Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder
Engagement Policy
- To achieve a sustainable society and promote sustainable growth, we will contribute to the long-term and continuous enhancement of value for our stakeholders and build good relationships with them, including customers, suppliers, shareholders, investors, and local communities.
- Through engagement with our stakeholders, we recognize the challenges that stakeholders face and their expectations of our Company. We respond sincerely and maintain appropriate and continuous dialogue.
- To reflect the voices of our stakeholders in the corporate activities and business of our Group, we will establish optimal points of contact and create a structure to provide feedback to management.
Local community policy
Based on our Stakeholder Engagement Policy, we recognize that the potential and unique views and needs of various stakeholders enrich our corporate activities. We recognize local communities-including municipalities, NPOs/NGOs, educational institutions, schools, and residents-as important stakeholders. Through engagement with local communities, we aim to identify social issues and expectations towards our Company. By building trust and collaborative relationships, we strive to maximize social value.
In implementing engagement, we will establish a structure centered on our social contribution, sales, and technical departments, under the supervision of the Board of Directors and senior management. This structure will address the needs of local community members, including local stakeholders and vulnerable stakeholders who are more susceptible to negative social and economic impacts. We will respond sincerely to their requests by providing timely and regular feedback within the Company, and strive for appropriate and continuous communication.
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This policy has been approved and established by the Board of Directors.
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These policies are established with the expectation that all our business locations, group entities, and suppliers will understand and comply with it.
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Structure
In addition to assessing the results of stakeholder engagement of the Company and the Group including the opinions received through various points of contact, the feedback is used to improve daily business activities under a promotion structure in which the sustainability officer is in charge. In order to reliably deliver everyone's opinions to top management, the information is compiled by each department in charge and shared on a regular basis with managerial meetings and Board of Directors meetings. Moreover, the results of stakeholder engagement are also shared as reports with the relevant stakeholders as needed.
Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
Identify and prioritize key stakeholders
The diverse businesses of the Company and its Group involve a wide range of individuals and organizations.Among them, from the perspective of long-term growth and building sustainable relationships based on internal and external environmental analysis, we and our Group companies have identified “customers,” “employees,” “suppliers,” “shareholders,” “local communities,” and “national government, government agencies and industry associations” as key stakeholders.
When identifying key stakeholders, we consider local residents, NGOs/NPOs, and municipalities in the areas where we operate. We ensure that socially vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and people with disabilities, are not overlooked. We identify and prioritize stakeholders using a long list, while checking the following items.
| Dependency | Stakeholders who have a dependency on the Company and the Group's activities, products, services, or stakeholders which our business activities rely on |
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| Responsibility | Stakeholders to whom we and our Group have current or future legal obligations |
| Influence | Stakeholders who have influence over the organization and operational decision-making |
| Diverse perspectives | Stakeholders who provide opinions, analysis, evaluations, and other inputs to the Company and the Group's business activities |
Identifying process
We regularly review and reassess our key stakeholders in response to changes in internal and external environments.
- Create a long list of all stakeholders in the Group's business activities
- Categorize the stakeholders
- Identify key stakeholders through internal discussions based on their importance to the long-term growth of the Group and the situation of other companies in the industry.
Determine engagement method and risk management
The method of stakeholder engagement is determined appropriately from the perspective of timeliness of information, ease of acquisition, and ease of participation by each stakeholder.
However, in each individual engagement, there is a possibility of risks arising from stakeholder participation (differences in the degree of participation and purpose of participation among stakeholders, as well as potential differences in time and physical constraints). To manage and mitigate such risks and prevent them from materializing, we implement the following processes when conducting stakeholder engagement.
- Before conducting the engagement, we clarify the purpose and expected outcomes of the engagement, and ensure sufficient time is allocated for the engagement process.
- During the engagement process, we ensure that stakeholder participation is not hindered by language barriers or lack of expertise by providing English support on our website and ensuring comprehensive information available.
- We regularly evaluate the effectiveness of engagement and make improvements to more effective engagement methods when there are significant potential risks related to stakeholder participation.
