One of the fundamental beliefs incorporated into the Honda Philosophy that has guided the company since its founding is respect for the individual. This philosophy recognizes individuality and the freedom to create while considering how to realize people's hopes and dreams in the future. Joy is shared together by gathering individuals who are fully committed to respecting individuality, failness, and trust.
These basic values concerning human rights are shared and practiced by all Group companies and their associates. Augmenting this fundamental belief, Honda’s origin—“To serve society and people with our products and the technological ideas we put into our products” and “To make people’s lives more convenient and fun by using the unique ideas that only Honda can think of”—can be found in the company’s Vision for 2020, which seeks to “provide good products to our customers with speed, affordability and low CO2 emissions.” The desire to serve the people, which has been passed down since our founding, resonates with all Honda associates. It has been, and will always be, the starting point for all company activities.
Honda’s decision to establish a special-purpose subsidiary* for employing disabled individuals came about as a result of a meeting between Honda founder Soichiro Honda and Dr. Yutaka Nakamura, founder of Japan Sun Industries. Dr. Nakamura’s philosophy that physical or mental handicaps don’t inhibit one’s work and therefore these disabled individuals should be offered an opportunity to work rather than charity resonated with Soichiro Honda, who founded Honda Sun Co., Ltd., in Oita in 1981 based on his desire to help disabled individuals achieve social autonomy. Kibonosato Honda Co., Ltd., was established in 1985 as a joint public-private venture in Kumamoto, and Honda R&D Co., Ltd., founded Honda R&D Sun Co., Ltd., in 1992 in a joint venture with Japan Sun Industries. Honda has also created workplaces at all of the Honda worksites where disabled associates are continually hired to work alongside the rest of the workforce.
Going forward, Honda is committed to offering opportunities of employment to disabled individuals by creating workplaces where a diverse workforce can gather, and share the joy of working together, regardless of disability.
*So-called “special-purpose subsidiaries” are established in accordance with the Act on Employment Promotion etc. of Persons with Disabilities with the goal of expanding employment of disabled individuals.
