Salvation Army's Angel Tree Program, which also delivers Christmas presents to tens of thousands of children nationwide. Through this activity, MSSC US helped deliver a merry Christmas to underprivileged children registered as "angels" with the Salvation Army.
Earth Day (North America)
Earth Day is on April 22 each year. Various environmental events and corporate activities are held to mark Earth Day around the world by thinking about and acting for the environment. MSSC Canada Inc. (Canada) purchased nearly 400 seedlings and presented one each as a gift to its employees.
Supporting Arbor (Tree) Day 2023 (Philippines)
MSM Philippines Mfg. Inc. (Philippines) supported an activity by Japan-affiliated businesses to plant and prune trees on Mt. Manghilao on Cebu Island on June 24, 2023, Arbor (Tree) Day 2023.
It planted more than 150 trees with the NGO partners, the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines and PCAPI-7.
Providing essential supplies for daily life and sanitation and participating in mosquito eradication (Indonesia)
PT. JATIM TAMAN STEEL MFG. (Indonesia) donated rice, sugar, tea, and oil to local residents as part of its CSR activities.
The company also undertakes annual mosquito eradication efforts to prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne dengue fever.
Donating to youth firefighters (Germany)
In August 2023, MSSC Ahle GmbH (Germany) employees donated to the youth volunteer firefighting squads of Lindlar and Gummersbach. Currently, about 20 young people participate in these squads. The donations are used for purposes such as funding squad trips and events.
Donations of picture books to children in Asia
Since 2013, we have supported a program to donate picture books led by the Shanti Volunteer Association, which provides educational assistance to children throughout Asia.
The program delivers picture books to countries where libraries are lacking to help children with reduced access to educational opportunities for economic and social reasons in areas affected by poverty and conflict. Volunteers affix stickers with translations of the book text to the pages of the Japanese picture books to be donated. In addition to Company volunteers, this activity is described in training for new employees as an example of our CSR activities. Trainees also help apply the stickers to the books.
In addition to Company volunteers, new employees help apply the translation stickers to the books during training sessions for new hires, in which this activity is presented as an example of our CSR activities.
Efforts to support consumption of Japanese fisheries products
We launched this activity in response to a call from the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) to support consumption of Japanese fisheries products as China and other countries have prohibited their imports due to the release of the Advanced Liquid Processing System treated water. We purchased popular food products from the affected regions and provided them to employees in receptions held during in-house training. We also participate in the Sanriku Joban Mono Network* and are considering ways to promote efforts such as these further.
- * A project to promote increased consumption of fisheries products from the Sanriku and Joban regions by connecting sellers to buyers and publicizing their appeal, while encouraging participation by a wide range of parties including members of various industries, local governments across Japan, and government agencies.
Donating emergency supplies
When it refreshed its stocks of emergency supplies at facilities across Japan, Mitsubishi Steel donated unexpired emergency foods to the Second Harvest Japan food bank. In addition to helping reduce food loss, this initiative also delivers meals to people who need them at welfare and other facilities such as children's homes and parent-child support facilities.
Interactions with community members
Environmental briefings for local communities
The Hirota Works holds environmental briefings on request for members of local communities, including heads of individual districts and staff from city environmental and consumer affairs departments. It also offers plant tours on request. This opportunity helps local residents learn more about the Company.
Plant tour for local residents
The first Night of Technology Oberberg was held at MSSC Ahle GmbH (Germany). About 60 participants, young and old, toured the plant, getting a chance to view the springs manufacturing process and ask about career opportunities with MSSC Ahle.
Plant tour for high school students in Germany
In September 2023, MSSC Ahle GmbH hosted a job-training truck for the metals and electronics industries, which local high school students could board.
The students stayed at the Ahle plant for two days, touring the plant and learning about the springs manufacturing process. In addition to the job training program at Ahles, students were introduced to employment options in the local metals and electronics industries.
Plant tour for Muroran Institute of Technology
A plant tour was held as part of a course in the Muroran Institute of Technology Faculty of Engineering.
This tour provided an excellent opportunity for students to understand Mitsubishi Steel, as shown by comments from participating students such as, "I was deeply impressed by seeing up close the massive facilities used in steelmaking, a core industry in Muroran."
Participation in local disaster prevention efforts
The Chiba Works and Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. continue to be certified by their local governments as business sites who work with fire prevention organizations. Under these programs, the sites help bring disasters swiftly under control by dispatching employees registered with the fire prevention organizations in the event of a disaster within the local community.
The goal is to enhance local disaster prevention structures in cooperation with local governments while fulfilling corporate responsibilities as members of the community.
