Creating Social Value Through Core Technologies

Materiality 1

Relevant SDGs

  • 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Reason for Priority

Companies are considered public institutions and have a responsibility to contribute to the sustainable development of society through transparent and fair business activities.
Moreover, in recent years, amidst the emergence of social issues of global importance, companies are required to innovate in ways that will transform social systems and lifestyles, and to contribute to solving these issues through their businesses.

Nikon’s Approach

Imagine society in 2030, it is likely that not only will people’s values, lifestyles, and outlooks on life shift, but so too will social frameworks on topics like climate change and resource scarcity shift. Furthermore, there will likely be an accelerated shift in technologies, such as with the advent of Industry 5.0. In the midst of this mega-shift, we believe that people will focus more on creative, self-fulfilling work and value-driven consumption, and that there will be greater co-creation between humans and machines.
In April 2022, Nikon announced a new Medium Term Management Plan in which its Vision 2030 (for the year 2030) is to become “a key technology solutions company in a global society where humans and machines co-create seamlessly.”
Over its 105 years of history, Nikon has cultivated ultra-precise Monodzukuri (manufacturing) capabilities, eminently present in its lithography systems. It has also cultivated a brand that has popularized digital cameras worldwide and greater trust among its stakeholders. Leveraging these strengths, we will provide solutions closely tied to customer experience value and the generation of innovation, and expand possibilities for people in a world where humans and machines co-create more seamlessly. We will also contribute to the realization of a prosperous and sustainable society by providing innovative value that will help address societal and industrial challenges, including those presented in the SDGs.

Contributing to Society through Business Activities

The Nikon Group aspires to be a company that contributes to the sustainable development of society through the creativity of new value through its businesses, based on its Corporate Philosophy of Trustworthiness and Creativity. In its Sustainability Policy, We are committed to helping solve environmental and social challenges and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through our business activities by delivering unique Nikon products and services. In addition, we have selected “Creating Social Value through Core Technologies” as a materiality. To put this into practice, in April 2022, Nikon announced a Medium Term Management Plan with sustainability strategy as one of its management foundations.
Under this plan, our Vision 2030 is to become “a key technology solutions company in a global society where humans and machines co-create seamlessly.” With this, we will focus our efforts on building industries that will expand possibilities for people and quality of life (QOL) that will make lives better in the fields of Factory, Energy, Healthcare, and Life & Entertainment.
Specifically, in the Factory area, we will become a lead player in flexible manufacturing systems with Robot Vision and Material Processing. We will also contribute to the diversification and sophistication of devices with digital lithography. In the Energy area, we will leverage optical processing machines to promote energy efficiency improvements with fine processing and re-use with additive processing. In the Healthcare area, we will support drug discovery that lightens the burden on doctors and patients, aiming to achieve regenerative medicine for everyone. In the Life & Entertainment area, we will support a society where people are connected in ways that transcend time and space and virtual and reality with image infrastructure production technologies.
In a world where humans and machines co-create more seamlessly, we will use these efforts to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs and the realization of a sustainable society, especially in the areas of safety and work environment, decarbonization, circular systems for resources, health, and enriched spirit.

Main initiatives and results for the fiscal year ended March 2022

Collaborations Through Open Innovation

Our investments include not only corporate venture capital investment, but also direct investment in start-up firms through the establishment of a private fund. We also make arrangements to provide support and incubation for start-ups and employees who have developed technologies or ideas with strong potential. As of the fiscal year ended March 2022, we are providing investment support to 15 venture companies and 13 venture capital firms.

Investment Support 15 venture companies 13 venture capital firms

Digital Transformation (DX)

DX has accelerated and become essential, to improve customer experience and satisfaction and to innovate to meet future needs. Knowing this, Nikon intends to strengthen DX as one of its management foundations in its Medium-Term Management Plan.
Specifically, we will enhance the value we provide to customers by expanding our e-commerce and digital services centered on the Imaging Products business, as well as strengthening digital marketing by sharing and harnessing customer data internally to improve planning accuracy and to make dynamic sales proposals. We will also enhance this value by developing remote support and service platforms in the Precision Equipment business.

Sustainability Report

For more information, refer to Creating Social Value through Core Technologies in the Sustainability Report.

Nikon’s Social Value Creation

  • Contributing to Society through Business Activities
  • Research and Development
  • Open Innovation
  • Digital Transformation (DX)
  • Value Provided Through Business Activities