Currently, we are promoting the strategy of "The Anywhere Office" in order to prevent coronavirus infection.

Therefore, the job offer ceremony for new career-track employees and mid-career employees was held online.

In previous years, all members gathered at our global headquarters and a reception was held after the ceremony.

So, we decided to hold the informal get-together online as well.

Job Offer Ceremony

At the ceremony, the General Manager of the Human Resources Department reads out each person's name, and then they take turns introducing themselves online.

They gave youthful and energetic presentations about their hobbies, what they worked hard on during their school years, what they want to do after joining the company, and so on.

Actually, I was secretly observing the event online from the president's office.

In fact, I kept my participation a secret.

Dialogue with each future employee

The online get-together was my brainchild, but it was the idea of the Human Resources Department, which is the secretariat, to organize it in such a way that the participants would be divided into groups of four or five, and I would take turns connecting with each group to talk face-to-face.

My participation was a surprise, so everyone seemed startled at first.

This was my first online get-together with future employees, so I may have been a little nervous myself.

Nevertheless, it was a very meaningful time for me to talk to each and every one of the young people who are planning to join our company.

I am very grateful to all of them who chose our company from among so many other companies.

I hope that they will enjoy the rest of their student lives, and they will gain various experiences and grow as members of the Sumitomo Riko Group from April.

Be Flexible to Adapt to the Changing Times

The online dialogue allowed for me more in-depth communication compared to the traditional standing room format, as I could see the names and biographies of the participants on a separate screen.

I think it was also a memorable meeting for all the participants.

I felt it was important to make good use of these tools.

Also, after the online reception, I was impressed by the positive expressions on the faces of the younger members of the Human Resources Department who were involved in the preparations for the event as the secretariat.

Responding flexibly to the changing times on a daily basis will lead to the development of the company.

I would be happy if this kind of flexible thinking and challenging culture were to spread throughout the company.

Publication of the Integrated Report

Now, on September 30, our company issued its Integrated Report 2020.

The purpose of this report is to summarize the Group's business performance, external environment and strategies, and to tell stakeholders the story of how we will create value over the medium to long term in an easy-to-understand manner.

To transform the Group into a "streamlined and lean organizational structure," we will continue to provide new value in response to society's changing needs, based on the keywords of "the power of materials" and "cultivating friends who can create value together”.

I would like all of you to read this report, including not only our external stakeholders, but also all the members of the Group's and even our future employees.

Now is the time for all employees to share the same sense of crisis, so let's regard the current situation as a big chance to transform the company, and move forward aiming for the Group's sustainable growth.

https://www.sumitomoriko.co.jp/ir/integrated_report.html

（The English version will be available at a later date.）

2020.10