The JVCKENWOOD Group’s Sustainability
The JVCKENWOOD Group has positioned its sustainability strategy as a key strategy under the medium-term management plan VISION 2025, which is based on the corporate philosophy of "Creating excitement and peace of mind for the people of the world." We are actively promoting sustainable management and aim to balance achieving profitable growth and solving social issues on a global scale through our business activities. We are rolling out multilateral measures from an ESG perspective, such as our response to climate change, mitigation of human rights risks, the establishment of responsible initiatives throughout the supply chain, and the reinforcement of governance.
Further, we will illustrate our medium- to long-term vision for the Group even more clearly and have been formulating our sustainability strategy as a starting point for this vision. While considering its compatibility with the next medium-term management plan, we are working to visualize our social impact with the aim of maximizing corporate value. We are steadily taking steps to realize sustainable growth as a company by utilizing the strengths we have cultivated to date to balance social and economic value.
The JVCKENWOOD Group's Value Creation Process
The JVC Kenwood Group enhances sustainability by basing decisions and actions within the group on "Integrated Thinking," appropriately allocating capital and fostering a cycle of decision-making and actions conscious of medium- to long-term value creation.
Sustainability Management System
In April 2018, JVCKENWOOD established the position as an executive in charge under the supervision of the Board of Directors, as well as a Sustainability Management Office and a system for rapidly implementing our Sustainability Management Strategy under the CSO's purview. In 2023, we also established the Sustainability Committee chaired by the CEO, an organization that promotes sustainability in general. In addition, as subordinate organizations of the committee, we established three specialized subcommittees (the Strategy Subcommittee, Environmental Subcommittee, and Supplier Subcommittee) led by the directors in charge of each theme.
The Sustainability Committee and specialized subcommittees formulate and review our sustainability strategy, but also engage in wide-ranging, dynamic discussions such as about identifying material issues and setting KPIs which we should address. The Board of Directors monitors and oversees these activities, and makes the final decisions.
Action Plan for Sustainability Initiatives
We have been working to enhance our ability to implement initiatives across the entire Group as we promote our sustainability strategy by formulating our action plan for sustainability initiatives and reflecting this in specific promotion activities.
Action Plan for Sustainability Initiatives
- Top management promotes our initiatives
- Set KPIs and targets in accordance with the Mid- to Long- Term Management Plan
- Encourage the participation of all employees by linking the sustainability initiatives to all business activities
- Proactively and comprehensively disclose the initiatives to stakeholders via websites, etc.
Process for Identifying Material Issues
JVCKENWOOD has identified the material issues based on the Medium-Term Management Plan VISION 2025.
In identifying material issues, we discussed the positioning of material issues in the medium-term management plan VISION 2025 and our 2030 vision from the perspectives of social issues and ESG, all based on our corporate philosophy of "Creating excitement and peace of mind for the people of the world."
After deliberation and approval by the Board of Directors, three material issues were identified based on views such as those of SDGs and ESG evaluation organizations as well as their relevance to and importance in VISION 2025. For each material issue, we set a KPI consistent with the business plan and are monitoring progress toward solving the issue.
Material Issues and Strengthening of the Corporate Base
We have identify initiatives for three material issues:(1) Safety & security initiatives, (2) Environmental response, and (3) Sustainable Monozukuri (manufacturing), as well as those for strengthening our corporate base. In addition, we have established sub-material issues, themes and KPI linked to each material issue and the initiatives for "strengthening of the corporate base".
Three Material Issues and Strengthening Corporate Base, Sub-Material Issues
For details, please see List of Material Issues
Contribution to SDGs
The JVCKENWOOD Group recognizes that companies must contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Accordingly, we have identified eight of the 17 SDGs connected particularly closely to our material issues as priority goals that particularly those closely related to social issues that the JVCKENWOOD Group is expected to contribute to solving.
