We introduce the background of "The Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value (ASV)" of Ajinomoto Group from the following items.

 

  • Disclosed Ajinomoto Group Principles & Group Shared Policy
  • Dialogue with society
  • Dialogue inside the Group
  • Organizational change within our Group

 

The Ajinomoto Group has been engaging in initiatives to resolve social issues through its business. By improving economic value through the creation of shared value with local communities and society as a whole, these initiatives have contributed to the Group’s growth. These kinds of initiatives have been named ASV (The Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value). By further advancing these ASV initiatives, the Group believes it can realize its goal of becoming a “Genuine Global Specialty Company.”

“The Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value” (“ASV”) 

2005

・Establish a CSR Dept.

Apr.

Advocating CSR management

CSR management was set as one of the three management policies in the A-dvance 10 Medium-Term Management Plan the Group launched in 2005. A clear approach to social contribution through business activities across the entire value chain was articulated, aiming to earn the trust of society and improve corporate value.

 

Oct.

CSR Vision and CSR Goals for 2020 announced

To guide its efforts to realize the Ajinomoto Group Philosophy even more specifically, the Group announced its overall CSR Vision and established CSR Goals for 2020 in five areas: food, health and pharmaceuticals, food resources and the environment, human resources development, and partnerships.

 
[Dialogue inside the Group]

Investigating broad objectives

Staff from functional departments at the Head Office gathered and talked about what kind of corporate group Ajinomoto should become, while considering the perspectives of the stakeholders of their respective divisions.

 
[Dialogue with society]

CSR Activity Critique Sessions with Stakeholders of the Ajinomoto Group

CSR Activity Critique Sessions were held regularly from 2005 to 2010. Experts were invited from the fields of consumer protection, human rights, environmental conservation, and social contribution. To discuss their respective areas of expertise, they each sat at different tables, talking with executives and employees. The Group received a wealth of opinions from these stakeholder representatives on a broad range of CSR issues. These sessions provided valuable opportunities to see how things look from outside the Group.

 

2008

Comprehensive CSR strategy established

The Group established a comprehensive CSR strategy incorporating experts’ opinions to further strengthen its social responsibility initiatives throughout the value chain. While better defining the social and environmental contribution the Group seeks to make through its business activities, the strategy aimed to maximize corporate value by improving both financial and non-financial value.

 
[Dialogue with society]

sues prioritized based on survey of experts

Over 80 experts were invited to respond to a questionnaire addressing 50 social issues related to the Ajinomoto Group. The experts were asked to rank the issues according to their importance to society. Their rankings were then assigned numerical values to obtain an importance score for each issue.
Main issues with highest importance to society
◦ Environment
◦ Human rights and labor issues throughout the supply chain
◦ Food resources
◦ Food safety and security
◦ Health improvement initiatives

 

2009

Philosophy revised for the Group's 100th anniversary

The Ajinomoto Group Philosophy was revised and the Ajinomoto Group Way was established, defining the values shared across the Group.

 
[Dialogue inside the Group]

FY2011- Ajinomoto Group Way Sessions
(Approximately 33,000 group employees worldwide have attended Ajinomoto Group Way sessions as of the end of FY2016)

 

Group selects three material issues facing 21st-century human society　

Through these processes of internal and external dialogue, three material social issues were identified: global sustainability, food resources, and health and well-being. The Group then publically announced that it would focus its efforts to contribute to society through its business activities on these three issues.

 

2011

CSR policy established

Recognizing that the three material social issues had to be addressed more explicitly for the Group to do its part as a good corporate citizen, the Group strengthened the CSR implementation plan, creating the Ajinomoto Group CSR Policy under the FY2011–2013 Medium-Term Management Plan.

 

2014

“The Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value” initiative (“ASV”) announced

As part of the FY2014–2016 Medium-Term Management Plan, the Group announced the “The Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value” initiative (“ASV”), which is based on its previous CSR policy. The new initiative calls for making more specific contributions on the three material social issues, and mandates Group-wide efforts including setting numerical targets and specifying social value to be created by all divisions. To refine this initiative, the Group will include monitoring as part of its business activities, and continue to dialogue with stakeholders.

 
[Dialogue inside the Group]

FY2015- ASV Sessions
（All employees are scheduled to attend the ASV session by the end of FY2017）

 

 

Fed.

FY2014–2016 Medium-Term Management Plan announced

 

2015

Mar.

　[Dialogue with society]

ESG Initiatives – First Briefing

 

 

Materiality matrix of the Ajinomoto Group announced

 

2016

Mar.
[Dialogue with society]

 

ESG Initiatives – Second Briefing: Umami and MSG

 

Apr.

・Establish a CSR group, Global Communication Dept.

Aug.
[Dialogue with society]

Survey for experts on SDGs

 

 

2017

Feb.

ASV Value Creation Stories and Integrated targets announced in the FY2017-2019 Medium-Term Management Plan

 

　[Dialogue inside the Group]

Guidelines of the FY2017-2019 Medium-Term Management Plan: Formulation of ASV targets

 

Nov.
[Dialogue with society]

Dialogues with diverse stakeholders

  • Japan Sustainable Palm Oil Conference (JaSPOC), Talk by the Corporate Vice President
  • Nikkei Social Innovation Forum,Talk by the Corporate Vice President
  • Meeting between CDP-CEO Paul Simpson, Mr.Yamaguchi of CDP Japan, and the CorporateVice President

 

2018

Mar.
[Dialogue with society]

Dialogues with diverse stakeholders

  • Sustainable Brands 2018 Tokyo,Panel discussion by the General Manager, Corporate Planning Dept
  • Global Food Safety Conference 2018,Talk by the President

 

 

Apr.
[Dialogue with society]

Lecture and discussion for greater understanding of the SDGs
[Dialogue inside the Group]

Analysis of relationship between SDGs and materiality

An internal analysis of the relationship between the 169 SDG targets and materiality of the Group's major businesses was conducted.

 

2019

 
[Dialogue with society]

Dialogues with diverse stakeholders

  • Sustainable Brands 2019 Tokyo,Panel discussion by the President
  • Meeting between CDP-CEO Paul Simpson and the CorporateVice President

 

 
[Dialogue inside the Group]

Review of materiality

  • Summarized the Group’s macro environment and stakeholder feedback and expectations, and reviewed and restructured into 11 materiality items. Also, strengthened the link between materiality items and their opportunities/risks and key initiatives. Integrated materiality with previously established Group-wide significant risks and 30 priority ESG items.
  • Conducted interviews with external experts to confirm adequacy.
  • Confirmed adequacy with the Board of Directors.

 

2020

Feb.

 

Vision for 2030 and FY2020-2025 Medium-Term Management Plan announced

We established a new vision that defines our purpose in society and the path to achieving it. Aimed at realizing this vision, we are now working to help a billion people extend healthy life expectancy and reduce our environmental impact by 50% by 2030.

 

 
[Dialogue inside the Group]

Review of materiality

● We revised names and order of certain materiality items based on our 20-25 MTP (e.g., change “Contribution to health and nutritional issues” to “Contribution to solve food and health issues”).

● We added/revised “Related opportunities and risks” based on the latest business environment and understanding of issues.

● We confirmed the adequacy within our Board of Directors.

  Future Plans

 

  • Carry out concrete activities based on the restructured materiality.
  • Collect feedback from stakeholders on the restructured materiality.
  • Review materiality every year with the fast changing social conditions.