Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Corporate
January 23, 2024
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Achieves "Silver" Level Certification as a "Sports Yell Company" from the Japan Sports Agency
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) has been named a 2024 Sports Yell Company, a certification granted by the Japan Sports Agency to corporations that actively encourage participation in sports to promote employee fitness and health. As a company that has been recognized for seven consecutive years since the program's establishment in 2017, Otsuka has earned "Silver" level certification.
The Japan Sports Agency "Sports Yell Company" certification recognizes companies that actively promote and support measures to improve employees' health through sport. Over the years, Otsuka has consistently encouraged opportunities for fitness in the workplace and at home to support employees and their families in continuing to exercise and maintaining and improving their health. Initiatives include the company's "refresh exercise" program, in person and online, and sponsored walking rallies using smartphone apps to track participants' progress.
In 2023, we conducted the virtual project "POCARI SWEAT Run & Walk," which aimed to encourage more physical activity, including walking. Employees from group companies in Japan and abroad participated through a smartphone app, engaging in continued exercise while interacting with each other. Additionally, new initiatives were introduced, such as remote meetings held before the project began, featuring exchanges with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Track and Field Team members, including Japanese representative athletes, coaches, and directors. We also aimed to enhance employee health awareness enjoyably and contribute to environmental conservation and social responsibility by organizing the "Inter-Office Walking Competition" -- an initiative that began in 2022. Following the event's second edition last year, tree planting was carried out at the winning office. In the future, we plan to donate our company products to the municipality where the winning office is located, contributing to health promotion in the local community.
The company has been certified as a "Sports Yell Company 2024" in recognition of the following efforts.
Our main initiatives for FY2023
| Activity | Overview | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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POCARI/fresh Exercise Program |
・Since FY2020, the weekly "refresh exercise" sessions held at offices and factories have been made available online for those working remotely. Starting from FY2023, in-person sessions have resumed, and currently, a hybrid approach combining both online and in-person sessions is underway. ・In addition to posting archived exercise videos, the company provides information on exercise techniques and messages from instructors, allowing employees and their families to take part at home. ・An initiative has been launched to connect new employees with their more experienced counterparts through online platforms. This involves conducting exercises together while exchanging congratulatory messages for joining the company, serving as a team building and communication tool. |
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| Walking Rallies with Smartphone App |
・In collaboration with the health insurance association, the company organized a walking rally where participants could use a smartphone pedometer app that tracks and manages the number of steps. ・The company-sponsored "Inter-Office Walking Competition" was conducted to enhance health awareness enjoyably and positively contribute to society. Awards from the event are tied to activities promoting environmental conservation and social contributions. In FY2023, trees were planted in honor of the victorious business site. In the future, we intend to contribute to the municipalities where the winning sites are situated by donating our health-supporting products and other items. |
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Virtual Event "POCARI SWEAT Run & Walk" |
・In FY2021, a virtual running project using a smartphone app that allows participation from anywhere worldwide was implemented. ・In FY2023, the focus shifted to physical activity, including walking, with the participation of employees from group companies both in Japan and abroad. Employees interacted with each other through a smartphone app while continuing their physical activities. ・Before the project began, remote meetings were conducted where interactions with Japanese representative athletes, coaches, and directors from the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Track and Field Team, who compete in international competitions, were facilitated. ・This initiative serves as a catalyst for cultivating exercise habits and contributes to fostering communication among employees from our group companies worldwide. |
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Otsuka issued the first Otsuka Pharmaceutical Declaration on Health in January 2017. To coincide with the appointment of Makoto Inoue as President and Representative Director in March 2020, a new Declaration on Health was adopted to clarify the company's stance on employee health-related issues and shared with both internal and external parties. Otsuka believes that it is important for each and every employee to be able to work with vigor and good health. With this goal in mind, Otsuka implements a variety of initiatives, including health seminars and exercise programs to promote understanding of health issues and encourage employees to take an active role in preventing illness and enhancing their own health.
Otsuka will continue to contribute to the health and wellbeing of people everywhere, including employees and their families.
- Otsuka Pharmaceutical Declaration on Health
- Japan Sports Agency 2022 Sports Yell Company (in Japanese)