Regional Revitalization Starts with SDGs: Kochi Prefecture's "Kochi SDGs Action"

As societal demands for corporate SDG engagement intensify, "how to engage with the SDGs" has become a major theme within local communities as well.

In February 2022, Shikoku Bank, Kochi Broadcasting, and Dentsu West Japan Inc. launched the "Kochi SDGs Action" project to disseminate Kochi Prefecture-originated actions addressing the SDGs. Under the slogan "Choose your future," the project recruits participation from companies and organizations within the prefecture, providing PR support through SDGs promotion assistance and commercial campaigns, as well as implementing event initiatives connecting companies with local students.

This article delves into the project's objectives, achievements to date, the challenges facing Kochi Prefecture, and the role the project should play, through a tripartite discussion with Ippei Okano of Shikoku Bank, Takanari Yorimoto of Dentsu West Japan Inc., and Tadashi Kita.

※This article is re-edited based on content originally published in Transformation SHOWCASE.

 

Kochi's "Choose Your Future."

Yorimoto: "Kochi SDGs Action," a collaboration between Shikoku Bank, Kochi Broadcasting, and Dentsu West Japan Inc., is a regional revitalization project originating from Kochi Prefecture. We recruit participating companies within the prefecture and implement initiatives such as enhancing SDGs efforts, supporting external PR, and organizing events connecting companies with local students and residents.

This project actually began with an approach from Kochi Broadcasting. They saw our SDGs project " Kawaruken. " ( Let's Change), initiated by Dentsu West Japan Inc., Hiroshima Bank, and Hiroshima Home Television, and approached us saying, "We really want to start something like this in Kochi too." As was the case in Hiroshima, we believe the support of a locally rooted bank is absolutely crucial for such projects. So, when we visited Shikoku Bank to propose a collaboration, they agreed enthusiastically that very same day. I was surprised by the quick response. Were there many local companies already aware of the challenges surrounding the SDGs?

Okano: At Shikoku Bank's Consulting Department, our major mission is supporting clients—both corporate and individual—in solving their challenges. Specifically, the Corporate Planning Team I belong to supports corporate clients in addressing their issues. Recently, we've been assisting with initiatives related to SDGs, carbon neutrality, and sustainability, as well as providing consulting on human resource strategies. I've sensed a heightened awareness of these challenges.

As a regional bank, we must not only pursue SDGs ourselves but also support local companies in advancing them. That's why this project was so appealing to us. While many companies are already engaged with SDGs, we lacked the means and capacity to effectively communicate these diverse initiatives. We decided to collaborate immediately, believing Dentsu West Japan Inc.'s expertise would enable broader information dissemination.

Ippei Okano, Research Officer , Consulting Department, Shikoku Bank. Joined Shikoku Bank in 2008. Primarily handled corporate sales at branch offices before transferring to the Consulting Department in 2022. Responsible for corporate lending, SDGs/carbon neutrality, and human resources-related services. Engaged in planning and executing initiatives that contribute to solving challenges faced by regional companies.

Raimoto: Mr. Kita, you handled the creative direction and copywriting. What thoughts did you put into the main copy for this project, "Choose your future."?

Kita: While I live and work in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, I've always felt Kochi possesses a distinctive character among Shikoku's prefectures. When developing the concept phrase, I conducted multiple interviews with Kochi natives and distilled its uniqueness into three key points from my perspective.

First, they have consistently forged their own path through history. Starting with figures like Sakamoto Ryoma and Iwasaki Yataro, they have boldly carved out their future not only in history but also in business. Second, it's a region where many people hold strong convictions. And third, they approach various challenges with a bright, cheerful, and positive outlook. Based on this, I developed three proposed phrases centered on the theme "Strong, Bold, Bright." From these, with everyone's agreement, we settled on "未来を、せんたくせよ。" (Choose Your Future), which carries the meaning of "Washing Toward a Bright Future" and "Choosing a More Diverse Future."

Okano: It's wonderful that you captured the prefectural character in this way. "Sen-taku seyo" originates from Sakamoto Ryoma's famous quote, "Let us wash Japan clean once more." I believe this likely fostered a sense of familiarity among the prefecture's residents and helped spark their interest in the project.

PR Video for SDGs Activities Increases Job Applicants

Yorimoto: This project began in February 2022. Ten companies have participated so far: seven in the first phase and three in the second. Participating companies are highly motivated, driven by a strong desire to "make a difference in their local area." While several construction firms are currently involved, we've particularly noticed companies within Kochi Prefecture that are actively seeking to adopt cutting-edge technologies and those consciously striving to use environmentally conscious building materials and equipment. Many companies were struggling with recruitment amid the nationwide labor shortage. However, we've heard feedback that by engaging with SDGs and sharing that information, they saw an increase in applicants for both new graduate and mid-career positions.

Okano: We also heard that the increased view counts on participating companies' YouTube channels likely contributed to recruitment success.

Yorimoto: We also felt the power of Kochi Broadcasting as a media outlet. We created PR videos showcasing participating companies' SDGs initiatives and aired them on Kochi Broadcasting. We've heard that this also led to recruitment success.

Kita: Rather than a single company running an isolated, one-off commercial, introducing each participating company's efforts within the larger framework of the project creates a sense of "Kochi moving forward toward the future." I believe this is precisely the power of the project.

