En-Cycles October SeminarAfter the speech, the whole room participated in the Q&A discussion facilitated by Arisa.
Question1： Is there any possibility that reporting on CSR issues will become obligatory through national or international legislation?
Peter：In some countries, such legislations already exist in France where companies have a reporting obligation on details of employee training. It is very difficult to lay out legislations with immediate enforcement, and it is also hard to compare reports from different countries because there are no set international standards. However, there are movements to create such common standards, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
Question2：You have mentioned that EIRIS never gives advice to investors in order to keep its neutrality. However, don’t you think you also have to responsibility to enlighten public on issues which we should pay attention to in the field of responsible investment? Is there any risk that people will pay too much attention to major issues like climate change and ignore other issues like biodiversity?
Peter：It certainly is a problem that people pay attention to a certain issue and forget others according to short term trends of public opinion. However, climate change is quite a unique topic as it itself includes various other issues, and therefore means that through focusing on climate change one can address many other issues.
At EIRIS, we conduct research regardless of its popularity so long as there is a clients need for it, so we often research on issues which are not well know to the public. We believe it is our duty to provide information about unpopular issues to our clients who have not yet recognized its seriousness and contribute to raise awareness of investors. Biodiversity is already recognized as an issue that is as important as climate change internationally.
Question3：How do you think the current financial crisis will affect SRI?
Peter：It has made us reconsider the transparency of financial firms and what responsible business is. Many people think the “age of greed” has died and the “age of responsibility” is coming. I believe responsible investment contribute to it. The economist Sir Nicholas Stern has said that the cost of not taking action is far greater than the cost of addressing climate change now. The current crisis is a good example of the effects of not dealing with something everyone knew to be a problem.
Question4：When we evaluate “good CSR activity” based on global standards, isn’t there a danger of these standards to have a favorable bias towards Europe, and the potential of screening out all companies from South-East Asia and African countries?
Peter： If a local government does not act sufficiently, the role of companies which reflect opinions of European investors and clients will be very important. In addition, to achieve a global standard will be a large incentive for local companies for being recognized as a global market player. Japan also used to be reluctant in introducing global standard, but increased understanding for these standards have brought acceptance. It is important for companies from countries such as Japan who are outside Europe to be involved in the stage when such ‘global’ standards are being created.
Question5：It is evident that Japanese companies are making a certain level of effort in CSR activities, but I think it is not integrated into the corporate strategies. Is it just because they are not good at communication, or is rooted in the Japanese culture?
Peter：Insufficient communication can be seen as part of the reason. At the same time, companies may not be confident that they can implement outside of Japan the high standards of corporate activities they have done within Japan.
If you are interested in their activities, post a comment on this article or email en_cycles@yahoo.co.jp and they will get back to you for further notice.
Today I visited our client, GANKO HOMPO in Chigasaki. GANKO HOMPO, led by Mr. Kimura (called "Kimuchin") is creating washing detergent, cleaning brush and other house keeping goods. They are exhibiting in Ecotwaza Times Vol.4.
This product, which I knew since three years ago when people were still making fun, is now a big hit in Japan. I had a chance of meeting some people from the company at Eco-Products this year, and they are really nice just like their sense of humor.
Today I went for lunch with my friends to LE VENT DE VERT, an old French restaurant in Kunitachi. Located on the main street, it is about a 5 minutes walk from the station. The food and atmosphere is nice, the price is reasonable, and what I like especially is their made-to-order dish plates. It has a cute picture of the restaurant and previous Kunitachi station.
