Social Contribution as a Company

Fundamental Approach

We value environmental aspects such as environmental consideration and social aspects such as building good relationships with our stakeholders in addition to the economic aspects of earning profits and growing as a company. We work to resolve social challenges and make contribution to the sustainable development of society.

Policy for Social Contribution Activities

Basic Philosophy

Hulic actively and broadly engages in various social contribution activities including but not limited to our business fields as a good corporate citizen. Through these activities we wish to contribute to the sustainable development of the entire society.

Activity Guidelines

  • ●Actively engage in activities with particular emphasis on the three major fields of global environment protection, sharing value with local communities, and responses to social needs.
  • ●Strongly support social contribution activities of employees.
  • ●Place an emphasis on securing transparency in implementing activities and facilitate communications and cooperation with the society.

In line with this Basic Philosophy and Policy for Activities, we make social contributions that provide support in areas that are compatible with our businesses.

Support of the Japan Business Federation’s One Percent Club Initiative

Hulic supports the One Percent Club initiative, a move advocated by KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation). We are committing to spend at least one percent of Ordinary Income to social causes each year. The Club, as a sub-organization of KEIDANREN’s Committee on Responsible Business Conduct & SDGs Promotion, provides information on social contribution activities to companies and coordinates networking with NPOs and other organizations with the aim of enabling more effective social responsibility activities.

　　

List of Social Contribution Activities

　　

Global Environment Protection

Social Welfare

Support of Culture and the Arts

Health, Medicine and Sports

Connection with the Local Communities

Education and Social Education

Academic and Research Support

Others

Contributions and community investments in registered NPOs

Hulic makes contributions to authorized NPOs. In FY2020, we made the following contributions.

Result of Social Donation Activities in FY2020

Organization name Amount (JPY)
Single Mothers Forum (SMF, an approved specified NPO) 10,000,000
The Japanese Red Cross Society (a specified juridical person) 6,000,000
Musubie (an NPO who supports providing meals to children) 1,400,000
Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund (a public trust) 1,000,000
Total 18,400,000

Organized Wooden Architecture Symposium 2019

Hulic makes wooden constructions as a business. In addition, we held the Wooden Architecture Symposium 2019 with the aim of raising awareness on the possibilities of wooden buildings and helping to reduce CO2 emissions and protect forests as part of our social contribution activities.

Theme Future of cities made of wooden structures
Aiming to increase demands for timber in urban areas
Challenge of timber for medium- and high-rise buildings
Keynote speech Kengo Kuma (Architect・Professor at The University of Tokyo)
Panelists Kengo Kuma (Architect・Professor at The University of Tokyo)
Shuzo Sumi (Senior Executive Advisor, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.)
Tadao Kamei (President and CEO, Nikken Sekkei Ltd.)
Masahiro Miyashita (Chairman of the Board, Takenaka Corporation)
Coordinator Atsuko Fukushima (Journalist)
  • Note:Occupation, affiliation, title, etc., when symposium was held.

Afforestation

Hulic outsources logging, planting, and weeding activities to forestry cooperatives in an effort to plant the same amount of trees as the standing trees used as building materials for fireproof wooden construction. Approximately 300 m3 of lumber will be used in the construction of a commercial facility (the Ginza 8-chome development plan) for the fireproof wooden construction (hybrid structure combining wooden and steel frame construction) of a property scheduled for completion in October 2021. At the same time, approximately 12,000 cedar saplings were planted (new plantings) across an area of about 4.3 hectares. Over the next five years, we will continue cutting undergrowth so that the planted cedar saplings will grow healthy.

Donated to the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund

Hulic values activities that seek to conserve nature and biodiversity. We have been donating to the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund every year since 2012. The funds we donate are used for projects by private non-profit organizations, including some overseas. These projects work to conserve the natural environment in developing regions, mainly in the Asia-Pacific area, as well as preserving Japan’s natural environment and projects related to sustainability.

Establishment of Hulic Scholarship Program for Training of Welfare Caretakers

We established the Hulic Scholarship Program for Training of Welfare Caretakers in 2017 in order to support students aiming to be welfare caretakers, and develop human resources engaging in nursing care for the elderly and thus contributing to resolution of social issues related to the advancing aging society. This is a nonrepayable (free) scholarship that aims for an improvement of labor shortage in nursing care.
We have doubled the number of scholarship students from 2020.

  • Practical training
  • Scholarship granting ceremony

Donation to the Tokyo branch of Japanese Red Cross Society

We make donations to the Japanese Red Cross Society, an organization that responds to disasters through a wide range of activities in Japan. In 2020, JPY6 million was donated. In addition to donations from the Company, those employees and executive officers electing to participate also donate a fixed amount every month.

