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- Care for and Activation of Communities
Care for and Activation of Communities
Approach and Policies
Group Policy (Social)
The Nomura Real Estate Group recognizes that community dysfunction and reduced vitality, and the related weakening of communities due to factors such as the declining birth rate and aging population and the increase in the number of vacant dwellings are important social issues. The Group fosters connections with customers and local communities and supports the nurturing of communities by means of building design initiatives and operational services. Through these measures, it is promoting smooth mutual assistance in emergencies and community revitalization and contributing to the realization of a cooperative society. Particularly in regard to disaster prevention, we periodically conduct disaster drills with tenants and the local community. In terms of community development, we also participate in voluntary cleanup campaigns and local events, and we promote the BE UNITED initiative to build communities with local ties.
When conducting real estate and urban development, we take into consideration the impact on the living and business environments of people in the local communities and endeavor to create ongoing and trusting relationships with our stakeholders.
Management
Management (Social)
Engagement with Local Communities
The Group, as a corporate entity that develops businesses in the community, places emphasis on engaging with stakeholders, including those who live and work in the condominiums and office buildings it owns and neighborhood associations, to play a role in revitalizing the community and region. Recognizing the importance of gaining a full understanding and endorsement of the Group’s stance and policies toward regional and community revitalization, we focus on establishing the foundations of strong local communities through various forms of engagement.
Specifically, the Group companies facilitate communication between customers as well as between customers and municipalities and government when community events such as summer festivals and Christmas events are held at office buildings and commercial facilities. In addition, we set up suggestion boxes at commercial facilities and inquiry counters for customer input when they experience problems to facilitate easy communication.
Results
Performance Data
Results of Community Revitalization Support for Revitalizing Local Communities
FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Newly constructed residential properties with facilities that contribute to local communities | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Number of community Be ACTO*1 opened (cumulative total) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Number of Be ACTO members | ー | ー | ー | 1,306 |
Number of elementary school programs organized | ー | ー | ー | 10 |
Number of preoccupancy housewarming events at residential properties | 27 | ー*1 | ー*1 | 11 |
Number of companies that participated in tenant networking events at mid-sized office brand PMO | 27 | ー*1 | ー*1 | ー*1 |
No events were held in fiscal 2020, 2021, or 2022 to help contain the spread of COVID-19.
For more information on Be ACTO, please visit the Be ACTO website.
Engagement with Stakeholders to Revitalize Regions and Communities
Stakeholders | Forms of Engagement | Frequency | Engagement Themes (Details) |
---|---|---|---|
Local community | Be ACT: A form of community management that we run alongside operations | Various events, etc., held irregularly | Creating a town that continues to think about and generate local value with local residents |
Local community | Be UNITED initiative: collaboration with NPOs, government, and local communities | Implemented according to the collaborator | Working with diverse local stakeholders to enhance value and local attractions |
Tenants | Number of companies participating in exchange meetings | Several times a year | Encouraging interaction among users of our mid-scale office brand PMO, leading to increased value of use and the well-being of users |
Residents | Exchange meetings held before moving in | Prior to move-in for each condominium | Making our tenants feel at ease before moving into a residential condominium, as well as serving as a foundation for community building |
Initiatives
Plans and Designs that Revitalize Communities
The Group promotes plans and designs that support development and revitalization so that customers including residents and tenant companies can develop communities over the long term after they take up occupancy.
100 Design Techniques for Condominium Communities
The Group formulated the 100 Design Techniques for Condominium Communities (the “100 Design Techniques”) through an industry-academia joint research project with the graduate school of Japan Women’s University and reflects them in condominium product planning. The 100 Design Techniques organize plans and designs for revitalizing communities based on the results of surveys on the status of use of common areas in condominiums developed by the Group and surveys of livability satisfaction. The objective is to create comfortable communities where residents respect individual lifestyles of others and can support one another during emergencies such as in the event of a disaster.
Tenant-Only Community Floor NEON
At the Shinjuku Nomura Building (where our headquarters and several Group companies locate, in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) and the Hamamatsucho Building (located in Minato-ku, Tokyo), the Group created community floors for the exclusive use by officers and employees of tenant companies and the Group. The aim is to increase options for places for internal and external interactions and working, and the spaces are used for dining, coworking, and holding events.
H¹O, a Small Office with Support Services
Common areas of buildings of the new H¹O series, which are being developed by the Group, provide spaces that are designed to enable people to switch on and off from work. H¹O will not only provide places with aroma air conditioning and shower rooms (for some properties) where a person can take a rest and relax but also provide healthy foods and organize various training and events in order to promote community formation among tenant workers.
Flow Plan for Naturally Building Community in Common Area
Under its flow plan, the Group has constructed common areas (main and guest dining rooms, karaoke and theater, fitness studio, community café, large bathroom, etc.) on the first floor of OUKAS, as a health-promoting rental senior residence that allows people to gather and naturally interact.
Operation and Management that Supports Community Revitalization
The Group also holds social events for residents and tenant companies, issues newsletters and engages in other initiatives to help customer communities function in a healthy manner over the long term after taking up occupancy. In fiscal 2022, we held 11 preoccupancy housewarming events at residences. We also held tenant networking events at three PMO office buildings and 27 tenant companies participated. (In fiscal 2020, 2021, and 2022, these events were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Condominium Community Guide Released
The Group distributes the Condominium Community Guide to management associations. The Guide is a pamphlet that includes know-how regarding community activities from planning to execution.
