CSK HOLDINGS : CSR : Social Contributions

CSK Group's social contribution activities help to nurture children's 'ability to create the future' through 'CAMP' (Children's Art Museum & Park), a new style of workshop-centered learning. Founded in April of 2001, CAMP collaborates with research institutions, businesses and children's museums in various countries to offer a variety of workshops that cultivate the children's creativity and their ability to express themselves. In addition to the 'Cricket Workshop', where a small computer 'Cricket'* is used to make moving toys, we have developed about 30 original workshops and have vigorously expanded the workshop group throughout Japan.

*A small computer, run on a 9V dry cell battery developed by MIT Media Lab, that enables program control through the connection of a sensor and motor.

CAMP homepage

Tokyo Green Systems is a so-called 'third sector' business established in 1992 as a joint capital investment between Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tama City and CSK (presently CSK HOLDINGS CORPORATION). Through this business, which employs severely disabled individuals, we promote normalization (the concept of disabled people living in close engagement with society) by upholding the principles of participation, independence and coexistence. Specifically, we offer opportunities for disabled people to participate in motivating, worthwhile activities in which they can realize their ability in various fields such as Green Business, Network Business and our stores and tearoom management. We are endeavoring to expand employment opportunities and share with as many disabled people as possible the satisfaction of working.

Of the products that we offer through Tokyo Green Systems' Green business, products in the fresh goods domain have been endorsed, for the first time, with the Heart Logo of the Japan Association of Employers of the Severely Disabled.

Tokyo Green Systems Corporation homepage

The Okawa Foundation for Information and Telecommunications was established in 1986. Known as the Okawa Foundation, it supports and encourages new research in IT. With endowments of more than five billion yen, the Foundation is able to provide considerable public benefit. In recognition of this, the foundation is recognized as a designated public benefit organization by the Japanese government. In 1992 it created and began awarding the Okawa Prize and the Okawa Publishing Prize. In 1996 it extended the scope of its honors and aid overseas, with the intention of assuming a more international role.

The Okawa Foundation for Information and Telecommunications homepage

As an important part of our research activities, CSK-IS is attempting to integrate the traditional Oriental arts inherited from Chinese culture, kin-ki-sho-ga in Japanese, namely music, go, calligraphy, and painting. We recognize the timeless value and application of kin-ki-sho-ga regarded to be the favorite artistic pursuits of intellectuals in the Tang dynasty.

Of the four traditional arts, only go has not been included in the modern Japanese school curriculum. Perceiving the profound implications of the game of go as a possible catalyst to enrich humanity, we are promoting the introduction of go instruction in elementary schools around the country to provide opportunities for children to experience the wonders of go, under the supervision and cooperation of Professor Yukari Umezawa who holds the national title of joryu kisei, meaning 'women's go champion'.

CSK-IS is also collaborating with the "research on the go and the brain" by Professor Ryuta Kawashima of Tohoku University, hoping to scientifically examine the effects of the game of go on children's brain development.