Omron 2009 Annual Report Download - page 24

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Feature 1 Dialogue between Omron President and CEO Hisao Sakuta and
Outside Director Kazuhiko Toyama
Our on-site capabilities will improve when we bring
these approaches together.
—— As an outside director, how do you feel about
this approach?
Mr. Toyama On-site capability functions as a part of
a very organic interweaving of elements. Because one
person’s capabilities are limited, capabilities in reality
only arise in relationships. In contrast, blindly follow-
ing a strategic formula of keeping some parts and
eliminating others can break down important rela-
tionships within a company and become an exercise of
merely conforming to the strategy that will inevitably
lead to failure. The challenge is to find the optimal bal-
ance of emotion and logic, and I think Omron is one
company that has found that balance.
Corporate Philosophy is the Growth Driver
—— How are the Omron Principles put into prac-
tice?
Mr. Sakuta To me, the Omron Principles are just like
oxygen. We may not always be conscious of their pres-
ence, but we can’t survive without them. The biggest
challenge is getting all our employees to understand
the principles for themselves so they can decide how
to manifest the principles in their actions. The princi-
ples are meaningless if they do not lead to action. While
we don’t force our employees to act out the principles,
we frequently visit work sites to discuss them with our
employees. As their understanding deepens, the prin-
ciples naturally begin to show in their actions.
Mr. Toyama Governance is a crucial element for
hedging against terrible consequences, but effective
governance alone is not enough to raise a company’s
corporate value. Rather, I believe that a company’s
principles are the fundamental source of strength for
future growth. When the values held by a company’s
top executives as well as by all of its employees are
values that society recognizes, society then pays for
the products that reflect those values. That, I believe,
is precisely what corporate value is.
6.7 Billion Stakeholders
—— Omron’s corporate motto is “working for a
better life, a better world for all.” How does Omron
define “world?”
Mr. Sakuta In this context, I understand “world” as
“people with common interests.”
—— Is it just interests?
Mr. Sakuta “Interests” goes beyond money and
extends to the interests shared by all 6.7 billion peo-
ple living on the Earth and our children, future
generations. I believe that maintaining a global envi-
ronment that will support the survival of mankind is a
common interest for everyone. I believe our corporate
motto, “At work for a better life, a better world for all,”
aligns quite closely with this view.