INTEGRATED REPORT PORTAL
Last updated: 12/22/2021
Solving Social Issues
We are committed to solving social issues with information technology.
Outlined below are a few examples of initiatives by Z Holdings to address social issues.
Basic Stance
The power of information technology for a sustainable world
Unleashing the infinite potential of all people, with the power of information technology. This is the mission behind Z Holdings’ determination to develop, advance, and apply our business for the good of society. Our business thrives when we use our technological capabilities to address social issues and help realize a sustainable society.
Environment
While information technologies make the world a richer and more convenient place, they have an impact on the environment in the form of CO2 emissions from the consumption of electric power and other energies. The environmental impact is increasing with the expansion of the industry as a whole. To realize a sustainable society, we will make efforts to address climate change as well as strive to reduce the environmental impact derived from business activities, implement measures to reduce waste, and protect biodiversity.
We will also aim to help society by preparing and enhancing solutions so as to respond to the threat of natural disasters that are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change.
■ Realization of a low-carbon society
· Reduction of CO2 emissions per unit of revenue by 50% from FY2008 levels (45,181 t-CO2/JPY 265.754 million) by FY2028
· Shift to 100% renewable energy for electricity used at our data centers
· Yahoo Japan Corporation’s “FY2023 100% Renewable Energy Challenge” declaration
■ Preservation of natural capital
· Waste reduction initiatives, including the promotion of paperless operations, reuse and reduction of resource waste
· Initiatives to protect biodiversity: Yahoo Japan Corporation has banned the trading of ivory on its e-commerce services. Other initiatives include support for the Coral Project, and support for carbon offsetting in national parks and at World Natural Heritage sites.
· Initiatives to Conserve Water Resources: Activities include regular water stress checks using the World Resources Institute’s Water Risk Atlas.
■ Legal compliance and fulfillment of responsibilities in the international community
· Endorsement of TCFD Recommendations
· Information disclosure to CDP
· Commitment to setting science based targets (Yahoo Japan Corporation)
· Pursuit of membership in RE100
· Participation in Japan Climate Initiative
· Certification by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as meeting criteria for enhanced global warming prevention measures (Head office of Z Holdings)
■ Collaboration with society through services
· Collaboration with local governments against natural disasters associated with climate change
· Delivery of disaster information through Yahoo! JAPAN top page and Yahoo! JAPAN apps
· Yahoo! JAPAN Internet Fund Raising
· Collaboration with society through services to prevent/reduce disasters and environmental initiatives
· Social Emergency Management Alliance (SEMA)
· ASKUL Phase-Free Office: Disaster prevention without stockpiling, the use of ordinary office supplies to contribute during emergencies
· Enhancement of recycling-oriented services that contribute to the realization of a sustainable society
· Yell Market, environmentally responsible ASKUL private label products
■ Education and awareness-raising activities to create the future
· Dissemination of information within and beyond the Group about sustainability activities
Realizing a Low-Carbon Society
Legal Compliance and Fulfillment of Responsibilities in the International Community
Collaborating With Society Through Services
Education and Awareness-Raising Activities to Create the Future
Initiatives to Prevent/Mitigate Disasters
One of the areas targeted by the Z Holdings Group in its efforts to address social issues through business is the use of information technology in disaster prevention and mitigation initiatives. We support disaster prevention and mitigation by sharing disaster-related information, supporting recovery efforts, and implementing disaster mitigation initiatives.
■ Initiatives for disaster prevention/mitigation & disaster relief – results of donations & sponsorships
· LINE Corporation’s disaster prevention and mitigation initiatives
· Yahoo Japan Corporation’s disaster recovery division
· Yahoo Japan Corporation’s recovery initiatives after the Great East Japan Earthquake
■ Z Holdings Corporation’s measures on COVID-19
· Special website established by LINE to provide information about COVID-19 countermeasures
· COVID-19 vaccination information provided on a dedicated Yahoo! JAPAN webpage
· Fundraising by the Yahoo Japan Foundation to support activities to prevent a healthcare collapse due to COVID-19
· National survey on COVID-19 countermeasures in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, using the communication app “LINE”
■ Donation services
■ Donations through Yahoo Japan Foundation
■ Collaboration programs between LODGE and public interest groups
■ Active collaboration with a nonprofit sector
■ Sponsorship of technology and development events
LINE Corporation’s disaster prevention and mitigation initiatives
Yahoo Japan Corporation’s disaster recovery division (Japanese only)
Yahoo Japan Corporation’s recovery initiatives after the Great East Japan Earthquake (Japanese only)
“What can you do with LINE in the time of COVID-19?” (Japanese only)
Yahoo! JAPAN COVID-19 vaccination information page (Japanese only)
Donations through the Yahoo Japan Foundation (Japanese only)
Digital Transformation of Local Governments
In line with its business integration with LINE in March 2021, Z Holdings announced that it will work to address Japan's digital transformation (DX) and social issues through public-private partnerships in “Social Services” which is one of the areas where there are large social issues that are expected to be solved with the Internet.
■ Promotion of DX in society
· Z Holdings selected as a DX-Certified Operator
· As a member of the Information Technology Federation of Japan (ITrenmei), Z Holdings aims to contribute to the sound development of the IT industry and the development of a world class IT-based society. We actively provide recommendations while engaging in two-way communication with the government.
