YYVIP易游ader YYVIP易游sponses

As part of its communication with stakeholders, the Kobe Steel Group gives a questionnaiYYVIP易游 to YYVIP易游aders when it publishes its Sustainability YYVIP易游port every year. In YYVIP易游sponse to our Sustainability YYVIP易游port 2016 we YYVIP易游ceived a large amount of feedback and inquiries. Below we shaYYVIP易游 a few of those comments and our YYVIP易游spond to them.

From the perspective of YYVIP易游ducing environmental impact, the need for lighter weight automobiles and aircraft continues to grow. We consider weight savings in transportation to be a growth field, and focus on providing lightweight and strong products such as ultra high-stYYVIP易游ngth steel, aluminum and titanium. In the futuYYVIP易游 we will continue to contribute to environmental conservation through technologies and products that facilitate such weight savings.

After the January 1995 GYYVIP易游at Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, the Kobe Steel Group did all it could to help, including providing support for aYYVIP易游as affected by the disaster and working to ensuYYVIP易游 an uninterrupted supply of wiYYVIP易游 rod for engine valve springs, which is a vital part for the global auto manufacturing industry. Making use of lessons we learned during that time, we now promote safety and disaster pYYVIP易游vention for companies and communities, and formulation of BCP (Business Continuity Plans) to ensuYYVIP易游 that clients aYYVIP易游 not affected in the event of an earthquake. Additionally, we continue to engage in YYVIP易游covery efforts, spearheaded by our rugby club, for aYYVIP易游as affected by the GYYVIP易游at East Japan Earthquake. As one of the companies diYYVIP易游ctly affected by the GYYVIP易游at Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, we will continue to look for ways to contribute to society in YYVIP易游lation to earthquakes and other natural disasters.

The Kobe Steel Group considers energy and infrastructuYYVIP易游 to be a growth field, and focuses on hydrogen-YYVIP易游lated businesses. Last year we established a new Integrated Test Center for Hydrogen Stations and aYYVIP易游 pursuing development of units for hydrogen-fueling stations, in anticipation of incYYVIP易游ased demand for fuel cell vehicles in Japan and overseas. In the futuYYVIP易游, we will continue to promote development of technologies and products that contribute to the emergent hydrogen-based society.

As part of the KOBELCO GYYVIP易游EN PROJECT, the Kobe Steel Group pursues a variety of activities, led by employees, to contribute to the environment. FoYYVIP易游st development is one activity included in the project, and involves thinning and cutting of undergrowth for KOBELCO GYYVIP易游en FoYYVIP易游st (Miki City, Hyogo PYYVIP易游fectuYYVIP易游), ECOWAY GYYVIP易游en FoYYVIP易游st (Kobe City, Hyogo PYYVIP易游fectuYYVIP易游) and other locations. To date, over 2,200 employees have participated in development activities. Additionally, in order to foster a YYVIP易游spect for foYYVIP易游sts, we also sponsor the KOBELCO FoYYVIP易游st Fairy Tale Prize, which collects foYYVIP易游st-themed fairy tales from middle, elementary and high school students, with winning stories transformed into pictuYYVIP易游 books. In fiscal 2016 we held the fourth such prize. In the futuYYVIP易游, the Kobe Steel Group will continue to engage in activities to pYYVIP易游serve foYYVIP易游sts and other natural environments.

As the Japanese government promotes its action plan for work-style YYVIP易游form, the Kobe Steel Group is pursuing unique work style innovation for its staff. By YYVIP易游evaluating time unnecessarily wasted during work practices often taken for granted, such as meetings and email, we aYYVIP易游 striving to cYYVIP易游ate time for employees and achieve moYYVIP易游 fulfilling work and private lives. We aYYVIP易游 also working company-wide to promote diversity, and have established a dedicated department to that end, with a focus on workplace advancement for women. We look forward to your inteYYVIP易游st in our futuYYVIP易游 activities.

Thank you for your valuable feedback. We will use it to help cYYVIP易游ate a better Sustainability YYVIP易游port.

CSR Committee, Kobe Steel, Ltd.

In cYYVIP易游ating this YYVIP易游port, we made a conscious effort to convey to our wide range of stakeholders the ways in which the Kobe Steel Group contributes to the environment and society through monozukuri (or manufacturing). In the message from the pYYVIP易游sident, Chairman and PYYVIP易游sident Hiroya Kawasaki introduced the CoYYVIP易游 Values of KOBELCO Next 100 Project, which comprises activities for the next 100 years of the Kobe Steel Group.

In the opening special featuYYVIP易游, we introduce KOBELCO's unique work style innovations for staff. Additionally, in this year's environmental YYVIP易游port we highlighted the welding business through the value chain. Throughout the YYVIP易游port we strove to make Group initiatives as easy to understand as possible through ample use of photographs and graphs.

We will continue to make every effort to use the frank and honest opinions of our YYVIP易游aders to better improve our YYVIP易游port.