Stakeholders Communication

Bridgestone has a long history of embracing its responsibility to help advance sustainable development and solve social issues.

Through proactive communication with stakeholders, the company seeks to facilitate an accurate understanding of the Bridgestone Group and its business activities. Bridgestone Group also uses communication as a means of gathering information on the opinions, evaluations and anticipations of stakeholders so that this input can be incorporated into business activities to achieve ongoing improvements with a view toward sustainable growth.

Given the global nature of its business, the Bridgestone Group is endeavoring to optimize all aspects of its communication activities by establishing systems for transmitting uniform messages with one voice.

The Bridgestone Group has emphasized communication with various stakeholders. It strives to clarify its responsibilities and the issues it faces with regard to each stakeholder group and to utilize the ideal communication methods and venues accordingly.

Communication Activities of the Bridgestone Group

Stakeholder group	Bridgestone Group Responsibilities	Primary Communication Channels and Resources	Frequency
Customers	Developing appealing products/services Providing timely response and support Providing appropriate information Effectively managing customer information	Responses to Customer Communication Center inquiries	daily
		Analysis, database compilation and internal utilization of customer input	timely
		Bridgestone TODAY rubber and tire museum	daily
		Websites and social media	daily
		Daily sales and service activities (retail stores, dealer channels, online commerce)	daily
		Customer satisfaction survey	timely
Shareholders and investors	Providing appropriate and timely information Maximizing corporate value	Annual Shareholders’ Meeting	annually
		Corporate Governance Report	annually
		Corporate Governance Code Report	biannually
		Financial results review meetings	timely
		Investor relations website	daily
		Reports based on International Integrated Reporting Framework	annually
		Individual meetings with investors	timely
Business partners	Ensuring fair and impartial transactions Communicating Sustainable Procurement Policy	Daily procurement activities	daily
		Procurement policy explanatory forums/Sustainability seminars	biannually
		Development of Sustainable Procurement and Global Human Rights policies	-
		Supplier awards	annually
		Discussions with management (distributor meetings)	annually
Employees	Respecting human rights Promoting diversity and inclusion, including diverse working styles Developing and utilizing human resources Promoting occupational health and safety, and health and productivity management Facilitating mutual understanding between management and labor	Bridgestone Code of Conduct, Global Human Rights Policy	-
		Employee satisfaction surveys	annually
		Trainings	monthly
		Personnel evaluation systems and career development consultation	timely
		In-house open job application systems	annually
		Meetings between labor and management	timely
		In-house newsletters and intranet	daily
		Employee meetings	timely
		Bridgestone Group Awards and other reward systems	Award:annually
		Internal events related to the Olympic and Paralympic Games	timely
Local communities, NGOs	Contributing to local communities Preserving local environments Supporting activities in locations with Bridgestone Group operating sites	Donations and social contributions	timely
		Facility tours	timely
		Environmental and safety education activities	timely
		Sponsorship and aid for local events	timely
		Olympic and Paralympic sponsorships	timely
		Disaster relief support	timely
		Dialogue and collaborations with NGOs	timely
Government agencies, industry organizations, and education institutions	Contributing to the development of a safe and reliable mobile society Supporting education activities Participating in industry economic impact studies and supply chain assessments	Trade association memberships, committees and conferences	timely
		Dialogue and collaborations with economic and industry organizations	timely
		Engagement with government officials	timely
		Participation in the Tire Industry Project and the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber operated under the World Business Council for Sustainable Development	timely
		Interaction and exchanges of opinion with municipal government agencies	timely
		Communication, coordination, and support of industry-government-academia partnerships	timely

Topics

Comprehensive Collaboration Agreement Concluded with Ochanomizu University to Support Cultivation of Future Female Leaders

On January 9, 2017, Bridgestone concluded a comprehensive collaboration agreement with Ochanomizu University of Japan that was aimed at supporting the cultivation of future female leaders. Both parties share a philosophy of respecting diversity and providing support for increasing the available roles to women. Through the agreement, these parties will help cultivate women that can serve as future global leaders. This agreement represents the first industry-academia partnership Bridgestone has been engaged in that targets the development of female leaders.

On the day the agreement was concluded, a discussion panel commemorating the agreement was held that was entitled “Female Leaders Create the Future—Toward a Diverse Society.” Panelists included Kimiko Murofushi, president of Ochanomizu University; Bridgestone Corporation Global CEO and Representative Executive Officer Masaaki Tsuya; Masako Konishi, graduate of Ochanomizu University and general manager of the Residential Sales and Services Division’s Sales Marketing II Department of Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.; and Mina Aoyama, Ochanomizu University graduate and general manager of the Company’s Material and Products Evaluation Quality Assurance Department. Shukutoku University Professor Hiroko Nomura served as the facilitator of the event. At this panel, discussions about leaders were advanced based on the personal experiences of the panelists, who have all demonstrated leadership on various stages. The lively panel discussion drew more than 150 people, including representatives from the university and Bridgestone as well as the general public.

Establishing and Enhancing Communication Structures

Topics

Town Hall Meeting between CEO, COO, Department Heads, and Employees

Town Hall Meeting between
the CEO and employees
(Poland)

The Bridgestone Group's new management structure, launched in March 2012, involves "communication," "bottom-up," and "teamwork" focuses. Under this structure, we are working hard to re-energize internal communication.

As part of these initiatives, we regularly organize forums at Bridgestone and Group companies outside of Japan where our senior management and department heads meet directly with employees, using the "town hall meeting" format. These meetings aim to bridge the gap between employees and senior management, as well as to share senior management's message across the entire Group. We are also planning and implementing a variety of communication opportunities, including study meetings and small group discussions between department managers and employees.

Direct Communication with Customers and the General Public

The Bridgestone Customer Communication Center gathers and analyzes customer impressions from inquiries and comments as well as assessments from the Internet and disseminates this information internally to corporate officers and other employees. This leads to improved products and services, while Group reports are used in an attempt to increase employee motivation. Bridgestone is also focusing efforts on communicating Company activities in an easily understandable way to customers and the general public using the Internet and other digital forms of communication incorporating images and video.

Facility Tours for the General Public

Bridgestone offers tire plant tours to the general public every year in Japan. Visitors can see how tires are made and how we contribute to environmental conservation throughout the manufacturing process.

Stakeholders Communication

Communication Activities of the Bridgestone Group

Topics

Establishing and Enhancing Communication Structures

Topics

Relevant Information