Basic Policy

Based on the recognition that Panasonic Group is a public entity of society and that society at large has entrusted us with all the resources we need to do business, we maintain dialogues with local communities as we undertake our business.

The Group contributes positively to local communities and seeks to minimize any potentially negative impacts of entering or leaving a market through dialogues with local governments and residents and impact assessments on the environment and other areas.

In particular, we are an active member of local communities that promotes Corporate Citizenship Activities and strives to develop the Company and the communities.

Management System of Corporate Citizenship Activities

We are engaged in a variety of Corporate Citizenship Activities based on the actual conditions in each operating company and each region, in line with the Group Policy outlined in the next paragraph. We define key performance indicators (KPIs) for major activities and use these to evaluate results and make improvements. We continue to think about ways we can better promote the activities we undertake by holding regular Group Corporate Citizenship Activities Meetings where we share information and exchange opinions toward that goal. In addition, through Corporate Citizenship News, those activities are shared with the relevant directors and executives—from the Panasonic Group CEO on down—as well as with the staffs in charge of Corporate Citizenship Activities all over the world. Panasonic Group also conducts annual surveys of its Corporate Citizenship Activities and publicly releases the findings on our Sustainability website.

Policy

Panasonic Group establishes policies and themes of focus for its Corporate Citizenship Activities in three-year midterm plans. Panasonic determines its areas of focus by comprehensively taking into account company business policies, conditions in society, societal demands, expert opinions, and other considerations.

Midterm Policy of Corporate Citizenship Activities (FY2023-2025)

The Panasonic Group aims to create an ideal society offering material and spiritual affluence, and works to create new value by tackling social issues head-on in both our business activities and our activities as a corporate citizen.

In our midterm policies, we thought about what our ideal world would look like in the year 2030 and decided it would be a “sustainable and inclusive society where everyone can live a vibrant life more freely.” As a corporate group that does business globally, we have selected “Ending Poverty,” “Environmental Activities,” and “Human Development (Learning Support)” as issues we should be prioritizing based on global social issues and the Group’s Basic Business Philosophy.

Of all the issues the world has been facing recently, poverty of various types—not only in both newly developed and developing countries but also in developed has become particularly serious. The first of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) states “end poverty.” Panasonic Group’s founder, Konosuke Matsushita, saw poverty as an evil and he made its eradication the mission of his company. Living standards have been raised for many and some poverty has been alleviated. However, many countries and regions have still been excluded from prosperity, and disparities in wealth are growing larger even within developed countries. Considering this background, we set “Ending Poverty” as a priority theme in our effort to realize an inclusive society as we marked the 100th anniversary of our founding (in 2018).

We have selected “Environmental Activities” as a key theme for our Corporate Citizenship Activities in line with our Basic Business Philosophy, which states, “global environmental issues should be given the highest priority [for the Group overall].” In order to further accelerate the Group’s long-term environmental vision Panasonic GREEN IMPACT (PGI), we will focus on “biodiversity conservation” in our Corporate Citizenship Activities this year to change individuals’ behavior and raise environmental awareness.

Furthermore, our foundation for addressing issues emphasizes developing human resources who will work toward solving poverty and environmental problems. In our “Learning Support ” that encourages the next generation to want to learn, we provide places for learning and practice, valuing the perspective of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), where all individuals accept and leverage their individuality.

We would like to contribute to solving social issues and realizing a sustainable and inclusive society through Corporate Citizenship Activities, including those helping to end poverty, protect the environment, and boost human development (Learning Support). We encourage our employees to actively participate as we leverage our products, technologies, know-how, and resources cultivated through manufacturing to work with all stakeholders.

Responsible Executive and Framework

Corporate Citizenship Activities is directly managed by the Group CEO (as of August 2024). The Corporate Citizenship Office at Panasonic Holdings Corporation (“PHD”) is responsible for the function of strategic planning for the entire Panasonic Group and performs those duties in cooperation with the Corporate Citizenship Department at Panasonic Operational Excellence Co., Ltd. (“PEX”) and the Group’s operating companies. We have people in charge of Corporate Citizenship Activities at each operating company, and those individuals execute their activities based on the actual conditions in each company and their regions.

Employee Participation and Supporting Systems

Enhancing employee interest in social issues and their desire to solve them is extremely important both in terms of promoting Corporate Citizenship Activities and carrying out our core business.

The Group encourages employees to participate by providing information on volunteer activities and lectures and offering menus relevant to social issues at corporate cafeterias. Some of the most characteristic examples of these are shown below.

▪Activities supporting employees’ social involvement

Provision of Sustainable Seafood* at Corporate Cafeteria (Japan)

Panasonic was the first company in Japan to permanently introduce sustainable seafood* in its company cafeterias. The initiative, which started in March 2018 at two locations, is now in place at 57 locations in Japan (as of March 31, 2024). We aim to use the food served in cafeterias to raise awareness of the world’s fishery resources in crisis, encourage changes in consumption behavior, and expand our impact on our surroundings.

