Topics Topics in fiscal 2005
OKI receives 2nd Asahi Corporate Citizen Award
OKI received the 2nd Asahi Corporate Citizen Award on September 27, 2005. Instituted in 2004 by the Asahi Shimbun Company in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the publication of the Asahi Shimbun (Asahi Newspaper), this award is presented to companies that engage in advanced, original, and sustained social contribution activities. For the second-year award presentation, four companies, including OKI, were selected as award recipients from 146 candidates. A presentation ceremony and party were held on October 26.
OKI has promoted "work at home" based on information technology for people with severe disabilities. OKI's efforts in providing work opportunities to the physically challenged won recognition, leading to the award.
In June 1998, OKI employed three severely disabled individuals in an effort to expand work opportunities for home-bound physically challenged individuals, thereby initiating a working-at-home system. These employees—IT engineers—formed a team called the OKI Networkers. Using PCs and the Internet, they developed Web systems and created homepages with an emphasis on accessibility. The work-at-home system has expanded to various OKI Group companies, and a total of 13 physically challenged individuals worked at five group companies as of March 2004. To further expand work opportunities for the physically challenged, OKI established a program called OKI WorkWel Co., Ltd. on April 1, 2004. This is Japan's first special subsidiary dedicated to employing severely disabled individuals as primarily home-bound workers.
OKI President Katsumasa Shinozuka (at the center in the back row) and OKI WorkWel staff members
