2nd Corporate Pro Bono Practice Study Session: Held During Lunchtime on July 13 (Mon)

Beyonders (Certified NPO ETIC., Rottapharm K.K., ABeam Consulting Co., Ltd., Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.), Certified NPO Service Grant, and Pro Bono Noto (joint secretariat: LINE Yahoo) are collaborating to host an online event titled "Corporate Pro Bono Practice Study Session (2nd Edition)" on Monday, July 13, 2026. The event will focus on corporate adoption of pro bono initiatives—volunteer activities that leverage professional skills and experience—which are gaining attention as a new option for CSR, talent development, business innovation, and regional collaboration.

※ Pro Bono: Volunteer activities utilizing professional skills and experience

Background: The Value of Pro Bono as a Cross-Boundary Experience

In today’s complex and diverse social landscape, solving social issues through a single organization or company alone has become increasingly difficult. The importance of collaboration—working with diverse stakeholders such as local communities, NPOs, companies from other industries, and government agencies—has grown, enabling mutual support through shared strengths.

"Pro bono," where corporate employees apply their professional skills and experience to strengthen NPOs and other organizations at the forefront of social issue resolution, contributes not only to solving organizational challenges but also brings multifaceted value to organizations, individuals, companies, and society—such as employee growth, leadership development, employee engagement, and enhanced regional safety and security.

In recent years, pro bono has gained particular attention in the context of corporate CSR, talent development, business innovation, and regional collaboration, as a "cross-boundary experience connecting with social issues" and a "practical field for testing solutions."

This study session brings together three organizations: Service Grant, which supports pro bono implementation in numerous companies; Pro Bono Noto (joint secretariat: LINE Yahoo), which facilitates corporate collaboration for reconstruction in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture; and Beyonders (ETIC., Rottapharm, ABeam Consulting, Japan Airlines), which tackles social issues across organizational boundaries. The session will invite guest speakers from companies that have already implemented and practiced pro bono programs to share real-world case studies—from initial adoption and internal engagement strategies to actual outcomes—with the goal of deepening mutual understanding among participants.

Additionally, the archived video of the landmark first session—featuring Toyota Motor Corporation’s "TOYOTA Pro Bono" initiative, which resonated widely with keywords such as "midlife crisis," "employee well-being," and "increased challenge spirit toward core business"—will be made publicly available.

We encourage you to watch it.

Link to the 1st Study Session Archive Video

Link to the 1st Session Announcement

Overview of the Upcoming (2nd) "Corporate Pro Bono Practice Study Session"

Event Date and Time

July 13, 2026 (Mon) 12:05–12:55

Guest

Hideo Itooka Johnson & Johnson Japan Group Senior Manager, Japan Community Impact

Format

Online (Zoom)

Participation Fee

Free

Target Audience

- CSR, ESG, sustainability, HR, business development, and strategic planning professionals from companies advancing sustainable management - Individuals seeking employee growth opportunities and improved engagement - Professionals leading new business creation or organizational transformation - Those interested in social issue resolution, pro bono activities, or corporate-NPO collaboration

Program and Content

1. Opening: Purpose of the study session and current state of corporate pro bono - Sachiko Okamoto, Representative Director, Certified NPO Service Grant

2. Initiative Presentation - Johnson & Johnson Japan Group - Hideo Itooka, Senior Manager, Japan Community Impact

Moderator: Shino Koshizuka, Certified NPO ETIC.

3. Panel Discussion Deep dive into pro bono initiatives

How to Participate

Please register via the "Apply for Ticket" button on Peatix.

Details and Registration

About the Organizing Organizations

Beyonders (NPO ETIC., Rottapharm K.K., ABeam Consulting Co., Ltd., Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.) https://beyonders.etic.or.jp/

Beyonders offers time-limited pro bono projects—such as three-month engagements—that allow individuals to easily participate in "nameless challenges," much like helping a friend start a business. It provides individuals with opportunities to step outside their organizations and freely challenge and grow. Unlike corporate training for skill development or side jobs for extra income, this is a pioneering project where companies support and encourage employee-driven initiatives based on personal interest and intent. The program is jointly operated by Certified NPO ETIC., Rottapharm K.K., ABeam Consulting Co., Ltd., and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.

Certified NPO Service Grant https://www.servicegrant.or.jp/

As a pioneering organization in Japan’s pro bono movement, Service Grant is an intermediary support organization that plans and operates the largest-scale pro bono projects in the country. Through collaborations with numerous companies and joint projects with government agencies, Service Grant has operated over 2,290 projects since its launch in 2005, engaging approximately 9,900 professional volunteers. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, it plans to publish the "Pro Bono White Paper 2025: 20 Years of Progress Opening the Possibility of Co-Creation" in November 2025.

Pro Bono Noto (Joint Secretariat: LINE Yahoo) https://probonoto.yahoo.co.jp/

Pro Bono Noto is a pro bono platform that matches volunteer employees from companies possessing specialized skills with organizations in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture that require support for reconstruction. By connecting organizations working to solve social issues in the Noto region with "pro bono" talent who wish to contribute their professional skills and experience to society, the platform helps address the region’s lack of expertise and human resources, advancing recovery efforts. Launched by LINE Yahoo Corporation and the Noto Public-Private Reconstruction Support Center, it is currently co-operated with seven member companies.

Contact

Certified NPO Service Grant Contact: Tsuda

TEL: 03-6419-4021

Email: [email protected]