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Coexisting with Society

The Kobe Steel Group, as a member of the local community, undertakes a wide range of social contribution activities at each of its business locations.

As a good corporate citizen we believe in fulfilling our responsibilities to society. That belief is shared by all employees at every location in the Group.

In this section, we invite you to learn more about the Kobe Steel Group's activities for coexisting with society including our educational support for future generations, community interaction, cleanup activities, and environmental conservation activities in cooperation with the community.

Supporting Future Generations

Since fiscal 2006 we have engaged in ongoing activities aimed at supporting the growth and development of children who bear the future.

Kobelco Community Contribution Fund

Activities to Support Local Children

Kobe Steel established the Kobelco Community Contribution Fund on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. Since fiscal 2006, the Fund has supported activities for children in the community that are conducted by facilities and organizations in areas where Kobe Steel locations and Group companies are situated.

Scientific books for Kitakyushu Municipal Central Library (Japan Superconductor Technology)

Scientific books for Kitakyushu Municipal Central Library (Japan Superconductor Technology)

Educational toys and play equipment for daycare centers in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture (Shinko Industrial)

Educational toys and play equipment for daycare centers in Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture (Shinko Industrial)

Emergency supplies and play equipment for childcare centers in Inabe, Mie Prefecture (Daian Plant)

Emergency supplies and play equipment for childcare centers in Inabe, Mie Prefecture (Daian Plant)

Wooden building blocks for daycare centers in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture (Shinko Kenzai)

Wooden building blocks for daycare centers in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture (Shinko Kenzai)

Projects Supported by the Kobelco Community Contribution Fund in Fiscal 2014

 

Location

Recipient

Type of Support

Kobe Steel Kobe Head Office
(Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture)

Orphanage

Funding for computers, TVs, air purifiers, etc.

Children's center

Funding for teaching materials and supplies for use in the "20 Years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake" disaster education program

Kobe Corporate Research Laboratories (Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture)

Youth Development Association

Funding for a youth festival

Kobe Works
(Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture)

Children's organization

Funding for tools used for events, etc.

Children's center

Funding for woodworking equipment

Kakogawa Works (Kakogawa, Hyogo Prefecture)

Childcare support groups

Funding for toys, event equipment, etc.

Volunteer organization

Funding for cleaning supplies

Softball association

Funding for tournament administration

Takasago Works (Takasago, Hyogo Prefecture)

Maternal and child living support facility

Funding for picture books, play equipment, etc.

Childcare support centers

Funding for picture books, play equipment, etc.

Daycare centers

Funding for picture books, play equipment, etc.

Harima Plant
(Kako-gun, Hyogo Prefecture)

Organization supporting social interaction for children with special needs

Funding for equipment used during events

Volunteer organization

Funding to purchase supplies for learning about the environment

Fujisawa Plant
(Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture)

Junior Nature Club

Funding for telescopes

Fukuchiyama Plant
(Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture)

Kindergartens

Funding for educational toys, play equipment

Ibaraki Plant
(Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture)

Temporary daycare for children on a waiting list for placement in authorized daycare center s

Funding for educational toys, play equipment

Saijo Plant (Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture)

Community associations

Funding for children-at-play traffic signs, traffic wands, etc.

Moka Plant
(Moka, Tochigi Prefecture)

Elementary and middle schools

Funding for greening and beautification equipment

Daian Plant
(Inabe, Mie Prefecture)

Childcare support centers

Funding for emergency supplies, play equipment, etc.

Chofu Works (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture)

Kindergartens and daycare centers

Funding for play equipment, picture books, etc.

Group
companies
Shinko-North Co., Ltd.
(Kasumigaura, Ibaraki Prefecture)

High schools

Donation of aluminum scaffold planks

Shinko Engineering Co., Ltd.
(Ogaki, Gifu Prefecture)

Kindergartens and daycare centers

Funding for large outdoor play equipment

Shinko Kenzai, Ltd.
(Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture)

Daycare centers

Funding for wooden educational toys

Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd.
(Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture)

Elementary and middle schools

Funding for frame tents for sports festivals and other events

Shinko Industrial Co., Ltd. (Kurayoshi, Tottori Prefecture)

Kindergartens and daycare centers

Funding for educational toys and play equipment

Japan Superconductor Technology, Inc.
(Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture)

Libraries

Funding for scientific books

Community Contributions and Community Interaction

As responsible members of the local community, we engage in a variety of community events and social contribution activities at each of our business locations.

Kakogawa Works (Hyogo Prefecture)

24th Shinko Kakogawa Festival

Lexus Team SARD test-ride event

Lexus Team SARD test-ride
event

The Shinko Kakogawa Festival has become a familiar annual event. On October 26, 2014 we held the 24th Shinko Kakogawa Festival. We were fortunate to experience good weather on the day of the festival and around 80,000 people attended, including local residents and employee family members.