Christmas season is coming up, and the annual illumination light up started in Kunitachi. The main streat is now very pretty, and although the amount of light is not that much, you can enjoy gentle illumination since everything else is dark. If you have a chance of coming to the west part of Tokyo, please take some time and check it out. The lighting should be starting around 6pm every evening..JPG)
SAKAN is such a traditional Japanese occupation; people may wonder why he goes overseas to work. "I want to learn more from overseas projects. There is much to learn from building projects abroad, since there are many old things left especially in Europe, and unbelievable effort is made for renovation. There are new large projects in emerging countries that you won't be able to experience in Japan too." While most craftsmen of Japan tend to keep their field within Japan for language barriers and traditional ways of thinking, Naoki's mentality to “learn more” just doesn't fit him within the small country border. A big issue about wall plasterer craftsmanship in Japan is automation, and too much labor division. Less building projects allow slow and handicraft process. Naoki’s long term dream is to learn how the Meister System works in other countries and bring it back to Japan to recover the thinning stream. When asked for a comment to following SAKANs and other craftsmen who are struggling, he shyly shrugged and said "I can't say anything special when I am still a learning person. I want people to feel from my works". Now this is the soul of Japanese craftsmanship. (Shokunin-damashii)
It is interesting that he doesn’t bring the wall material from Japan for his overseas projects. He will use local earth, stone, glue and other natural resource to make his own wall paint. “Of course, the best earth for me is the soil of Awaji. I know the exact outcome if I use Awaji soil, because I know it so well. Earth is unpredictable at first. We blend it and create material for various use such as finishing, polishing and shaping. It does take time and effort to create wall material from earth I don’t know.
After learning the basics in his hometown, Naoki ventures to other parts of Japan to master more design and garnishment skills. Not many SAKAN know how to create their own material from plain earth, but at the same time, not many have the skill of creating designs either. His curiosity and high leveled skills led him to more offers from different projects, including overseas. However he says Awaji has always been the origin of his creativity. “The traditional roofs, landscape with rice fields, the waves I enjoy surfing, the cliff you can see from the shore… what I felt beautiful seems to be reflected somewhere else in my works”.
Are you planning to go shopping this weekend? If you are, American Express is putting on a one month Charity from today, Nov15 until Dec14. If you shop using your American Express card at the partner shops of Banana Republic and Barneys NY in Japan, you will get a 5% discount and 100 yen will be donated to the non-government-organization Médecins du Monde (France). The donation will be used for polio vaccine and prevention of malaria. 
(Interior designer Ryoko Ando in front of her exhibition)
The reason why Onewill started to develop this old and new technology was interesting. Onewill Co., ltd. used to import Canadian houses about ten years ago, but during their first construction, they became aware of the indoor air pollution because of the plastic wallpaper. It was even before the "sick house syndrome" became a social issue, but since the company vision was to "supply houses that are cool in summer, warm in winter, and healthy", they decided that it was conflicting their vision to supply such houses to their customers. According to Mr. Kohbuchi, who was in charge of the project at the time, they postponed the delivery date to bake out* the walls and also installed a ventilation system on all houses. This made the company start a quest in search of materials that won't do harm to people in order to fulfill their vision. 
It will look like this from near distance.→
There are many products which claim to include diatom earth, but the amount varies, and of course it effects the ability to absorb water. You can actually feel how this wall material absorbs moisture at their showroom. The two doors lead to two small rooms with the same humidity, and when you touch the walls, you can feel that the one with ordinary plastic wall paper is wet, while the one with KEISO-KUN is slightly sweating but not so much. By data, it can breathe in 125g/m2 moisture in a room set at 30C and 95% humidity. This is twice as much as ordinary KEISO-DO wall material.
A soy sauce production company asked Onewill to do a research for recycling diatom earth after used for soy sauce production. Although it was too cost consuming to recycle the earth into wall paint, they figured out that Amino had a great effect on increasing the amount of moisture absorption. Onewill and the Kanagawa Industry & Technology Center conducted further research, and came out with this breathing wall that can inhale formaldehyde and control humidity. 
The picture is the showroom of Onewill Co., ltd.. The statue of the elephant was brought from Thailand by the CEO. Elephants are said to be able to communicate at long distances using ultrasonic sound, and their message is that "direct communication is important in this world of electric communication". You can visit Onewill Showroom from Ohfuna Station (Tokaido Line). Contact Mr. Kohbuchi from 0467-43-1415 (Japanese only) or if you need assistance in English, call Ecotwaza at 042-573-5613 or email info@ecotwaza.com
