SoftBank Corp. supports the Sustainable Development Goals
SoftBank Corp. https://www.softbank.jp/en/corp/sustainability/
Sustainability
Report
2 0 2 0
2020 Report Sustainability .Corp SoftBank
Printed in Japan
Corporate Philosophy
Information Revolution ̶ Happiness for Everyone
Since foundation, the SoftBank Group has sought to use the Information Revolution to contribute to the wellbeing of people and society. Driven by this corporate philosophy, the SoftBank Group will continue to pursue growth by harnessing the unlimited potential of the Information Revolution, deploying in the right way to benefit humanity.
Vision
Aiming to Become the Corporate Group Needed Most by People Around the World
The SoftBank Group aims to contribute to people's happiness through the Information Revolution, and to become "the corporate group needed most by people around the world." To achieve this vision, SoftBank will advance the Information Revolution that brings "happiness for everyone" with leading technologies essential to the times and superior business models.
2 SoftBank Corp. Sustainability Report 2020
Contents
SoftBank Sustainability | |
Materiality Selection Flow | 10 |
SoftBank Value Creation Process | 12 |
Management Strategy for Accelerating Corporate | |
Growth ̶Growth Strategy x Structural Reforms̶ | 14 |
Materiality KPIs | 16 |
Sustainability Promotion Structure | 18 |
SDGs Dissemination and Awareness | 20 |
COVID-19 Response and Customer Support | 22 |
Materiality
- Building society and industry through DX
(digital transformation) | 24 |
- Connecting people and information to create new
excitement | 44 |
③ Creating new business through open innovation | 64 |
- Contributing to the global environment with the
power of technology | 86 |
⑤ Building high-quality social communication | |
networks | 106 |
⑥ Developing a resilient management foundation | 122 |
Initiatives Supporting Business Activities
Customer Relationship Management | 164 |
Brand Management | 166 |
Community Participation | |
̶Social Contribution Initiatives (CSR Initiatives)̶ | 168 |
External Evaluations | 174 |
Third-party Assurance and Certification | 176 |
Company Overview | 178 |
SoftBank Corp. Sustainability Report 2020 | 3 |
Materiality 1 | Materiality 2 | Materiality 3 | Materiality 4 | Materiality 5 | Materiality 6 | Initiatives Supporting | ||||||||||
Business Activities | ||||||||||||||||
CEO Message
Guided by our corporate philosophy "Information Revolution ̶ Happiness for everyone," SoftBank has contributed to society through the provision of innovative services utilizing leading-edge technologies. However, the world presently faces a variety of increasingly severe social challenges, including the spread of infectious diseases, large-scale natural disasters and environmental degradation.
To address these issues, the international community is working in close cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering great expectations for technologies and services that will contribute to resolving health crises, climate change, the digital divide and other issues.
Also, based on the idea of corporations being responsible members of society, as well as the view that contributions to the creation of sustainable communities are managerial priorities, SoftBank has identified six materiality (priority issues) that must be addressed. We will thoroughly pursue the achievement of SDGs in line with the concept of "a world where all things, information and minds are connected."
In March 2020, we launched 5G commercial services. Going forward, our 5G infrastructure and services will act as a catalyst to accelerate digital transformations (DX) across all industries and throughout society.
Utilizing leading-edge technologies and providing various solutions to resolve issues that arise from social change, SoftBank will create even more business opportunities and aim to realize more comfortable and abundant lifestyles.
At the same time, we are focusing efforts on initiatives to improve accessibility for customers who use our products and services. By offering a number of convenient services provided via the latest smartphones and smart devices that are closely connected to people's lifestyles, and by developing customer support for the elderly and those unfamiliar with technology by offering smartphone classes led by smartphone advisors, for example, we facilitate environments in which everyone can access information comfortably with the aim of creating a society with access for all.
Additionally, we recognize efforts focused on global environmental issues to be a managerial priority. With global consensus on the 2015 Paris Agreement and the need for uniform efforts across the world, initiatives to address climate change are becoming increasingly important.
