The role and the responsibility of companies has been changing with the environment surrounding them with the passage of time. The interests and expectations of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and companies' active contribution to realize a more sustainable world are increasing together with the rapid progress of globalization and information technology and serious global problems such as climate change and poverty. There have also been successive initiatives to enact global CSR standards by international organizations such as the United Nations, the OECD, and the ISO. Some accreditation organizations in Europe and the US evaluate companies' ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governmental) performance based on their disclosed information and CSR reports, and urge investors' groups to put pressure on companies to change their behavior.
On the other hand, companies that change their behavior to actively communicate and forge partnerships with their various stakeholders to improve their businesses and create new values are rapidly increasing. This trend springs from the empowerment of civil society including NGOs and NPOs, changes in consumer behavior, intensified competition between companies, and the spread of Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) through which investors are assessing companies based on their CSR.
CBCC recognizes that the promotion of CSR makes companies more competitive and is indispensable for creating new values and realizing a sustainable world. Therefore, CBCC helps Japanese companies' CSR initiatives in many ways as stated below.
To promote deeper understanding of various themes and issues related to CSR, international standards, and the latest developments surrounding CSR and CSR reporting, CBCC hosts meetings and seminars attended by CSR experts from Japan and abroad, monitors the latest information on CSR, and provides this information to its members.
CBCC has been annually dispatching a CSR Dialogue Mission overseas since 2003 in order to research global trends regarding CSR and CSR policies in foreign countries, as well as CSR initiatives by overseas companies. The Mission also aims to promote understanding toward Japanese companies' basic thinking on CSR and their CSR initiatives by overseas companies, CSR promoting organizations, and other stakeholders.
Through dialogues with various entities such as international organizations, persons in charge of CSR policies in foreign government, local and Japanese affiliated companies in the country, investing funds, NGOs, etc., we make efforts to obtain the latest information on CSR, strengthen networks with the related parties, and promote understanding toward CSR initiatives by Japanese companies.
CBCC works to disseminate information about the role Japanese companies should play as "good corporate citizens". It also engages in a number of activities designed to encourage companies to solve the problems they confront when establishing themselves overseas, and to help those companies better understand the goals and activities of CBCC.
CBCC issues a publication, Stakeholders, which spotlights the latest information on the main CSR themes and issues, good practices of Japanese and foreign companies' CSR initiatives and community relations activities, and reports of CBCC's activities. It also contains articles describing social conditions in different countries.
"CSR News" contains the latest reports on CBCC meetings and seminars, Japanese translations of selected articles from "BSR Insight" issued by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) in U.S., and "ReportAlert" provided by CorporateRegister.com Ltd. CBCC issues "CSR News" monthly and sends it by e-mail to its members.
To disseminate information on its activities in Japan and abroad, CBCC has established a web site - https://www.keidanren.or.jp/CBCC/ - in both Japanese and English.
CBCC works to develop networks with NGOs or international organizations which actively promote CSR activities and standardization in Europe, U.S. or Asia.
CBCC also participates in the foundation processes of international standards related to CSR.
CBCC communicates with a wide range of stakeholders including NGOs / NPOs, consumer associations, labor unions, and investor groups, to promote better understanding between companies and stakeholders and to help building partnerships with them.
Since CBCC is authorized as a "public interest incorporated association" and a "designated public-benefit organization", corporations and individuals will be able to enjoy tax deductions when they make monetary donations to CBCC as contributions to the "International Contribution Projects" recognized by CBCC.
Any prospective project such as those contributing to a local community, promoting understanding of Japanese companies, contributing to the expansion of international exchange, etc., first needs approval by our Project Selection Committee, a panel of well-informed individuals. The money required must be sent from the Japanese donor through the CBCC to the project for international contribution.
As the Project Selection Committee meets for a screening session whenever a sufficient number of applications has been received, we welcome proposals for new projects at any time. Interested parties should contact our Secretariat for details. We also welcome donations to our present International Contribution Projects.
As of April 2022, the CBCC has approved 157 projects and contributed a total of 26.7 billion yen for their implementation.