Astellas’ Path to Sustainability Vol.1: A New Materiality Matrix as a Compass to Direct our Business

For Astellas, contributing to the sustainability of society means the realization of our philosophy. To this end, we laid the groundwork for a sustainable future in our Corporate Strategic Plan 2021 (CSP2021), which we announced in May 2021, by setting a strategic goal to "Deepen our engagement in sustainability." We further strengthened our commitment to the sustainability of both society and Astellas by identifying and prioritizing the key social issues that need to be addressed and utilizing this to create our new materiality matrix.

As Astellas continues on its path to sustainability, Shingo Iino, Ph.D., Head of the Sustainability Division at Astellas, explains the company's direction, the social issues that need to be addressed, and the action plans in place to realize its goals.

Social responsibility and sustainable enhancement of corporate value

The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) requires companies to meet the demands of their stakeholders alongside seeking their own profits. And to achieve this balance, all laws and regulations must be complied with, and social responsibilities-including accountability-must be fulfilled. On the other hand, the concept of sustainability requires human society and the global environment to coexist and mutually develop.

Therefore, to enhance corporate value in a sustainable way, it falls upon those in charge of our corporate activities to consider the global environment and society while fulfilling the company's social responsibility. I believe this is within Astellas' reach through the successful creation and implementation of a system that leverages our strengths as a corporation, allowing us to contribute to a sustainable society.

Astellas' path to sustainability-where does it lead?

Astellas creates innovative healthcare solutions for unmet medical needs meaning our business itself is fundamentally linked to solving the issues of society and evolving sustainability across society as a whole. By continuously striving for innovative healthcare solutions and improving access to health which enables wider distribution of healthcare solutions, we can earn trust from society and build toward a sustainable future for our company.

Our people and organizational culture power the realization of sustainability. We acquire and develop talent, and cultivate an organizational culture where people can collaborate cross-functionally, achieve ambitious goals, and realize innovation. The Organizational Health Goals we set in CSP2021 aim to unite the entire company in our efforts to build an internal environment that will produce long-term superior performance.