WORK・EAT・LAUGH

The SAMURAI 125

Diversity in the Workplace: Realistic Perspectives on Employment for Individuals with DisabilitiesSAMURAI 125

At LIVES LIVE 2020, held virtually in September 2020, Caroline Casey, Founder of the ‘Valuable 500’ joined the panel discussion on ‘The Importance of Inclusive Leadership’.

Valuable 500 (https://www.thevaluable500.com/) is a global movement launched with the idea that inclusive business creates an inclusive society. It aims to motivate business leaders to innovate their businesses to be more inclusive so that people with disabilities can be a part of them to demonstrate potential value they add to their business, society and economy. They have won the approval of the CEOs of 500 companies, and they had a big press release campaign on Global Accessibility Awareness Day on May 18, 2021.

The Valuable 500 targets the companies with more than 1,000 employees. At the LIVES project, we will launch “The SAMURAI 125” uniquely to Japan, being totally inclusive without any restrictions. At truly inclusive companies, leaders and employees work together to realize inclusivity. Such business leaders will change companies and bring about changes in the Japanese society. Please join us in our effort towards a more inclusive society!

Participant requirements
The leader of the company signs the document “The SAMURAI 125 Charter”, which commits to the following actions:
- Ensure that disability inclusion is on our board agenda
- Make at least one firm commitment related to disability inclusion in action
- Share and promote the commitment internally and externally
Not only companies that have already implemented the initiative, but also companies that are about to start the initiative are encouraged to participate. It aims to highlight companies that are making remarkable efforts, and also supports companies that are willing to make efforts to initiate in future.
Participation Process
- Signature by a company leader
  
  The leader signs the “The SAMURAI 125 Charter”
- Donate or Sponsor LIVES project to support the initiative
- Information sharing to the LIVES team
  Submit the following:
  
  Scanned data of “The SAMURAI 125 Charter” signed by the leader
  
  Companies Logo (Colored version) to post in the LIVES Project: The SAMURAI 125 webpage
  
  Brief sentence on the action to commit (To be posted on The SAMURAI 125 webpage along with the company’s Logo)
- Public Relations
  
  Share information about your company participating in ‘The SAMURAI 125’ through press releases, company website and social media.
Significance of Participation
- Innovate business opportunities and contribute to create more inclusive society
  
  Over 1.3 billion people are estimated to be living with disability in present world, and the total purchasing power of the people with disabilities and their friends & family is estimated to be around 8 trillion dollars . Although this group has a large market value, only 4% of companies offer inclusive products for people with disabilities, and many companies are missing out on business opportunities.
  In addition, many people with disabilities are in the state where they are unable to acknowledge their own value that enables them to demonstrate their business, social and economic value. Removing barriers inside and outside the company will improve business performance and lead to the creation of an inclusive society.
  
  There will be significant impact of actions taken by business leaders, and SAMURAI companies are expected to have a collective impact by incorporating disability to their business leadership agenda.
- Access to seminars on inclusion of people with disabilities in business
  
  The SAMURAI 125 companies participate in seminars that introduce case studies, best practices, reports, etc. on disability inclusion. These sessions are limited to The SAMURAI 125 companies only.
- Recognition and Information sharing of The SAMURAI 125 during the press release of LIVES project
Others
- To participate in The SAMURAI 125, please donate and sponsor the LIVES project (starting from 300,000 yen).
- No report is required.

WORK・EAT・LAUGH｜LIVES

Hands on TOKYO

The SAMURAI 125

Diversity in the Workplace: Realistic Perspectives on Employment for Individuals with DisabilitiesSAMURAI 125

Signature by a company leader

Donate or Sponsor LIVES project to support the initiative

Information sharing to the LIVES team

Public Relations

Innovate business opportunities and contribute to create more inclusive society

Access to seminars on inclusion of people with disabilities in business

Recognition and Information sharing of The SAMURAI 125 during the press release of LIVES project