Dialogue with Stakeholders

Materiality
Related ESG :
S G
Partnership: Stakeholder engagement
Partnerships for the Goals

Policy and approach

Based on its corporate philosophy Jun-Ri-Soku-Yu (adhering to reason leads to prosperity), the TOYOBO Group Charter of Corporate Behavior states “Communication with stakeholders: We will carry out fair and appropriate information disclosure and enhance corporate value through communication with our stakeholders.” In accordance with this basic approach, the Toyobo group actively disseminates information and engages in communication activities. The content of activities are also regularly reported to the management team. The group strives to disseminate information in a timely, appropriate, and accurate manner to society as a whole, including our stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, shareholders and investors, employees, and local communities.

In our communication activities, we aim to promote an accurate understanding of the Toyobo group and continuously enhance the Toyobo brand and corporate value while building relationships of trust by striving for two-way communication with stakeholders and the wider society as a whole.

Basic approach to information disclosure

The Toyobo group endeavors to provide timely and appropriate information disclosure with consideration given to fairness and impartiality in order to continue to be a trusted company. The group also communicates actively with stakeholders, including shareholders and investors, to enhance its corporate value. These activities are based the following approaches.

  1. Information disclosure as a social responsibility (accountability)
  2. Communication to enhance corporate value
  3. Communication to prevent damage to corporate value

< Targets >

As a member of society, the Toyobo group will meet the expectations of stakeholders and contribute to the sustainable development of communities through collaboration with partners and cooperation in the regions where the group operates with the aim of solving social issues.

< KPIs and Results >

Initiatives KPIs Targets (FY2022) Results (FY2022)
  • Active dissemination of information, strengthening of disclosure
  • Dialogue with shareholders and investors
  • Dialogue with employees
  • Collaboration and dialogue with industry, government, and academia
  • Coexistence with local communities
1.
No. of press releases
1.
75 per year
1.
93
2.
No. of interviews with investors
2.
150 per year*
2.
148
3.
Frequency of meetings with employees and labor unions
3.
At least 30 times per year
3.
47
4.
Frequency of engagement with stakeholders
4.
Twice a year
4.
once
  • Target covers the period from August 2021 to July 2022

Dialogue with stakeholders and investors

Financial Results

The President provides an explanation of business performance at the presentations of full-year and second quarter financial results. In addition, Toyobo holds financial results presentations for financial institutions, including institutional investors and analysts at which the President explains the details of financial results and future management policy.

Toyobo holds online financial results briefing for the presentations of first and third quarter results at which Executive Officer overseeing IR operations provides an explanation of business performance.

IR Information

Toyobo is enhancing and expediting information disclosure in Japanese and English on the company's investor relations website.

Toyobo also provides its "Business Result Presentation", "Annual Securities Report", "Flash Report", "Integrated Report", "Fact Book" on its investor relations website together with archives. Timely disclosure materials (financial results, etc.) are posted on the investor relations website at the same time as public announcements are made.

In addition, Toyobo provides on-demand streaming of presentation videos for a certain period after the date of the financial results presentations. In FY2021, we began disclosing briefing scripts in addition to the Q&A summaries. In FY2021, we extended the posting period of on-demand distribution, Q&A summaries, and briefing scripts from three months to one year, to promote fair information disclosure.

Going forward, Toyobo will endeavor to enhance the materials and functions it provides to facilitate ease-of-use for all shareholders and investors.

Annual General Meetings of Shareholders

The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders is held each year in late June at Toyobo's Head Office in Osaka.

As the 164nd Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 24, 2022 took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, Toyobo strongly advised shareholders to exercise their voting rights by post or online rather than attending the meeting in person.

Number of Shares and Shareholders (As of March 31, 2022)
Number of shares authorized for issue 200,000,000
Shares issued to date 89,048,792
(Including 152,550 treasury shares)
Number of shareholders 63,059
Composition of Shareholders (Based on number of shares held) (As of March 31, 2022)

Composition of Shareholders by Type (As of March 31, 2120)

Employees

Toyobo group communicates with employees by introducing the company's management policies and activities through various media such as the group newsletter in the booklet, the intranet, and the company-wide bulletin board.