Memorial service for nuclear bomb victims of the Nagasaki Steel Works
On August 9 of each year, a memorial service is held for more than 1,400 employees of the former Nagasaki Steel Works of Mitsubishi Steel Mfg. who died at work during the nuclear bombing of the city in World War II. Participants include family representatives and former Nagasaki Steel Works employees, as well as the President, executives, and employees of Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd.
Neighborhood cleanup activities
We conduct beautification activities at each site and in the vicinity of the works.
Yawata Rinkai Matsuri festival
The Chiba Works participates in the Yawata Rinkai Matsuri festival, organized jointly by the local neighborhood association, merchants' association, and other organizations as well as local businesses affiliated with the Yawata Rinkai district council of neighborhood associations. Chiba Works seeks to facilitate communication with the local community through various activities, including planning and organizing the festival and operating a refreshments booth.
Summer evening festival
The Hirota Works holds a summer evening festival in August each year, welcoming large crowds including not only employees and business partners of the Hirota Works but local residents as well.
Support for the Aizu Sports Festival
The Hirota Works sponsored the "Aizu Sports Festival" held at the Aizu General Sports Park from April 6th to 7th, 2024. The purpose of this event was to provide children in the Aizu region with the opportunity to engage with sports.
On the day, there was also a game by a local Fukushima basketball team, and the event was greatly successful, attracting close to 4,000 visitors over the two days.
Participation in the annual Wanishi Shrine festival
The annual festival of Wanishi Shrine is an event held in July by the local Wanishi retail district, neighborhood association, and local businesses in the city of Muroran, Hokkaido. Mitsubishi Steel Muroran Inc. strives to strengthen communication with the local community. A foreperson in ceremonial apparel typically carries the portable shrine through the streets.
Cosponsoring of the Muroran Minato Matsuri festival
Mitsubishi Steel Muroran Inc. is a cosponsor of the Muroran Minato Matsuri festival, the city's largest festival. The festival's numerous attractions include fireworks, a dance in which all participants can take part, and a participatory parade.
Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. signs up as a Nagasaki Prefecture Registered SDGs Promotion Business
In October, Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. was registered as a Nagasaki Prefecture Registered SDGs Promotion Business.
Intended to encourage a broad range of local companies to join efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this program recognizes companies working toward the goals, seeking to realize community cocreation in Nagasaki Prefecture through strengthening the businesses of prefecture firms and realizing solutions to challenges in the community. Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. will continue activities to contribute to the community while further enhancing its SDG initiatives.
Participation in the Nagasaki Eco-Life Week program
At Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd., 48 employees participated in the city of Nagasaki's Nagasaki Eco-Life Week program. The program seeks to reduce CO2 emissions through various ecological activities, including eco-friendly driving, use of public transport, and turning off lights during lunch. The city launched the Nagasaki Eco-Life initiative in 2010 with the goal of encouraging sustained environmental activities in which all residents take part. The week starting on October 15, 2022 was designated Eco-Life Week to encourage ecological activities among residents, who in turn sought to cut CO2 emissions in their daily lives at home, at work, and at school.
Support for athletics
Official Supporter agreement concluded with the Japan Wheelchair Basketball Federation
In June 2023, we concluded an Official Supporter agreement with the Japan Wheelchair Basketball Federation (JWBF).
An official competition in the Paralympic Games, wheelchair basketball is fast-paced and energetic event, with matches drawing large, enthusiastic crowds due to its popularity. It is also gaining attention as an inclusive sport in which all can participate, regardless of age, gender, or disability status.
We are planning various activities such as opportunities to experience wheelchair basketball hands on and spectator events, to raise awareness of parasports among employees and promote understanding of diversity.
Through our sponsorship activities as an Official Supporter, we will contribute to the growth and progress of wheelchair basketball.
Sponsorship agreement concluded with amateur golfer Shinichi Suzuki
In September 2023, we concluded a sponsorship agreement with Shinichi Suzuki, an amateur golfer based in the Philippines.
We concluded this agreement with the aim of helping Suzuki, who combines Japanese and Filipino backgrounds and started playing golf from early years, to realize his dream of becoming one of the world's top golfers through participation in tournaments not only in the Philippines but also Japan and around the world. We support this vision, which coincides with our desire to express our gratitude for the blessings we have received in the Philippines and to contribute to the further progress of Philippines society as we mark the approaching 30th anniversary of our advancement into the Philippines market.
We hope this agreement will power Suzuki to even greater success in the future.
Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. named an Official Partner of Nagasaki Velca
In 2023, Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery Mfg. Co., Ltd. was named an Official Partner of Nagasaki Velca, a B1 men's professional basketball team based in Nagasaki Prefecture. Mitsubishi Nagasaki Machinery will continue to support Nagasaki Velca in the future as well.