Corporate Citizenship
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Environmental Protection Initiatives
Environmental Management System
Sony Life has mounted a number of initiatives to reduce the burden it places on the environment. We have established environmental goals and objectives, and put programs in place to lead us toward these aims, and will continue with such environmentally conscious activities and initiatives.
ISO 14001 Certi cation and Introduction of a Green Power Certi cation System Using Natural Energy (Generation Using Biomass from Wood Chips)
In March 2001, Sony Life acquired ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for environmental management systems, for its head office, and has since kept its certification up to date.
In FY2005, as part of plans to reduce our consumption of fuels that emit carbon dioxide and accelerate global warming, we set up a Green
Power Certification system, whereby the purchase of electrical power originating from wind-powered generators is certified. This system facilitates
electric-power swaps, ensuring that our electrical power is generated from sustainable energy resource, even if the power originates at locations
far from where it is used.
In FY2007, Sony Life began using electricity generated from wood-chip biomass, rather than wind-powered generation.
Continuing in this vein, in FY2011 the Company will purchase 250,000 kW worth of green power certificates for the year. This level equates to an annual reduction of approximately 96 tons of CO2. (This calculation assumes the production of 0.000384 tons of CO2 produced for each kWh of electricity used.)
Social Contribution Activities
“One Love, One Trust”
Our rallying cry is the phrase “one love, one trust,” reminding us that for each voluntary contribution, or “act of love,” our standing within the community increases. As part of our efforts to be a good corporate citizen, we encourage each Sony Life employee to be active in their social contribution efforts, which we believe are instrumental in building up society’s love and trust of Sony Life.
Volunteer Day Activities
In FY2003, Sony Life designated August 10, the anniversary of its founding, as Volunteer Day. This is a special day when all employees are encouraged to consider and implement activities that benefit the activity. August has also been declared Volunteer Enrichment Month, in which all employees throughout Japan implement original social benefit activities in their respective communities.
Eye Mate Fund
Sony Life has contributed to the Eye Mate Fund since 1997, with the aim of helping visually challenged people participate in society. The Company donates an amount each year that matches the total raised by employees during the year. In FY2010, ¥10.64 million in employee donations and matching funds was given to Eye Mate, Inc. This figure brings cumulative donations to Eye Mate to ¥154.83 million, making Sony Life one of the largest among corporate and other donor organizations.
Since FY2008, Sony Life has held Eye Mate charity goods sales. We donated to Eye Mate all funds this sale generated beyond their purchase costs.
- Employee’s child experiences walking with a guide dog
Special Olympics Nippon Support Activities
Creating a Circle of Support that Expands with Each Event
Sony Life believes that it contributes to society and promotes diversity each time it helps a single person with disabilities gain independence and participate in society. Our support of Special Olympics Nippon is based on this conviction.
In February 2005, Nagano Prefecture hosted the Special Olympics World Winter Games, which drew 2,500 athletes from 84 countries. Approximately 400 Sony Life employees volunteered their time to work at these games. Interest throughout the Company increased as word of the inspiration volunteers gained from this experience spread to other employees. The 2010 Special Olympics Nippon National Summer Games Osaka took place in November 2010, attracting the participation of some 950 Sony Life volunteers from around the country. At these games, which comprised mainly track and field events, volunteers filled a variety of roles, providing security and helping manage the games, making ours the single largest company voluntary group.
In addition to helping with Olympic events, Sony Life volunteers take part in numerous other activities. Employees support the establishment of organizations throughout Japan, serve as coaches, volunteer for regular sports training activities and help with movie screenings and charity events, to name a few. In these ways, Sony Life employees actively search out times and places where they can share their special skills.
In FY2011, Sony Life will donate ¥5 million to this cause, and we also plan to participate as a volunteer in the Special Olympics Nippon National Winter Games Fukushima, scheduled for February 2012.
Sony Life Volunteers’ Club
The Sony Life Volunteers’ Club was established by employees at the time of the Kobe earthquake in 1995, and has continued its activities to the present day. The club operates using funds collected from employee donations, and is managed by individual employees.
Ongoing Support for Earthquake Victims
Sony Life volunteers provide wide-ranging support for earthquake victims, centering on support for the senior citizens who were affected by the Kobe earthquake. We collected donations to offer the people in the region affected by the unprecedented disaster resulting from the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and provided food, clothing, daily necessities and other support. Going forward, we will continue to work together as one team to donate money, help provide physical goods and conduct other volunteer activities.
Relay for Life
In the Relay for Life, cancer patients and their families, as well as bereaved families, participate in a 24-hour track relay. Funds generated through the relay are donated to charity. Such relays are held at more than 5,000 locations in 20 countries.
A Sony Life team first took part in a relay, held in the city of Ashiya, in 2007. In FY2008, we took part in this relay in seven locations throughout Japan. Sony Life participated in relays at 15 locations throughout Japan in FY2009. In FY2010, Sony Life employees, mainly branch employees, participated in activities in 20 locations throughout Japan. They ran and walked throughout the relay’s 24-hour duration with current cancer patients and their families, while conducting volunteer activities to support the event.
Life-Planning Courses by Lifeplanner Sales Employees
Since FY2005, Sony Life has offered life-planning courses for students who are preparing to make their own way in society. Lifeplanner sales employees, who serve as instructors, emphasize the importance of having dreams for the future.
Life-Planning Course Objectives
To provide the protection products that optimally match customers’ lives, when proposing such products Sony Life first asks customers about their dreams and future goals. Based on this information, we map out a specific life plan for each customer, emphasizing the importance of “life planning.”
Through the process of life planning, we aim to convey the importance of planning their lives and persevering to achieve their dreams to young students who have long lives in front of them.
- Sony Life volunteers at 2010 Special Olympics Nippon National Summer Games Osaka
- Volunteers help manage the games
- A hot springs bus tour for some of the people affected by the Kobe earthquake.
- Employees participating in the 24-hour team relay
- Students dreaming up their futures as they participate in life planning
- Consulting by Lifeplanner sales employees to help realize those dreams
Sony Life Cup All Japan Ladies Tennis Tournament
Since 2002, Sony Life has provided sponsorship to the Sony Life Cup All Japan Ladies Tennis Tournament, one of the largest amateur events for women tennis players in Japan, and supported the tournament through sponsorship and volunteer activities.
The tournament has been held since 1979 to promote the development of tennis as a sport with mass appeal that also helps improve women’s health. This year marks the 33rd staging of this traditional event, which has attracted a cumulative total of more than 340,000 players.
At tournament qualifiers held in each prefecture, Sony Life employees, including Lifeplanner sales employees, participate in volunteer activities that support the tournament. Through its participation in such events, Sony Life increases its community interaction and actively contributes to society.
