IMAGINE KANAZAWA 2030 Partners is a platform for working together through partnerships based on “Kanazawa Future Visions”. As of September 10, 2021, 157 companies, organisations and individuals had joined the platform. At the meetings, short presentations were given on collaborative projects, which were then discussed in view of the realisation of the Kanazawa Future Visions. Although only two meetings were held in the last fiscal year, we will have a monthly meeting this fiscal year to promote initiatives for the realisation of the Kanazawa Future Visions.
The third meeting in fiscal 2021, which was the fifth meeting in total, was held online on September 16. At that meeting, many people from various organisations and companies, as well as individuals, participated in a lively exchange of ideas. Three organisations made short presentations; Table for Two, an incorporated non-profit organisation that has been involved in food-shortage and health issues, Noppokun Co., Ltd.,, which runs an organic / fair trade shop and presents films to raise awareness of the motivation for action and attainment of SDGs, and Kao Group, Customer Marketing Co., Ltd., which supports people’s cleanliness, beauty and health.
Table for Two is an organisation that addresses the problem of there being excessive calorie consumption, obesity and disease associated with adult lifestyle habits in developed countries, while developing countries are faced with food shortages and starvation. They have established a system according to which a donation is made to a developing country for every healthy meal that is bought from a company canteen or shop. So far, 7,390 meals have been donated to 709 organisations. Table for Two received the 2019 Japan SDGs Award.
Table for Two also established other donation systems in Kanazawa in cooperation with Hakusan Co., Ltd., Maru Stock Co., Ltd. a group company of Ishikawa Central Fish Market Co., Ltd. and Kanazawa University, involving sales of drinks via vending machines and local products. With regard to menu items to be sold in Japan, they are flexible in responding to requests from companies.
Next, Noppokun introduced the “Film Festival for the Future,” which will show five films related to SDGs at three sites in the city (NOPPOKUN, Kanazawa Port Cruise Terminal and Cinemonde) for four weeks from September 4 to October 1. The films deal with thought-provoking themes that we are familiar with but do not understand very well, such as issues related to the world and life, and give us the energy to move forward towards the attainment of SDGs. Although SDGs are abstract and difficult to understand simply through the themes, visual images enable easier understanding, since they clarify the contents and the connection between the goals and our lives, and make people think about the issues as their own problems. Noppokun has screen presentation rights for some other films in addition to the five films that will be screened at the festival. They wish to become a platform to share ideas for the attainment of the SDGs and hold study sessions for company employees.
Lastly, Kao Group Customer Marketing Co., Ltd. introduced their activities for attainment of SDGs. Kao Group devised the slogan “My Kirei Lifestyle: realisation of a spiritually rich life for customers all over the world” as their ESG strategy. They have positive communication with various communities, contribute to society from the diverse perspectives of the environment, health and hygiene, and support people in the realisation of a spiritually rich life. In particular, they have offered hand-washing classes in kindergartens and nursery schools, plastic-garbage classes in elementary schools, and skin-care classes for students looking for a job and for people in re-employment. They wish to increase the variety and frequency of the classes, and have already decided to hold makeup classes at community centres in cooperation with the Ishikawa Single Mothers Association.
At this meeting, Mr. Hashimoto, a coordinator of IMAGINE KANAZAWA 2030 Partners, presented examples of cooperative activities that had been realised through previous meetings. kanazaWAZA_Lab, which gave a short presentation at the first meeting, has linked with Partners members and launched the sustainable art project “Neglected Bamboo Bushes” in collaboration with the Kanazawa branch of Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., Kanazawa Kiko Co., Ltd., and SYNCA DESIGN UNIT. In addition, the Ishikawa Single Mothers Association and Kao Group Customer Marketing plan to hold makeup classes as a cooperative activity through the Partners meetings. Mr. Hashimoto will be supporting cooperative projects as a coordinator in order to widen the circle of collaboration with Partners members.