Masashi Kita: Copywriter and CM Planner, CX Creative Direction Division 2 , Dentsu West Japan Inc. Handles clients across various industries including distribution, manufacturers, and local governments. Primarily focuses on developing communication plans from a creative perspective.

Okano: For Shikoku Bank, producing the participating companies' CM videos also brought new insights, like "Oh, this company was doing this kind of activity?" When banks engage with companies, while we certainly track financial results and other numbers closely, it's undeniable that we sometimes don't fully grasp "what kind of initiatives they are actually undertaking." However, through this project, we learned about the participating companies' work-style reforms and support activities – things not captured by numbers alone – and were reminded of each company's social significance.

Furthermore, we hadn't previously taken concrete action regarding these corporate initiatives. This project made us realize we could now offer support in new ways, such as "helping with communication," which felt like gaining a new strength for the bank. We also see it as a major benefit that participating companies now understand "banks can assist in solving problems through diverse methods, including information dissemination." Moving forward, Shikoku Bank aims to provide support in various forms and become a trusted, accessible partner for businesses.

Addressing Challenges Facing Regional Areas: Population Outflow, Securing Labor

Yorimoto: "Kochi SDGs Action" is currently recruiting participating companies for its third phase. While business activities stagnated during the pandemic over these three years, did Kochi Prefecture's economy see any changes before and after the pandemic?

Okano: Like every prefecture, we first saw a drastic drop in tourists. Tourism is one of Kochi's main industries. When that ground to a halt, it dealt a significant blow to the regional economy. Recently, however, with the opening of a major tourist facility at Katsurahama Beach and the broadcast of a drama featuring Kochi-born botanist Tomitaro Makino, the number of overnight visitors has started to recover.

Yorimoto: You never hear anyone who visited Kochi for travel or business say it was "boring." While everyone enjoys it differently, people consistently say, "Kochi is great." On the other hand, I wonder if Kochi residents take its charm for granted and might not fully realize its wonderful qualities. Helping people rediscover Kochi's appeal is also a major goal of this project.

This year, Riho Nakamura, an actor and model originally from Kochi Prefecture, was appointed as the project ambassador. People from Kochi love Kochi, and Ms. Nakamura has a strong love for her hometown. She actively promotes this project in various places, appears in commercials, and works with us to energize the movement, saying, "Let's build a better Kochi together." I believe it's a strength of Kochi that people who love it so much actively participate.

Takamasa Yorimoto, Business Producer, Dentsu West Japan Inc. Project Promotion Department. Primarily serves the financial industry, as well as distribution, manufacturers, and universities, handling business production across the entire West Japan area. Promotes the creation of regional projects and collaborative ventures with local companies, engaging in planning and execution for problem-solving and development.

Okano: Kochi Prefecture's rich historical content is another strength. With the spread of social media, serene landscapes where children can play in rivers have gained visibility, allowing people outside the prefecture and even overseas to recognize Kochi's value. I believe we've finally reached the starting line where we can gradually see brighter prospects emerging.

Yorimoto: From your perspective, Okano-san, where do you see the current challenges for Kochi Prefecture?

Okano: Kochi Prefecture has the smallest population among the four prefectures of Shikoku. Furthermore, its population decline rate is high, and the current population has fallen below 700,000. The outflow of young people, in particular, continues, so many companies participating in this project are doing so with the expectation of recruiting talent. If we cannot solve this challenge, Kochi's industries will only continue to shrink. By using this project to communicate companies' initiatives, if more young people think, "I want to work for this company," I believe it could lead to maintaining the population and securing a workforce.

Yorimoto: How effectively we can connect young people with local companies is a major challenge for the project. Labor shortages have become the norm, and we see companies feeling anxious because they have to turn down work they want to take on. Furthermore, when the current generation retires, today's young people will become the next core workforce. Many companies are deeply concerned that if they don't hire young people, their businesses will gradually decline.

Moving forward, the project will focus on various events. For recruitment-focused initiatives, we plan to hold events connecting students and companies at Kochi University. In engineering and business departments, professors' opinions often significantly influence students' job choices. We expect these events will also help professors understand which companies are suitable to recommend to their students.

On the other hand, I believe many students who attend universities outside the prefecture wish to return home after graduation. Today's students are highly sensitive not only to job types and duties but also to the societal contributions companies make. Consequently, they seek companies with social significance. However, because the appeal of Kochi Prefecture's companies often isn't fully communicated, they are frequently excluded from consideration.

Kita: Actually, many companies in Kochi Prefecture have lofty ambitions, like "How can we change the world from Kochi?" I also sensed that many of the construction industry professionals we connected with through this project share a mindset of "Let's change the future from within this industry."

Yorimoto: We want to effectively communicate the appeal of these companies so that more people think, "If companies like this exist, I want to work in Kochi." I believe this will also contribute to revitalizing Kochi Prefecture's economy in the future.

Okano: I don't think Kochi Prefecture's efforts and awareness regarding SDGs are sufficient yet. As more companies join the project, residents' awareness will grow, and by learning from each company's excellent initiatives, society will gradually change. Actually, many companies within the prefecture are already undertaking advanced initiatives related to sustainability and carbon neutrality. We want to encourage them to take an interest in "Kochi SDGs Action."

Kita: The more companies join, the stronger the momentum for SDGs and the greater our ability to disseminate information. We want to enhance the project's appeal so that participating companies become model cases, spreading SDGs promotion throughout the prefecture.