As part of its communications with local communities, each Sanyo factory actively accepts visitors, whether as part of education in schools or as training of central and local government officials. In fiscal 2008, a total of 1,545 visitors in 43 groups visited when the visits for the three factories were combined. 1,240 people of them were visitors of the students from schools or local children groups. We provide children such opportunities so that they can increase awareness of our society or global environment by seeing the site of manufacturing directly.

The campaign is intended not only to clean beaches but also to survey the quantity and types of garbage left on them. Its purpose is to formulate environmental protection measures based on the analysis of pollution sources. Sanyo endorsed the aim and has been participating in cleanup activity at Nishiki-no-Hama Beach, Kaizuka, Osaka with other companies since 1992. A total of 1,255 employees from Sanyo participated as volunteers by 2008 and learned the importance of the environmental protection by knowing the influence that garbage gave to the ocean.

Since 2006, Sanyo has been participating in the Bikkuri Eco 100 Goods Exhibition, an ecological event that involves the participation of industry, government, universities, and residents of Kyoto, the birthplace of the Kyoto Protocol. In order to raise the awareness of local citizens concerning environmental problems, this event highlights numerous issues that require the changing of consumer behavior and lifestyles. Sanyo supports the aim of this event and the important message being sent from Kyoto, by exhibiting products that are useful for saving energy, conserving water, and reducing waste. Sanyo employees also participate in the Kyoto Protocol Walk held after the exhibition, which calls for greater efforts to achieve the reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Through these public awareness raising activities, Sanyo is helping many people from all over the world to understand the importance of environmental protection, and is working for the expansion of environmental efforts in the future.

Sanyo has been carrying out environmental education for school children, centered on the topic of Sanyo's eneloop rechargeable batteries, which can be reused about 1,000 times. Since April 2006, Sanyo instructors have visited 133 elementary schools in Japan and have given lessons to 10,470 students about the importance of protecting the global environment through practical "reusing batteries" experience. In order to provide environmental education to even more elementary schools, Sanyo also provides classroom materials free of charge to teachers involved in environmental education. In addition to elementary school teachers, NPO and local government instructors have received these Sanyo materials in order to convey the importance of rechargeable batteries and the 3Rs^*3 for the global environment to about 13,080 children.
The Eco Island Miyakojima Project was initiated by Sanyo, a major Japanese travel agency, and the city of Miyakojima, which is designated as an "Eco-Model City.” In fiscal 2008, Sanyo provided a global environment classes to children in Miyakojima, as part of this project. In this way, the company is promoting environmental education through new forms of partnerships with local governments and other companies.
In recent years, the demand for environmental education is also increasing outside Japan, and Sanyo is providing support from Japan so that classes can be held that match the educational styles in the countries concerned.

*3 Reduce, reuse and recycle

Environmental classes at elementary schools

Located at the Gifu site, the Solar Ark solar power generation system is a symbol of the Sanyo Group's commitment to developing potential for and realizing the dream of clean energy. With its impressive appearance, the Solar Ark has helped raise awareness of solar power. There is a unique solar energy museum next to the Solar Ark, where various exhibitions useful to cultivate a better appreciation of solar power generation, and thereby of both ecology and science. These facilities accept tours of the student from an elementary school to the university who carries the future, educators and the administrative person concerned.

the Solar Arc

With the mission of helping children who are the next generation to find their dreams, and to experience the excitement of sports, Sanyo's badminton team and Wild Knights rugby team are actively engaged in community outreach activities.
In 1992, the badminton team set up a junior badminton school, under the guidance of mostly retired team members. In cooperation with local leagues, the members gave classes in elementary school gymnasiums. In addition to contributing to the sound development of elementary and junior high school students through a community, school, and corporate partnership, Sanyo's badminton team is actively participating in activities with the aim of increasing the popularity of badminton, including technique training sessions across Japan. The retired members of Sanyo's Wild Knights rugby team provide coaching at rugby schools for elementary and junior high school students. The players and staff also meet with children across Japan to play tag rugby^*4. Through interaction with 16,861 children in fiscal 2008, Sanyo's rugby team has been supporting the sound development of children, while increasing the number of rugby fans and promoting local sport.

*4 Instead of tackling, players attempt to pull waist tags from the ball carrier

 

Badminton workshop	Tag rugby

Sanyo is creating work environments that make it easy for employees to actively participate in volunteer activities. The Volunteer Time Off and Temporary Leave Programs were introduced in 1992 as a specific workplace improvement policy. In fiscal 2008, a total of 147 volunteer time off were acquired, and the place of employee's volunteer activities has extended to various fields. In fiscal 2006, a Silver Ribbon Award system was created to recognize the social contribution activities of employees. In this way, Sanyo is encouraging the spirit of volunteerism among its staff and increasing understanding at a workplace to volunteer activities, and creating environments that are easier to work in.

If employees wish to participate in volunteer or community service activities on a weekday, they can obtain special paid days off up to six days a year (or 12 half-days). If employees wish to participate in extended-term volunteer activities, they can take paid leave for one month, or up to one year. (This includes training and actual activity time for those participating in the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers program.)

Sanyo is supporting activities by volunteer organizations or NPOs for the sound development of youth and social education as well as environmental conservation and the spread of renewable energy through SANYO Think GAIA foundation. The Foundation has been donating the economic effect equivalent value by the power generation of “the Solar Ark” to such groups or organizations since 2002. In the seven years since the foundation's original establishment, it has given 40 grants^*5 totaling about 45 million yen to 25 organizations.

*5 Since some projects are ongoing, the number of grants is greater than the number of organizations.

Name of organization （Location）	Theme of activity	Supported activity
Otsu Environmental Forum （Shiga Pref. Japan）	Aiming for sustainable community development with minimal environmental impact, by promoting a local action plan for global environmental protection based on cooperation between residents, companies, and government	・the Otsu Environmental Forum's raw garbage recycling business ・"Soil reformation trends and the quality of cultivated vegetables" analyzing business
Youngsters' Science Festival-Gifu Festival Executive Committee （Gifu Pref. Japan）	Helping to create a brighter future by getting young people interested in science and technology through craft-making and various mathematic and natural science experiments	2008 Gifu Youngsters' Science Festival at the Solar Ark
Gifu Earth Environment School Conference (Gifu Pref. Japan）	Activities to raise the awareness of children and increase their desire to solve environmental problems starting with their own communities and daily lifestyles	Gifu Earth Environmental School
National Federation of Land Improvement Associations （Tokyo, Japan）	Teaching children and other city residents about how food is grown from soil and water, the importance of farming, and the multifaceted environmental protection function of farming villages	・Event that enjoys blessing of water and the earth by touching exhibited real rice plant and living thing of waterside ・Exhibition of picture that children drew with rice field and water as theme
Ichikawa Child Cultural Station （Chiba Pref. Japan）	Helping to create a community where children understand the connections between people, through hands-on cultural activities	Environmental seminars and other opportunities for parents and children to learn about the environment

• SANYO Think GAIA Foundation (Japanese Only)