SoftBank endorses recommendations by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), promotes information disclosures related to climate change and makes efforts to conserve resources, including paperless initiatives and energy saving, through the use of smart devices in corporate activities and IoT in business. Even within the businesses conducted by SoftBank, we contribute to the conservation of energy and resources as well as the protection of biodiversity throughout all of society by providing solutions that leverage digitalization, AI and IoT.
I believe SoftBank's business itself contributes to the achievement of SDGs, and at the same time, also leads to sustainable business growth. Going forward, we will continue to work to realize our corporate philosophy, achieve SDGs and the resolve social issues by further promoting our Beyond Carrier growth strategy.
Ken Miyauchi
President & CEO SoftBank Corp.
SoftBank will thoroughly pursue the SDGs in line with the concept of "a world where all things, information and minds are connected."
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Materiality 1 | Materiality 2 | Materiality 3 | ||||||
SoftBank Sustainability
Sustainability Strategy
Contributing to Business Growth and the Creation of a Sustainable Society Under the
Concept of "A World Where All Things, Information and Minds are Connected" to achieve SDGs
Faced with a variety of increasingly serious social problems, companies must work toward the global SDGs that aim for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable society.
Since our founding, we have contributed to resolving social issues through technology based on our corporate philosophy "Information Revolution ̶ Happiness for Everyone."
SoftBank has declared "a world where all things, information and minds are connected" as the concept by which we will achieve SDGs, which is a universal theme for the realization of a sustainable society. We have identified six priority issues (materiality) as the theme for realizing this concept. We believe these six materiality themes embody our corporate philosophy "Information Revolution ̶ Happiness for Everyone" and serve as an important compass connected to our "Beyond Carrier" management strategy. Through the identification and response to materiality, SoftBank will accelerate its "Beyond Carrier" management strategy and contribute to realizing a society as envisioned by the SDGs.
Materiality 4 | Materiality 5 | Materiality 6 | Initiatives Supporting | |||
Business Activities | ||||||
Materiality Approach
Solving Social Issues through Business and Corporate Activities
Based on the concept "a world where all things, information and minds are connected" SoftBank will contribute to the realization of a sustainable society through the power of technology, which is our strength, and identify six materiality issues as themes for achieving sustainable growth. These materiality themes will accelerate our "Beyond Carrier" management strategy, which is positioned as the key driver of our business.
In addition to solving social issues through business by "building society and industry through Digital Transformation (DX)" and "creating new businesses through open innovation," materiality involves "contributing to the global environment with the power of technology," "building high-quality social communication networks" and "developing a resilient management foundation" to solve social issues through corporate activities. The six materiality themes originate from contemporary society and our business, as well as the achievement of SDGs by 2030, becoming a visionary perspective for the next 10 years from now that requires SoftBank's unique capabilities.
Corporate Philosophy
Information Revolution ̶ Happiness for Everyone
Vision
Aiming to Become the Corporate Group Needed Most by People
Around the World
Materiality
Solving social issues through business
Building society and | Connecting people and | Creating new business | |||||||||
industry through DX | information to create | through open | Six | ||||||||
(digital transformation) | new excitement | innovation | |||||||||
materiality | |||||||||||
Solving social issues through corporate activities | themes | ||||||||||
Contributing to the | Building high-quality | Developing a resilient | |||||||||
global environment with | social communication | ||||||||||
management foundation | |||||||||||
the power of technology | networks | ||||||||||
Management Strategy
Beyond Carrier Strategy (see P.14)
business through issues social Solving
activities corporate through issues social Solving
Building society and
- Industry through DX (digital transformation)
Connecting people and
- information to create new excitement
- Creating new business through open innovation
Contributing to the
- global environment with the power of technology
Building high-quality
- social communication networks
- Developing a resilient management foundation
SDGs value creation
- Expand and enhance the efficiency of the industrial base through cutting-edge technologies
- Create new industries through DX
- Revitalize local communities (regional revitalization)
SDGs value creation
- Realize attractive customer value through the spread of smart devices
- Help everybody enjoy the value of the latest devices and communication methods
- Leveraging ICT to create new lifestyles and enhance the foundations for daily life
SDGs value creation
- Develop new business models with cutting-edge technologies
- Incubate and spiral-upcutting-edge businesses overseas
- Build systems to recruit and develop human resources to lead growth and create new businesses
SDGs value creation
- Contribute to the mitgation of climate change through technology and business
- Promote a recycling-based society (circular economy)
- Realize a prosperous society through the spread of renewable energy
SDGs value creation
- Prepare sustainable life infrastructure
- Construct robust communications infrastructure to contribute to disaster prevention and mitigation
- Promotion of data security and privacy protection initiatives
SDGs value creation
- Enhance corporate governance and ensure its effectiveness
- Sustainable growth through cooperation with stakeholders
- Enhance employee happiness with diversity and inclusion
- Enhance productivity with advanced workplace environments
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Materiality 1 | Materiality 2 | Materiality 3 | ||||||
Materiality Approach
SoftBank identified three materiality themes each for the "resolution of social issues through business activities" and the "resolution of social issues through corporate activities" that determine the value that contribute to the SDGs through the materiality activities and outcomes. These have been arranged according to the key actions, businesses, services and initiatives for realizing the creation of value.
