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Dialogue : CSR efforts by the Mazda Group
Sincerity and the Concept of "One Mazda"
as Guides for Mazda CSR Activities
Senior Researcher Eiichiro Adachi of The Japan Research Institute, Limited. and Senior Managing
Exective Officer in charge of CSR, Ryoichi Hasegawa, discussed what activities the Mazda Group
is engaged in to fulfill its corporate responsibility, and exactly what the company's CSR is.
Senior Managing Executive
Officer in charge of CSR
Ryoichi Hasegawa
The Japan Research Institute, Limited.
Senior Researcher
Eiichiro Adachi
Helping stakeholders see
Mazda as it really is
Adachi: the Social & Environmental Report for FY 2003 included a thirdparty
opinion from the viewpoint of a firm providing corporate information
on CSR for investment by financial institutions. The author praised the
report for breaking new ground in reporting on the company's relations
with customers, dealers and employees. A special issue of Newsweek
magazine n CSR earlier this year placed Mazda as the company with the
4th-highest improvement in CSR rating. I feel that the Mazda approach to
corporate responsibility is gradually solidifying and CSR activities are
beginning to grow.
Hasegawa: Mazda has been involved in efforts called CSR for some time,
but we didn't always publicize our activities sufficiently. From 2004, the
Environmental Report was issued as the Social & Environmental Report,
including social issues, and we continue to do our best to show Mazda as
it really is.
Adachi: The term CSR has had two major interpretations. The first is to
show what the corporation has accomplished, releasing more information
to the public. The second is to increase awareness of what social issues
affecting the industry remain to be resolved. Mazda has begun by
intensifying the information campaign.
Hasegawa: I think both are important, but we believe that keeping all our
stakeholders well informed on what we are and what we are doing is the
first step. We think that by starting with that, and then advancing
corporate activity to address emerging needs and wants will heighten
corporate value. At the same time, we established the CSR Committee last
December to define clearly what Mazda's CSR is, and to guide continuing
CSR activity. We have defined six key criteria to evaluate and guide CSR
activity, namely compliance, environmental protection, customer
interaction, human development and support, contribution to society, and
information disclosure.
Strengthening activities as "One Mazda"
Adachi: What about the other point: social issues related to automobile
manufacturing, Mazda's major line of business
Hasegawa: With our CSR activity, along with information disclosure,
another crucially important project is environmental protection. First, the
Mazda Global Environmental Charter (page 34), which defines the basic
concepts of our environmental policy, was revised in April 2005. Second,
the older Mazda Global Environmental Conference was replaced in July
2005 by the Mazda Environment Committee (page 35) to promote these
activities. The Environment Committee has five sub-committees handling
key issues including suppliers and dealers, and is designed to promote
Groupwide environmental protection activity.
Adachi: You are strengthening efforts along the entire supply chain,
incorporating the entire Group.
Social & Environmental Report 2005
Senior Managing Executive
Officer in charge of CSR
Ryoichi Hasegawa
Hasegawa: That's right. We are stressing the "One Mazda" concept now,
eliminating barriers between departments and working as one to achieve
our goals. This applies to Mazda worldwide, not just in Japan.