CSR Program by Kyocera Includes Eco Lessons to 23,000 Elementary School Kids in Japan and China

The CSR program within Kyocera Corporation in Japan includes teaching eco-themed lessons to 23,000 children in Japan and China as of June and counting. A fine ceramics producer and supplier of solar power generating systems, Kyocera's product line also extends to telecommunications equipment, printers, copiers, electronic parts, semiconductor packages and cutting tools. The company's CSR program is focused on offering the eco-lessons at 250+ schools in Japan and China over the next year.

An in-house instructor training program was established to provide specialized training to Kyocera Group employees, who design the eco-lessons. The employees are also groomed on how to speak, act and conduct the classes. The goal of the lessons is to improve the kids' awareness of eco issues related to alternative energy and to engender an environmentally friendly attitude. Lessons include experimentation kits, toys that use solar cells, an entertaining quiz as well as other interactive activities intended to provide action learning. Kudos to the CSR masterminds who began offering these classes. Typically two instructors teach each class. The goal is that 120 instructors from 26 Kyocera locations will teach 240 elementary school children across Japan and 4 instructors are slated to teach at 18 schools in China from April 2010 through March 2011.

The seeds for this corporate social responsibility program date back to 1998, when Kyocera built a large-scale solar power generating system that included 1,896 solar panels. The company got deluged with field trip requests by local schools that wanted to tour the showroom and facility so the kids could learn about solar power. With assistance from the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and industry participants who were sponsoring eco-themed classes at the time, Kyocera decided to start offering the environmentally focused class at schools in Japan in 2003, and expand the lesson opportunities to children in China in 2009.

Can a CSR program of this magnitude be offered to children in school in the US? Absolutely. But I'd add one component to the program: how about adding a parallel CSR initiative that focuses on teaching kids valuable socially-focused outreach? How to become volunteer leaders in their communities? Or a class that teaches kids how to become peer 'instructors' for kids in rural or inner-city schools whose peers are struggling with their math, science or language studies? Or a class that provides lessons on sustainable agriculture, giving children a chance to learn about where food comes from, how it can be grown organically and why it's important to ensure that people are offered safe and healthy working conditions in addition to being compensated fairly? Or a class that teaches them to become 'readers' for elderly and children who are visually impaired? Or perhaps one where they are taught conflict-resolution skills so they can become peer-level-mediators to reduce bullying behaviors at school?

The possibilities are endless.