Donation of Used Postal Stamps for Support Activities in Developing Countries

The Hulic Group generates a large number of used postage stamps and has set up stamp collection boxes at Group company locations. We donate these stamps every year. We donate these stamps every year. In 2021, we donated approximately 2,000 grams of used stamps that we collected during the year to the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP). Every year, we collect a large volume of used stamps, and we sort them with the cooperation of our sustainability supporters. It takes almost two hours. After converting the stamps into money, JOICFP applies it to activities that they promote in developing countries to protect the life and health of pregnant women and women in general. JOICFP stopped collecting used postage stamps in March 2021. Going forward, we plan to continue these activities, donating the proceeds instead to the Japan Committee, Vaccines for the World's Children, a certified NPO.


Sorting of used stamps by the sustainability supporters

Support for Orphans of Cancer and Childhood Cancer Patients and Their Families

Hulic Insurance Service is a member of the Aflac National Association of Agencies, which is a network of medical and life insurance agencies. We donate to the Aflac Scholarship Fund for Childhood Cancer Survivors and Children of Cancer Victims and Aflac Parents Houses initiatives promoted by the association. In addition, in 2020 we began donating to the Gold Ribbon Network, an NPO that supports children with cancer.

Aflac Scholarship Fund for Childhood Cancer Survivors and Children of Cancer Victims

This scholarship program is for high school students whose opportunities for pursuing a higher education have narrowed due to losing their household’s main provider to cancer. Up to now, more than 2,900 students have received scholarships, and the total amount awarded exceeds JPY1.8 billion (as of June 30, 2020).

Aflac Parents Houses

These general support centers help reduce the economic and emotional burden of pediatric patients and their families as they take on childhood cancer and other serious diseases with long-term hospitalization or outpatient care at specialist hospitals in urban areas.

Gold Ribbon Network

Gold Ribbon Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to three key areas: supporting children with cancer to raise their quality of life; supporting research and development to increase the survival rate of children with cancer; and providing information and promoting understanding of childhood cancer.

Support for Single-parent Households

As part of our efforts to participate in social welfare activities to do our share in SDGs, we started to work with Single Mothers Forum (SMF), an approved specified nonprofit corporation from 2020. We plan to provide single-parent households a joyful time with mums who could usually be too busy working and may have little time for her children in everyday life. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading globally, instead of providing enjoyable events to the single-parent households, we decided to support the activities of SMF in sending foods to families who have been suffering significant income reductions by donating JPY10 million in 2020 and 2021, respectively, to SMF.

Sponsorship of the Hulic Cup Hakurei Championships and Women's Rank-deciding Shogi Competition

In 2020, Hulic together with the Japan Shogi Association established a new rank-deciding Shogi competition for women, the Hulic Cup Hakurei Championships, with the aim of expanding opportunities for female professional Shogi players. Beyond supporting the arts and culture, we decided to support professional female Shogi players from the perspective of empowering women. The number of the women’s championships became eight, the same number as in the male professional Shogi player’s championships by establishing the Hakurei Championships in addition to creating the Seirei Championships. The match opportunities for the women professional Shogi players have increased significantly. Rank-deciding matches in the 1st Hulic Cup Hakurei Championship started in November 2020, and the final seven-match series to determine the title winner is scheduled to be held from September to November 2021.


Press conference announcing the establishment of the Hulic Cup Hakurei Championships and women's rank-deciding Shogi competition（Photograph courtesy of the Japan Shogi Association）

Special Sponsorship of the Hulic Cup Kisei Championships

Since April 2018, Hulic has been a special sponsor of the Kisei Championships (organized by the Japan Shogi Association and Sankei Shimbun Co., Ltd.) The Kisei Championship is an official championship with a history, established in 1962. Players compete for the title of “kisei.”

  • A match of Hulic cup Kisei championship
  • Grandmaster Fujii Kisei defending his title for the first time

Special Sponsorship of Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Cup Elementary and Junior High School Shogi Team Competition

Since 2017, Hulic has been a special sponsor of the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Cup Elementary and Junior High School Shogi Team Competition (organized by the Japan Shogi Association and Sankei Shimbun Co., Ltd.). This competition is for teams of three students belonging to the same elementary or junior high school, and the trophy and letter of commendation presented to the winning team by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology give the competition significant prestige. (The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Support for Kishikai Shogi Festival (Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Support Event)

We sponsor the Kishikai Shogi Festival as part of our support for reconstruction efforts related to the Great East Japan Earthquake and shogi culture.
In 2019, we sponsored the Kishikai Shogi Festival in Miyagi and the Kishikai Shogi Festival in Ibaraki. (The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Support for Kishikai Christmas Festival

We sponsor the Kishikai Christmas Festival to spread the popularity of shogi and contribute to the growth of Japanese culture. In 2019, it was held at our Asakusabashi Hulic Hall, and over 200 people participated. (The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)


2019 Christmas Festival

Relocation of Shogi Hall

The Japan Shogi Association has decided the policy to relocate to the Sendagaya Center Building, which Hulic is rebuilding. In our aim to contribute to urban development in the Sendagaya area, which has been affectionately dubbed Shogi Town, we will develop the building in collaboration with Shibuya-ku and the Japan Shogi Association. Our plan is to complete construction of the Sendagaya Center Building by 2024, which falls the 100th anniversary year of the association's founding.

