In [Corona Special Feature: Part 1], Mr. Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, introduced the recommendations on how to live and act on the after-corona society. ..
This time, we interviewed our president, Izumo, about what he thinks after reading Yunus's proposal and how he plans to live in the future.
In the "with corona" era, in the world of "after corona" Euglena Philosophy as "Sustainability First"?
Izumo's thoughts on how to act as a person and as a company will be disclosed.

Now is the time to achieve three zeros

How was it after reading Mr. Yunus's proposal?

I was impressed by Professor Yunus' honest words, and I learned a new lesson from his passionate words. I think that our actions after COVID-19 will determine whether we can achieve the three zeroes proposed by Dr. Yunus (zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero CO2 emissions). After Corona, we have to establish something new, not "undo".

The key word of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) is "No one will be left behind". No matter where you are inside, you cannot run and hide. I believe that Professor Yunus wants to convey the fact that we all have to face the global challenge of the new coronavirus infection.
Until now, there have been people who literally run away or hide when they try to achieve the three zeros. For example, with regard to "zero CO2 emissions", the withdrawal of the United States from COP21 (the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention Climate Change), which is a forum for discussion to tackle global warming issues on a global basis, is an example. can be cited as one of the

In addition, people in economically rich countries oppose the acceptance of immigrants or turn their backs on the creation of a free and open society because they do not want to lose their jobs. , There were a lot of people who would hide without cooperating. As a result, the achievement of “zero unemployment” was also discouraged.
However, as you already know, no one can run away or hide from the problem of COVID-19.
Everyone in the world is being dragged in front of this issue.
I believe that now is the time to solve the three zeros proposed by Dr. Yunus. First, "zero CO2 emissions". The key word for this is green recovery*, and Europe (hereafter referred to as the EU) is united in this. If we spread green recovery around the world starting from the EU, the achievement of “zero CO 2 emissions” will not be a dream.
* Green Recovery: Aiming to recover post-corona economic growth centered on the environment by increasing investment in alternative energy development, etc.

Green Recovery xSocial Entrepreneur

Next, "zero unemployment". We believe that the key word for this is "social entrepreneur," which drives social business. Becoming a social entrepreneur can solve your unemployment problem. What that means is that you're an entrepreneur rather than a job seeker, so you won't be unemployed.
In addition, social entrepreneurs will lead and expand social business in order to work to solve social issues. Dr. Yunus always says, "Governments should launch funds to support social business."
By overcoming the new coronavirus infection and at the same time becoming a social entrepreneur, we can achieve "zero unemployment" and bring us closer to achieving "zero CO 2 emissions" through social business.​

Dr. Yunus envisions a positive and positive future in which "zero unemployment" and "zero CO 2 emissions", and "zero poverty" can be achieved by achieving these two zeros.
“Zero CO 2 emissions”, “Zero unemployment” and “Zero poverty” have different scales of problems. The problem of poverty is different in dimension from other problems, it is the starting point and the ending point of all problems.
Poverty causes unemployment, immigration problems to get out of poverty, and even if you are not an economic power, poverty also causes CO 2 emissions problems. For example, even if a person suffering from poverty says, "Don't cut the rainforest to reduce CO 2 emissions," if you are logging for a living, you can't help but not.
Thus, poverty creates all problems and is the starting point for all problems. It can be said to be the root of all evil.
From now on, instead of looking for a job, each of them will act as a social entrepreneur, which will lead to "zero CO 2 emissions" and "zero poverty" while achieving "zero unemployment". With Green Recovery x Social Entrepreneur, you can achieve three zeros by confronting poverty eradication, which is said to be the root of all evil.
"By confronting the new coronavirus infection and the after-corona world together, let's accelerate toward the achievement of the SDGs goals by 2030," says Yunus. That word gives us courage, and I think Yunus really likes people.

From the left, Izumo and Yunus (2015)

From a capitalist society to a sustainable society

After Corona In the era of with Corona (with Corona), what do you think companies in the after-corona world should be?

I am convinced that it is time to break away from traditional capitalism and build a new sustainable society.
Currently, Dr. Yunus is the president, prime minister, and many Nobel laureates and globals to distribute the new coronavirus infection vaccine as "a Global Common Good" to people all over the world for free. We are calling with corporate CEOs.
This time, I think everyone was able to realize how small the world is due to the new coronavirus infection. And now, there is an increasing momentum to tackle many problems that are prevalent in the world, such as unemployment and environmental problems. What happens if developed countries make vaccines, but don't reach everyone equally? No doubt the world will be divided.
If "I received the vaccine because it is a developed country" and "I did not receive the vaccine because it is not a developed country", then "Why eradicate poverty? CO 2 emissions The feeling of "zeroing the amount? Why do I have to work hard as a social entrepreneur?" Becomes bigger, and I don't feel like "let's solve the world problem together."

Again, what the new coronavirus infection has revealed is that "the world is small and one." Among them, there should be no difference in access to vaccines from country to country. Unless everyone aims for a society in which everyone has "freedom" and access to "equality," all issues in the world, including the new coronavirus infection, cannot be solved. Whether or not everyone can have equal access to "a Global Common Good" such as vaccines is more indispensable and important to the world than people think. It is an element.

If a pharmaceutical company monopolizes the vaccine for the new coronavirus infection, it will be able to make trillions of yen. In other words, it is a fact that it is a chance to make a big profit once in 100 years. But such companies will lose their place in the next world, at the latest 10 years later. World public goods should not be used for profit, but for people all over the world, and thus for the world to move forward in a better future. This is not limited to pharmaceutical companies, but consumers' lifestyles and companies that are currently doing business all need to act on sustainability in the future, otherwise they will need to act in the future. , Will not be chosen by anyone. That is why the turning point is whether or not it can change now.
We at Euglena define "sustainability" as "a state in which we are always thinking and acting on" how our happiness continues to coexist with someone's happiness. " No matter how happy you are, if someone isn't happy somewhere, it's not sustainability.

Izumo, first visit to Bangladesh (1998)

Euglena is a company that started as a social entrepreneur in response to Bangladesh's nutritional problems, partly because I was taught near Dr. Yunus, so I courageously voiced and voiced to bring sustainability to the fore. I want to be such a company that executes and embodies the message of Dr. Yunus in an easy-to-understand manner, and I think that it must be such a company.
Future actions, that is, how to use the global common good, will determine what kind of society everyone can create by 2030 on a global scale.

Whether the world is divided or we all work together to solve problems depends on our actions.
With Sustainability First as the Euglena Philosophy, we will continue to think and act on "how our happiness continues to coexist with someone's happiness."