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About Yumiko Kajiwara
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Yumiko Kajiwara is Fujitsu Limited’s head of diversity and inclusion, head of sustainability promotion, and vice president responsible for ‘The FUJITSU Way’ and collaboration with government. Since joining Fujitsu, she has also held senior roles with the IP, legal and HR divisions.
Fujitsu is currently transforming from an ICT company to a Digital Transformation (DX) company. We are trying to become a partner that not only provides technology and services but also engages in digital transformation with customers and other stakeholders. To be a trusted partner, one needs a clearly defined purpose.
It is, to quote: “To make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation.” The aim is to inform all our stakeholders of what Fujitsu stands for and how we can benefit society. It’s our raison d’être: our management philosophy and mission statement all rolled into one, and something around which all management policy, business strategy and services will align.
Notably, ‘trust’ has been part of Fujitsu’s DNA since its founding. Our presidents over the years have repeatedly touched upon it. Trust is imperative in the digital age, and even more so as AI becomes ubiquitous. Of course, as technology matures, it can have both positive and negative impacts. That means it’s up to companies to understand all aspects of the technologies they develop and take responsibility for how they are used.
It’s important for employees to reflect on their actions to ensure they align with our goals. Every worker has to internalize our purpose so they can spontaneously communicate it to others.
In his classic book, Management, Peter Drucker related the story of the three stonecutters who were approached and asked what they were doing. The first answered: “I’m earning a living by cutting stone.” The second didn’t even look up, but said: “I’m doing the best job of cutting stone of anyone in my profession.” The third, however, had the look of a visionary as he replied: “I’m building a cathedral.”
The allegory shows that people doing the same job can have vastly different views. Probably, the most motivated stonecutter would be the one who is aware of the purpose of building something that benefits the entire community.
I think so, especially among millennials and Generation Z. There are many in these generations who are more interested in contributing to society than just making money. Unlike people who’ve lived through periods of relatively high prosperity, the defining moment for younger generations in Japan, for example, might have been the Great East Japan Earthquake, especially if relatives or friends were impacted by it.
That’s why they ask themselves what they should do in these uncertain times. They are also likely to react to the coronavirus pandemic. When a generation with such sensibilities becomes the bedrock of society, companies that don’t adhere to their way of thinking will be shunned.
For several years, I have worked to implement diversity and inclusion policies throughout the company. When brainstorming with our global team about an appropriate internal vision message for diversity and inclusion, we chose: “Be completely you.” This means that a person should be able to realize their full potential in a corporate setting.
It draws on the notion of “psychological safety.” If someone doesn’t feel safe in the workplace, they can’t be 100% effective. For that reason, we must provide a workplace where an individual can work in their own way, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. Diversity and inclusion mean respecting every colleague’s individuality while maximizing abilities and talents. If we can’t do that, it’s going to be harder for us to discover or create new business value.
The idea of everyone working toward the same goal, almost exclusively speaking the same language and drawing on the same cultural references was very successful during the high economic growth period in Japan when productivity was the first priority. However, in this age of uncertainty when the traditional ways of thinking don’t always provide the answers, new perspectives and ideas are called for.
Innovation requires different views and sensibilities. Then again, homogeneity in the workforce is not necessarily all bad. It’s useful sometimes to have everyone on the same page in case existing business values created by technology and related services need to be maintained and enhanced. So rather than choosing between uniformity and homogeneity, we should understand the merits of each and stay balanced.
From a more global perspective, though, Fujitsu has a wealth of relevant expertise and technologies, including its quantum-inspired Digital Annealer, Explainable AI, 5G and blockchain. And true to our purpose, we aim to leverage them all to help solve the problems afflicting society, which in the end will benefit our customers and stakeholders.
• Read more about the Fujitsu’s Purpose, Values and Code of Conduct in the FUJITSU Way.
First published July 2020
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