The group has started an "organizational culture and job satisfaction survey" for all employees in 2021.

Meetings of the Central Management Council, attended by representatives of the labor union headquarters and of company management, are held once a year, and meetings of the Branch Management Councils are held once a year at each of the nine branches in Japan.

● Dialogue between management and labor

The labor union is represented at meetings of the Central Management Council by staff from the union headquarters, and is represented at Branch Management Council meetings by staff from the relevant union branch, while the company is represented by the President at meetings of the Central Management Council, and by the business site manager or plant manager at Branch Management Council meetings.

● KAERU Project

In April 2018, with the support of a majority of its employees, Toyobo group started the KAERU Project (kaeru means “to change”) throughout the company with the participation of all officers and employees. Within this activity, we hold presentations, talk sessions, dialogue, and exchange workshops to deepen communication between officers and employees.

  • Presentations and talk sessions: 21 held with a total of approximately 1,470 participants
  • Dialogue and exchange workshops: around 180 held with a total of approximately 730 participants (all officers, the president and employees, in each workplace, across departments, etc.)
● Lunchtime Learning

In 2022, we launched the "Lunchtime Learning" program. Held each month during the lunch break, it is intended to provide an opportunity for employees to communicate with each other while learning about what kind of work is being done at the company. In addition to participation at the venue, we also offer webcasts, which are attended by teleworkers and employees outside the head office. The events have been great successes, with many participants each time.

First "Lunchtime Learning" session

First "Lunchtime Learning" session

Overseas business sites

In response to the globalization of its business activities, the Toyobo group engages in communication with overseas business sites.

Each year, local staff of overseas business sites visit Japan for training. The curriculum is available in English and Japanese and has the three following objectives.

  1. Deepening understanding of Toyobo;
  2. Deepening interaction with Japanese employees;
  3. Applying what learned in the home countries of trainees.

Toyobo also has an overseas business training system for selected young employees to spend six months out of a one-year program at an overseas business site learning the basics of language, culture, and overseas business while interacting with local staff.

With the COVID-19 is severely restricting cross-border mobility, we are taking care to reduce the distance between Japan and the outside world more than ever before on a day-to-day basis by making effective utilization of digital technology such as online conferencing.

In the past, the President of Toyobo has visited several overseas business sites each year to encourage expatriate and local staff. However, Assuming that the COVID-19 pandemic will be prolonged, we had the online gatherings.

Stakeholders

Toyobo carried out four cases of communication in 2020 ー June 2022 ( Position at that time ) :

  • In October 2020, " ESG as a demand of the times "
    Mr. Megumi Sakuramoto, Chief ESG Analyst, Investment Div. Responsible Investment Group, Asset Management One Co., Ltd.
  • In January 2021, " Corporate sustainability initiatives at Mitsubishi Corporation "
    Mr. Takehiro Fujimura, General Manager, Corporate Sustainability & CSR Department, Mitsubishi Corporation
  • In December 2021, "Mitsui Chemicals Group's Approach to ESG Promotion"
    Mr. Ken Migita, General Manager, Corporate Sustainability Division, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
  • In June 2022, "Business and Human Rights" ー Human Rights Initiatives in the Corporate Sector
    Ms. Akiko Sato, Business and Human Rights Liaison Officer, United Nations Development Programme

sakuramoto

Mr. Megumi Sakuramoto
Chief ESG Analyst, Investment Div. Responsible Investment Group, Asset Management One Co., Ltd.

fujimura ecture

Mr. Takehiro Fujimura
General Manager, Corporate Sustainability & CSR Department, Mitsubishi Corporation

Mr. Ken Migita General Manager, Corporate Sustainability Division

Mr. Ken Migita
General Manager, Corporate Sustainability Division, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

Ms. Akiko Sato Liaison Officer, UNDP

Ms. Akiko Sato
Liaison Officer, UNDP

Local Communities

Please see the Local Communities page for more details.