In line with the Basic Policy on social contribution initiatives, activities tailored to the needs of communities are implemented in each domestic region.
Mazda began publishing Letter from Mazda in 1995 to share the information about Mazda's social-contribution activities, products and business operations, particularly with the people living nearby its Head Office in Hiroshima, Japan. Today, Mazda publishes Letter from Mazda four times a year.
To promote children's education and community interaction
The Mazda Museum at the Hiroshima Head Office has welcomed approximately 1.2 million visitors through its doors since its opening in 1994. The Museum offers exhibitions of Mazda's history, technology, and concept cars. In addition, the Museum provides the tour of Mazda's assembly line and learning opportunity about the vehicle manufacturing process, helping to augment social studies curriculums in elementary and junior high schools. Many people from around the world visit the Museum, where guidance is provided both in Japanese and English.
Mazda Museum had approximately 60,000 visitors in total, mainly elementary and junior high school students.
To make a contribution to the community using the expertise and skills of Mazda employees
The Mazda Specialist Bank is an organization in which current and former employees of the Mazda Group with specialist knowledge, abilities and skills, as well as specialized talents and unique interests built up over many years, are registered and are dispatched in response to requests from local communities. This organization got its start in 1994 as a human resources bank to supply personnel needed to assist with the Hiroshima Asian Games. Making use of the unique characteristics of Mazda, which has a diverse workforce, the organization dispatches specialists, whose activities range from delivering environmental lectures at schools and putting on magic shows at community events to providing sports and recreation leadership.
A total of 79 specialists were dispatched to 52 community or school events in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures.
To contribute to the community through Mazda Group human resources
The Mazda Volunteer Center registers current and former Mazda Group employees and their family members who wish to become involved in volunteer activities, so they can respond to requests from local groups (primarily in Hiroshima Prefecture) for volunteer assistance. This Center was established in 1996, amid an increase in volunteer awareness among citizens following the Great Hanshin Earthquake.
The Center dispatched 51 volunteers for 23 volunteer projects including helping out with events for people with special needs, nursing care, welcoming home stay guests as international friendship activities, and assistance at local events and festivals.
To contribute to community revitalization through making use of Mazda Stadium
Mazda acquired the naming rights for the Hiroshima Municipal Baseball Stadium (now known as Mazda Zoom–Zoom Stadium Hiroshima), and publicizes both the Company and the city of Hiroshima while conducting social contribution activities through support for the stadium.
- By purchasing green electricity for use in the lighting of night games at the stadium, CO2 emissions were reduced by approximately 61 tons a year (123,000 kWh of green electricity was used annually).
- For each one million stadium visitors, Mazda donates one Mazda welfare vehicle to a social welfare organization. In July 2011, the cumulative number of visitors reached four million. Accordingly, one vehicle was donated to an organization in Hiroshima.
To contribute to promotion of forest protection activities, thereby interacting with the community
In 2010, Mazda concluded a Forest Preservation and Management Pact with the government of Hiroshima Prefecture. The pact outlined a series of activities in which Mazda and the prefecture would partner for the preservation of forest resources. With the Mazda–no–Mori (Mazda Forest)*1 in the Hiroshima Prefecture Ryokka (afforestation) Center (Higashi Ward, Hiroshima City) serving as a base of operations, Mazda corporates for the regional forest protection activities. Mazda also joined Hiroshima–no–Morizukuri Forum (Hiroshima Afforestation Forum) and promote 'company forests' with support from companies and organizations in the prefecture.
In cooperation with the designated director of the Center, Mazda promoted activities to preserve the Mazda Forest. In April and November, Mazda employees and their families joined a carefully planned forest thinning effort as volunteers, with guidance and cooperation from a forest management volunteer organization, and attended lectures on the roles of forests to enhance their environmental awareness (employee–management cooperation programs: a total of 120 people participated). In addition, Mazda employees and their families took part in the Hiroshima–no–Morizukuri Forum's forest protection activities as volunteers.
- *1The Mazd–no–Mori (Mazda Forest) is the nickname of a 5.85–ha area on the grounds of the Hiroshima Prefecture Ryokka (afforestation) Center in a natural forest covering 125 ha, located to the northeast of the Mazda Head Office.
To contribute to local communities through volunteer cleanups and recyclable collection campaigns
Mazda employees work on periodical cleanups around the plants and offices during break times. On holidays, Mazda employees participate in cleanup campaigns organized by local governments, and also implement cleanup activities of their own. In addition, they collect plastic bottle caps as well as pull–tabs and aluminum cans, for effective use of recyclables (employee–management cooperation program).
- A total of more than 4,000 people participated in volunteer cleanup activities, including cleanups of areas around plants and offices (held 12 times), cleanups organized by local governments (held 7 times), cleanups of the area around the Mazda Stadium (held 4 times), and cleanups of the area around the Eastern Hiroshima Circulation Housing Complex (held 20 times).
- Approximately 1,050,000 plastic bottle caps (the equivalent of vaccines for about 1,300 people) were collected and delivered to NPOs.
- Approximately 970 kg of pull–tabs and aluminum cans were collected, through which air conditioners were donated to nursery schools in Hiroshima City.
To support the learning activities of elementary and junior high school students
At the Hiroshima Plant, the following events have been held: the Mazda Car Carrier Loading Field Trip for elementary and junior high school students during summer vacation (since 1996); the Social Studies Support and Training Seminar, designed for elementary school teachers (since 1999); and the Summer Holiday Study Session for Parents and Children, which offers participants a hands–on manufacturing experience (since 2007).
- A total of approximately 70 people, comprising children ranging from fifth grade to junior high school and their parents and guardians, participated in the Mazda Car Carrier Loading Field Trip. This event was held using large–scale car carriers landing at the dedicated docks located on the Hiroshima Plant premises. In the carriers, participants observed the way vehicles were loaded into the ships with a high degree of precision, parked and secured in place with only about 10 centimeters separating them on the sides. They also enjoyed the experience of steering the ship on the bridge and friendly conversation with the ships' crews.
- In response to requests from teachers seeking a deeper understanding of the automotive industry, Mazda has presented the Social Studies Support and Training Seminar, to help improve fifth–grade classes learning about Japan's auto manufacturing industry. In FY March 2012, 20 elementary school teachers from Hiroshima Prefecture took part in the seminar. In addition to touring the press, body and assembly plants, participants tried their hand at tightening bolts using the tools at the plant.
- At the Hiroshima Plant, the Summer Holiday Study Session for Parents and Children was held in conjunction with the city of Hiroshima. In FY March 2012, the session was held on the theme of creating original products by coating, with a total of 50 participants, including children ranging from fifth grade through junior high school and their parents and guardians. Participants changed into painting work clothes and created original plates by spraying coating materials in their favorite colors onto a metal plate from a paint gun. They enjoyed the hands–on manufacturing experience.
