- The Nippon Foundation, Global Impact Partner of the Valuable 500, have reaffirmed their commitment to disability inclusion by investing a further $2 million in 2023.
- The Nippon Foundation previously made history by investing $5 million – the largest ever single investment into disability business inclusion.
- The Valuable 500 is the largest global network of CEOs committed to disability inclusion its membership includes the likes of Apple, Burberry, Deloitte, Dentsu, EY, Google, Hitachi, Microsoft, Nestle, P&G, The Coco-Cola Company, and Sony.
Tokyo, April 20, 2023: The Nippon Foundation today announces an investment of a further two million US dollars into furthering disability inclusion and systemic change within business. This latest injection brings their total investment to 7 million between 2021 to 2023.
The Nippon Foundation is an independent, non-profit, grant making foundation founded in 1962 which provides humanitarian aid globally. The Nippon Foundation’s disability portfolio and philanthropic support is one of their largest programs. To date, they have invested $1.2 billion USD for social inclusion of persons with disabilities. Its efforts reach countries throughout the world, with an especially strong focus on Southeast Asia. As a Global impact Partner of the Valuable 500, their aim is to promote economic participation for persons with disabilities.
How many lives could be changed if $7 million were spent on direct support for people with disabilities? Investing in the activities of the world’s 500 most successful and well-funded corporations is an infuriatingly contradictory decision for a non-profit organization like the Nippon Foundation. Why, then, would the Nippon Foundation support the activities of these companies? The answer is that we believe that this investment will enable people with disabilities to participate in society and live their own lives. This will drive systematic change. The Nippon Foundation has supported governments, international organizations, NPOs, and other organizations for over half a century in supporting people with disabilities. “If businesses don’t change, the world will never change”. This is a lesson we have learned through our activities over the years. This additional investment was a tough decision for us to make to ensure the birth of a new system around persons with disabilities. We are confident that The Valuable 500 will bring about success.
Moving forwards, over the course of three years, the Valuable 500 will maximise this investment to harness the power of synchronised collective actions across the 500 global businesses consisting of three pillars:
- Representation,
- Leadership; and
- Inclusive Reporting.
Each pillar is developed and delivered in partnership with several Iconic companies amongst the likes of Google, Sony and Verizon. The Iconics represent some of the largest brands in the world which will invest in, develop and implement products and services which will affect system change – materially improving disability inclusion within business.
With over 10% (53) of the Valuable 500’s membership being head quartered in Japan, the Valuable 500 and The Nippon Foundation will be convening the Japanese businesses to discuss how they can further push the dial forward on disability inclusion within business and how to effectively combat ESG obstacles.
Central to this work is tackling one of the greatest barriers to change – the lack of disability data in business. It is our ambition that all our Valuable 500 companies will be reporting on disability performance in their annual reports against a harmonised set of metrics. What is measured gets managed and gets done. This will enable us to hold ourselves to account and create new frameworks for a better society and driving system change.
Earlier this year, the Valuable 500 launched its white paper entitled ‘ESG and Disability Data: A call for inclusive reporting’ co-funded and developed with Allianz and London Stock Exchange Group.
The white paper recommends five global standardised Disability Inclusion Key Performance Indicators – Workforce Representation, Goals, Training, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and Digital Accessibility. The culmination of their efforts will be showcased within the world first accountability event on disability business performance in Tokyo 2025 on International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPD).
Download the white paper (pdf, 472KB).
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Notes to Editors.
About the Valuable 500
The Valuable 500 was launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in January 2019. Today the Valuable 500 is the largest community of Global CEOs committed to disability inclusion in business.
Since its creation, the Valuable 500 has achieved its initial goal of getting 500 multinational organisations to make a public commitment to disability inclusion in their organisation, igniting a historic global movement for a new age of diversity in business. The Valuable 500 and their global impact partner The Nippon Foundation, will be working closely with the World Economic Forum and International Disability Alliance – bringing together a leading philanthropic organisation with the most prestigious global business network and the voice of the global disability community.
By engaging with the world’s most influential business leaders and brands, the network now has a market cap of over $23 trillion, combined revenues of over $8 trillion and employs a staggering 22 million people worldwide. It includes 15 iconic global CEOs and companies who will be spearheading the programmes and services to be offered under Phase 2 of the transformation programme.
The Valuable 500 is determined to create a community that supports and empowers the 500 to systematically transform their businesses via synchronised collective actions, so they include the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities worldwide, thereby unlocking their business, social and economic potential.
We believe that if business takes a lead, society and government will follow. Truly inclusive businesses can build truly inclusive societies.
Companies Headquartered in Japan.
ABeam Consulting, Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co., Ltd., ANA, Benesse Holdings, Inc., Bridgestone Corporation, Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd., DELOITTE TOHMATSU GROUP, Dentsu, DMM.com LLC, DNP Group, EBARA Corporation, ENEOS Holdings, Inc., Fast Retailing, Hitachi Group, Japan Airlines, Kao Corporation, Kawada Technologies, Keio Plaza Hotel, KNT-CT, KOKUYO, Marui Group, Mazda Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Chemical, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Monex Group, NEC Corporation, Noritz Corporation, NTT Group, OMRON, Resonac Holdings, Santen, SBI Shinsei Bank, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS, INC., Seibu Group, Seiko Group, Sekisui House, Ltd., Shimizu Corporation, Shionogi & Co.,Ltd., Shiseido, Shizuoka Bank, Ltd., SMBC Group, SoftBank Corp., Sompo Group, Sony Group, Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Life, Suntory Group, Taisei Corporation, The Asahi Shimbun Company, The San-in Godo Bank Ltd., The Yomiuri Shimbun, TOTO Group, Unicharm Group, Urban Research Co. Ltd.
