businesses while developing future leaders. We also plan to increase the number of personnel transferred to worksites overseas. Kuroda: Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria as well as the United Nations Social Development Goals (SDGs) have been widely discussed in recent years, drawing attention to corporate initiatives for protecting the environment and contributing to communities. We talked earlier about how Tokai Carbon’s businesses provide environmental benefits, however, the company is expected to contribute to the environment and communities not only through its products, but also through other business activities and supply chain management. For example, one of Tokai Carbon’s main groups of customers is automakers, and they are very serious about environmental and community initiatives in supply chain management. In other words, if your initiatives are outstanding, that value can be passed on to your customers. What specific initiatives is the company carrying out? Nagasaka: In November 2019, we established a global procurement policy to ensure that the environment and human rights are fully considered throughout our entire supply chain. In 2020, we explained this policy to our main suppliers in Japan and began monitoring them to ensure they are complying. The same measures will be extended to the Group as a whole in the future. We have a relatively small number of suppliers, most of which are larger companies than Tokai Carbon, and they are very aware of these issues. Basically, we inspect their production sites with the idea that supply chain management is a two-way endeavor. Likewise, it is important for the Group’s worksites outside Japan and their respective suppliers to constantly monitor each other, because that allows current conditions to be assessed.In our business activities, in addition to improving management systems, our priority tasks include providing solutions to communities through our businesses and minimizing the environmental load of our operations. We proactively disclose information about related initiatives in the sustainability section of our website.Kuroda: With respect to the priority task of to improving management systems, we have already discussed human resources, but I would like to know about your specific measures for corporate governance on a global level.Nagasaka: Approaches to corporate governance differ even among companies in Japan, so, naturally we can expect various gaps among the Group’s subsidiaries around the world, given the differences in language and customs. We need to create conditions that enable all kinds of management information to be uniformly shared and actively communicated. I want to establish a stable governance system by clearly specifying responsibilities in each location of our global operations and what directives come from our head office in Japan. To accomplish that, as a member of management, I believe it will be important to maintain a compact and flat system that allows me to interact effectively with the heads of each business division. Now that we have added the Smelting and Lining business, the company’s portfolio has grown to seven types of businesses. Many large companies have managing directors positioned between division managers and the president, but I want to communicate directly with our division managers and closely monitor all operations, so I do not appoint managing directors as a rule. This management structure works well enough for an operating scale of 300 billion yen in net sales, but when we aim to expand more in the future, we will have to consider a new management system.Kuroda: I think you have a unique organization. Information disclosure is important for clearly explaining that approach and other matters to stakeholders in and outside the company. Has the company taken any steps to effectively disclose information to shareholders and investors?Nagasaka: I have been pushing for more active information disclosure since my appointment as president. To make sure that shareholders and investors receive accurate and clear information about the company, we have been consistently disclosing results --whether good or bad --in an appropriate and timely manner. I realize that the value offered by the company has yet to be recognized by the public. Therefore, we are making efforts to spread the word about the company's investment in environmental facilities, the value of our businesses, and the current state of our operations. I also make a point of meeting directly with investors whenever I can. Kuroda: Reflecting the company’s solid performance in recent years, the number of shareholders has increased sharply. How do you view this?Nagasaka: The company's share price has fluctuated dramatically in the past few years, but now that the world is being shaken by the new coronavirus, an invisible enemy, the share price is not something to be overly worried about. Regardless of the number or breakdown of shareholders, I want all of them to understand our management policies and strategies. I hope the company can attract shareholders that take a long-term perspective.33TOKAI CARBON ANNUAL REPORT 2019Vision and StrategyBusiness ReportData SectionSustainability Report
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