The festival featured a variety of interesting attractions to facilitate interaction with the community. Highlights included a racing car test-ride event and photo shoot run by the Kobe Steel sponsored Lexus Team SARD racing team, preschool and elementary school rugby workshops taught by the Kobelco Steelers, softball workshops, and tours of the hot-rolling and plate mills at Kakogawa Works.

Fujisawa Plant (Kanagawa Prefecture)

The Shinko Festival: A Familiar Community Summer Event

The Shinko Festival stalls are well known for their delicious food.

The Shinko Festival stalls are
well known for their delicious
food.

The Shinko Festival, which began in 1973 as a Bon dancing festival, has since become a familiar and cherished community event in the Shonan region of Japan. This year's event kicked off during the evening hours on August 1, 2014, with approximately 1,500 people attending, including employees and their family members, representatives from neighborhood associations and children from the nearby community.

The festive and memorable night included many events, such as a cask-breaking ceremony, song show, street performances, exciting raffles and the handing out of flower seed packets.

Chofu Works (Yamaguchi Prefecture)

Chofu Festival Soon to Celebrate Its 15th Anniversary

The yearly tug-of-war game is always exciting.

The yearly tug-of-war game is
always exciting.

The Chofu Festival was first held in 2000. Participation from the local community has made this festival an important local event. The Chofu Festival 2014, held on October 19, 2014, marked the festival's 14th anniversary. Thanks to excellent weather, around 4,300 people attended.

The festival's many exciting events included a game of "tama-ire" (a ball tossing game) for children, tug-of-war for employees, a fun yearly raffle with splendid prizes up for grabs, and a tuna carving show held with the cooperation of the local Chofu fishery co-op.

Takasago Works (Hyogo Prefecture)

Takasago Family Holiday 2014: A Day of Family Fun

The employee band performance received big cheers.

The employee band
performance received big
cheers.

Takasago Family Holiday 2014 was held on November 1, 2014. Around 3,000 people attended, including employee family members and local residents. Unfortunately, as it continued to rain overnight and into the morning, the scheduled brass band and taiko drum performance had to be cancelled. However, the rain let up around noon and we were able to hold our other scheduled events, including a stage show with popular superhero character Tokkyuja, an employee band performance, hula dancing and the annual raffle.

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (Hiroshima Prefecture)

Connecting with the Community: 3rd Kobelco Construction Machinery Community Appreciation Festival

Parents and children operate a real excavator together.

Parents and children operate a
real excavator together.

The third Kobelco Construction Machinery Community Appreciation Festival was held at the Itsukaichi Factory on September 28, 2014. Approximately 2,500 people attended, including employees, their families and members of the local community.

The festival included traditional Japanese and pop music performed by the Kobelco band on the main stage, a kids' corner with a giant bouncing dome and a stall where children had the chance to operate a real excavator, a race car photo shoot with the Kobe Steel sponsored Lexus Team SARD racing team, and more.

All proceeds from the performances and other events were donated to help areas affected by the Hiroshima landslides of 2014.

Shinko Real Estate Co., Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture)

3rd "The Town of the Future/My Dream Home" Children's Picture Contest

The Town of the Future/My Dream Home

The Town of the Future/
My Dream Home

Children are our future, and nurturing them has been a central theme of Kobe Steel's CSR activities for the past three years. As part of this commitment, since 2013 we have held a drawing contest for elementary school students. The theme of the contest is "The Town of the Future/My Dream Home." This year we received 493 entries, including entries from Tokyo and Hiroshima. We were very happy with all of the entries, which showed a level of creativity unimaginable by adults.

In addition to the drawings, participants appreciated the videos and panels on display that showed the young artists at work.

Shinko Engineering Co., Ltd. (Gifu Prefecture)

Barbecue Builds Friendship with Local Softball Club

Local pride in action

Local pride in action

In fiscal 2014 Shinko Engineering joined the local government and residents in supporting the Ogaki Minamo Softball Club.

In order to promote interaction between athletes, club staff and related persons at Shinko Engineering, the company held a barbecue at the plant's outdoor plaza on May 24, 2014. Approximately 50 people attended. The barbecue was held to promote friendship between those involved with the club.

Shinko Care Life Co., Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture)

Growing Community Support: the Rose Garden Network

The Rose Garden Network

The Rose Garden Network

The Rose Garden Network consists of care professionals and local residents living near Okamoto Rose Garden. It was set up to help look after senior citizens, those with dementia, and others in need of support who live in the Okamoto and Nishi-Okamoto areas. The program entered its sixth year in 2015.

The network has now grown to 31 members, with meetings held once every two to three months to exchange information.

This year, Shinko Care Life employees are using the experience they have garnered through the program to focus on creating a new regional network for care prevention and dementia support dedicated to the themes of "self-help, mutual aid and neighborhood networking."

