Volunteer Activities Examples

In addition to the social contribution initiatives that the Yamaha Motor group conducts through its business activities, the group also supports employee volunteer activities using a system that provides information via the company intranet. Some specific examples from Japan are discussed below.

Promoting Internal Sharing of Information related to Various Social Contribution Activities

Information regarding volunteer activities is provided through the information system of the Yamada Motor group's corporate intranet. This information includes reports on social contribution activities conducted by Japanese and overseas group companies as well as employee volunteer activities, information about related organizations such as NPOs, important information for conducting volunteer activities, and a schedule of activities. Employees who wish to participate in the activities can register their names with the activity group using the system. We initiated the "40,000 People's V Campaign*" in 2004 with the objective of promoting employee consciousness about volunteering and also to provide the required impetus for employees to begin participation in such activities. The aim is for all employees to volunteer at least once each year so that total participation in social contribution programs for the entire group reaches 40,000 people. In 2010, participation reached 42,834; thus, the goal was met for the third consecutive year. Employees participated in a wide range of volunteer programs including staging theatrical performances at the home-stay residences of foreign students, day care centers, and nursing homes, and offering technical training for trial motorcycles that can be useful for disaster relief.

*This number was chosen because there were approximately 40,000 employees in the global Yamaha Motor group in 2004, the year when this campaign was started. The "V" in the campaign name stands for Volunteer.

Examples of Long-Term Programs

One long-term volunteer program is the children's course conducted by Fun Engine Lab, an employee group. The program is designed for local elementary school children during the summer vacation. In it they disassemble and assemble engines and build toy wind cars while learning about their structures and mechanisms. To date, the course has been held more than 100 times and approximately 5,200 children have participated.

Raising Funds by Collecting Incorrectly Addressed and Written Postcards

Another volunteer program conducted by Yamaha Motor group employees involves collecting incorrectly addressed and written postcards, used stamps, plastic bottle caps, and used telephone cards and other type of prepaid cards.
In 2010, employees donated 738 postcards (equivalent to 32,153 yen) to the Iwata UNESCO Association, 9.3 kg of used stamps (equivalent to 9,310 yen) to the Shizuoka Volunteer Association, and 335,000 bottle caps (837.5 kg; enough to provide 418.7 vaccines) to the Ecocap Movement. The donations are provided through the relevant organizations to aid children in emerging nations and to protect the elephants in Thailand.