- If risks materialize, we identify the issues, and through ongoing communication with stakeholders, we implement appropriate corrective measures.
Communication channels
with stakeholders
The Company and its Group have established a system for receiving requests from each stakeholder, and opinions and inquiries received are shared within the Company and incorporating them into our management.
| Stakeholders | Communication Channels | consultation services |
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| Customers | In “Customer Support” and on social media, we have established an inquiry contact center available 24/7, 365 days a year. On our website, we have also set up a contact point specifically for customers with hearing impairments. Additionally, our telephone inquiry counter, where operators are available, offers support in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Chinese. All customer feedback is appropriately addressed by our Consumer Department, and trends or important issues are reported on a monthly basis in management meetings and board of directors meetings, ensuring continuous improvement in customer support. |
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| Employees | We have established a “Compliance Hotline” to handle consultations regarding compliance violations, including human rights issues, as well as a “Harassment Consultation Service” to address any form of harassment. These contact points are accessible anytime through the internal portal site, and they also provide support for consultations in English. All reported cases and consultations are thoroughly investigated by the Compliance Department or relevant departments while ensuring the protection of the confidentiality of the consultees. Appropriate measures for improvement are implemented based on the investigation findings. |
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| Suppliers | We have established a “Human Rights Consultation Service” to receive consultations by phone in case there are suspicions of human rights violations in the supply chain. When issues are brought to our attention, our human rights personnel promptly conduct an investigation to assess the situation. If the investigation confirms human rights violations, we take immediate measures to provide assistance to the victims, address the issues, and implement preventative measures against recurrence. Furthermore, we provide information on reporting channels for actions (or suspected actions) that violate laws or regulations. These reports are directed to the Compliance Department, which conducts investigations and implements corrective measures based on the investigation findings, contributing to governance improvement and strengthening. Both of these contact points are guided through web pages available in Japanese and English. |
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| Shareholders and Investors | We have established a dedicated contact point which can be accessed at any time through a web page available in both Japanese and English. Opinions and inquiries received through the form are forwarded to the IR department, among others, to provide appropriate responses to shareholders and investors and to incorporate them into our management and IR activities. | |
| Local communities | We have established a “Human Rights Consultation Service” accessible to local stakeholders to accept consultations via phone, and we provide information through a web page that supports both Japanese and English. Any issues or concerns raised through the consultation desk are promptly investigated by our human rights team. If any human rights violations are confirmed during the investigation, we take immediate action to provide relief to the victims, address the issues, and implement measures to prevent future occurrences. For engagement during the construction of base stations, we directly communicate with the local community to provide explanations, and we also provide information about a contact point for inquiries to the technical department before, during, and after the construction period. Any complaints or inquiries are examined by the technical department and addressed directly, and we utilize the feedback from the inquiries to improve the quality of explanations and construction practices. |
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| National government, government agencies, industry associations | We maintain ongoing communication to facilitate exchanges of opinions and share information. Inquiries and consultations received during these interactions are primarily compiled and addressed by our External Relations Division. For particularly important matters, reports are made to the management team and utilized in decision-making processes. |
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Head office business hours
Weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
(except Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and year-end and New Year holidays)
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For corporate customers, the support hotline operates 24/7, 365 days a year.
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Business days/hours may vary depending on the store or department. Please check the business hours of each contact point.
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If you contact us outside of business hours, we may respond on the next business day or later.
