Executive Director July / Aug 2021

Into new terrain

The BCCJ is proud to be embarking upon a new and inclusive journey towards achieving equity in the workplace.

We are transforming our diversity and inclusion (D&I) pillar into diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The addition of equity is important. Equity is crucial in ensuring that processes and programmes are impartial, fair and provide equal possible out­comes for every individual.

Led by our DEI taskforce, our DEI programme will strive to promote and provide support mech­anisms for the following diverse groups in the workforce, in alphabetical order:

  • Cognitively Diverse (added in 2021)
  • Generation Y / Millennials
  • The LGBTQ Community
  • People with Disabilities
  • Race / Nationality / Ethnicity (added in 2021)
  • Women

To share DEI updates from your organisation please email: info@bccjapan.com

Tohoku Week thanks

We hope you enjoyed Tohoku Week (12–16 July)—
a first for the BCCJ. Throughout the week we high­lighted local businesses and tourism in the three
prefectures most acutely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011—Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima. 

Tohoku Week invited you to connect with the stories of local people who continue to work hard to rebuild their lives, livelihoods, and local communities. It also presented simple ways for you—or your company— to engage with and support locally driven projects. 

Honourable mention goes to Ishinomaki-based BCCJ member Kyoko Sasaki for her video tour around restaurants and other spots in her local area. Many thanks also go to Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG; Director of the British Council in Japan Matt Knowles; and HM Consul in Japan Martin O’Neill MBE for their contributions. Thank you to all friends and colleagues in the Tohoku region for their online updates.

BBA2021

I’m looking forward to seeing what the team can do to innovate and deliver this year’s hybrid gala. It will be streamed from an exciting Tokyo location on the evening of 5 November. This year’s BBA theme is Transform the Norm, and we are pleased to confirm the following nomination categories:

  • Company of the Year
  • Entrepreneur of the Year
  • UK–Japan Partnership
  • Responsible Business
  • Digital-Tech Innovation
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

The BBA2021 nomination period will begin on 1 August. Further details can be found on the chamber website.

We moved

As of 1 July, we are sharing office space with long-term BCCJ Platinum member and British multinational luxury automotive company, Jaguar Land Rover Japan.

The relocation sits in line with our chamber strategy to grow as an innovation hub, while support­­ing our office team to operate in ever more flexible and creative ways, beyond Covid-19. Whilst continu­ing to work mainly from home, we’ve also taken up residence in JLR’s F-TYPE room, amid the open and collabora­tive workspaces at the company’s Japan HQ in Shinagawa, Tokyo. We could not be more grateful!

Vaccinations

The BCCJ have been providing members and their families with access to vaccinations since 22 June. At the time of writing, the BCCJ vaccination accelerator programme has reached more than 1,200 patients. The total number of patients helped through our joint international chamber’s coalition is over 3,000. 

To read more visit: www.bccjapan.com