Stakeholders Communication

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Bridgestone prioritizes engagement with stakeholders as it strives to understand their perspectives and to share its point-of-view as well. Bridgestone promotes stakeholder engagement based on integrated reporting, and also closely link it to the process of prioritizing sustainability issues and integrating them into business strategy while ensuring alignment. As shown in the figure, the two processes are being rotated as two wheels, and continuous improvement of both processes is being pursued.

Communication activities of Bridgestone

Stakeholder group Main issues / Key topics Uses and methods/opportunities of main dialogues Frequency
All stakeholders
  • Comprehensively communicating Bridgestone’s approaches and initiatives for enhancing corporate value over the medium to long term
  • Deepening mutual understanding through dialogue
Publishing Bridgestone 3.0 Journey Integrated Report annually
Customers
  • Developing appealing products/services
  • Providing timely response and support
  • Providing appropriate information
  • Effectively managing customer information
Boosting recognition of the Group’s activities and generating opportunities for co-creation
Reflecting customer feedback into products and services
Responses to Customer Communication Center inquiries daily
Analysis, database compilation, and internal utilization of customer input On a timely basis
Bridgestone Innovation Park's Bridgestone Innovation Gallery dedicated to Bridgestone's history and innovation initiatives On a timely basis
Websites and social media daily
Daily sales and service activities
(retail stores, dealer channels, online commerce)
daily
Market research/Customer satisfaction survey On a timely basis
Auto shows and exhibitions On a timely basis
Shareholders
and Investors
  • Providing appropriate and timely information
  • Maximizing corporate value
Dialogue-based IR activities and timely, appropriate information disclosure
Reflecting shareholder and investor perspectives/feedback into management and IR activities
Annual Shareholders’ Meeting annually
Corporate Governance Report annually
Corporate Governance Code Report biannually
Financial results review meetings On a timely basis
Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026) and progress updates On a timely basis
Investor relations website daily
Reports based on International Integrated Reporting Framework annually
Individual meetings with investors, and ESG dialogue with investors On a timely basis
Communications at sustainability-related events On a timely basis
Business
Partners
  • Ensuring fair and impartial transactions
  • Communicating the Sustainable Procurement Policy
Promoting dialogue and mutual understanding to achieve sustainable procurement
Encouraging dialogue to improve on-site environments
Capacity building and supporting improved yields and income through dialogue with and education for smallholder farmers
Daily procurement activities daily
Procurement policy explanatory forums/Sustainability seminars biannually
Global Sustainable Procurement Policy rollout On a timely basis
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
Improving engagement through mutual understanding with employees
Objectively analyzing survey results and formulating and implementing action plans to improve workplace environments based on dialogue
Issuing and revising Bridgestone Code of Conduct, Global Human Rights Policy and Global Anti-Bribery Policy On a timely basis
Employee engagement survey On a timely basis
Personnel evaluation systems and career development consultation On a timely basis
Talent matching system (open-posting system and job-matching system) On a timely basis
Participation in Valuable 500, appointment and recruitment of female managers On a timely basis
Meetings between labor and management On a timely basis
In-house newsletters and intranet daily
Town hall meetings On a timely basis
Bridgestone Group Awards and other reward systems Award: annually
Local Communities, NGOs
  • Contributing to local communities
  • Preserving local environments
  • Supporting activities in locations with Bridgestone Group operating sites
Understanding issues in local communities, supporting solutions, and building trust
Donations and social contribution activities On a timely basis
Facility tours On a timely basis
Environmental and safety education activities On a timely basis
Sponsorship and aid for local events On a timely basis
Disaster relief and reconstruction support On a timely basis
Dialogue and collaborations with NGOs On a timely basis
Government Agencies, Industry Organizations and Educational 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
Promoting and supporting the formulation of industry standards
Revising policy guidelines in line with social and industry trends
Trade association memberships, committees and conferences On a timely basis
Dialogue and collaborations with economic and industry organizations On a timely basis
Dialogue with government representatives On a timely basis
Participation in global initiatives on sustainability and environment such as the Tire Industry Project operated under the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, and Business for Nature On a timely basis
Interaction and exchanges of opinion with municipal government agencies On a timely basis
Communication, coordination, and support of industry-government-academia partnerships On a timely basis

Establishing and enhancing communication structures

An active role in industrial initiatives

Bridgestone takes the environmental and social impact of the tire industry seriously and play a leading role in building knowledge and establishing industry standards to better address the challenges facing the industry as a whole.

For more information on Bridgestone's engagement and initiatives with external organizations, see “Partnerships and Collaboration with External Organizations.”

Expanding dialogue-based IR activities and information disclosure in a timely and appropriate manner

Bridgestone places great importance on two-way communication through dialogue with stakeholders, including analysts, institutional investors, and individual investors. Bridgestone strives to provide accurate and prompt explanations of its management strategy and business status. Bridgestone has established a framework for accurately gauging the expectations and challenges from the capital markets through ongoing dialogue, reflecting them in its management and investor relations activities. Bridgestone is committed to continuous improvement through the PDCA cycle.

At the quarterly financial results announcements, Bridgestone aims to gain greater understanding of and buy-in for its management strategy thorough explanations of the financial results. The Global CEO takes to the stage at each of these sessions as a crucial point of contact to directly answer questions from analysts and the media. Bridgestone applies the insights gained through such dialogue to its management strategy and investor relations activities. Bridgestone is also expanding opportunities for the Global CEO and Independent Directors to engage directly in individual dialogue with investors. By providing feedback to the management team and Board of Directors, Bridgestone is reflecting these insights in discussions and business activities aimed at creating value. By leveraging market voices in its management, Bridgestone strives to enhance the effectiveness of its dialogue and build relationships of mutual trust.

Going forward, Bridgestone will continue to expand and diversify opportunities for dialogue with stakeholders and strive to disclose information in a timely and appropriate manner, working earnestly to evolve our investor relations activities and better contribute to enhancing corporate value.

Major investor relations activities

Feedback to management

ESG small meeting

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 the 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 in Japan. Visitors can see how tires are made and how the Company contributes to environmental conservation throughout the manufacturing process.

Relevant Information

Sustainability