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Engagement with
key stakeholders
Customers
| Relationship with the Group |
In order to increase customer satisfaction, we strive to improve the shop crew and contact center level of service and the network environment quality on a daily basis. |
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| Engagement methods | Customer inquiry counter, website, SNS, store, smartphone class. |
| Major initiatives |
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Employees
| Relationship with the Group |
By creating a workplace environment where employees can work in a lively manner and supporting social contribution activities by employees, we value employee satisfaction and pride. |
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| Engagement methods | Exchange of opinions with labor unions, diversity week, various training and seminars, employee satisfaction survey, pulse survey, compliance awareness month, internal and external consultation services, intranet/internal newsletter. |
Suppliers
| Relationship with the Group |
We build fair and positive relationships with Suppliers and respond to CSR issues together with the goal of mutually increasing enterprise value and growth. |
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| Engagement methods | Supplier briefings, website, integrated report/sustainability report (Once a year). |
Shareholders
| Relationship with the Group |
In an aim to become a trustworthy company, while executing corporate operations to fulfill the shareholders' expectations, we will work hard to disclose the relevant information timely and accurately, and try to minimize the gap between Japan and the other regions. |
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| Engagement methods | General meetings of shareholders (Once a year), financial results briefings (Four times a year), briefings for individual investors (Once a year), business briefings, integrated report/sustainability report (Once a year), shareholder newsletters (Once a year), individual interviews in IR/SR activities, website. |
| Major initiatives |
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Local communities
| Relationship with the Group | We strive to provide the appropriate explanations and engage in a dialog with local communities regarding the construction of base station facilities, etc. |
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| Engagement methods | Providing information on radio wave safety on our website, conduct briefings for local communities, visit/brief local governments. |
| Major initiatives |
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Initiatives with local communities
Under the framework established by our Local Community Policy, we foster close communication with all stakeholders. We identify and assess the impact (risks and opportunities) of issues and feedback that arise during our operations. Particularly significant issues are shared with relevant internal departments and senior management. We ensure appropriate feedback and responses to the local community stakeholders. Additionally, to incorporate received feedback into our business activities, we regularly host information-sharing sessions within the Company.
Furthermore, to ensure a safe and comfortable living environment in the local community, we provide opportunities such as skill development and training focused on fields like ICT, leveraging our strengths.
Main initiatives
- Hold 133 DX study sessions (FY2023) to stimulate activities by utilizing digital technology
- Hold 998,000 smartphone classes to eliminate digital divide (FY2023)
To ensure that our activities are appropriately beneficial, we establish regular dialogue opportunities to assess the importance of addressing issues raised and incorporate them into our initiatives.
| Opportunities for dialogue (Local community) |
Issues received | Main correspondence |
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| Regular Meeting of the Project for Promotion of Digitalization of Administrative MaaS, etc. (Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture) |
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MONET Technologies Inc., our investment company, is conducting pilot experiments utilizing “multi-tasking vehicles” that visit residents' homes, offering pre-registration for electronic taxi vouchers using My Number cards and mobile administrative services |
| Issues Consultation Meeting with Local Government Officials (Sera Town, Hiroshima Prefecture) |
There is a need for smartphone classes to alleviate the digital divide among elderly individuals. However, due to the small size of the town, there is a shortage of facilitators, making it difficult to sustain continuous implementation |
High school students act as instructors to host smartphone consultation sessions, promoting intergenerational communication and providing support to resolve smartphone-related concerns |
| Ryugasaki City SDGs Partnership System Exchange Meeting (Ryugasaki First High School, Ibaraki) |
In the context of exploring the use of generative AI in education, it's essential to have accurate knowledge about its application methods and ethical considerations |
We are newly developing educational materials titled “Introduction to Generative AI Utilization” to learn about generative AI, and conducting pilot classes to demonstrate its applications |
| Individual communication with each municipality affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake (Suzu City, Wajima City, Nanao City, Noto Town, Anamizu Town, Shiga Town) |
Ensuring water supply and sanitation during disasters |
We are implementing support for handwashing and bathing using small-scale decentralized water circulation systems that can be utilized even during water outage periods, focusing on areas affected by water disruptions across multiple evacuation centers and other locations |
| Regular meetings for sharing issues with NPOs (held monthly) (NPO Forum for Creative Learning FiLC) |
It is necessary to address educational disparities among children caused by their home environments and to alleviate the digital divide among elderly individuals |
By disassembling a cell phone and recovering the rare metals inside, participants are reminded of the importance of limited resources and the need to recycle. Some of the participants plan to work as lecturers in the future |
National government, government agencies, industry associations
| Relationship with the Group | Comply with relevant laws and regulations and achieve growth as a company under fair competition. |
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| Engagement methods | Participation in various policy councils, participation in councils and round-table discussions with government agencies, exchange of human resources including secondment to local governments, and activities through industry associations. |
| Major initiatives |
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Initiatives with stakeholders
| Major initiatives |
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List of stakeholder dialogue events
We regularly hold dialogues with outside experts to bring the concerns of many stakeholders into our business and corporate activities.
