We are proactively engaged in educational activities to support the development of children, who will be responsible for the future.
With the aim of increasing children’s interest in science, experiments, and medicines, we have provided travelling science workshops for 6th grade students. Our researchers are serving as lecturers and experiment support staff members in this program, so that children can get to know people who are engaging in research of new medicines. We have carried out this program since FY2015 at Shimamoto Daisan Elementary School, which is near the Minase Research Institute, and since FY2019 at Hoei Elementary School, which is near the Joto Pharmaceutical Product Development Center. In FY2023, we continued to conduct travelling science workshops at both elementary schools. According to comments from children after taking the classes, many of them were surprised by the fact that it takes a long time for new medicines to reach patients and that medicines are packed with various ingenuity. In addition, some children said, "I want to be a researcher in the future." We are pleased that this program may serve as a spark for children to think about their future occupation. This program was also an important experience for our staff members who participated in the program, such as recognizing the importance of connection with the local community and recalling their original intention as researchers by directly experiencing the reactions of children.
Number of Participants per Year | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 |
---|---|---|---|
Students | 135 | 123 | 137 |
Lecturers and staff members supporting the experiment | 17 | 24 | 28 |
Secretariat staff members | 9 | 8 | 6 |
After providing travelling science classes, we gave questionnaires to the children, teachers, and our staff members, and are using them to improve this program for the next fiscal year onward.
Following the revision of the Curriculum Guidelines by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, cancer education has officially started in high schools since FY2022. ONO, as a pharmaceutical company committed to contributing to people's health through the research, development, manufacture, and sale of cancer drugs, has supported initiatives related to cancer education in high schools so that high school students can acquire accurate knowledge of cancer. Classes were held in two schools in FY2022 and three schools in FY2023.
We have donated toothbrush/toothpaste sets and toothbrushes made by our subsidiary company BEE BRAND MEDICO DENTAL CO., LTD. that conducts research, development, manufacturing and sales of dental products in order to contribute to the establishment of children's good oral hygiene habits. In FY2023, 3,629 toothbrush/toothpaste sets and 350 toothbrushes were donated in line with the June 4th to 10th "Dental and Oral Health Week." We cherish the fact that local communities and companies develop together, and we continue to engage in this activity.
Location | Target | Year started | ONO's related base |
---|---|---|---|
Mishima-gun, Osaka Prefecture | Elementary schools, kindergartens, day care centers (a total of 17 sites in FY2023) | 2014 | Minase Research Institute |
Higashinari-ku, Osaka City | Hoei Elementary School | 2018 | Joto Pharmaceutical Product Development Center |
We are sponsoring “Kokoro no Gekijo (Theatre of the Heart),” a performance in Kansai which invites children free of charge and is hosted by the Butai Geijyutsu (Performing Arts) Center and the Shiki Theatre Company. "Theatre of the Heart" is a project to invite children (mainly elementary 6th grade students) from various regions in Japan to theaters free of charge, and demonstrate the excitement of theater, aiming to bring the most important principles for people in life to the children’s hearts, from the basic importance of life, consideration of other people, and the joy of believing in each other, through the performance. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the “Theatre of the Heart” was held via a video streaming service from 2021 to 2022, but in 2023, the performance started inviting children free of charge again for the first time in three years.