Materiality List
Materiality | SDGs value creation | Main business/activities | ||
Create new industries | (1) Expand and enhance the | ● Utilize 5G, big data, AI, etc. | ||
and provide solutions | efficiency of the industrial | ● Enhance industry efficiency through AI, Robotic Process | ||
❶ | for transforming various | base through | Automation (RPA), IoT, etc. | |
businesses in society | cutting-edge technologies | |||
Building society | by utilizing cutting-edge | |||
(2) Create new | ● We engage in the creation of new businesses and industries, and contribute to | |||
and industry | technologies such as | industries through DX | economic growth, through collaboration with companies in a range in industries. | |
5G and AI. | ||||
Solving | through DX | (3) Revitalize local | ● Solve social issues by providing DX solutions for local communities and local governments | |
communities | ● Co-creation to realize smart cities | |||
(regional revitaliza- | ● Implement initiatives on partnership agreements/Expand partnership | |||
tion) | agreements and personnel exchange with local governments | |||
social | Provide new experiences | (1) Realize attractive | ● Provide a broad range of customer value, price plans and | |
promoting the adoption of | devices | ● Hold smartphone classes in our shops around Japan | ||
❷ | and enrich the lifestyles of | customer value through | services through the spread of smart devices and multi-branding | |
our customers by | the spread of smart | ● Leverage 5G to provide new experiences, including VR and sports viewing, etc. | ||
issues | Connecting | smart devices. | ||
people and | (2) Help everybody enjoy the | ● Enhance accessibility to news and other information provided on the Internet | ||
Concurrently, create value | ||||
information to | for both consumers and | value of the latest devices | ● Promoting the expansion of Internet communications throughout the world | |
and communication methods | ||||
enterprises by providing | ||||
through | create new | partners with attractive | (3) Leveraging ICT to create | ● Initiatives aimed at expanding and enhancing online shopping from smartphones, |
excitement | platforms that connect | new lifestyles and | providing new payment settlement methods, and realizing more efficient logistics | |
people to information. | enhance the | ● Leveraging ICT to contribute to the education, healthcare and | ||
foundations for daily life | finance fields | |||
business | Develop cutting-edge | (1) Develop new business | ● Realize a secure and comfortable mobility society | |
Creating new | technologies and innovative | models with cutting-edge | ● Build a high-altitude communications network in the stratosphere | |
companies. Concurrently, | cutting-edge | ● Enhance the efficiency of transportation by leveraging AI and data | ||
business models in Japan by | technologies | ● Provide opportunities for mobility through the practical utilization of self-driving vehicles | ||
❸ | leveraging our relationships | (2) Incubate and spiral-up | ● Create global communities by providing innovative community-style workspaces | |
with global leading innovative | ||||
business through | promote the development of | businesses overseas | analytics technologies to provide taxi dispatch platforms | |
a highly-skilled workforce and | (3) Build systems to | ● Promote a cashless economy through the spread of barcode and QR code payments | ||
open innovation | the establishment of an | ● Job posting system that aims to shift human resources to new | ||
organization that supports | recruit and develop | businesses and growth businesses | ||
the expansion and | ||||
human resources to | ● Allocate personnel to new businesses through improvements in operational efficiency | |||
penetration of new | ||||
lead growth and | ● Human resources recruitment and development systems | |||
businesses. | ||||
create new businesses | necessary to create and promote new businesses | |||
Contribute to mitigating | (1) Contribute to the | ● More efficient use of electricity | ||
❹ | climate change, | mitigation of climate | ●Transition to energy-efficient equipment | |
promoting a circular | change through | ● Leveraging IoT for more efficient use of electricity in consideration of the environment | ||
economy and the | technology and | ● Shift electricity consumed by mobile phone base stations to | ||
Contributing to | adoption of renewable | business | electricity using renewable energy* | |
the global | energy by utilizing | Note: Achieved primarily through the use of non-fossil certificates | ||
