Special Feature: Outside Director Message
Utilizing experience and knowledge to contribute to enhancing the CAC Group’s corporate value
* Published in CAC Report 2023
Two years on from becoming an outside director
Around two years have now passed since I was appointed an outside director of CAC Holdings in March 2021*. The reason for my appointment was that I had the opportunity to work with various companies as an industrial physician while working at a hospital as a dermatologist, and that led to my connection with CAC Holdings. Although medical care and IT are completely different industries, I decided to accept the position because I thought that my experience of interacting with countless people through my work in medical care would be of some help on the “people” side of things, which is the most important thing for any company.
*Interview conducted in May 2023
The CAC Group: characterized by its solid corporate culture and flexibly in adopting new technologies and concepts
I get the impression that the CAC Group has many people who give off a youthful vibe, in a positive sense. Perhaps because the IT industry is evolving day by day, there seems to be a culture in which everybody flexibly adopts new technologies and concepts, and I do not feel like there is a generation gap, which is often seen at other companies. It seems that CAC Group is trying to give employees equal opportunities to engage in new challenges, without being constrained by seniority or nepotism.
I think that another characteristic of the CAC Group is displayed in its solid corporate culture. In today’s society, only flashy examples such as geniuses and highly innovative technologies draw conspicuous attention. But there are many people behind the scenes who continue to do work that relates to the very foundation of society, even if they do not stand out. I once heard one CAC Group employee said that “we work like a cog between two other gears,” and I take that in a positive way. I look forward to seeing how CAC Group will change as a company aiming for further growth, as stated in CAC Vision 2030.
Commenting at Board of Directors meetings by assuming the positions of various people
At meetings of the Board of Directors, we hear from many different individuals who teach us politely and carefully about specialized content. I think it is easy to ask questions, and the atmosphere is very good. By reviewing the attendees and way in which we proceeded in 2023, the division of roles of each person has become clearer, and everyone has thought carefully about creating materials that make it easier for us all to understand.
Personally, I try to make comments at board meetings by anticipating the positions of various people involved in the CAC Group. Although the original role of the Board of Directors may be oriented more toward shareholders, I believe that this alone is not good for the company in the long term. While of course we do value the shareholder perspective, when discussing and considering various matters, we always try to be aware of whose direction we should be looking when making decisions.
Utilizing experience and knowledge to provide a safe and healthy workplace
I am involved as an advisor in the newly established Sustainability Management Committee, which was formed in July 2022.
One of the key material issues identified by the CAC Group is (1) creating a rewarding working environment that is chosen by employees, and one of the goals set for that material issue is “providing a safe and healthy workplace.” With that in mind, the CAC Group has been working to create a comfortable working environment and promote health management. But as further efforts are demanded, I believe that this is an area in which I can make use of my own experience and knowledge, so I would like to give appropriate advice and recommendations.
I have also not yet had the opportunity to talk directly with employees and listen to their opinions from the workplace, so I hope that there will be opportunities for dialogue with employees, to see if there is any disparity between our ideal vision and the reality.
Continuing to ask ourselves what kind of value we offer to society
For the CAC Group to further increase its corporate value, I believe that it is important to consider how we face society, and how we solve social issues. For example, new technologies should be welcomed, but they can also be a double-edged sword, in that they can also cause unexpected harm depending on how they are used. Some companies will do anything to improve sales and business performance, but in order to sustainably increase corporate value it is necessary for us to continuously question what value technologies offer to society.
I think that this is where corporate culture comes into play. The CAC Vision 2030 clearly states five values that all members of the CAC Group should value, as the Five Values. I believe that building a corporate culture based on this unwavering foundation will lead to the improvement of the CAC Group’s corporate value.
A company is nothing without its people: giving advice to ensure that we do not forget that perspective
One thing that I have really felt through my work as an outside director is that, even within the same company, views and ways of thinking differ depending on the position of each senior manager or employee. In the past, I have had many opportunities to look at things from an employee’s point of view, and I couldn’t understand why problems that never went away on the company side would continue to occur. Now, though, from the standpoint of an outside director, I can see that there are also struggles to be faced on the part of corporate management. This gap between views and ways of thinking on both sides cannot be easily resolved, but I think that it is important for both sides to continue making efforts to bridge the gap as much as possible. Based on this sentiment, and my own experience, I would like to continue to play a role in which I continue to advise the management side so that they do not forget that a company is nothing without its people.
