Social Contribution Activities
The Aozora Group works to address social issues through the provision of financial services and participation in CSR activities as a way to “contribute to the sustainable development of society” and “participate in society as a ‘good corporate citizen’” as stated in our management philosophy and Code of Ethics and Conduct.
Initiative Policy
Aozora has defined its social contribution activities as “activities undertaken without requiring compensation to address social issues that are difficult to address directly through business and that are socially important yet under-supported.” We have determined the scope of activities, from the perspective of themes of particularly high urgency and themes of high interest to officers and employees, as our key areas of focus for donations and volunteering.
In FY2023, many officers and employees took part in the following social contribution activities.
Aozora’s Main Areas of Activity
- Environmental preservation (support for initiatives to reduce environmental load)
- Support for the next generation who will be responsible for the future (support including financial and economic education for fostering the healthy growth of the next generation who will be responsible for the future and support for the next generation in difficult circumstances due to a range of possible factors)
- Support for regions and communities (promoting regional revitalization in cooperation with local organizations in regions which have close relationships with corporate activities, such as regions where the Group conducts its business)
- Support for disaster recovery (e.g. urgent support for large-scale natural disasters and humanitarian crises)
Social Contribution Activity Results for FY2023
|
Main areas of activity |
Amount |
Number of participating volunteers |
|---|---|---|
|
Environmental preservation |
3 million yen |
88 |
|
Support for the next generation who will be responsible for the future |
9 million yen |
60 |
|
Support for regions and communities |
7 million yen |
53 |
|
Support for disaster recovery |
12 million yen |
2 |
|
Total |
31 million yen |
203* |
- Many officers and employees took part in voluntary towel and dust cloth donations and food drive activities, but they are not included in the number of participants above as it is difficult to ascertain how many people actually took part.
Environmental Preservation
Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, where Aozora’s Head Office is located, designates June 6 and November 6 each year as the Chiyoda Ward cleanup days in an effort to promote cleaning and beautification activities. Volunteers from Aozora participated in a cleanup effort around the Yotsuya Head Office and Sophia University campus as part of its environmental preservation and regional contribution activities. The employees and students of Sophia University also participated, leading to a total of 88 volunteers.
Support for the Next Generation Who Will Be Responsible for the Future
Joint Projects with Sophia University
Part of the tenant fees we pay to Sophia University are used mainly as scholarships for overseas students, which contributes to expanding educational opportunities for them. Since the relocation of our Head Office to the Sophia University campus in 2017, we have strengthened our partnership with the university in various ways, including the Aozora-sponsored “Basic Banking Seminar” in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics, Sophia University, and a joint project on financial education for junior and senior high school students who visit Aozora.
Support for Regions and Communities
Participation in the Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival
Employees from the Kanazawa Branch, together with their families, join the “Odori Nagashi” parade in the “Kanazawa Hyakumangoku Festival” every year. The Branch also participated in the “Ishikawa Hyakumangoku Cultural Festival 2023” as a public relations volunteer over 44 days from October 14, 2023.
Sapporo Branch: Taking Part in Local Cleanup Efforts
Our Sapporo Branch takes part in the "Tsukiichi" cleanup initiative, run by the Sapporo Ekimae-dori Association since 2015, and branch employees use their lunch breaks to help clean the area around Ekimae-dori Street, popular with tourists from both within Japan and abroad.
Kyoto Branch: Participating in the "Gion Matsuri" Festival
Aozora’s Kyoto Branch helps the local community pass on its traditional culture by providing financial sponsorship for festival preservation associations as well as assisting in the making of “chimaki” (a charm to ward off illness and misfortune) and participating in the parade of decorative “yamahoko” floats.
Utilization of Support for Disaster Recovery and Volunteer Leave System
Aozora donated 11.7 million yen, including donations from its officers and employees, in support of the areas affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. We have also introduced the volunteer leave system to encourage our officers and employees to serve as disaster relief volunteers. The system allows them to take leave for volunteer activities on weekdays and to provide conditional subsidies that partially cover their cost of participation.
To facilitate the use of the volunteer leave system, Aozora has worked to establish an environment where our officers and employees can take leave more easily. To this end, we held a session to provide guidance and tips on participating in disaster relief volunteering.
We provide our officers and employees with opportunities to deepen their understanding of social issues and pursue personal growth. We also facilitate their contribution to regional communities and the overall society from the perspective of our corporate social responsibilities.
Matching Donation Program
In FY2023, we conducted a matching donation program to help widen the views of individual officers and employees and encourage their own involvement in society. This initiative collected donations from the officers and employees and added a contribution from Aozora, enabling them to participate in a social contribution activity together.
The program has continued since FY2022. In FY2023, as a new initiative, we conducted a vote among officers and employees to select organizations to receive donations. The number of participants further increased as the program allowed officers and employees to make a donation by choosing an organization in which they had a particular interest from among groups sharing the main areas of activity with Aozora.
In FY2023, we made donations to 10 organizations, including the Nature Conservation Society of Japan, NPO eboard, and Gold Ribbon Network.
Food and Goods Donations
We donated towels, dust cloths, and food to Good Neighbors Japan, an NPO that supports needy families and provides assistance in times of disaster. We have been engaged with this initiative since FY2021.
Voluntary Towel and Dust Cloth Donations
We collected towels and dust cloths from our officers and employees and donated them to be used for cleaning up and wiping away mud in times of disaster caused by typhoons or heavy rains. The donated towels and dust cloths are stored by the NPO and used in times of disaster.
Food Drive Activities
We conducted food drive activities, in which we asked our officers and employees for their unconsumed and unopened food as donations for people in need. The collected food was delivered to single-parent families in need.
Other Initiatives
Participation in the Ecocap Movement
The Bank has participated in the Ecocap Movement since December 2010. We separate and recycle caps from plastic bottles as part of an initiative to provide vaccines for children around the world, in addition to contributing to the reduction of CO₂ released through bottle incineration.
In November, in solidarity with the aims of the "Ecocap Week 2019" campaign led by a volunteer group from Meiji University called Tree, we donated prizes to their lottery event wherein participants received raffle tickets in return for bringing in plastic bottle caps.
Participation in the TABLE FOR TWO Program
Since March 2011, we have participated in the TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) program, providing employees the opportunity to donate ¥20 with the purchase of a meal at our Head Office cafeteria (approximately the price of one school meal in some developing countries). TFT is based on the concept of "table for two," whereby people from developed countries share a meal with children from developing nations. For the fiscal year ended March 2024, we donated the equivalent of 24,476 meals.
Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program for New Employees
Aozora provides a student loan repayment assistance program for young employees who obtained student loans to finance college and graduate school studies. The goal of this program is to create a comfortable, fulfilling workplace environment and promote the hiring of talented staff. Eligible employees will receive assistance benefits every year for three years after they join the Bank.
Donation of Used Stamps to Volunteer Organizations
Aozora collects and donates used stamps to volunteer organizations to assist people providing care overseas in obtaining funds, medical supplies and other Bank.