* Seafood certified for sustainable production (fishing and aquaculture) as well as management and traceability in processing, distribution, and marketing.

Fukushima Reconstruction Support Action (Japan)

We have taken the initiative to provide employees with opportunities to learn the truth about the situation in Fukushima and support the area in its recovery from the earthquake and tsunami and the effects of the lingering harmful rumors. The initiative involves providing menus featuring agricultural, livestock, and marine products from Fukushima Prefecture in corporate cafeterias and holding our Fukushima Marché [Market] to sell products from the prefecture. We first offered the menu at two corporate cafeterias in January 2022 and have since expanded to 24 locations across Japan (as of March 31, 2024). The Fukushima Marché started in September 2022 and now operates at 11 locations in Japan (as of March 31, 2024). We continually carry out activities to raise awareness among employees about Fukushima Prefecture’s efforts to ensure food safety and security through lectures from prefectural officials.

LIGHT UP THE FUTURE “AKARI Action Project”

This donation drive delivers solar lanterns to areas without electricity, using funds collected through cafeteria points from the Employee Benefits Service and donations of used books, DVDs, and other secondhand items. Since we began this drive in 2009, we have delivered more than 120,000 solar lanterns to 34 countries. In fiscal 2024, a total of 545 employees donated cafeteria points, and we collected 32,412 secondhand items, including from the general public.

Pro Bono Program (Japan)

We have programs in which employees use the skills and experiences that they have gained through their jobs to support NPOs/NGOs’ enhancement of business extension, who are addressing social issues. Since 2011, a total of 392 Panasonic Group employees have participated in the Pro Bono Program in Japan, providing support for 66 organizations by formulating medium-term plans, drafting marketing materials, and rebuilding websites.

Panasonic ECO RELAY for Sustainable Earth

In 1998, we began promoting Love the Earth Citizen’s Campaign in Japan, aiming to foster greater environmental awareness and even lifestyle changes by encouraging employees and their families to actively engage in environmental activities at home and in their local communities. Since then, we have expanded our efforts globally and changed the program’s name to “Panasonic ECO RELAY for Sustainable Earth.” As a global citizen, we aim to help create a sustainable global environment and society through our engagement in biodiversity conservation and other environmental activities. In fiscal 2024, 8,395 people worldwide have joined the environmental activities in their communities through cleanup and tree-planting campaigns.

Introducing regional volunteer activities and providing opportunities

Workplaces within the Group around the world take an active role in developing and rolling out a variety of volunteer activities that are tailored to the specific features of the regions and operating companies they are part of. In North America, for example, the Group has an Employee Volunteer Program and annual Month of Service initiative through which we encourage employees to volunteer. In Europe, some Group companies support volunteer work at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. In China, several times each year we have China Region Group Volunteer Activities in which employees at various workplaces across China undertake volunteer activities related to the same theme at the same time. In Japan, we provide a website where employees can find regularly updated information on volunteer opportunities by NPOs and encourage them to take part in volunteer projects outside the Group as well.

Providing learning opportunities (Japan)

In order to raise interest in and motivation to solve social issues, we hold an after-work lecture called the “Social Good Meetup (SGM)”, where various experts on social issues give presentations, and a “Disaster Volunteer Training Course” where employees can gain knowledge and skills that will enable them to serve as a volunteer when common disasters occur. In fiscal 2024, a total of 2,178 employees took this course. We also conduct e-Learning for employees once a year to provide opportunities to learn about social issues.

▪Human Resources System for Supporting the Promotion of Employee Participation

Examples of major Group Companies in Japan

  • Flexible work styles for participating in volunteering
    We have expanded the options of our diverse work styles to encourage employees to take on the challenge of volunteering. Specifically, we offer a scheduling system with reduced hours/reduced workdays that enables employees to balance volunteering and work and a leave-of-absence system that allows for long-term volunteering for up to one year (the required period for those joining the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers). Additionally, we encourage employees to volunteer using various types of leave, such as the ten days of “Challenge Leave” granted to employees who reach a milestone age. We also have a policy of allowing employees to take five consecutive days out of their 25 days of annual paid leave for volunteering.
  • In-house community activities and awards
    Panasonic Group encourages employees who share common interests and sensitivity to issues, regardless of their company affiliation or position, to voluntarily form communities and engage in various projects through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). In fiscal 2025, a new “Best Voluntary Contribution to Culture Revitalization” award joined the Group CEO Award to support and raise awareness of these employees’ various community activities. The fiscal 2025 award was presented to efforts toward “creating a workplace comfortable for people who can and cannot hear” and “creating accessibility maps of business site premises” for their contributions to stimulating the organizational culture to enable every diverse individual to demonstrate their individuality.

Examples from North America

Several business units in Panasonic North America provide paid time off that allow employees to spend up to five full working days on volunteer activities to give back and contribute to their local communities. We also encourage and facilitate participation in volunteer activities on the part of our employees, including by coordinating volunteer activities at individual business sites.

