Euglena has set "euglism" as an action guideline shared by colleagues who work together. In fact, this was conceived by members of the company as the number of members increased as the company grew, and was formulated by holding company-wide meetings.
How does the president, Mitsuru Izumo, see the "euglism" created by the company as a whole?
"Top decides and pushes" does not work
-It is unique that the "Action Guidelines" were created not by the management side but by the employees.
In the olden days, the action guidelines may have been imposed by the management. In the past, the means of disseminating information were limited, and it was difficult for everyone to share the same information. But in the Internet society, many things have changed. In an era where information can be easily shared, I think that the fact that the top management decides and imposes something is completely non-functional.
-What if there is a voice from within the company that you want to create an action guideline?
I was surprised, but I was also happy. I'm the type of person who tries to come up with ideas in the order in which they came up, so he said, "If you leave it alone, Izumo may come up with strange guidelines." I think (laughs).
-What kind of order did you place as president when formulating?
I haven't placed any orders. I think there was a lot in common between what I think about and what everyone wants to cherish. Even if I was told to "make 10 action guidelines," I think the content was in a similar direction. However, I was allowed to pass only one selfishness.
Message that you want to prioritize over "Euglena love"
-Is it "selfish"?
The guidelines such as "Euglena love" and "Health of the earth" may be taken as a message unique to Euglena. However, I requested that the guideline of "enjoying diversity" be at the top as a message that I would like to prioritize over them.
―Speaking of which, there is certainly “enjoying diversity” before “euglena love”.
I really wanted to make diversity the first place in 1-chome. Creatures are originally reassuring that they are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. And if left alone, homogenization will progress. On the other hand, diversity is something that is difficult to enjoy. If there are different people in the company every day, you will get tired. However, when advancing long-term research and business, it is necessary to face such difficulties and create new innovations. That's why I put diversity at the top.
It may be easy to understand that "Euglena love" comes first because it seems to be Euglena, but there is a danger that it will lead to "Euglena fundamentalism" and "Euglena supreme principle". You might try to do anything with Euglena. But if there is diversity in the first place, it should be a flexible idea to "use something else in areas where Euglena is not good at."
-It's also a message that "Euglena is not everything at Euglena".
Now is a time of great change. I don't really know what will happen. Perhaps suddenly a "Euglena ban" may be issued (laughs). If that happens, "Euglena love" alone cannot respond to changes.
In any field, such as entrepreneurs, baseball players, and composers, I think that professionals who work professionally have the idea of "enjoying diversity" by assuming such extremes. So no matter what happens, you can accept all kinds of values and ideas without stopping thinking. If we also enjoy diversity, we will be able to play an active role as a venture in a different field even under the Euglena ban.
Protect euglism and keep the earth healthy
-Lookingat euglism, I feel that it is not only a guideline for working at a company, but also a guideline for people's way of life.
That's right. Isn't that most reflected in "making the earth healthy"? Euglena is a company that makes biofuels, so I think "Health the Earth" is an easy-to-understand message. However, if a person who has such a guideline goes home and keeps the air conditioner on, keeps water running, and makes the earth sick, he says, "What this person says. You may be wondering, "Can this person really make the earth healthy?"
The company is the same. Euglena also producing biofuel and emitting more and more CO 2 from its production base on Ishigaki Island, it would be said, "What is this company doing?" Euglena members who work with it will be able to carry out what is written in euglism on a daily basis.
-If you can cherish the guidelines that you cherish at work throughout your life, I think it would be very happy.
During the period of high economic miracle, it was better to expand the economy than environmental problems. For example, let's say you broke disposable chopsticks and wasted one set. In the old days, he said with a straight face, "It's a good thing because the economy turns that much." Also, even if I followed the code of conduct as a company employee when I was in the office, when I got home, I might have said "I'm sick at work" and left the water out and dumped the trash. unknown.
There was a time when environmental issues were put off in that way. Nowadays, there are reflections on such ideas, and it is commonplace to think about environmental issues both at work and at home. In addition, the technology to solve environmental problems has evolved, and it has become possible to produce eco-jet fuel that is kind to the earth.
-It can be said that it is a very valuable company for those who are interested in such technology and have a desire to "cherish the earth" as an individual.
I think it must be such a company. I'm very proud that euglism was born from the bottom up. I want to be proud that euglism is the guideline for my way of life, and I want to be a company that embodies all the messages from the top of the company to each member.
Sentence: Shinsuke Tada
President of Euglena Co., Ltd.
Mitsuru Izumo
Joined Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi in 2002 after graduating from Komaba Toho Junior and Senior High School and Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo. Euglena Co., Ltd. in 2005 and became president. In December of the same year, we succeeded in mass-culturing edible outdoor mass of the Euglena
Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum (Davos Conference) won the 1st Japan Venture Award "Prime Minister's Award" (2015). In his book, "I decided to save the world with Euglena. (Shogakukan Shinshosha).