Otsuka Holdings Receives Award by the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency at FY2024 Award for Good Practices of Consumer-Oriented Management - Recognized for Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Longstanding Efforts to Prevent Heat Disorders-
February 19, 2025
Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President and Representative Director, CEO: Makoto Inoue) has received the Award by the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency in FY2024 Award for Good Practices of Consumer-Oriented Management. This recognition is in acknowledgment of the company’s continued effort to prevent heat disorders at its operating company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The Consumer Affairs Agency has been conducting the award since 2018 with the objective of acknowledging companies that demonstrate exceptional efforts in this regard in promoting consumer-oriented management.
Reason for Recognition
For more than 30 years, Otsuka has worked with local government, the Board of Education, and other organizations to promote heat disorder prevention. It has been providing educational materials and holding lectures, as well as lectures at workplaces in high-temperature environments. In addition, Otsuka has been promoting and raising awareness about heat disorder prevention among the elderly in collaboration with public health centers and community comprehensive support centers. Furthermore, Otsuka launched the "Heat Disorder Prevention Ambassador® Course," and establishing a system leads to dissemination of essential knowledge, certifying over 30,000 people (Apr. - Sep. 2024) as ambassadors, including teachers, retail store employees, and pharmacy staff.
（Consumer Affairs Agency: reason for recognition–Japanese only）
Based on the corporate philosophy of "Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide," Otsuka group will continue to contribute to the health and well-being of people around the world.
【Reference】 Efforts for Preventing Heat Disorders
Otsuka Pharmaceutical is working to solve health issues in collaboration with various stakeholders. In recent years, the company has signed comprehensive cooperation agreements on health with over 800 local governments, including all 47 prefectures, and they are working together to solve regional health challenges such as heat disorder prevention.
■ In 1992, Otsuka began working with the "Study Group for Prevention of Heat Disorders in Sports Activities" of the Japan Sports Association (now the Japan Sports Association). Otsuka worked together with sports practitioners to promote programs aimed at understanding and preventing heat disorders.
■ In collaboration with municipalities and boards of education, provide free educational resources to teachers from elementary to high schools, as well as arrange lectures in cooperation with instructors and sports nutritionists.
■ Collaborate with the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association to create booklets and dispatch lecturers to conduct on-site seminars for workplaces under high-temperature environments.
■ Implements measures in cooperation with public health centers, community comprehensive support centers, and municipal welfare commissioners nationwide to address the high number of heat-related deaths among the elderly.
■ Launched in July 2023, the "Heat Disorder Prevention Ambassador® Course" aims to develop dependable personnel who can comprehend and prevent heat disorders. The current supporters include the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
■ In July 2023, Otsuka signed the first collaboration agreement with the Ministry of the Environment to reduce accidents caused by heat disorders. In March 2024, Otsuka also signed an agreement with the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency (ERCA), an independent administrative agency responsible for implementing environmental policies, to promote heat disorder prevention. Together with ERCA, Otsuka provides the necessary educational tools and training to promote heat disorder prevention.
■ In November 2024, the company received the "2024 Climate Change Action Minister of the Environment Award (Promotion and Adaptation Division)” from the Ministry of the Environment, recognizing long-standing efforts in heat disorder prevention.
(For more details: Otsuka Pharmaceutical's efforts for preventing heat disorders）