Final Report Meeting of Employee Dispatch Pro Bono Program 2013 for the Great East Japan Earthquake

TOKYO, JAPAN, March 08, 2014 (Press-News.org) The meeting was attended by around 180 employees and other people involved.

Dispatched employees presented reports on their activities and a panel discussion was held with experts to share their insights and knowledge with participants.

1. Overview of the Employee Dispatch Pro Bono Program
Assistance needed for the reconstruction effort in disaster-affected areas has shifted from short-term volunteer work to mid- to long-term support with growing demand for corporate human resources with management skills and experience.

This fiscal year, Sompo Japan and Nipponkoa together dispatched a total of nine employees in a ten-day program for four times starting from Monday, July 29 to Friday, October 18, 2013, to Minamisoma Solar Agripark. A community-group was established on Facebook this fiscal year to allow employees who do not work on-site to take part in the program by sharing information on the status of activities with them.

(Refer to)
http://www.sompo-japan.co.jp/~/media/SJcms/english/news/2013/e_20130726_1.pdf

2. Details of the Final Report Meeting
Part 1: Report from dispatched employees
In Part 1, members who took part in the program gave relay-style presentations on the activities being carried out on-site. Dispatched employees helped run hands-on learning programs and a summer school at Minamisoma Solar Agripark, and strived to solve problems through communication with organization representatives and local staff.
Specifically, these activities included initiatives to review and improve work sheets used to supplement hands-on learning programs, prepare documents to apply for subsidies, propose plans for promoting the ownership of solar panels, survey and cultivate local partners, propose, plan, and participate in local events, etc.

Dispatched employees commented: gWe tried to propose the establishment of tools and projects that can continue to be used even after we leaveh; gWe were able to hone our skills in communicating with people with different views through discussions to find optimal solutions.h

Part 2: Panel discussion
In Part 2, Executive Director Haruo Miyagi of the NPO, ETIC and CEO Hideto Kawakita of IIHOE held a panel discussion. In the panel discussion they talked about how their experience and knowledge as corporate people have contributed to the organization, what they found rewarding about working on-site, how they plan to make use of this experience at their companies in the future, etc.

Dispatched employees reported: gWe were able to apply and make use of the monitoring functions of the call center and our knowhow on the feedback methodh;
gUnlike our normal daily routine, we had to start from square one by identifying our own issues on-site. Our hypotheses were often overturned, but the process of moving on to the next step was always a new experience, which was motivatingh; gI was able to gain first-hand experience of the speed with which the representative of the organization operates in supporting reconstruction efforts, and the spirit of tackling new issues with passion, and it has inspired me to engage in my daily work with the same kind of attitude.h

3. About Future Activities
Sompo Japan and Nipponkoa will continue to support reconstruction efforts in the future, in accordance with on-site needs.

For the pictures, please see; http://www.sompo-japan.co.jp/~/media/SJcms/english/news/2014/e_20140205_1.pdf

About Sompo Japan and Nipponkoa

Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. and Nipponkoa Insurance CO., Ltd., leading providers of Property & Casualty insurance in Japan, together established NKSJ Holdings, a joint holding company as a comprehensive service provider group for the risk and asset management in 2010, and are now preparing for a merger as gSompo Japan Nipponkoah by 2014.
As a leader in CSR, NKSJ Group has proactively committed to build a sustainable society over many years, focusing on its own CSR material issues such as climate change and sustainable finance. The Group is regularly recognized for its efforts for the sustainability and listed on gSAM Bronze Classh,gPrime Statush by Oekom Research, and gWorldfs Most Ethical Companiesh in 2012.


Corporate Social Responsibility Department
Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. and Nipponkoa Insurance CO., Ltd.
Tel: +81-3-3349-9597
Fax: +81-3-3349-3304
E-mail: CSR@nksj-hd.co.jp
http://www.sompo-japan.co.jp/english/
http://www.nipponkoa.co.jp/english/
http://www.nksj-hd.com/en/