Shinsho Corporation (Hyogo Prefecture)

Summer and New Year's Greeting Cards Donated to Elementary Schools in Kobe

Shinsho Corporation donated 3,000 summer greeting cards in July 2014 and 3,420 New Year's greeting cards in December 2014 to elementary schools in Kobe. With the increasing popularity of computers and smartphones, opportunities for children to write by hand are decreasing. Creating traditional greeting cards is a chance for children to experience the joy of writing and exchanging handwritten messages. We hope it will help perpetuate the culture of letter-writing.

Local Cleanup Activities

Local cleanup activities are a means of contributing to the community in a way that touches on everyday life. In addition to areas around offices and plants, cleanup activities are also held in surrounding neighborhoods and natural environments.

Kyushu Sales Office (Fukuoka Prefectures)

"Clean Days" Carried Out Monthly at Hakata Station

Creating clean and inviting spaces near Hakata Station

Creating clean and inviting
spaces near Hakata Station

The Hakata Community Development Association has been carrying out cleanup activities in front of Hakata Station for seven years. The association was established in April 2008. The cleanup activities have now become a familiar community tradition, with participation from around 200 people, including local companies and citizens' groups. The Kobe Steel Kyushu Sales Office has established the third Thursday of every month as "Clean Day," during which it sends its own volunteers to join in cleanup activities.

Kobelco Logistics, Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture)

Walkway and Green Belt Cleanup Activities

Doing our part as members of the community

Doing our part as members of
the community

Every Monday about 10 volunteers from the Amagasaki Operations Office at the Kansai Logistics Center of Kobelco Logistics, Ltd. gather to carry out cleanup activities at the walkways and green belts around the company.

Previously, the appearance of the area was often impaired by discarded cigarette butts and litter. The cleanup activities were introduced in 2008 in response to this situation.

Kobelco Shinwa Co., Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture)

A 12 Year Tradition of Keeping Drainage Ditches near Company Clean

Cleanup efforts are appreciated by local residents.

Cleanup efforts are appreciated
by local residents.

Kobelco Shinwa moved to its current location in Okubo in 2003, at which time it introduced cleanup activities to contribute to the local community. For the 12 years since its relocation, the company has been carrying out daily cleanup activities of the drainage ditches around the Okubo Head Office/Factory.

Kobelco & Materials Copper Tube, Ltd. (Kanagawa Prefecture)

Cleanup and Greenification Activities Near Plant

The plant strives to be an important part of the local community.

The plant strives to be an
important part of the local
community.

For about 30 minutes early in the morning, once per week, the Hatano Plant carries out greenification activities such as picking up litter and pulling weeds. These activities have been carried out for over 10 years, with volunteers from the General Administration Section, Purchasing Section and Planning Department.

Okinawa Sales Office (Okinawa Prefecture)

Expanding the Niko Niko Smiles Litter Cleanup Campaign

Eliminating litter along routes from home to company

Eliminating litter along routes
from home to company

Employees at the office are part of a "Caring for the Future of Okinawa's Scenery" SNS (social network service) group. As part of group activities, they promote local cleanup activities. On the 22nd of every month they carry out an activity, largely in areas near the company, known as the Niko Niko Smiles Campaign. Participants pick up at least two pieces of litter throughout the day. The campaign has now entered its second year.

The campaign is promoted through social media, with around 30 members now participating.

Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture)

Cleanup Activities Near Plant

Making the Okubo area more beautiful

Making the Okubo area more
beautiful

Once per month approximately 20 employees from the Okubo Plant carry out cleanup activities around the plant. Cleanup activities began in 2012 in response to an increase in the amount of litter appearing around plant grounds, as a way to beautify the neighborhood and contribute to the local community. Litter cleanup and other actiities are organized by the Human Resources & General Affairs Department's Safety & Environment Section, with different departments placed in charge of cleanup each month.

Hands-On Learning

We also carry out classroom visits and sports coaching for elementary and middles schools near our business locations. The goal of these activities is to ensure the skills and expertise we have gained are carried on to the next generation.

Shinko Welding Service Co., Ltd. (Kanagawa Prefecture)

Volleyball Coaching: Aiming for the National Tournament

An amazing victory at the national youth tournament

An amazing victory at the
national youth tournament

We send coaches and otherwise offer support to the Fujisawa Volleyball Association. Coaching is carried out about twice per week, and is geared toward beginners and enthusiasts alike. Coached teams have even gone on to win at the national youth league tournament.

Kansai Coke and Chemicals Co., Ltd. (Hyogo Prefecture)

Manufacturing Classes for Nearby Elementary Schools

Children hard at work

Children hard at work

In order to give the next generation of Japanese children the chance to experience the joy and wonder of manufacturing for themselves, Kansai Coke and Chemicals visits schools to hold manufacturing lessons, with company employees serving as instructors. These classes have been held twice per year for 10 years, since 2005. In fiscal 2014 lessons were held at Meijo Elementary School in Amagasaki and Befunishi Elementary School in Kakogawa. The lessons were greatly enjoyed by the children.