2011

(Posted Sept. 2011)

Fostering employee pride in Minebea

Many of our activities to contribute to the local society are based on ideas from the employees themselves. Our employees are well-versed in the local situation and needs, and we actively utilize employee proposals to carry out activities as Minebea Thailand. "Suggestion Boxes" have been placed in each plant, enabling employees to contribute their ideas. A national character based on a culture of mutual assistance and a strong religious orientation is the driving force behind Minebea Thailand's activities to contribute to society.

Minebea Thailand is devoting effort to the education of young people who will support the Thailand of the future, providing wide-ranging support to schools in the vicinity of the plants by applying knowhow acquired as part of plant management. For example, we are teaching children how to sort refuse based on experience in such activities gained at the plant. The sorted refuse can be sold and the proceeds applied to school management. We also teach children to raise organic vegetables, and the harvest is used in school lunches. Fixtures from the plant were used to build a new school library, to which we also contributed books, and we helped rebuild the school building, which had deteriorated. The unique aspect of our activities is our focus on local conditions and the challenges facing the school, and our imaginative initiatives to address those challenges. In the library of the elementary school that Minebea Thailand helped to build, the senior-class female students who are in charge of checking out books happily noted, "We love to study. For exercise, we play sepak takraw.* Between study and exercise, we often visit the library."

Much of our other support to the local community involves initiatives toward regional self-sufficiency. These include bamboo planting activities to enable continuous harvesting of bamboo shoots as food for the local temple. To help local residents generate income, our employees also provide guidance in the manufacture and sale of artificial flowers for use in funerals, as well as bookkeeping techniques.

Since its founding, Minebea Thailand has emphasized employee development. Employees are responsible for manufacturing, and imaginative employees improve manufacturing. With this in mind, we actively support employee participation in activities that contribute to society.

We are also making improvements to our working environment. Employees have a variety of work patterns, with four teams in three shifts for 24-hour operations, and we provide extensive employee support. We adhere strictly to occupational safety and health laws, protect our employees' safety, and offer extensive educational opportunities, a shuttle bus and other amenities. We also offer an environment that emphasizes employee autonomy. In addition to the suggestion boxes mentioned previously, we established the Joint Consultation Committee (JCC) with participation by Japanese and local employees to maintain and enhance positive communication. Vutichai comments: "If, through a safe working environment and extensive educational opportunities, employees can gain a solid sense that they are needed by society and that they can be useful in the world by contributing to society with their own ideas, how will they feel? They'll be proud of their company, proud of being a member of the Minebea Group, and feel solidarity with the company. I don't think you can overestimate the influence that has."

*Sepak takraw: a traditional Southeast Asian sport said to have originated in the ninth century. Players use their feet, thighs, chest, and head to hit a rattan ball (today, synthetic materials are used) over a net to the other player's court.

Children doing farming

Local community members make artificial flowers

Minebea Thailand contributed these bins for sorting refuse

Female student members of the library committee

Members of the Minebea Thailand CSR Management Committee

Children attending elementary school

Minebea Thailand helped build this new library and contributed books

Children eating school lunches