CSR is the responsibility that binds a company to society, and the various sectors of society are the stakeholders of a company. Shareholders, employees, community residents, and the general public all have a stake in a company, and considering the responsibilities of a company in the context of this relationship is the foundation on which CSR is based.

When considering CSR, one does not begin in the present. It is important that there is first a consciousness of the society we should strive for in the future, and then a consideration of what efforts a company can, or should, make towards that goal. Understanding the direction that society should go, and what a company can do to enable this, is the guiding principle behind CSR.

As a global electronics components manufacturer, Murata already plays a significant role in society, but it also bears a responsibility to help bring about the society of the future. Although this can mainly be accomplished with social contributions made through its business activities, other elements such as efforts by Murata employees to create a better society, involvement in the community, and protection of the environment should also be a part of this endeavor.

In this report, the enthusiasm of the many Murata employees participating in the CSR activities of their company can be clearly felt. Providing employees with a rewarding work environment is a company’s central social responsibility, and it is from here that the company’s contributions to the community and the world as a whole are born. This report demonstrates that Murata is indeed working hard to promote this effort.

However, advancing CSR is not an easy matter, and generating social value is something that is accompanied by difficulties. That is why it is essential for Murata to have management that can establish its main CSR priorities, and then break those goals down into actionable parts. Instead of being bound by conventional ideas of CSR, Murata should also place more weight upon what only it is capable of, and what it is particularly adept at.

It is also important for Murata to make an effort to involve the opinions of many stakeholders, and to continually make any needed adjustments in its direction. CSR is a way for a company – and its employees – to open up a window for stakeholders, and two-way communication should determine the road to be traveled next. I look forward to the further developments I believe we will be seeing in Murata's CSR.