■BB Systems' (4447) SDGs and ESG Initiatives
Contributions to the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) through the secure cloud system business are centered on goal 9 “Let's build a foundation for industry and technological innovation.” Specifically, this goal is a theme related to infrastructure, industrialization, and innovation. In the words of Ministry of Foreign Affairs materials, it can be said that it is “building resilient (resilient) infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and promoting innovation.”
In addition to consolidating business systems and data into the cloud, it also supports the overall construction of a high-speed and user-friendly data utilization infrastructure centered on the cloud, promotes digitalization of business, which is the basis of innovation, and at the same time provides robust cybersecurity, forming quick system recovery capabilities not only from system failures, but also from various damages such as actual disasters. In this way, the company is contributing to goal 9 “Let's build a foundation for industry and technological innovation” by constructing system-level infrastructure in enterprises and at the same time providing resilience solutions to continue business in any crisis situation.
Furthermore, the company participated in the “Open Innovation Program TSUNAGU2021” of QTnet Co., Ltd. as an industry-academia collaboration team between Kyushu Sangyo University and UM Bussan Co., Ltd., and received the “Excellence Award” on 2022/2/15. Specifically, the business project “e (electronic) × r (real) sports,” which activates the “body” and “brain” through VR by utilizing the “360° VR Theater 4DOH,” which embodies the idea of “activating the body and brain with VR” conceived from the scientific knowledge of the Kyushu Sangyo University Department of Sports and Health Sciences, received high praise (hereinafter referred to as ER Business). In order to explore the feasibility of commercialization, a demand survey (interviews with multiple municipalities) for services for seniors was temporarily completed in the 2023/9 fiscal year. There also seems to be a strong need for actual machine experiences, and demo content is currently being produced under the supervision of Kyushu Sangyo University, and we anticipated that it will be completed in the 2024/9 fiscal year, and progress will be seen until the demonstration test. In fact, even in explanatory materials for the first half financial results, it has been clarified that a fitness game where the elderly can easily enjoy cognitive training has been developed, and it is currently being brushed up through industry-academia collaboration, and progress seems to be going well.
It is a serious social issue in Japan, and it means entering the senior market by utilizing and evolving VR technology, etc. that the company has cultivated in the amusement field until now through MetaWalkers in response to “extending healthy life expectancy in a super-aging society,” etc., where policies to be addressed as national policy have been set. The new development of ER business will increase the number of elderly people who can live healthy and lively lives, and revitalize regions where energy tends to decline in particular. Furthermore, it aims to contribute to the realization of a “vibrant Japan,” and it is one of the notable initiatives in the medium to long term that may have an impact on ESG, particularly social (society). This “er business” and “metaverse business” will attract attention as the driving force behind the acceleration of the company's growth momentum over the medium to long term.
(Author: FISCO Analyst Tomokazu Murase)