Konica Minolta promotes human resource development by providing young people with opportunities to take on challenges. By holding various events focused on AI and imaging IoT technology, the company aims to raise up young innovators who will help solve the problems facing the world today by making the most of these cutting-edge technologies to innovate. Konica Minolta has been able to attract outstanding human resources with the programs it sponsors, and this has led to the recruitment of talent in technology and the growth of its priority imaging IoT business.
By hosting hackathons, ideathons and programs that shape ideas, Konica Minolta has been providing opportunities for experiences that create new value. Since 2017, about 30 motivated students have been selected each time for these activities, with a focus on graduate students, undergraduate students, junior college students, and vocational school students. The company's imaging IoT engineers also participate in these events as mentors, with the aim of deepening the students' understanding of imaging IoT through hands-on activities. The event participants have been very satisfied with their experiences. In fiscal 2020, a participant feedback questionnaire was added and the result shows a high Net Promoter Score (NPS) . Konica Minolta will continue to use the NPS to improve the quality of this program, which should in turn help to attract even more highly motivated students.
In addition, Konica Minolta co-sponsored the DCON competition　(2020) for public and private technical college students from across Japan to create proposals for solving social issues using deep learning. The company also helps develop entrepreneurial human resources and those with strong deep learning skills, through online learning and other means.

Hackathon Participants and NPS

Since 2012, Konica Minolta, Inc., has offered guest lectures at junior and senior high schools as part of its educational support activities. The theme of these lectures is the structure of a copier and MFPs. The lectures explain the principle of copying using static electricity in a clear manner using familiar examples, and facilitate understanding through hands-on activities using experimental equipment.

In fiscal year 2018, newly graduated employees served as guest lecturers for 688 students at 7 junior high and high schools in Tokyo, Aichi, and Osaka prefectures. In recognition of this initiative, Konica Minolta received an Education Support Grand Prize 2018 and a Platinum Award.

Note: We last offered these lectures in 2019.

• > Details of the "guest lectures" conducted by new employees

Konica Minolta collaborated with the NGO Impact Hub and Czechitas on capacity building to support women's career development and to build up the IT knowledge of women in the Czech Republic and Germany.

As a program co-sponsor, Konica Minolta dispatched IT experts to workshops designed to enhance the IT knowledge and entrepreneurial knowhow of women who aspire to find employment in the IT industry, change jobs, or launchtheir own business.
The goal was to promote the career development of women in the IT industry and thereby encourage diversity in this industry.

Konica Minolta sees education of the next generation as vital to the world’s future. This is why the Group provides various kinds of educational support.
In Northern America, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA has continuously participated in Books2BETTER, a program that donates books to children, and Back to School program, which provides children with school supplies.

The Books2BETTER program calls on employees throughout the U.S. to help collect books to be donated to schools, libraries, non-profits, and other organizations for preschool children from low-income families.

In China, Konica Minolta supports Project Hope, a campaign launched in 1989 by the China Youth Development Foundation to promote school attendance among children. The support for this project started in 2006 with the donation of funds to cover the construction costs for building an elementary school in Zhuanghe, Dalian (Liaoning Province), and has been ongoing in various other ways.
Representatives of Konica Minolta Opto (Dalian) Co., Ltd., a company manufacturing optical lenses and other products, visit schools on China's annual Children's Day (June 1) to deliver grants and stationery.

Konica Minolta Opto (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., a company manufacturing optical lenses and other products, provides support for local elementary schools in order to improve the learning environment for the children of migrant workers.

The Konica Minolta Science and Technology Foundation grew out of the Tachibana Hozenkai Foundation, which was established in 1966 through the last will and testament of the late Sennosuke Sugiura, one of the founders of Konica Corporation, the predecessor of Konica Minolta, Inc. Tachibana Hozenkai's purpose was to contribute to the advancement of science and culture by providing support for research in the field of photographic science.
Taking over the activities of Tachibana Hozenkai in 1993, and later established as a public interest incorporated foundation, the Konica Minolta Science and Technology Foundation provides assistance and support for science and technology research (with a particular focus on the fields of light and imaging) with the aim of advancing science and technology, developing the arts and sciences, and promoting cultural enrichment.
Konica Minolta supports this mission and helps the Foundation fulfill it through donations and other financial support to continue and expand its activities.

• Konica Minolta Science and Technology Foundation (link to Japanese site)

Planetariums cultivate intellectual curiosity in science and astronomy, and motivate people to learn about space and to think about the Earth and humankind.
Konica Minolta contributes to society by screening educational projections for elementary school students at Konica Minolta Planetarium “Manten”.
The educational projections provide content specifically for elementary school students on the themes of seasonal constellations and movements of the stars and moon.

• Konica Minolta Planetarium Co., Ltd.