SDGs Project "Kawaruken." Enhancing Regional Value Through Three Hiroshima-Based Companies (Part 2)

Even when companies engage with SDGs and communicate their efforts, if they don't communicate effectively, their message may not reach people. And if it doesn't reach people, their efforts risk being seen as non-existent – that's the nature of SDGs. That's precisely why how you communicate matters just as much as the content of the initiative itself.

Hiroshima Bank, Ltd., Dentsu West Japan Inc., and Hiroshima Home Television Co., Ltd. collaborated to develop the SDGs project 'Kawaruken.' By combining the strengths of all three companies, they are promoting the SDGs as a unified regional effort and communicating each company's initiatives to the local community.

In Part 1, Kenji Sato from Hiroshima Bank's Corporate Planning Department and Takashige Yorimoto from Dentsu West Japan Inc. Project Promotion Department discussed the challenges and potential Hiroshima currently faces, along with the background behind the launch of the 'Kawaruken.' project. In the upcoming Part 2, we will delve deeper into the goals both companies aim for with the 'Kawaruken.' project, its specific initiatives, and the results achieved so far.

Horizontal expansion in collaboration with the local community brings positive economic effects

Sato: My impression is that many companies participating in this project are those with highly conscious executives who take pride in their SDGs-related initiatives. Additionally, among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that rarely get opportunities to run TV commercials, some see this as a good chance to broadcast their message.

Furthermore, since the project includes events where participants interact with local children, we've also received feedback like, 'It became an opportunity for various people to learn about our company's activities, and we gained something as a company.'

Yorimoto: We've held three events so far. For the first one, we borrowed the first-floor space at Hiroshima Bank's main branch to host a panel exhibition showcasing the SDGs initiatives of participating companies. We displayed the panels so customers visiting the teller windows, ATMs, or even the café on the first floor could see, "This company is doing this kind of work."

Sato: On the monitor immediately to the right upon entering the lobby, we played the SDGs commercials produced for each company through this project. The day before the panel exhibition, we also had a live broadcast introducing the event on Hiroshima Home Television. That was in October 2021.

Yorimoto: Yes. The second event was in March 2022. We rented a section of a university campus and held group work sessions with Hiroshima high school and university students, along with young employees from the participating companies. We used a business idea generation card game called "Kake-Ai" to learn about the SDGs.

Sato: The third event was in August 2022, a collaboration with cram schools in the prefecture.

Yorimoto: With the 2018 revision of the national curriculum guidelines, SDGs became integrated into education. The cram school agreed, recognizing the potential for SDGs to appear on future exams and wanting to provide experiential learning opportunities beyond just textbook study. We targeted elementary school students from fourth to sixth grade, explaining the SDGs initiatives of participating companies in a way children could easily understand. The children then drew pictures based on the impressions they gained from these talks. These drawings were also displayed on the first floor of Hiroshima Bank's main branch. Through the children's artwork, we created a cycle where families could see and understand, "Oh, this company is doing this kind of thing." This event was held with the intention of deepening connections between students, families, and the local community.

Sato: This kind of lateral expansion is quite difficult for financial institutions to achieve. Working together with Dentsu West Japan Inc. and Hiroshima Home Television on this project, we've gradually seen customers take notice of the 'Changing Together' initiative. When we pitch it to companies, we're now getting interest from far more businesses than before. We're really feeling the expansion of awareness.

Banks don't have much PR power. However, Dentsu West Japan Inc.'s planning ability, execution power, and agility are remarkably flexible and swift—a stark contrast to the rigid mindset of bankers. If we said we were going to make a commercial, people would just look at us skeptically, wondering, "Can a bank really do that?" But with Dentsu West Japan Inc. as our partner, our customers feel reassured. In that sense, I feel this project is significantly contributing to revitalizing Hiroshima's economy.

The project's goal is to broadcast from Hiroshima to the nation and the world.

Yorimoto: While Dentsu West Japan Inc. primarily focuses on advertising work, collaborating with Hiroshima Bank on this project has led to increased consultations on core business challenges and management issues. This is likely a direct result of working alongside Hiroshima Bank, which maintains close ties with local companies. Hiroshima Bank constantly engages with the management situations of companies. The diverse challenges they identify provide significant inspiration for us to broaden the areas where we can offer support.

Sato: It's true that as bankers, we frequently meet with business owners in our daily work. In that sense, I believe we have developed a strong ability to understand "management challenges" and "the concerns of business owners." Conversely, if we meet with a president and fail to meet their expectations, we might immediately be asked to "change our account manager." It's a job that requires constant vigilance.

Yorimoto: In contrast, the Dentsu Group, including Dentsu West Japan Inc., possesses extensive expertise and know-how in business development. By bringing our respective strengths together, we aim to create a beneficial model for regional companies.

We've heard many stories about how this 'Kawaruken.' project has inspired numerous companies to think, "There's more we can do with our own business," and start taking action. Moreover, it's an initiative that goes beyond just motivating the executives; it also considers how to engage the employees. This is one of the key significances of the 'Kawaruken.' project, isn't it?

Sato: That's right. While it's still a small-scale event with under 100 participants, we aim to expand this movement across the entire prefecture and involve more participants from outside the prefecture in the future.

Yorimoto: Exactly. It's still in the planning stages, but we're considering larger events that connect to regional revitalization. This would involve not only accommodation facilities and local souvenir shops, but also recruiting participants from other prefectures, not just within Hiroshima.

Sato: We hope to share these corporate initiatives not just within Hiroshima Prefecture, but nationwide. Starting in Hiroshima, then expanding to Yamaguchi, Okayama, and Ehime – the four neighboring prefectures.

Yorimoto: Through this expansion, we want Hiroshima to become a region that attracts attention from all over Japan, or even the world. That's the major goal of this 'Changing Now.' project.

The 'Kawaruken.' project combines the strengths of three companies: Hiroshima Bank's connections with local businesses and sales capabilities, Dentsu West Japan Inc.'s business development expertise, and Hiroshima Home Television's influence on the public. By leveraging and complementing each other's strengths, the project aims to foster momentum for advancing the SDGs across the entire region on an unprecedented scale. Given that SDGs are projects where sustainability is crucial, we can also expect the project's effects to become increasingly visible and widespread going forward.

While each region faces unique challenges, many common issues exist across all areas. Furthermore, efforts and communication regarding SDGs are expected in every region nationwide. Considering this, the 'Kawaruken.' project could potentially be applied not only in Hiroshima but also in other regions. Please look forward to the future developments of the 'Kawaruken.' project, a collaboration between these three companies.

As attention to the SDGs continues to grow, some companies may face challenges or needs such as, "We're working on SDGs but struggling to communicate our efforts effectively externally," or "We want to contribute to our community but don't know where to start." We encourage you to consult with us.