Examples from Europe

To further encourage social involvement, some Group companies in Europe will allow employees to take up to 16 hours a year of paid leave for volunteer work during working hours, effective May 1, 2022.

Performance Evaluation of Corporate Citizenship Activities

We measure the effectiveness of its main activities according to the specifics of each initiative.

LIGHT UP THE FUTURE

The LIGHT UP THE FUTURE project brings light to areas without electricity in collaboration with various partners, including NGOs/NPOs and international organizations. It aims to create opportunities for education, health, and increased income through local support programs, in addition to the solar lantern donations. We conduct surveys to verify the impact of these solar lantern donations and support programs. According to a 2023 survey conducted in Kenya by our donor partner, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), approximately 80% of school-going children reported that using solar lanterns increased their learning time at home (33% reported a one-hour increase, 42%, two hours, and 8%, three hours or more). Moreover, women engaged in bead-making showed an average 1.5-fold increase in income. Another 2023 survey conducted in Cambodia by the JELA Foundation showed that using solar lanterns saved approximately USD 26 per year in energy expenditures and reduced respiratory diseases and other health problems by 80%.

Panasonic NPO/NGO Support Fund for SDGs (formerly Panasonic NPO Support Fund)

Regarding the Panasonic NPO/NGO Support Fund for SDGs, which supports the enhancement of the organizational infrastructure of NPOs/NGOs, we conduct a follow-up survey of the grant recipients 18 months after the completion of the subsidy project. And a third party also quantitatively and qualitatively evaluates the effectiveness of the enhancement of the organizational infrastructure. In fiscal 2022, in addition to the follow-up survey, and as a milestone of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Support Fund, 63 organizations participating in the Children and Environment category and 23 organizations participating in the Africa category that we subsidized from 2011 to 2018 were evaluated for the 20th anniversary of the subsidy.

The results of the survey for organizations related to children and the environment showed an average rate of expansion of 19.1% in financial terms compared to before the support, as well as an average 27.8% increase in the number of staff. The results also indicated that 87.2% of all organizations saw the number of individuals receiving benefits rise, with an average of a 3.07-fold increase and the organization with the largest increase in beneficiaries rising to 14.9 times the number prior to support, demonstrating that our efforts toward organizational infrastructure enhancement through this support program have been effective in producing major social results.

In the Africa category, the results of the survey showed that 64% of all organizations responded that they had continued to see the effects of the PR tools created through the support for at least two years afterwards, and 29% had seen continued effects for it at least five years. In a qualitative survey, we also found cases in which the support led to improvements in training for the volunteers who would be in charge of getting the message out and a greater capacity to procure funding, among other benefits.

Kid Witness News (KWN)

Kid Witness News—an educational support program for elementary, middle, and high school children—aims to enhance creativity, communication skills, and teamwork through video production. We conducted surveys and interviews from 2017 through 2022 to verify this program’s impact on participating children. We arranged the children’s qualities and abilities into nine competencies, and our findings indicated that participating children exhibited growth in seven of these competencies, exceeding that of children who did not participate. We saw notable growth in the three competencies of forming relationships, communication, and planning for the future. Furthermore, the results of the survey targeting special-needs schools and by type of participating school (elementary, middle, or high school) confirmed the growth of children through this program, regardless of their disabilities or developmental stage.

My Future Discovery Program

In the My Future Discovery Program, a career education program for junior high school students, we conduct an annual survey of teachers and students to make improvements by seeing its usefulness and how it influences change in students.

In the fiscal 2024 survey, 97% of students reported that they could understand the lessons, and 93% reported that the worksheets and materials were easy to use. There was also a 14% growth in students who said that their schoolwork and activities would be “useful” when they enter the workforce compared to how they felt before taking the classes, indicating that the program benefits children.

▪External Recognition and Awards Won

Panasonic received the following major awards and external evaluations in fiscal 2024:

■Panasonic Corporation
Awarded the 2023 Award for Excellence for Companies Promoting Experience-based Learning Activities for Youth sponsored by MEXT

■Panasonic Corporation
Awarded the Executive Committee’s Special Award for Care for the Earth and Humanity at the 11th Good Life Award sponsored by the Ministry of the Environment

■Youth Education Support Project, Panasonic Corporation of China
Awarded the Youth Impact Special Award at the CSR China Top 100 sponsored by the CSR China Education Award in China

■Table for Two’s Meal Sharing Program in developing countries
Certified as a Platinum Partner (for the eleventh consecutive year)

■Panasonic Education Foundation
Received a Certificate of Appreciation from MEXT for many years of service in the field of education

■Panasonic Life Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.
Awarded the AIBCF Award in the educational category sponsored by the All India Business & Community Foundation

Spending on Corporate Citizenship Activities in fiscal 2024 (April 1 2023 - Mar. 31 2024)


by Region

by Region



Composition Ratio by Field

Composition Ratio by Field