CSR Efforts in Sales and Marketing Activities in Japan | Environmental & Social Report 2005

The Domestic Sales and Marketing Group, which holds overall responsibility for product sales and marketing activities in Japan, emphasizes CSR in line with its basic principles of "customer first" and compliance. To fulfill the corporation's social role, Sharp's sales and service bases all over Japan focus on the local community, thereby heightening CSR awareness among all employees and strengthening efforts to support their communities through sales and service activities. Sharp also aims to deepen the understanding that business partners have of its CSR activities, as well as encourage them to address CSR together.

Since its establishment within the Domestic Sales and Marketing Group in April 2004, the CSR Promotion Department has been planning and implementing practical, wide-ranging measures and activities, including compliance at sales and service sites. To further strengthen the CSR mindset and activities at each sales and service base, the department is creating a "PDCA Management Cycle"* for CSR through continual training and education, as well as providing support for solving problems at actual sites and monitoring.

* PDCA: P (Plan), D (Do), C (Check), and A (Act)

1) Satellite Broadcasting of CSR Seminars to All Sales and Service Bases

Sharp broadcasts domestic sales CSR seminars to all its domestic sales and service bases via satellite. In fiscal 2005, Sharp held such training seminars six times, allowing sales and service staff to study CSR and compliance issues of direct and immediate importance to their daily work.

2) Meetings at Sales and Service Bases

At regional bases where several sales and service companies occupy the same building, a joint meeting in the first morning of each week enables those companies to share information on CSR activities in sales and service and to study how each base can contribute to the local community as good corporate citizens.

3) Online Self-Auditing System

Since the introduction of an Online Self-Auditing System in December 2004, our sales and service managers have been conducting quarterly self-assessments on compliance with business laws and in-house regulations, as well as the management of business risks. The quantitative and qualitative results of such self-assessments are analyzed to create mechanisms for preventing the occurrence of risk and misconduct.

4) Promoting community-based social contribution activities

To make their sales and service bases an integral part of the community, Sharp staff members do their best to participate in local social contribution activities as one of their main CSR activities. Through continual and active participation in local social contribution activities, Sharp plans to strengthen coordination with the residents, the governments, and the neighboring companies that together make up the local communities.

Main social contribution activities in fiscal 2005

Cleanup activities in public areas, such as roads around Sharp office buildings, parks, rivers, mountain trails, and beaches
Advising the elderly at welfare facilities about electric appliances
Red Cross blood donation activities
Snow removal
Crime prevention patrols
Traffic safety campaign

Joining local government activities such as the Adapt Program:: In July 2004, Sharp's sales and service base in the Sapporo Building participated in the Adapt Program, a local beautification initiative run by the Sapporo City Nishi Ward Regional Promotion Division. Since then, sales and service bases in Sendai, Shizuoka, Tabata-Shinmachi, Taito Ward, and Kyoto have been approved for registration in similar systems in their local communities. They have regularly participated in cleanup activities around the community, as well as cleanup and awareness activities for preventing littering of rivers and parks.
Working with local residents (crime prevention patrols and blood donation activities):: Since April 2004, Sharp's sales and service base in the Koto Building has regularly participated in a traffic safety campaign and crime prevention patrols initiated by the Ishihara Block Association as part of efforts to help the local community. Closer communication with members of the block association encouraged many local residents to participate in Red Cross blood donation activities sponsored by Sharp in November 2005.
Working with local governments and neighboring companies (cleanup activities in Science City Park in Tsu): Sharp's sales and service base in the Mie Building, which moved to Science City in Tsu in February 2005, planned cleanup activities for the neighboring Science City Park and carried out the first cleanup in June 2005. News of those efforts spread to the local government and neighboring companies, resulting in a second cleanup activity in September 2005, with city officials and employees of neighboring companies also participating.
Working with business partners (Red Cross blood donation activities): In February 2006, Sharp's sales and service base in the Maebashi Building outlined its CSR aims for business partners attending a product workshop. A blood-donation campaign targeting Sharp employees was carried out on the same day to give business partners in tune with Sharp's CSR aims a chance to join in.