Social Contribution Activities
Stance towards social contribution activities
Advantest's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy was stipulated as follows in April 2008: "Advantest respects each of its stakeholders and strives to maintain harmony with society in all its operations while contributing to the goal of a sustainable society." Based on this stance, Advantest conducts social contribution activities focused on the areas of preserving the global environment, developing the next generation, and contributing to local communities.
Advantest seeks to respond to the needs of its stakeholders and the community in order to contribute to the development of an affluent society through its social contribution activities to fulfill its corporate social responsibility as a global company.
Framework to promote CSR
Advantest has a track record of promoting CSR and environmental initiatives in every country and region it operates in, especially Japan. However, it has been increasingly important to conduct more global CSR and environmental initiatives through its supply chain as a company that contributes to a broader range of society. We would like to continue contributing to regional society through our CSR and environmental initiatives.
Framework to promote CSR
Framework to promote employee participation
At Advantest we are actively promoting employee participation in volunteer activities.
Volunteer activities provide a way to contribute to society and we recruit participants through our intranet. We also include reports on activities in each region and participants’ views in our internal newsletter which contributes to attracting new participants. Employees can save up their unused holidays that would not be transferred to the next year and use them for volunteer activities.
Examples of social contribution activities in fiscal 2014
Contribution to local community through food donation
On 16th January 2015, Advantest (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (ASP), as part of their “3R* activities”, together with cooperation from the charity “Singapore Children's Society Family Service Centre”, distributed food to poor families in the Yishun district, where ASP’s office is located.
Prior to the donation, US$3,530 was raised through employee donations and a charity auction of items brought in by employees. On the day of the food donation, employees bought food at the local supermarket, separated and packaged it, and delivered 312 bags in 104 sets to families.
* 3R: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Home renovation volunteers
Advantest America, Inc. (AAI) has supported the activities of the civic group Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley for over ten years. Twice a year, AAI employees and their family members spend all day serving as volunteers that repair and provide maintenance for the homes of low-income, disabled, or elderly people. AAI provides all of the materials and budget needed for these renovations.
On October 25, 2014, these volunteers visited the home of an elderly person who was living alone and conducted renovations including the replacement of the top board of the kitchen counter, the installation of a security door and a glass partition in the bathroom, yard cleaning, and the application of a coat of paint to the new garage door. Although there was much hard work to be done, the feeling of accomplishment after seeing the appearance of the house change completely and receiving words of thanks from the owner was irreplaceable.
Onsite science lesson for elementary schools
Advantest conducts onsite science lessons for elementary school students for the purpose of communicating the fun of our main characteristic to children, the fun of manufacturing.
On February 10, 2015, seven Advantest employee volunteers visited Masue Elementary School in Sendai and provided instruction on the production of handmade speakers for 42 fifth grade students. The children had a high level of understanding and enthusiastically asked many questions, resulting in a very exciting lesson. When the job of an engineer was introduced after the lesson, the children listened attentively and displayed feelings of pleasant surprise. They were amazed to learn that engineers were involved in the making of video games and of impressive achievements such as the shinkansen (bullet train).
Germany and Gambia: Project involving solar lamp donations and management of a nursery school
Advantest Europe GmbH and the Bee Tillo e.V. private charity organization founded by Advantest employees have donated solar lamps to areas without a power grid in Gambia in Africa, and have also provided support for the construction and operation of a nursery school in Tungina, Gambia. A total of 123 solar lamps have been donated since 2012, and all of these lamps are still in operation now. The nursery school, which is staffed by four teachers and one housekeeper, opened in September 2013 to welcome 105 children aged 3 to 7 years old. In the following year, the school sent 26 graduating students to elementary school. In an aim to further improve the facilities and the level of education at the nursery school, waterworks have been installed and playground equipment and facilities for providing meals have been expanded. Also three teachers are currently studying to acquire qualifications for pre-primary education.
