[COTEN Co., Ltd.] COTEN, which operates “Coten Radio, where you can learn about history in an interesting way,” and Okano Valve
Manufacturing form a business partnership in the field of humanities and knowledge.
*COTEN Co., Ltd.*
Press release: August 27, 2024
**
COTEN, which operates “Koten Radio, where you can learn about history in an interesting way,” and Okano Valve Manufacturing form a business partnership in the field of humanities.
*~Newly established “Humanities Research Institute” as a research institute for social issues within Okano Valve Manufacturing~* * COTEN Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Representative Director: Ryunosuke Fukai, hereinafter referred to as COTEN RADIO, where you can learn history in an interesting way) COTEN) has formed a business alliance in the humanities field with Okano Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Representative Director: Takeharu Okano, hereinafter referred to as Okano Valve Manufacturing), and will conduct information research on social issues within Okano Valve Manufacturing. We have established a new specialized institution, the Humanities Research Institute. *
*Background of collaboration*
COTEN’s raison d’être in society is to serve as a bridge between humanities and society.
In today’s world, where change is rapid and accelerating, we believe that humanities are essential in understanding the known risks posed by human society and in order to leave a better society to the next generation.
Companies should especially have access to the knowledge of the humanities, and we want to make an impact on them. Because corporate activities have a wide-ranging impact on society as a whole, we value support that leverages humanities knowledge to help companies bring about a positive impact on society through their activities.
* ◇Changes in the social role of companies and what is expected of companies in the future*
Corporations, which used to ignore their impact on society and the environment in the pursuit of profits and the promotion of economic growth, are gradually expanding their social roles and focusing on environmental protection, respect for human rights, contribution to local communities, and sustainable development. They have evolved to fulfill a wide range of responsibilities that go beyond the mere pursuit of profit, such as achieving goals. At the same time, companies are increasing their social influence, and this trend is predicted to continue. The social and environmental responsibilities that companies must fulfill are expected to become even more important in the future.
Therefore, by fulfilling these social responsibilities, we are required to achieve long-term growth and build trust from society. For companies, building long-term growth and building trust from society by fulfilling these social responsibilities is an important issue for their survival. Therefore, rather than simply following trends, companies are required to predict the direction of social change, take into account the company’s own social significance, and proactively choose their actions.
* ◇ Concept of the Humanities Research Institute *
In light of this situation, COTEN is a research team called
“Humanities Research” that delivers humanities knowledge directly to corporate managers and supports them in redefining their social existence and choosing proactive actions. We came up with a business concept to support the establishment of a “Tokoro” within a company. On the other hand, as a representative company in Kitakyushu, Okano Valve Manufacturing, which has been operating for nearly 100 years with a balance between pursuing profit and contributing to the local community, is working with us to find the value of its existence with an eye on the next 100 years. While I was looking for a partner to do this, I came across COTEN.
* ◇ Reasons for collaboration and activities*
Okano Valve Manufacturing fundamentally embodies COTEN’s idea of what a company should be, and is the best partner that can make use of the Humanities Research Institute. COTEN will redefine the value of Okano Valve Manufacturing and create the next 100 companies. We have reached this collaboration based on mutual understanding that this is an important partner in thinking about 2019.
In launching the Humanities Research Institute, we selected members with consideration for diversity in gender, age, and occupation, and collaborated with the Koten Research Team to carry out research on the theme of “measures to stay ahead of ESG.” We are proceeding.
* ◇Future outlook*
COTEN and Okano Valve Manufacturing will continue to conduct research and practice in order to become a company that continues to take leadership in changing society for the better while maintaining its origins in valuing local communities.
* ■Comment from Takeharu Okano, representative director of Okano Valve Manufacturing*
In order to carry OKANO’s management into the next century, it is necessary to bring depth and depth to the work of the organization by creating opportunities for employees to touch the intellectual world that goes beyond their daily work. I felt that it was. After hearing about the Humanities Research Institute from COTEN’s Mr. Fukai, we decided that it was an initiative that would suit these purposes, so we decided to form a business partnership.
Our company has continued its business activities with roots in Kitakyushu, but in order to maintain strong management that is unaffected by recent social conditions, we must not rest on our current foundations and consider the big picture from a unique perspective. You need to acquire a perspective. We believe that this partnership will embody a corporate management style that uses the power of humanities to acquire such worldviews and organizational skills.
I am delighted to be the first to launch a humanities research institute in partnership with COTEN. We hope that by seeing how our company is changing in the future, the usefulness of applying humanities knowledge to corporate activities will be widely
recognized.
* ■Comment from Ryunosuke Fukai, CEO of COTEN*
Becoming a bridge between humanities and society has been COTEN’s goal since its founding.
As a result, we started “Koten Radio,” and we are thrilled that our activities have finally come to fruition and that we are now able to directly support companies.
In particular, it is of deep significance that we have Okano Valve Manufacturing as one of the first partners to launch the Humanities Research Institute. Okano Valve Manufacturing is a Kitakyushu-owned company with a 100-year history, and its president, Mr. Okano, has felt a responsibility to contribute to the community since he was a child, and is the embodiment of COTEN’s ideal management style. Because there is.
I believe President Okano immediately understood the significance and importance of establishing the Institute for the Humanities and made the immediate decision to launch it because he intuited that we were heading in the same direction.
However, collaborating with us, who have no track record of starting a humanities research institute, required a great deal of courage, and I think it was difficult to gain the understanding of those around us. I am truly grateful to have made that decision.
In addition to the Coten Radio research team, COTEN has established research teams in the past two years with the themes of “promotion of women’s empowerment,” “war prevention mechanisms,” and
“post-capitalism.” By making the most of this know-how, we would like to work with Okano Valve Manufacturing’s research team to submit humanities insights and support management decisions based on those insights.
* -COTEN Co., Ltd. Company Profile-*
Company name: COTEN Co., Ltd.
Established: February 2016
Representative Director and CEO: Ryunosuke Fukai
Head office location: 2-6-11 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture Fukuoka Growth Next
URL: https://coten.co.jp/
Business content: Research and development of world history database Management of the podcast “COTEN RADIO, where you can learn about history in an interesting way”
COTEN is a world history database (a group of services that organizes historical information and knowledge written from various perspectives based on unified rules and allows searches using keywords and tags) in order to become a bridge between humanities knowledge and society. We are working on the development of. In addition, “Coten Radio, where you can learn history in an interesting way”
We operate a media business centered on “RADIO”.
-COTEN related links-
・Twitter: https://twitter.com/CotenInc
・note: https://note.com/coten_inc
-Koten Radio where you can learn history in an interesting way- ・Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/jp/podcast/id1450522865 ・Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qiAapMhh8UgWVfDWTSq2f ・You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/c/cotenradio
* -Okano Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Company Profile-*
Company name: Okano Valve Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Established: 1926
Representative Director and President: Takeharu Okano
Head office location: 1-14 Nakamachi, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture URL: https://okano-valve.co.jp/