· Redesigning data solutions service for business operators to meet the needs of the government agencies
· Organizing online seminar to support DX in accordance with the diversity of local governments
· Free provision of LINE Official Accounts to central and local government agencies
· LINE Smart City Promotion Partner Program
· Creating open data on child-rearing AI chatbots
■ Support for DX promotion by local government through LODGE
Z Holdings Selected as a DX-Certified Operator
Supporting DX Promotion by Local Government Through LODGE (Japanese only)
Privacy and Security
To remain capable of continuously providing safe and secure services to its users, the Z Holdings Group strives to achieve maximum information security throughout the Group from a medium- to long-term perspective. The Z Holdings Group will construct its cybersecurity system according to its Cybersecurity Policy, by continuing to solve the issues faced by people and society while earning the trust of the users who use its services as well as society, governments and the international community.
■ Privacy and security
· Measures on Privacy
· Basic Approach to Information Security
· Establishment of a Special Advisory Committee
· Information Security System
· Acquisition of Third-Party Certification
· Efforts to Guarantee Information Security
■ Z Holdings Group's Cybersecurity Policy
PayPay Safety Initiatives (Japanese only)
Support for Education and Future Generations
Yahoo Japan Corporation and LINE carry out various initiatives including Yahoo! JAPAN Kids and information literacy education to ensure safety and security in children’s use of the Internet.
Furthermore, Yahoo Japan Corporation believes it is necessary for the continuance of its business to develop human resources that can understand and use IT.
Through technology events such as Hack U, Yahoo Japan Corporation supports the development of personnel who can actively use IT.
■ Safe Internet access for children
· Provision of Yahoo! JAPAN Kids portal site
· Provision of hands-on programming experience targeting elementary school children
· Lectures on online search for elementary school students
· Lectures on online safety to protect children
· Dispatching Internet seminar lecturers to Yokohama Family Court
· IT Personnel Development Project: Raising awareness and broadening options for the future generations living in the digital society
■ Hack U: An event for students
■ Company visits
■ Security lectures at Kyushu University
■ Yahoo Japan Foundation: Matching donations to the Internet Mirai Fund
■ Sponsorship of SDGs for School
■ Child Protection
· Announcement of “Protection of Children’s Privacy”
· “Children’s Public Comments” held in collaboration with the Japan Committee for UNICEF
· Measures against “bullying” conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
· Providing Japan’s first-of-the-kind image search function designed for children
· Free provision of LINE Official Accounts for counseling using LINE Chat, in collaboration with MEXT
■ LINE MIRAI Foundation (initiatives to improve children’s digital literacy through education, research, and awareness raising activities related to AI and ICT)
· Provision of education in such areas as programming, information ethics, financial and data literacy, and the role of information in disaster prevention
· Surveys about related topics, such as Internet use by children and young people, and the need to make programming education compulsory
LINE MIRAI Foundation (Japanese only)
Yahoo! JAPAN Kids (Japanese only)
Healthcare
The entire Z Holdings Group will continue to contribute to the development of sustainable society in cooperation with various organizations and groups. For example, we are currently working to expand the online medical consultation service introduced on the LINE Healthcare platform.
■ LINE Doctor telemedicine service launched in December 2020
· This service enables people to use their time effectively by easing the burden of hospital visits and reducing waiting times. It also avoids the risk of infection.
· Patients can locate clinics, make appointments, consult a physician, and pay fees entirely through the LINE app.
· LINE is also implementing a project to support COVID-19 patients recuperating at home.
LINE Doctor telemedicine service (Japanese only)
LINE press release: “Launch of online medical service” (Japanese only)
Other Initiatives
The Z Holdings Group is working to address various issues in addition to those outlined above.
■ Community investment
The Z Holdings Group considers disaster control assistance, promotion of digital transformation (DX), involvement in regional communities, and support for future generations as its priority issues when solving the problems of regional communities and society. For this, it will collaborate and cooperate with stakeholders including regional communities, governments, universities, non-government organizations (NGOs), and non-profit organizations (NPOs) to promote initiatives to achieve a prosperous society.
[Assistance to disaster-affected areas]
· 3.11 Project: Yahoo! JAPAN and LINE’s joint project to provide continuous support to areas affected by the disaster
· Support activities through Yahoo! JAPAN Ishinomaki Base
· Launch of disaster relief fund raising
· Emergency support funding and matching donations for restoration and recovery support funds
· Tour de Tohoku
· Yahoo! JAPAN Disaster Prevention Test: Encouraging the acquisition of knowledge to protect oneself in case of a disaster
· Fisherman Japan
· Dissemination of disaster information using LINE
· Measures to prevent and mitigate disasters thorough industry-government-academia collaboration
· Sales of products that support aid activities and that lead to social contribution
■ Service quality improvement
The Z Holdings Group has committed itself to increasing customer satisfaction. To that end, it has created a help page that is updated to reflect questions raised by customers and has implemented a variety of other service initiatives, including e-mail and chat support, fraud checks, and website monitoring. Moving forward, the Group will work to improve customer support services and systems, with the goal of further increasing customer satisfaction.
· Quality preservation initiatives
· Basic Policy on Accessibility
· Establishment of support systems / improving customer support
· Measurement and improvements to customer satisfaction
· Implementation of screening and inspections
· Improvements to advertisement service quality
· Measures to improve service quality of commerce services