Holding Events for Condominium Residents
The Group holds events for residents in condominiums managed by the Group, where residents (families, etc.) can deepen interactions while enjoying food and farming through harvesting experiences in spacious fields surrounded by rich nature. In fiscal 2019, a total of 406 persons participated for two days. (In fiscal 2020, 2021, and 2022, these events were not held due to the COVID- 19 pandemic.)
Activation of Communities Based on the BE UNITED Initiative
The Group strives to deliver value by recognizing that engagement does not end when the building is completed, so that customers can form trusting relationships with the residents over the long term after taking up occupancy. We collaborate with NPOs, governmental bodies, and local communities from the development stage to stimulate conversations within communities through projects and activities over long periods and strive to develop communities by reaffirming their value and creating positive cycles of interaction.
Creating Circular Communities through Be ACTO Area Management
Be ACTO is a system in which the Group participates in area management. We believe the purpose of area management is to continuously recognize and generate local value together with the people who live there. By continuing to help establish a sense of inter-dependence among area residents, we hope to create seedbeds for fostering multigenerational and circulatory communities that are unique to each area. Since the first project at Be ACTO Hiyoshi, we have launched the initiative at various areas including Be ACTO Minamiyama and Be ACTO Kameido.
Communication with the Community and Customers
The Group, as a business entity that develops businesses involved in the community, places emphasis on implementing engagement with stakeholders. The Group promotes exchanges between the Group and customers as well as between the Group and community residents. It also facilitates communication between customers and communication between customers and municipalities and government when community events such as summer festivals and Christmas events are held at office buildings and commercial facilities. In addition, we set up suggestion boxes at commercial facilities and inquiry counters for customers to make inquiries when they have problems, in order to facilitate easy communication.
Ties Between OUKAS Funabashi and Local Communities
The Group periodically makes available the fitness studio and community cafe at OUKAS Funabashi, health promoting senior rental housing, to local residents as a hub for health support and multi-generation social interaction.
Ties of Fitness Clubs with Local Communities and Schools
We believe that sports have an immense impact on developing the abilities of growing children, especially if there is a focus on non-cognitive skills, such as self-esteem, perseverance and cooperation. To help children develop non-cognitive skills, our Megalos fitness club created the Kodomo Mirai Project (project for children’s futures), which connects Megalos with local communities, actively provides a place to develop children’s non-cognitive skills, and contributes to creating stronger communities. To successfully implement a project designed for children, Megalos must maintain and strengthen its ties with the local community, kindergartens, nursery schools and schools, which play an important role in children’s growth. For that reason, Megalos is making various efforts, such as holding swimming and physical education classes at its location, conducting lessons at schools, and renting out swimming pools. In recognition of these efforts, the club received the Good Design Award in 2020.
Kodomo Mirai Project
Contributions to Local Communities and Society
Communication through Educational Programs
The Group develops educational programs to build new relationships between towns and children. Watching over the community is a program for nurturing children’s interest in their town and for thinking together about what is important for the town after dispatching lecturers to elementary schools.
Machi-Oni is a program developed in collaboration with the Graduate School of Keio University to create a local tag game that all participants can enjoy. In addition to sports-related lessons such as swimming, MIRAIKU, and physical education, our MEGALOS sports club also operates the Kids After School program to offer these programs.
Establishing Relationships of Trust with Local Communities
When conducting real estate and urban development, we focus on building consensus and relationships of trust with local governments, landowners and residents in the areas where we operate.
Neighborhood Briefings
The Group states in its human rights policy that it aims to coexist in harmony with local communities in the countries and regions in which it operates. In each of these locations, the Group shall foster and support sustainable communities that continue to attract a diverse group of people. The Group shall also respect human rights related to the lives and health of local residents affected by its business activities by ensuring the safety of its buildings and taking into consideration the impact of construction work on the surrounding environment, including noise, vibration, and dust. We understand that construction often causes concerns for local residents, particularly about the possible deterioration of water quality and landslides, noise, vibration and debris as well as accidents caused by falling objects. To clearly and sincerely respond to these concerns, we hold neighboring briefings at development sites and place top priority on the safety and security of nearby residents during construction.
Giving Consideration to Ease of Access to Public Transportation Services
When acquiring land and properties, the Group gives consideration to the accessibility to public transportation services in all cases so that customers can live in and/or use them with ease.
Employment and Procurement from Communities
The Group is promoting employment and procurement from local communities in which it conducts business to contribute to their continuous development and establish an ongoing trusting relationship with them. In particular, we actively utilize local specialty products in our hotel business and employ local staff for our overseas business.
Improving the Well-being of Tenants in the Building
In order to provide the users of office and other buildings with spaces that help maintain and improve their health and comfort, the Group as a whole is adopting building specifications and performance standards that lead to improved well-being and is working to implement programs for users. In addition, we have made it a rule to obtain CASBEE Wellness Office certification* for all income-generating properties (achieved 75%) and strengthening it.
(Main Specifications and Performance Standards for Improving Well-being)
・Muffled indoor noise
・Natural light and appropriate illuminance
・Design with special attention to the view from the office, for feeling a connection with nature
・Secured refreshment space
Main Programs for Users
・Promote physical activity
・Create meeting opportunities in daily activities
・Conduct periodic satisfaction surveys
Certification organized by the Institute for Built Environment and Carbon Neutral for SDGs to evaluate building specifications, performance, and initiatives that help maintain and improve the health and comfort of building users.
Sustainability
- The Nomura Real Estate Group’s Stance on Sustainability
- Climate Change and the Natural Environment
- Society and Employees
- ESG Data