| Affiliation | Presenter | Date | Discussion Content |
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Representative Director, General Incorporated Association Virtue Design Visiting Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo Visiting Professor, Keio University |
Mari Yoshitaka | February 14, 2024 | ESG Promotion Committee (third-party advisory body) “The Latest Trends in Sustainability”・“About AI Governance” |
Representative Director and CEO, Neural Inc. Professor, Shinshu University Green Society Collaborative Innovation Organization |
Kenji Fuma | ||
Representative Director, General Incorporated Association Virtue Design Visiting Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo Visiting Professor, Keio University |
Mari Yoshitaka | September 12, 2023 | ESG Promotion Committee (third-party advisory body) “The Latest Trends in Sustainability” |
Representative Director and CEO, Neural Inc. Professor, Shinshu University Green Society Collaborative Innovation Organization |
Kenji Fuma | ||
Social Welfare Corporation Central Community Chest of Japan Mirai Kodomo Foundation Ashinaga Foundation Japan Guide Dog Association |
June 26, 2023 | NPO/NGO Dialogue | |
Representative of a board of directors, Virtue Design, General Incorporated Association Fellow, Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. |
Mari Yoshitaka | March 27, 2023 | SDGs Promotion Committee (third-party advisory body) “The Latest Trends in Sustainability and Trends in Sustainability Disclosure” |
Representative Director and CEO, Neural Inc. Professor, Shinshu University Green Society Collaborative Innovation Organization |
Kenji Fuma | ||
Representative of a board of directors, Virtue Design, General Incorporated Association Fellow, Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. |
Mari Yoshitaka | September 15, 2022 | SDGs Promotion Committee (third-party advisory body) “Corporate Net-Zero Compliance” |
Representative Director and CEO, Neural Inc. Professor, Shinshu University Green Society Collaborative Innovation Organization |
Kenji Fuma | ||
Representative of a board of directors, Virtue Design, General Incorporated Association Senior Lecturer, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University (Part-time Lecturer) |
Mari Yoshitaka | March 25, 2022 | SDGs Promotion Committee (third-party advisory body) “Trends in Sustainability Priority Themes” |
| Representative Director and CEO, Neural Inc. | Kenji Fuma | ||
| Director, Japan Civil Liberties Union | Akira Hatade | February 18, 2022 | “Understanding Foreign Worker Issues from the Ground Up: Business and Human Rights Perspectives” |
| Representative Director and CEO, Neural Inc. | Kenji Fuma | February 17, 2022 | Lecture for all employees “The Forefront of Carbon Neutrality! - Important issues in the SDGs that you should know about now”. |
| August 4, 2021 | Lecture to all employees: “What does it mean for companies to tackle the SDGs? A reading from an ESG perspective” | ||
| Deputy General Manager, Corporate Planning Dept. and Principal Sustainability Strategist, Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd. |
Mari Yoshidaka | July 27, 2021 | Second SDGs Committee Expert Review of FY2021 |
| Kyushu University Graduate School of Engineering Department of Urban Systems Engineering Professor / Director of Urban Research Center / Senior Professor |
Shunsuke Managi | From May 2021 | “Social impact of ESG” |
| Representative Director, SDG Partners, Inc. | Kazuo Tase | October 16, 2020 | “SDGs and ESG” |
| Attorney, Shinwa Sohgoh Law Offices | Daisuke Takahashi | August 31, 2020 | “Human-rights issues raised by technological development” |
| Part-time lecturer, Tohoku University Graduate School | Keiichi Ushijima | August 24, 2020 | “Roles expected of communications carriers in protecting privacy” |
| University of Tokyo Future Vision Research Center | Hiroshi Naka | July 14, 2020 |
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External initiatives
SoftBank supports and participates in worldwide initiatives aimed at building a sustainable society, and shares a wide range of information related to these initiatives.