Continuous contribution to the SDGs through the supply of R&D instruments

AS ONE plays an important role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by supporting research and development activities in many fields as a supplier of scientific instruments and other equipment.

There was a brief period when Japan faced a shortageof medical PPE. During that period, we gathered some70 company volunteers who, over the course of severaldays, made nearly 2,500 sets of basic PPE by hand tobe distributed to medical worksites across the country.

Activities to develop the skills of children

On August 1, 2019, as part of its social contribution activities, AS ONE hosted the Children’s Science Laboratory at the summer science event held at King Sky front, Kawasaki City’s open innovation hub for life and environmental science. AS ONE’s nearby Tonomachi Solution Research Laboratory provided 30+ children with an opportunity to have fun with science by teaching them how to make their ownunique slime.

We use shareholder perks to make contributions to theHatachi Fund. The Hatachi Fund is a foundation that provides20 years of continuous support to children who were newbornsat the time of the Tohoku Earthquake to ensure they reach their20th birthday. Through September 2021, we receiveddonations totaling 1,965,000 yen from 487 shareholders.

Supporting small and midsize companies, key players for economic growth

AS ONE is helping small and midsize companies to grow as it expands the horizon of business opportunities. We use catalogs and the Internet to sell products supplied by roughly 4,000 suppliers internationally. At the same time, we provide about 4,700 dealers in Japan with an opportunity to sell a broad range of products from overseas suppliers.

The Tonomachi Solution Research Laboratory, our lab forcontracted research work, provides space, equipment, andmaterials for Course I of the fundamental cell culturetechnology course. This course is part of the cell culturespecialist certification program run by the Japanese TissueCulture Association, which promotes the standardization ofcell cultures.

Sustaining supply via BCP

As a company with a social mission to support medical and research institutions, we continued our corporate activities during the state of emergency in accordance with our business continuity plan, which included teleworking, while preventing the spread of infection. We are working to expedite the procurement process and securing new purchasing channels in anticipation of the second and third waves of COVID-19 in order to fulfill our responsibility to ensure a continuous supply for health care workers. S

Participating in the launch of the Organization for Advanced Healthcare Innovation

AS ONE participated in the establishment of the Organization for Advanced Healthcare Innovation. It works toward putting into practice the concept of the International Hub for Healthcare Innovation, an Osaka-based facility where medical institutions providing state-of-the-art health care, related R&D ventures, and support organizations will operate under one roof. When opened, it will be the first such facility in Japan.

Protecting greenery for the future

We use proceeds from catalog recycling for forest revitalization projects.Working in cooperation with the non-profit Environmental Relations Research Institute, we planted 450 trees at the “Science Forest” in Osaki city, Miyagi prefecture in 2015. The Science Forest sign at this site includes the names of the primary dealers that helped collect used catalogs.

As support for artists with disabilities, we display artfrom the Pasona Heartful Inc.'s Art Mura in the freespace of our headquarters building. The art providesatmosphere in the free space where employees interactand take breaks.