Interview with Five Participants in The Nikkei’s Roundtable Discussion
—What insights did they gain from discussion with President Baba on Future Society Ten Years from Now and Sustainable Growth?

One of President Baba’s comments stood out to me. I envisioned our company’s future ten years from now based on the concept of public expectations and compassionate empathy. I used the red and blue from Tokyo Century’s website to represent this concept on my flipboard. I was especially impressed when President Baba interpreted those colors as veins and arteries, as I was aiming to convey the essence of the heart. He fully understood the content of my presentation and how I think as an employee.

During the discussion, I could see that everyone was sincerely sharing the direction they thought the Company was heading as well as what they hoped to do. While I value expanding business and communicating information from regional offices, I would also like to deepen my insights by actively gathering information from the head office.

Talking with people from various divisions and generations made me realize just how different our work is, depending on the industry we’re in. I was truly impressed by the breadth of Tokyo Century’s business. Looking ahead, I hope to work internationally, so I was especially interested that doing business overseas requires both communication and operational skills.

Before joining about three years ago, I assumed that being a typical employee at Tokyo Century would just mean completing my assigned tasks. However, over those years, I’ve come to realize that I’m expected to think things through on my own to get each job done. The discussion reaffirmed that creating new value requires reaching beyond the realm of finance, an idea I’d always thought of.

Previously, I held a position limited to office work at a bank before joining Tokyo Century as a general sales representative. I’ve been at the Company for about two years, and there have been times when I’ve felt anxious about how I could contribute. That said, I’ve constantly been aware of what I can bring to the table. Talking with everyone reminded me of the importance of fostering individual innovation throughout the organization.

The roundtable made me realize that our company offers many opportunities for communication with management. In addition, I appreciate that Tokyo Century has a culture where management policies can easily permeate throughout the organization, and where employees’ ideas can reach management and become reality. This creates a sense of fulfillment and strengthens employee loyalty.

President Baba expanded the popular understanding of ESG—environment, social, and governance—by introducing the additional concepts of “earning,” “strong,” and “growth.” That left a strong impression and reminded me that for a company to survive in the mid to long term, it must grow while generating robust earnings.

I was also impressed by President Baba’s view of the Company as a place for self-realization, like a park or open field where each individual is encouraged to exercise their free will and carve their own path in life. I also took note of his use of the keyword “empowerment” (transfer of power). I understand that, in an organization with a rising average employee age, it’s essential to create an environment that enables young employees to thrive for the Company to continue growing.

As I thought about the next ten years, I reflected on my career with the Company so far. I joined Tokyo Century as a new graduate, and while both the Company and I have changed over time, these changes have allowed me to keep moving forward with a smile. I want to maintain this attitude and pass on to the next generation the ability to look ahead to future changes with hope.

I want to be able to proudly tell my children and grandchildren that I worked for Tokyo Century. Although I may retire within the next ten years, the insights shared during the discussion reassured me that Tokyo Century will continue to be a source of pride for years to come.