Social Contribution Activities
Basic approach to contribution to local communities
Under the credo of “Collaboration” in NTN SPIRIT, the Group has defined “We take care of the natural environment and maintain coexistence with local community” as one of our guidelines. As well as contributing to society through our businesses, we are promoting various activities rooted in each area of the world toward achievement of SDGs.
People and communities connected by “NTN Rotating School”
Aiming at coexistence with local communities, we launched “NTN Rotating School” in 2017 as a place for interaction between employees and local people and development of the next generation. This is a moving school with the concept of providing a place for children who will lead the next generation to enjoy learning the environment and energy saving. So far, school events have been held more than 40 times, with participants over 17,000 in total＊, contributing to strengthen the bonds with a wide variety of people in each region.
＊The number of participants in events organized by the head office
Check here for more details of NTN Rotating School → https://www.ntnglobal.com/en/rotatingschool/index.html
Wakayama Works family tour
In November 2024, we held the first family tour at Wakayama Works since its establishment. 26 families totaling 92 employees and their family members attended, touring the ball bearing plant, automated warehouse, and N-Cube facility. Many young children who participated watched intently as AGVs and automated assembly lines produced finished bearings. We also conducted the ”NTN Rotating School” to help them learn about bearings in an enjoyable way, allowing families to experience the roles and mechanisms of bearings through rotating musical instrument craftsmen and bearing assembly experiences. This was the first family tour since the new establishment in 2019, and it provided a good opportunity for families to deepen their understanding of the clean workplace environment and the kind of work being done.
■”Rotating Musical Instruments” at the NTN Rotating School
Regional initiatives
Japan
At NTN Tado Corporation, we maintain flower gardens at nearby elementary schools as part of our local communication efforts. This activity began because there was no flower garden suitable for taking commemorative photos at elementary school graduation ceremonies. We received unused railway sleepers from a railway company and used them to construct flower gardens. We began the initiative of presenting flowers and planting them together so that photos could be taken against the backdrop of the flower garden at graduation ceremonies. Additionally, at the request of another elementary school’s Parent-Teacher Association, we began presenting flowers as a local contribution activity. In 2024, more than 80 people, including elementary school students and NTN Tado Corporation employees, participated in the flower garden maintenance activities, deepening exchanges.
Americas
In July 2024, an outdoor event was held for elementary school students and their families in the Anderson area to mark the start of the new school year, featuring distribution of school supplies and raffles. 27 volunteers from NTN Driveshaft Anderson, Inc. participated, providing venue setup and event support. We will continue to actively participate in volunteer activities as part of our local contribution activities.
Europe
Le Garage École du Mans and the USIN’UP Academy are two manufacturing vocational schools in Le Mans. Both schools provide students with specialized training aligned with corporate needs and expectations. The teaching methodology is based on role-playing using actual customer orders as subject matter. Students are aged 15 to 18, with approximately 12 students per class. They are all pursuing nationally certified qualifications to become automotive mechanics or machinists. At these schools, 80% of learning time is conducted in actual manufacturing settings, called ”Doing to Learn.” To learn more deeply about the automotive industry, students visited the NTN Transmissions Europe facility in Alençon during the Le Mans 24-hour race, touring the automotive parts supplier’s plant and learning about the industry.
Asia
In June 2024, NTN Singapore Sales participated in the Pledge Your Heart Walk 2024, a fundraising activity hosted by the Singapore Heart Foundation to support women’s heart health, as part of CSR activities. 23 employees, including management, volunteered at various booths at Jurong Lake Gardens (Singapore National Garden). The event included exercise events such as 3km walking and zumba (dance program) to raise awareness about participants’ heart health, as well as booths where participants could learn about heart health. NTN Singapore Sales volunteers were divided into multiple groups to handle reception, venue guidance, and security, while also interacting with general participants by distributing water and health pamphlets to walking event participants and providing support for downloading heart health apps to mobile phones.