When asked what advice they would give to people interested in taking part in future OYW summits, Ikoma underlined the importance of dialogue. “This summit is for people who want two-way dialogues, not people who simply want an audience for their opinions. I hope people will take the opportunity to learn about the ideas and cultures of others and then be inspired to take action.”
After returning home, Isonishi immediately began to take action. “Our founder, Konosuke Matsushita, believed that social contribution should be at the heart of every business. The summit helped me realize that we must look beyond our day-to-day work and think about ‘what we can do as Panasonic group.’ Since returning to Japan, I’ve reached out to people who have created global networks and LGBTQ communities, etc. within the Panasonic group. As a member of a global corporation, I will start by actively communicating with people beyond the organizational framework.”
Harigaya’s takeaway was that “interactivity” is the key. He learned that whatever the issue, you need to be able to think of it as your own and become passionate about it. “It’s partially due to COVID-19, but I didn’t travel abroad for a few years, so I felt as though I had subconsciously begun to only focus on creating ‘services for my customers in Japan.’ But people around the world have high expectations for Panasonic—and Panasonic has a lot to contribute in terms of the environment and energy. So, experiencing the summit firsthand has become a great asset.”
Asakura felt empowered watching peers from across the globe taking action. “Bringing together young employees from around the world and working together to accomplish something is exactly what the Panasonic Group can try to do. It would be great if we could take advantage of opportunities like this to interact more easily with global colleagues, create an impact that contributes to global society, and present the outcomes at future OYW summits.”
Panasonic aims to contribute to the realization of “an ideal society, one with both material and spiritual abundance.” Moreover, to nurture the next generation of leaders, Panasonic will continue to provide opportunities for young people whose “strong will” and “expertise” are aligned to the group’s management philosophy.