Human resources are the most important foundation for society. In order to create a sustainable society, we believe it is essential to develop human resources on a long-term basis. Based on this belief, the AGC Group is conducting a range of activities to develop next-generation leaders.

Communicating the Joy of Science and Engineering through Special Classes (Japan)

The AGC Group holds special classes at schools to communicate the joys of science and engineering through experiments not undertaken in ordinary classes. Since fiscal 2009 the Asahi Glass Chiba Plant has been dispatching young employees to elementary schools near the plant to give science classes where easy-to-understand explanations are made about chemical reactions through experiments using sodium bicarbonate and other substances. Since fiscal 2010 the Asahi Glass Research Center has also been providing engineering classes by a young researcher at senior high schools in Kanagawa Prefecture to let students experience the effect of laminated glass for disaster and crime resistance. Participating students said the class was interesting, because it taught them a lot about glass, which they did not know much about although it was a familiar product for them. We will continue to hold these special classes that only the AGC Group can provide in order to bring the joy of science and engineering to more students.

Comparing the weights of two liquids (Science class)	Student experienced the effect of laminated glass for disaster and crime resistance (Engineering class)

"Open Kids' Vision" Helps Create a Sustainable Society (Thailand)

AGC Flat Glass (Thailand) Public (AFT), which manufactures and sells a wide range of float glass, has been conducting an activity called "Open Kids' Vision" in cooperation with a local NGO and others, with a view to helping people living in a forest region in the western part of Thailand create a sustainable society. In fiscal 2009, AFT provided children in the region with an opportunity to experience the sea to broaden their horizons and in fiscal 2010 it began helping residents of the region lead more sustainable lives by providing them with external training. Moreover, the residents of community and AFT employees constructed a multipurpose building together and piped water from the mountains to the local school to enhance the learning environment. In fiscal 2011 AFT will support the community install electricity-generating systems that harness water from the local creek and sunlight.

Employees of AFT and local residents

Donating Glass to Educational Institutions (The Philippines)

AGC Flat Glass Philippines (AGPH), which manufactures and sells a range of flat glass products including those for buildings and photovoltaic devices, believes that good education is the foundation of a strong nation. Education opens the minds of young people and enables them to understand the duties of a responsible citizen. It is for this reason that the company pursues efforts to contribute to improving the physical condition of public educational institutions. In fiscal 2010, AGPH made successive donations of glass to two elementary schools and two senior high schools in Pasig City. The recipients of the donations were very grateful because they were able to repair buildings and other facilities and improve the educational environment for teachers and students. AGPH aims to continue this activity in line with the needs of educational institutions.

Glass donation ceremony at a local elementary school

White Factory Project through which Employees Contribute to Their Alma Maters (Thailand)

Since 2003, AGC Automotive Thailand (AATH), which manufactures and sells automotive glass, has been annually dispatching employees to a school to repair or extend its building under its White Factory Project. The school is chosen from among the schools from which employees have graduated. After a school is selected, engineers from the company draw up the necessary designs, AATH pays for the construction materials, and the employees visit the school during holidays to do repair or extension work. In recognition of their work, the employees, who are graduates of the school, become local heroes, and AATH can thereby foster even better communications with local communities. In fiscal 2010, AATH dispatched employees to 2 elementary schools. The employees constructed a restroom of a school at Uthai Thani province in the central part of Thailand and renovated the canteen building and library room of a school at Prachinburi province in the northeastern part of Thailand.

Employees doing repair work for the school

Glass Technology Course at Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)

AGC Group has been running a course in glass technology at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok since 1990. Chulalongkorn University is a prestigious national university that was founded in 1916 and has as many as several tens of thousands of students. The Glass Technology Course is part of the core curriculum for third-year students studying materials science at the Faculty of Science. The course, which takes place for two hours a week in the latter half of the school year, covers glass manufacturing and related technologies and is presented by Japanese and Thai employees of AGC Group companies located in Thailand. While it is sometimes difficult for these employees to prepare and deliver lectures at the same time as carrying out their other duties, it provides them with a valuable opportunity to teach at a university and interact with local Thai people outside of their work. AGC Group intends to continue running the course.

Chulalongkorn University