A company founded on sustainability
We launched Rakuten Ichiba in 1997 with the aim of leveraging the internet to solve the social challenges facing Japan due to the economic decline of
its local communities. Our theory was that supporting the expansion of local businesses would revitalize regional economies, and in turn, Japanese
society as a whole. We also believed that it would be venture companies, such as Rakuten, which would drive the economy of the 21st century.
I
am now confident that Rakuten's founding philosophy is also a commitment to sustainability. In every one of the Rakuten Group's diverse portfolio of
services, we place importance on growing together with our stakeholders. Our businesses serve and bring joy to a growing number of customers by staying
true to our mission of empowerment and our commitment to improving society in the long term.
Achieving the well-being of all people through the pursuit of sustainability
Pursuing sustainability also means considering the well-being not only of our stakeholders, but of all members of society across the globe. Well-being
is often understood as "a state of complete satisfaction physically, mentally and socially." In other words, it's about the ability to live the life we
choose for ourselves, on our own terms.
Since my appointment as Rakuten's Chief Well-Being Officer (CWO) in 2019, I have been working to
realize well-being from three perspectives: the well-being of individuals, of our organization and of society.
Rakuten is made up of
employees with many different backgrounds, and I believe this diversity is driving innovation and the growth of our organization. For this reason, it is
vital to create working environments that enhance individual well-being, where every individual is shown respect and enabled to reach their highest
potential.
The improvement of individual well-being is essentially tied to the enhancement of the well-being of the organization. For leaders
and employees to build strong relationships with one another and work together as one team to reach a common goal, they need to fully understand
Rakuten's vision and share a common set of values and principles. We pay dedicated attention to the thorough communication to our employees globally of
these values and principles — also called Rakuten Shugi — ensuring that our team members around the world are working together, aligned with the same
mission, vision and values.
As each individual is different and we value that rich diversity, Rakuten will continue to adjust and improve our
work culture in order to achieve an optimal balance between "well-being," where each individual can pursue the improvement of their own life, and "doing
well," in terms of efficiency and productivity. This is at the heart of the Rakuten Health Declaration: Well-being First.
New sustainability strategy as our guide
In order to integrate sustainability into management decisions, it is essential to clarify our vision and priorities regarding social challenges. As the
world changes, Rakuten itself undergoes major evolutions, including the recent launch of our mobile network operator business. We therefore need to
regularly re-identify our priority issues in addressing sustainability by defining our
materiality.
In 2021, we did so by engaging with over 5,000 stakeholders —
including business partners, customers, shareholders and investors, NPOs and NGOs, local governments and employees — by asking about their expectations
for Rakuten. In the end, we identified 13 material topics and clarified three priority areas.
With this new sustainability strategy as our
compass for the years to come, we will accelerate our progress toward contributing to the well-being of society.
Creating positive social impact through 70+ Rakuten services
Rakuten offers more than 70 services, ranging from commercial services such as e-commerce, travel and digital content, to fintech services such as our
credit card, bank, securities, smartphone-based cashless payments businesses, and to mobile services such as our mobile carrier service. While this
means that improving the sustainability of our operations does indeed encompass a diverse and complex array of topics, it also means that we have a
variety of opportunities and assets for addressing global issues as outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to make significant
contributions towards tackling these global challenges through the innovative solutions we provide.
The scale of Rakuten's business
translates into the magnitude of its social impact. On our e-commerce platform Rakuten Ichiba, for instance, by promoting more sustainable consumption
habits, we can not only influence the behaviors of millions of consumers, but also drive changes in the business practices of over 50,000 merchants.
Rakuten recognizes this potential impact, and we are committed to proactively driving social changes together with our stakeholders toward a sustainable
future that promotes well-being for all.
