| Council for Better Corporate Citizenship (CBCC) |
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| 2009-05-14 10:00 |
In the late 1980s, in reaction to the strong yen, Japanese companies dramatically boosted their overseas investments. As a result, these companies were encountered increasing criticism in the U.S. and other markets for the investment friction they created. The Council for Better Corporate Citizenship (CBCC) was established with the full backing of Keidanren in September 1989 in an effort to solve the issues surrounding that situation, and was authorized as a "designated public-benefit organization" in June 1990. Since then, the CBCC has worked diligently to promote good relations between Japanese-affiliated companies and various stakeholders*, including their respective local communities, as "good corporate citizens".
Community Relations
For Japanese-affiliated companies to run their operations smoothly overseas, it is essential that these companies work in harmony with local communities by engaging in community relations programs. Indeed, nations are made up of several regional and local communities, each playing a crucial role in the character of the nations. In the U.S., for example, citizens give high priority to their local communities, and they support those communities through donations and volunteer activities. In Asia, a new trend has emerged in which citizens and government agencies work together to solve social development and other regional issues. While remaining cognizant of the cultural, social, and religious diversity of Asian countries and regions, the CBCC will support companies as they strive to deepen their understanding of the communities in which they operate and actively implement their community relations programs.
Promoting Deeper Understanding
The CBCC invites community-relations experts, scholars, staffs of foundations and NGOs, and others from Japan and abroad to give lectures and participate in panel discussions. The aim of such activities is to help Japanese-affiliated companies to broaden their understanding of the overseas societies in which they operate. In this way, the council provides member companies with a wealth of information that promotes better community relations.
Survey Missions
The CBCC dispatches survey missions to the U.S. and Asia in order to bolster understanding of the current status of community relations activities, ascertain the needs of local communities, and learn more about new, locally emerging issues.
Networking
The CBCC works to develop networks with opinion leaders, companies, foundations, and NGOs, with the aim of establishing links to address various local concerns.
Corporate Social Responsibility
The interests in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasing rapidly in Western countries along with the rapid progress of globalization or information technology, civil society including NGOs, the changing of consumer behavior, and intensified competition between companies. There have also been successive motions to enact the international standard on CSR at international organizations, such as the OECD, the United Nations, and the ISO.
Moreover, Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) is also spreading and investors are assessing companies based on CSR. The CBCC is following up these backgrounds and the trends of various standards and also participates in foundation processes of international standards.
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