Ryo Maeda, CEO of Tsumugi Inc., Speaks at Tochigi University Graduate School's 'Special Lecture on Social Implementation' — Delivering a Session on 'What Does It Mean to Work?' Ahead of Job Hunting

Tsumugi Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryo Maeda), a company that supports organizations in becoming 'great companies' through human resources consulting and public relations support, delivered a lecture on July 1 at the Graduate School of Tochigi University as part of the interdisciplinary course 'Special Lecture on Social Implementation.'

Ryo Maeda, CEO of Tsumugi Inc., participated in the 'Special Lecture on Social Implementation,' designed to cultivate the ability to solve social issues through business.

Tochigi University, guided by its mission to 'contribute to the welfare of humanity and world peace,' offers the 'Special Lecture on Social Implementation' within its Graduate Program in Integrated Information Sciences.

The lecture series aims to 'acquire foundational knowledge in management, data science, and engineering through lectures by multiple practitioners and experts. It also enables students to understand organizational operations, the role of information in management (management and information, information processing technologies), and data analysis through concrete case studies (※).'

The program is designed to allow students to learn directly from business leaders operating at the forefront of industry.

Ryo Maeda, CEO of Tsumugi Inc., delivered the fifth session of the lecture series.

(※ Source: Tochigi University, Graduate Program in Integrated Information Sciences — https://www.utsunomiya-u.ac.jp/grdc/informatics/)

A 180-Minute Journey Toward Fulfillment: Workshop on Articulating Personal Values Around the Theme 'What Does It Mean to Work?'

Tsumugi Inc. operates under the Vision×Mission: 'Work becomes fulfilling, and life becomes happy,' aiming to support individuals in finding meaning in their work and, through that, achieving happiness in life.

To feel a sense of fulfillment at work, individuals must create alignment between their personal values and their job responsibilities. This alignment ultimately leads to social contribution and reinforces a sense of purpose in one’s work.

The 180-minute lecture (two 90-minute sessions) was centered on the theme 'What does it mean to work?'

In the first 90 minutes, Maeda shared his personal background, the journey that led him to founding the company, and the development process behind Tsumugi Inc.'s Vision×Mission, Statement, and Tagline. He emphasized the importance of corporate activities and social contribution, and highlighted how personal values—and the formative experiences that shape them—serve as the bridge between the two.

In the second 90-minute session, a workshop was conducted to help students reflect on their formative life experiences. Using the 'Life Line Chart,' a tool that visualizes one’s life journey, students engaged in introspection and peer sharing to identify their core experiences and values.

A first-year student from the Integrated Information Sciences program shared their impression: 'I’m currently job hunting, but I’ve never engaged in such deep self-reflection, not even during self-analysis. This lecture gave me immediately applicable insights.'

Comment from Ryo Maeda, CEO of Tsumugi Inc.:

For students about to enter society, the concept of 'work' may still feel abstract.

However, if one jumps into the working world without reflection simply due to time constraints, work may become a source of suffering. That would truly be a waste.

To avoid this, I believe it is far more important to deepen one’s understanding of oneself than to focus solely on 'working.' I accepted this lecture invitation hoping to provide even one student with that crucial starting point.

I hope the content of this lecture proves valuable to the students.

To Achieve 'Work Becomes Fulfilling, and Life Becomes Happy'

Reflecting on one’s formative experiences and recognizing one’s values—that is the first step toward finding fulfillment in work.

Tsumugi Inc. will continue to pursue its Vision×Mission of 'Work becomes fulfilling, and life becomes happy' by improving working environments through its business activities and by conducting social contribution initiatives in collaboration with local governments and educational institutions.

About Tsumugi Inc.

To realize its Vision×Mission of 'Work becomes fulfilling, and life becomes happy,' Tsumugi Inc. contributes to sustainable corporate growth and the creation of 'great companies' through two core businesses: HR Branding and Kakehashi.

Specifically, the company offers a range of services, including planning and conducting training programs and value-internalization workshops, and creating Personal Brand Books that articulate employees’ personal motivations. Under its Vision×Mission, Tsumugi Inc. addresses clients’ management challenges through human resources solutions.