With Society

Social Contributions and Initiatives with Communities

Conscious of the need to be a good corporate citizen, the NGK Group conducts social contribution activities and pursues initiatives in partnership with communities, with internationalization, employee participation and community as keywords.

Operation of the NGK Foundation for International Students

Since April 1997, NGK has been providing assistance to international students, mainly in the form of accommodations and scholarships, with the goal of developing human resources who will contribute to the development of international society. In March 1998, we established the NGK Foundation for International Students, and have been developing the operations of this foundation.

NGK International House

In providing accommodations, NGK has established the NGK International House. Exclusively for the use of international students, the facility accommodates 40 students enrolled at universities in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of the end of fiscal 2008, the NGK International House has accommodated a total of 284 residents. NGK also provides scholarships to 20 students per year, including both undergraduate and graduate students. By the end of fiscal 2008, a total of 154 students had received these scholarships.

Halloween event with a local children’s group

Cross-cultural exchange class on Taiwan at NGK

Additionally, to create opportunities for exchange between international students supported by the foundation and local residents, the foundation sponsors non-Japanese language classes and crosscultural exchange class, with international students as the teachers. In fiscal 2008, we began offering these crosscultural exchange classes in-house at NGK as a means of deepening understanding of the Company’s support for international students among NGK employees and encouraging interaction with the students.

Related information

Message from the Chairman of the Board

Employee Volunteer Activities

The following are some of the volunteer activities in which employees take part.

Scene from the Hanahasu Socho Marathon
(Town of Minamiechizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan)

Encouraging the Spread of Marathons for the Visually Impaired: Employees involved in Nagoya Rakusokai, a group that works to encourage and promote the spread of marathons for the visually impaired, continue their activities, such as serving as companion runners to marathoners with visual impairments.

Youngsters’ Science Festival 2008
in Nagoya (Nagoya City Science Museum)

Hosting of Science Experiment Booths at Science Fairs: Approximately 20 employees volunteered to serve as lecturers and conduct experiments at NGK-sponsored science booths at Science Fair 2008 (held at the Advanced Science and Technology Experiment Center, Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture, Japan) and the Youngsters’ Science Festival 2008 in Nagoya (held at the Nagoya City Science Museum). NGK has participated for the past 11 years in these events which aim children to experience the wonder of science for themselves.

Initiatives by Plants and Group Companies in Japan

Our plants and Group companies in Japan conduct activities tailored to the local features and unique character of their respective communities.

Komaki Plant: The Komaki Plant (Komaki, Aichi Prefecture)
holds a summer festival each year to which local residents are invited

Soshin Electric: Employees from the Chikuma and Asama Plants (Saku, Nagano Prefecture)
planted flowers along local roads to commemorate Soshin Electric’s 70th anniversary.

Energy Support: This subsidiary has sponsored the
“Energy Support Cup Women’s Volleyball Tournament”
in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, every year since 1993

NGK Ohotsk: Employees take part in volunteer cleanup activities around Moyoro Beach in Abashiri, Hokkaido.

Social Contributions and Initiatives with Communities1
Social Contributions and Initiatives with Communities2

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