This time, I would like to tell you about communication that I think is very important.

That is, having direct dialogue.

This is something I have valued since I was young.

For example, if a customer has any problem at their plant, I immediately dash to talk to them.

If a colleague or young employee seems to be having trouble, I listen carefully to him or her.

By doing this thoroughly, I have built up a trusting relationship with my colleagues.

Actually, I have made a conscious effort to hold friendly drinking parties with employees.

This is because I realized that there are many issues which are difficult for you to address during normal meetings and reporting sessions, but many of you often talk to me even about such hard to raise matters honestly at such frank social gatherings.

Especially at drinking parties with young people, I'm able to directly hear their true feelings, which cannot be conveyed through their bosses.

Nominication (drinking communication)

I've continued this my style of work after I joined Sumitomo Riko in 2018.

I believe I've made hundreds of friends in the company over the past two years thanks to the nominication. (or maybe I only may imagine so).

And nowadays, we live in an age where we value our private time.

Therefore, some people can't participate, but that's OK.

Opinions of the worksite

Since April of this year, we had not been able to hold friendly social gatherings in order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

A short time after the declaration of the state of emergency was lifted, I held a drinking gathering with several members of the Equipment Management Department while trying to prevent infections by keeping distance between us, etc.

At that time, a person working in the boiler room told me that although it was necessary to wear a mask to prevent infection, he was also concerned about heat stroke.

The next day, when I actually went to the boiler room, I felt that the work was being carried out by a single person and that wearing a mask should be reviewed because the room can reach very high temperatures.

I then consulted with the Risk Management Center and asked them to review the regulations for factory workers to wear masks (exempting single workers from wearing masks).

As a result of the meeting, it was decided to exempt workers from wearing masks if they work more than 2 meters apart from each other while working to prevent infection.

Let’s activate communication in the company!

I want you to be open and honest about what you are feeling, not just at social gatherings.

I will do my best to listen to you, and I will do what I can to respond to you as president.

However, it's hard to talk to me in person, isn’t it?

So if you would like to have a get-together with me, please contact the secretary's office.

Also, not only with me, but please try to have open conversations in the company with your colleagues, supervisors and subordinates without hesitation.

I am sure that listening to various people's opinions will make you gain a lot of insights that you can't get on your own.

2020.07