cutting-edge technolo- | (2) Promote a | designated as renewable energy | ||
environment | sustainable global | ● Mobile phone recycling, the introduction of carry bags using alternative materials to | ||
Solving | of technology | gies to pass on a | (3) Realize a prosperous | ● Spread the use of renewable energy by providing the "Shizen |
with the power | environment to the | recycling-based society | paper and plastic, and the reduction of paper usage through the use of smart devices | |
next generation. | (circular economy) | ● Utilize waste water resources and reduce waste products | ||
social | society through the spread | Denki" electric power service | ||
of renewable energy | ||||
❺ | Commit to maintaining | (1) Prepare sustainable | ● Construct 5G mobile communications systems to enable "high-speed, | |
issues | a constantly-connected | life infrastructure | high-capacity,""ultra-high-reliability,low-latency," and "massive device connections" | |
Building | and stable network | ● Provide communications services with stable connections | ||
and to protecting our | ||||
(2) Construct robust | ● Redundancy in backbone networks | |||
high-quality | customers' important | |||
communications infrastructure | ● Secure communications in the event of a disaster through | |||
data, as communica- | ||||
through | social | tion networks serve as | to contribute to disaster | tethered balloon radio relay systems |
prevention and mitigation | ||||
communication | a lifeline. | |||
(3) Promotion of data | ● Network monitoring and operation utilizing AI | |||
networks | security and privacy | ● Develop and operate high-level security environments | ||
corporate | protection initiatives | ●Thoroughly educate employees on security | ||
ongoing dialogue with | through cooperation | ● Sound and transparent information disclosure | ||
Conduct corporate | (1) Enhance corporate | ● Enhance corporate governance systems and thoroughly prevent compliance violations | ||
governance with | governance and | ● Implement sophisticated internal controls, eliminate antisocial | ||
integrity to earn the | ensure its effectiveness | forces, and prevent corruption | ||
trust of society through | ||||
(2) Sustainable growth | ● Ethical procurement and transactions | |||
activities | ❻ | stakeholders. In | with stakeholders | ● Cooperation with local communities through initiatives such as disaster |
management | developing a | diversity and | ● Promote participation by women, including recruitment and employment | |
Developing a | addition, foster | management agreements and the Social Emergency Management Alliance (SEMA) | ||
innovation and improve | ||||
resilient | the well-being of our | (3) Enhance employee | ● Support for employee growth and career realization | |
employees by | happiness with | ● Fair evaluation and recruitment system | ||
foundation | progressive workplace | inclusion | of persons with disabilities, and initiatives related to LGBT persons | |
environment where | ● Harassment prevention | |||
diverse human | ||||
(4) Enhance productivi- | ● Work-style reforms | |||
resources can thrive | ||||
utilizing cutting-edge | ty with advanced | ● Promote health and productivity management | ||
technologies. | workplace | ● Relocate the corporate headquarters to a smart building | ||
environments | ● Promote diverse working styles unconstrained by time or place |
8 SoftBank Corp. Sustainability Report 2020
Materiality 4 | Materiality 5 | Materiality 6 | Initiatives Supporting | |||
Business Activities | ||||||
SoftBank Sustainability
SoftBank SDGs
SDGs Initiatives as a Key Driver of Growth
SoftBank considers its contribution to the achievement of SDGs targets to be an important management priority and is working to enhance corporate value and realize a sustainable society by contributing to the resolution of social issues pursued by the global community through our business and corporate activities. In addition to establishing the concept of "a world where all things, information and minds are connected" to promote our response to the SDGs, we are focused on the achievement of SDGs and society 10 years hence in 2030, which is within the scope of the SDGs, and we have identified six priority issues (materiality) that take into account the importance of our corporate and business activities as well as external stakeholders. By responding to these six materiality themes, we will accelerate our "Beyond Carrier" growth strategy and target further corporate growth.
