On 3 February the European Commission invited Yukako Kinoshita, Chair of JBCE CSR Committee, to share her insights at the plenary meeting of the Multistakeholder Forum on CSR. She identified challenges global companies face, including diversification and rapid technological development. “Corporate Social Responsibility creates dialogue which can help prepare businesses for future risks and capture future opportunities resulting in a new dynamic of innovation,” Kinoshita said.

Today, many still think CSR is nice to have but represents a cost. According to Kinoshita, this is because the recognition of CSR as a proactive measure is not widespread. “The compliance dimension of CSR is of course important, but in order to enhance the competitiveness of companies in Europe it is extremely important to articulate the proactive character of CSR leading to ‘innovation and opportunities,” she said. “The EU has a role to play in leading the discussion by creating an open platform for dialogue.”

JBCE participates in the EU-Japan CSR Working Group established in 2014 by DG Grow and the Japanese Ministry of Economy (METI).