Contribution to Solving Social Issues Through Business
We aim to realize a sustainable society through the provision of sustainable products and services that contribute to solving social issues in each business sector. To create a safe and secure age of mobility, we have been developing car navigation systems and dashcams that contribute to the reduction and prevention of traffic accidents. We are also focusing on providing wireless radio systems that support the creation of safe and secure communities to ensure stable communication methods during emergencies, such as natural disasters and accidents. Further, we are promoting environmentally conscious product development by reducing power consumption in products and have adopted paper-based packaging for all headphones and earphones released since 2022. We are reducing our environmental impact by gradually expanding the use of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified paper.
In this way, we position products that contribute even further to solving social issues and reducing environmental impact as sustainable products and are moving forward with an initiative to grant our own JK Sustainability Logo to such products.
Initiatives to Drive Sustainability within JVCKENWOOD
We are carrying out ongoing initiatives to drive sustainability in order to increase awareness of and engagement in sustainability promotion activities among everyone at JVCKENWOOD, from top management to general employees.
Creating the JK Sustainability Logo
JVCKENWOOD's approach to sustainability involves visualization. We therefore created the JK Sustainability Logo to convey this approach in an easy-to-understand form both within the company and externally. This logo uses a branch motif to symbolize our desire to grow into the future through sustainable management. It also incorporates the goal colors of the eight SDGs closely linked to the social issues (society, labor, environment, quality, economy, safety, governance, and value creation) to which we believe we can contribute as a Group.
We consider this logo to be an ongoing communication tool, and as part of our efforts to drive up employees' awareness of sustainability, we have also created the JK Sustainability Badge. As a symbol of our corporate philosophy of "Creating excitement and peace of mind for the people of the world," a badge was given to every employee together with our revamped company emblem.
JK Sustainability logo mark
Wearing Image of the New Company Emblem Badge (Top) and JK Sustainability Badge (Bottom)
JK Sustainability Badge
Hosting Sustainability Symposium
JVCKENWOOD held a sustainability symposium for all Group employees to deepen their understanding of sustainability. Along with a keynote address from a guest speaker on the topic of "Sustainability Megatrends and Advances in Sustainable Management which Contribute to Improving Corporate Value," the symposium included a panel discussion featuring guest speakers and our executives as well as business divisions showcasing specific initiatives they have been taking. The event attracted a total of around 300 attendees, both in person and online, and over 1,000 people have watched the video recording.
As well as reaffirming the importance of sustainability, the symposium was an opportunity to increase employee motivation to emphasize sustainability in their future work.
Panel discussion
Hosting SDGs Forum
Employees to promote understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and foster an SDGs-oriented corporate culture. The forum featured five programs with a total of 4,857 participants. These included speeches, workshops, and e-learning sessions on topics such as human rights in corporation, environmental initiatives, and LGBTQ+. This successful initiative provided valuable opportunities to deepen awareness and encourage thinking about sustainability.
"Human Rights in Business" Seminar
Lecturer at the "Human Rights in Business" Seminar
Production and Distribution of the "Sustainability Handbook"
The JVCKENWOOD Group has created the Sustainability Handbook as a tool to deepen employees' understanding of sustainability promotion activities, and provided every employee with a copy. The Handbook uses case studies to outline in an easy-to-understand way why the company engages in sustainability and how it relates to each employee.
Sustainability Handbook
Hosting Sustainability Workshop
JVCKENWOOD held a Sustainability Workshop as an opportunity to deepen employees' understanding of sustainability activities and for them to buy into the concept of sustainability. The Workshop was made up of two parts: a seminar and an interactive workshop. The seminar began by using the Sustainability Handbook to deepen understanding of material issues identified by JVCKENWOOD as well as initiatives toward solving social issues. In the subsequent workshop, employees took the lead in analyzing and considering the links between sustainability and their own work. Through such initiatives, the company aims to embed awareness and actions toward the realization of a sustainable society.
Sustainability Workshop