Support for Japan Para-Badminton Federation

As part of our social contribution activities, we have concluded an Official Gold Partner Agreement with the Japan Para-Badminton Federation and have provided support for para-badminton since 2016. For the purpose of supporting the stable operations of the federation, since 2017, we have lent the gym of Nishi Kasai Center Building owned by Hulic (Hulic Nishikasai Gym) to the federation at no charge as a practice gym dedicated for players from the Japan Para-Badminton Federation. We have conducted improvement work such as installation of slopes and plumbing so that the players can use the gym more comfortably.
We have also been sponsoring the HULIC DAIHATSU Japan Para-Badminton International since 2017. In addition, we have set up our billboard ads showing para-badminton players, mainly in Tokyo subway stations. Going forward, we will continue to promote respect for human rights and diversity as well as increase support for people with disabilities and the activities of para-badminton players.


HULIC DAIHATSU Japan Para-Badminton International tournament

Making the Company's Nursery Facilities available to Local Community

Hulic has established onsite nursery facility inside the head office, and has made it partially available to local residents in an effort to contribute to reducing the number of children waiting to get into childcare nursery facilities. For details, please see the following linked page.

Relevant page: Establishment of Hulic’s Onsite Childcare Nursery Facility

Hosting Summer Festivals and Donating of a Portable Shrine

In October 2012, the head office of Hulic was moved to Nihonbashi, Odenma-cho. As part of our efforts to introduce ourselves to the community, we held the Hulic Odenma Summer Festival at our head office building in July 2013. The event was very well-received, so we have continued to hold it every summer since then. The Odenma-cho Ninobu Neighborhood Association is cooperating with us on the day of the event, and many people come, from children living in the area to office workers from nearby buildings. We hope that activities such as this will lead to deeper bonds between local residents. The proceeds from the festival has been added to the matching gift program, and the gift money has been provided to authorized NPOs. Moreover, as part of our community contribution activities, we donated a portable shrine, etc. to the Odenma-cho Ninobu Neighborhood Association to which we belong in 2017. We hope that carrying this portable shrine at the festival will lead to further revitalization and prosperity in the area.
The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Donating Books to a Nearby Elementary School

We are active in contributing to the local community. While considering more ways to further deepen our connection with the local community, we learned that classroom libraries were worn out at Nihonbashi Elementary School, which is near our head office building, and in need of replacement. As such, we donated approximately 1,000 new books. We asked the school to choose books that include content related to SDGs and environmental issues to encourage children to give attention and thoughts to building a sustainable society.

Book donation ceremony

Support for Scholarship Program of Kyoto University

We provide grant scholarships to Kyoto University students through the Kyoto University Fund with the aim of supporting the education of the next generation.

Support for AgriFuture Japan

Hulic views the promotion of sustainable agriculture as one of our most important ESG-related management issues, so we are promoting an agri-business project. In this project, since 2014 we have been supporting AgriFuture Japan, an organization that helps develop the next generation of farmers, as part of our social contribution.

Holding the Eighth Hulic Student Idea Competition on the Theme of Legacy@Sendagaya

We planned this competition as a real estate company with the aim of providing students with opportunities to propose urban development and construction ideas. We received 131 entries for the 8th Hulic Student Idea Competition in 2020. At the second public review (held online to prevent the spread of COVID-19), students enthusiastically presented their ideas, followed by a question and answer session with judges. After consultations among the judges, one winner of the grand prize, three winners of the excellence award, and six winners of the honorable mention award were selected.

  • A poster of the event, calling for entries
  • Second public review, held online (2020)

Supporting Environmental Studies at Kyoto University

Hulic supports studies that have an environmental theme. Currently, we are supporting research at Kyoto University related to the use of wood in construction. This research is closely related to our efforts to build fireproof and other wooden structures.
Furthermore, we are promoting discussions on more ways to use wood through opinion exchanges between the laboratory and our department in charge of environmental technology.

Sponsorship to Support Mainichi Shimbun in Fukushima Relief Efforts

We have been supporting the Ganbappe, Fukushima! event organized by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. and Mushu Co., Ltd. held at Belle Salle Tokyo Nihonbashi as an activity to support reconstruction efforts in Fukushima, which was struck by the Great East Japan Earthquake. On the day of the event, people from supporting companies support Fukushima's reconstruction. The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


Photograph courtesy of the Mainichi Newspapers

Donation to Ashinaga Scholarship Society

The Hulic Group made a monthly donation of 500,000 yen to the Ashinaga Scholarship Society from June 2011 to May 2019, and a certain amount of money has also been donated every month to this Scholarship Society from the Company's directors and employees who wish to participate in this initiative in an effort to provide continuous support for the living and schooling of the children who will forge the future of this country by supporting children left as orphans following the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Since the outset, approximately JPY65,000,000 in total has been donated by the Company and individuals as of May 2019. In order to provide wider support for domestic disaster, we changed the donation destination from the Ashinaga Scholarship Society to the Tokyo branch of Japanese Red Cross Society in August 2019.

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