Social Contribution, Community Involvement Activities | Community Involvement Activities

Nomura Group promotes activities that contribute to the community and society based on the belief that they are important stakeholders. As part of management training for branch managers, Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. (NSC) provides programs on the importance of community involvement by branch offices. The participants think about the role and duties that branch offices are to fulfill in order to win the trust of the local community.
NSC has a network of branch offices throughout Japan, and they have close ties with the local communities in which they are located. They undertake various initiatives, such as engaging in cleanup activities and providing support to the arts and schools, and initiatives that contribute to local economic growth. In this section we introduce some of the best practices in the area of community involvement undertaken by NSC branch offices throughout Japan.

Student Internship Program - Toyama Branch

The high job attrition rate among young workers has become a problem in recent years. Toyama Branch Office held an internship under a program sponsored by the Toyama Internship Promotion Council, a program aiming to eliminate mismatching between students and companies. For five days during 7-11 August 2006, Toyama Branch welcomed four local university students, and the branch staff (approximately 30 staff) took turns giving the students an introduction to the history of the company, the role of securities companies, and the nature of the business. The students were also given a curriculum of practical training which included an online trading tutorial, a chance to see what working on the customer floor is like, and the opportunity to join branch employees on their rounds of meetings with clients. The students' eagerness and desire to learn provided a spark to their mentors, who came away from training with renewed vigor towards their own work. Toyama Branch plans to hold this internship program again in 2007.

Okayama Branch at Manabipia Okayama 2007

The National Lifelong Learning Festival (Manabipia) is a nationwide event promoting lifelong learning held each year in a different prefecture of Japan. The Okayama Branch Office took part in the 19th National Lifelong Learning Festival, "Manabipia Okayama 2007", between 2-6 November. The branch's work in connection with Manabipia enabled it to both deepen local residents' understanding of lifelong learning, and to build an activity network with many people from Okayama Prefecture and other regions.

Cleaning up Leaves - Seijo Branch

The Seijo area where the Seijo Branch is located is famous for its cherry trees, and is considered one of the most scenic areas in suburban Tokyo. With the arrival of winter each year, the Seijo Branch takes part in the "Clean Up The Leaves" campaign organized by the Seijo Residents' Association. The rows of cherry trees in Seijo are located in private residential areas, and given the large size of the residents' blocks of land as well as the area's aging population, the whole community pitches in with the cleanup. To show their appreciation to the local residents for their business, all of the branch's employees participate, and the branch has been taking part in this event on an annual basis. It was quite chilly at the start of the event, but as the employees continued to work alongside the participants from the community they began to warm up. Some of the residents offered words of thanks, and the employees felt a tremendous sense of satisfaction at the end of the event.

Connecting Universities and Local Business - Kishiwada Branch

In a fortunate matching of objectives, the Kishiwada Branch wanted to deepen its ties with the community, and universities in the area wanted to become more "open". So, since the fall of 2006, the Kishiwada Branch has held a "University Lecture Relay," with the participation of ten universities mainly from the local area. Each month the branch invites a speaker from one of the universities to give a lecture to its customers. From this, the branch sensed a need for collaboration between academia and industry, so it held an "Industry-University Collaboration Forum" to bring together leading companies and universities from the region. Twelve representatives from four universities and ten representatives from nine companies took part in the two-day event. The discussions were quite lively, and the participants were very happy with the event. The Kishiwada Branch has high hopes that future collaborations between academia and industry will lead to positive results.

Asahi River Cleanup - Okayama Branch

The Asahi River flows through the heart of Okayama City, and forms a natural moat around Okayama Castle; and Korakuen, one of the three famous gardens of Japan, is located on one of its midstream islands. The river is therefore a very important part of the community. Led by the Association to Make the Asahi River the Most Beautiful in Japan, a non-profit organization, four times a year mass cleanups involving local governments and residents are conducted as a beautification initiative for the Asahi River, and some occasions more than 2,000 people take part. The Okayama Branch took part in all four mass cleanups of the River in fiscal 2006, and a total of seventy-nine of its employees and their family members got up early on their day off to put in a hard day's work. The branch also plans to take part in the mass cleanups in fiscal 2007. Depending on the season, the type and volume of the garbage pulled from the riverside varies. Given the increase in community awareness towards beautifying the environment as evidenced by the number of people who take part, the quantity of rubbish is thought to have declined. If you visit Okayama, please take a look at how clean the Asahi River is.

Sending a Message for Peace on 2,000 yen Notes - Naha Branch

Okinawa was the only territory of Japan that experienced land fighting in World War II, when literally the entire island became a field of fire. Shuri Castle's Shurei Gate, which was restored after the war, is recognized by the residents of Okinawa as a monument to peace, in stark contrast to war and fighting. Given this history, the depiction of Shurei Gate on Japan's 2,000 yen notes as a high-minded message for peace makes the notes more than just a currency.
The Naha Branch endorses this message, and since 2005 it has embarked on a consistent campaign to popularize the notes, from the ground up, including within the company. All 34 Naha Branch employees have become "2,000 yen Note Ambassadors," promoting the use of the note, and the branch manager uses the notes whenever he can, for example by exchanging almost all his entire salary into 2,000 yen notes, and having a supply in his wallet when he travels on business outside Okinawa. When the branch members use a 2,000 yen note, it becomes a starting point for talking about the message of peace. It's a small gesture, but they regard it as very important. The same message is conveyed when Nomura Group employees come to Okinawa from outside the prefecture, and the idea is spreading to other prefectures and gradually gaining momentum. Although local banks in the prefecture can also be credited with playing their part in popularizing the note, the spread of this initiative from the branch of an organization like Nomura Group conveys the powerful message of "from Okinawa to Japan", and the branch is proud of the difference and significance of its contribution to the community. Every person who sees the Shurei Gate on a 2,000 yen note will think about peace, and the Naha Branch works every day for that to happen.

Volunteering at the Hakone Road Race - Nihonbashi Head Office

Since 1998, we have volunteered in the nationally-televised Hakone Road Race that takes place each January. The race, in which college teams complete a grueling long distance relay race from Tokyo to Hakone, is a major event in Japan. Approximately 20 Nomura employees volunteer nearby Nomura's head office to keep the roads safe for runners during the race.

Participation in Local "Clean Up" Campaigns

Cleaning up in NihonbashiWe participate in neighborhood clean-up campaigns as a way of improving the local environment and maintaining good relations with local communities. Nihonbashi, the area in Tokyo where our headquarters is located, is a site of historic significance and each year since 1972 roughly 30 of our employees have volunteered in a local clean-up campaign. Employees are encouraged to volunteer in this and other clean-up events.