The Cabinet Office (Government of Japan) advocates "Society 5.0," a new society realizing economic development and the resolution of social issues through an advanced system integrating the cyber space and physical (actual) space. In addition, the Keidanren has announced the "Society 5.0 for
SDGs" concept that aims to achieve economic development and the
resolution of social issues by maximizing the use of innovative technologies
to achieve the SDGs. This means, technology is essential for achieving SDGs. In other words, technology can "minimize negative social impacts" and
"reduce medium- to long-term risks" while "maximizing positive social impacts" and achieving "medium- to long-term enterprise growth," giving it a
central role in leading the achievement of the SDGs.
For SoftBank, whose main business is telecommunications and
technology, contributing to the achievement of SDGs will be useful in resolving social issues from a variety of perspectives, and at the same time responding to external stakeholder demands will become the driving force that will further advance our business and corporate growth.
Furthermore, to ensure SoftBank contributes to the SDGs, we must ensure that the corporate and business activities conducted by our Company and group companies address social issues. We also believe that it is important to inculcate a collective awareness among employees. In each business, initiative and individual job performed by our Company and each of our group companies, we promote an understanding of all 17 SDGs and 169 targets, setting advance
goals and plotting steps backwards to the present with a focus on the goals of SDGs to consider and respond to business, initiatives and work with an awareness that enables us to work toward each of the SDGs independently.
We will resolve issues faced by society and people to realize further contributions to a sustainable
society targeted in the SDGs with all group company employees
working together toward the SDGs.
Response to the SDG Compass
The SDG Compass was developed in March 2016 by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the UN Global Compact and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to explain the impact of the SDGs on individual businesses as a corporate SDGs implementation guide aimed at providing the tools and knowledge necessary for placing sustainability at the center of corporate strategies. It is a global guideline for corporate integration of SDGs into business strategies, a way to measure contributions to SDGs and a method for managing performance and implementation status. The SDG Compass framework comprises STEP 1 to STEP 5. SoftBank also utilizes STEP 1 to STEP 5 in implementing the PDCA cycle in accordance with the SDG Compass.
STEP1 | STEP2 | STEP3 | STEP4 | STEP5 | ||||
Understanding | Determining | Establishing | Integrating | Reporting and | ||||
SDGs | Priority Issues | Targets | Management | Communications | ||||
SoftBank discusses and | SoftBank uses the | We set targets and | We position materiality | We proactively | ||||
considers the importance and | SDGs 17 goals and | KPIs for the identified | as a key driver for | disseminate and | ||||
necessity of actions affecting | 169 targets as | six materiality themes | promoting our | report on SDG | ||||
our business and services by | benchmarks to | to achieve the SDGs. | management strategy | activities to internal | ||||
setting advance goals and | identify materiality | "Beyond Carrier" and | and external | |||||
plotting steps backward to the | based on the | are building a system | stakeholders. | |||||
present for the achievement of | importance of our | for promoting the | ||||||
SDGs in every department and | external stakeholders | SDGs together with | ||||||
at all levels of management. | and our Company. | management. | ||||||
⇒P.10/11/20 | ⇒P.10 | ⇒P.16 | ⇒P.9/18 | ⇒P.20/21 | ||||
Note: Prepared by SoftBank, based on the GRI, the UN Global Compact and "SDG Compass," issued by WBCSD
SoftBank Corp. Sustainability Report 2020 9
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SoftBank Corp. published this content on 03 February 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 03 February 2022 09:18:04 UTC.