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Pakistan’s capital Karachi and
its adjoining
areas are prone to thunderstorms and torrential rain from May to August each year—and
when it rains, it really rains! The massive downpours can destroy homes and crops,
and Karachiites and people in other Pakistani cities often work alongside the
corporate sector to help the victims. In July and August 2007, thunderstorms and
torrential rain lashed the coastal towns, destroying hundreds of homes of fishermen.
To help, staff at the Karachi Branch of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
decided to visit the area and provide support by supplying food and daily consumables.
After collecting money to buy the goods, a truck was rented to transport them
to Ibrahim Hydery, a small coastal village where fishermen’s huts had been
badly damaged.
When handing out the goods
on September 9, 2007, the situation
proved to be more serious |
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| than thought—the
number of people needing help was higher than shown by preliminary site surveys
and the truck did not carry enough supplies. However, with the help of local community
leaders, the aid crew could distribute the goods in an orderly fashion before
finally returning to Karachi. Driving back, they were at the same time shaken
by the devastation they had seen and warmed by the heartfelt gratitude of the
local people. |
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In December 2007, Japan’s
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recognized the Mitsubishi company IT
Frontier for its corporate support of future generations through family-friendly
policies. The Ministry has authorized it to use the Kurumin mark for meeting criteria
for parental support.
The mark is part
of the Japanese government’s response to the country’s rapidly declining
birthrate. Both the public and private sectors are being encouraged to create
a workplace environment that enables parents to have and raise children while
continuing to work.
IT Frontier responded
to this call by creating working environments in which all employees can achieve
a good balance between work and childcare. Female employees of IT Frontier who
gave birth during the period covered by the company’s action plan were granted
childcare leave. Male employees were also granted childcare leave and reduced
working hours. In addition, a club for sharing information useful to working |
| mothers was established. Finally,
expectant parents and parents of young children are encouraged to share their
childcare-related needs and concerns directly with the company’s president
and directors. IT Frontier will continue its efforts to provide a good work-life
balance for its employees. Currently, about one-third of the Mitsubishi Public
Affairs Committee member companies have received the Kurumin mark. |
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People with disabilities,
especially those in wheelchairs, often find it difficult to view exhibitions in
crowded museums because of the walls of people that surround them. In April 2006,
Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) took steps to rectify this situation
by launching a program of special, free-of-charge visiting times for those with
disabilities.
The Tokyo National Museum was the first to
participate in this program, with the National Museum of Western Art and the National
Science Museum soon following suit. By the end of December 2007, a total of 1,700
people had participated in 12 visits to these three museums. |
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Typically,
each visit begins with museum curators explaining the interesting features of
the exhibits, after which people with disabilities can freely tour the museums
at their leisure with families and friends. Several times a year, the tours are
followed by workshops where participants can try their hands at creating their
own works of art. Members of MC’s tea ceremony club have even conducted
tea ceremonies in a museum tea house.
The program has been a great success with
both the visitors and the MC employees, who have flocked to help out as voluntary
receptionists and supporters—for each visit, the number of applicants far
surpasses the number of volunteers sought. MC now plans to expand the program
by getting more museums in the Tokyo area to participate. |
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