President's Message
Our sustainability policy encapsulates the social optimality for which the PLUS Group continues to strive
The PLUS Group established our sustainability policy in fiscal year 2022. Its theme is "Create social optimality with our unique ideas. Opening up the way to a sustainable future." It proclaims, "We will continue striving to solve social issues with unique and totally original ideas, and provide all people with new value and new satisfaction. We will contribute to a sustainable future by growing along with people and society, aiming to achieve social optimality in harmony with the environment." (* Partial excerpt) This was not formulated in response to the recent trend of the SDGs. We have simply compiled into a policy the business approach that the PLUS Group has been promoting for a long time and the important ideas underlying it, and announced it publicly.
Those ideas are encapsulated in the keyword "social optimality." There are various forms of "optimality" that are sought after in the business world. Optimization within the production department, optimization of purchasing functions, and optimization of sales operations --- there is no doubt that the pursuit of optimality in each organizational unit is essential in order to remain a winner in the business world. However, the PLUS Group is not satisfied with organizational optimality but strives for social optimality, the optimum for society as a whole. We have continued to challenge ourselves, believing that the pursuit of this extremely difficult optimality is the true form a company should take.
For example, we are committed to developing unique products and services that take into consideration the convenience of their users rather than what is convenient for us. The use of high-cost yet low-environmental-impact materials in our product packaging. The development of a new business model in which profits (value) obtained through creative ingenuity are shared with suppliers and customers. Through initiatives such as these, we have created businesses in which users, corporate partners, employees, and society (the Earth) always come out with a "Win." The approach of social optimality is in fact nothing other than sustainability itself, and the pursuit of sustainability is not a new idea for the PLUS Group. We have always regarded it as an important mission, and will continue to do so.
Guided by 3 key action themes and 14 materialities
In accordance with our sustainability policy, the PLUS Group has designated 3 key action themes and 14 materialities (important challenges) going forward. I believe they will clearly convey the PLUS Group's business vision to society and gain its understanding.
The three key action themes are: 1) Satisfaction for the Global Environment, 2) Satisfaction for Society, and 3) Satisfaction for Workers. I will briefly explain the materiality approach linked to each of them.
1. Satisfaction for the Global Environment
After the postwar period of rapid economic growth, we Japanese companies have been able to develop many businesses on this stage that we call the Earth. The backdrop to this may be that many companies placed so much priority on immediate economic growth that they did not pay attention to issues such as environmental impact, the use and disposal of hazardous substances, and the finite availability of resources. Now is the time for the business world to give back to this stage we call the Earth; regardless of East or West, company scale or business field, now is the time for steps such as fundamental reform of our businesses to solve the problem of climate change, and the creation of a borderless system that enables the reuse of limited resources. We regard the return of satisfaction to the Earth as a top-priority theme and have set it as a materiality for which the PLUS Group strives.
2. Satisfaction for Society
The PLUS Group will promote corporate activities to build a better society for all, from offices to schools and homes, from children to adults. When I say "society" here, I'd like you to think of it as a "market." You see, when we engage in market transactions I believe it's important to seek satisfaction for the entire value chain, in other words for the producers, manufacturers, sellers, and users. I want us to maintain our awareness of this materiality; that we must, of course, ensure the quality and safety of our products, purchased products, and services, and also continue to manufacture products that their end users and sellers will consider to be unique and well designed, and to offer excellent value.
3. Satisfaction for Workers
The PLUS Group has always wanted to create new value in spaces where people work. Recently, people are taking a fresh look at "the meaning of work" and "work styles." I think there is a need to make work more fulfilling and fun, create comfortable office environments, establish a corporate culture where diversity is accepted, and put in place learning environments and systems where workers can gain a real sense of professional growth. We will put such measures into practice ourselves, leverage what we've learned from them when we suggest office environment solutions to our customers, and aim to deliver satisfaction for a wide range of workers. Going forward, as the line between On (work) and Off (private life) becomes increasingly blurred, I believe that improving the quality of life for workers is the materiality linked to "Satisfaction for Workers."
Putting social optimality into practice in accordance with materiality
Going forward, the PLUS Group will consider the 14 materialities defined in the sustainability policy as priority issues to be addressed, placing them at the core of our strategies and implementing specific actions that incorporate them. The PLUS Group's three-year medium-term business plan started in January 2023. The strategies it describes all consist of items linked to the 14 materialities. I can't go into all the details here, but I would like to touch on the most iconic initiatives and how they will realize the social optimality that the PLUS Group is aiming for.
Toward "Satisfaction for the Global Environment"
The PLUS Group considers initiatives addressing climate change issues, specifically, the elimination of plastics and the reduction of CO2 emissions, to be at the core of its strategies. In addition to reviewing the use of plastic materials in the manufacture of stationery and furniture, we will contribute to the realization of social optimality by calculating CO2 emissions from the supply chain up to the sale of products right up to the last mile of deliveries, starting by setting reduction targets for three years, and then improving them step by step while making detailed evaluations.
Toward "Satisfaction for Society"
The PLUS Group is currently implementing a company-wide digital transformation initiative called DX Project for Everyone. The PLUS Group DNA of challenging ourselves to achieve social optimality is very much in evidence in this project as well. We've taken up the challenge of optimizing logistics, for example. We believe that the complete visualization via DX of areas such as PLUS Group production output, bases, inventory, sales volume and estimated demand will create a logistics system with no losses or waste. The implementation of this system will make it possible for manufacturers to produce the optimal volume according to the season, there will be less waste and duplication in the movement of goods, and sellers will be able to reduce inventory. We imagine a world where goods will not go out of stock, and users will be able to have them delivered to the best location for them personally and at the optimal timing. We intend to focus on DX, and its power to completely overturn business assumptions that were regarded as commonsense, and to deliver satisfaction for society as a whole.
Toward "Satisfaction for Workers"
We are working on the provision of comfortable, safe and reassuring office environments as a way to provide satisfaction for workers. At the same time, we will continue striving to create a culture and systems that enable people employed by the PLUS Group to work in good physical and mental health, and to have a fulfilling daily life in both the public and private spheres, by flexibly embracing the diversity of our workforce, as well as how, where and when they work. In addition to expanding various kinds of training programs, we will also actively focus on developing human resources for the future via means such as inter-company personnel exchanges (transfers) and the continued operation of new business launch support programs. We will utilize the knowledge gained from our own initiatives when we submit proposals to customers, and contribute to the creation of satisfaction for many workers through our business activities.