Let's begin..

First of all, I would like to ask you to tell us about the uniqueness and appeal of Owls Consulting Group (hereafter referred to as "Owls"). If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you could briefly explain what kind of company Owls is.

We are a business consulting firm that advocates "a partner for all organizations moving forward with a mission". The term “all organizations” means that not only companies, governments, and academic institutions, but also all organizations including social sectors such as NPOs and NGOs will work together to create new value, that is, to resolve social issues. I believe it is essential to the solution.

In recent years, the definition of value has changed, both in global business and in our daily lives. University students must also feel that they cannot find new value in pursuing GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and QCD (Quality, Cost, Delivery), which have been the strengths of Japanese companies. Under these circumstances, we believe that solving social issues will be the new value for companies.

We provide our clients with support for management strategies, business strategies, rule-making strategies, sustainability strategies, etc. collateral is essential. Therefore, we aim to "realize economic rationality while solving social issues".

In October 2022, we plan to establish a European base in the Netherlands and further deepen our efforts, such as strengthening cooperation with international NPOs/NGOs. Our specific business content and initiatives areOur homepageI hope you can refer to it.

last interviewHowever, I have told you about our company's uniqueness and charm, so this time I will list three things that I actually feel about working at Owls.

The first point is that there are many opportunities to be involved in solving social issues. For example, in supporting the formulation of sustainability strategies, we identify social issues that companies should address, and assist them in drawing a path to solving those issues. In identifying social issues and proposing solutions, we sometimes collaborate with NPOs/NGOs, which leads to the discovery of issues and the creation of value that cannot be understood by ordinary research and analysis alone. In addition, we donate more than 10% of our profits to NPOs/NGOs, and we are also making efforts to donate to organizations that directly support people facing various difficulties.

The second point concerns the diversity of work styles. We also have members who concurrently serve as secretaries and directors of NPOs/NGOs, and we work in a way that is not tied to one organization. In particular, the representative, Mr. Hanyuda, holds various positions such as a member of a government committee, a director of an NPO/NGO, and a visiting professor at a graduate school.

The third point is related to the first and second points, but it is about career building. As I mentioned earlier, many of our projects are unique projects such as business strategies that solve social issues, so it is an environment where it is easy to hone your expertise. Another characteristic is that there are many opportunities for members with expertise to play an active role outside the organization, such as writing and giving lectures. In fact, if you search the name of the Owls Consulting Group, you will find information on books written by members and lectures given by lecturers. We recognize that these achievements are proof that we have expertise and are often active outside the company.

Thank you. When we saw the website of Owls, we also felt the wide range of initiatives, such as solving social issues through business and NPO/NGO activities.

I will ask you next question. I would like to know why Mr. Toyoda chose Owls after going through various careers and why he joined the company.

The starting point was that it was very attractive to put into practice the aim of solving social issues by involving companies, governments, academic institutions, and NPOs/NGOs.

In my previous job at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, I had the opportunity to be involved in local government. Also, at the graduate school where I studied abroad, I learned the concept of "wicked problems" and the need to involve all sectors in order to tackle them. The sense I gained from these experiences and the knowledge I learned in graduate school made me interested in Owls, and I began to think that I could contribute to society by making use of my experiences. Ultimately, I decided to join Owls because I was attracted to their personalities and passion for solving social issues during interviews with them.

Thank you. I would like to know what exactly you are doing in terms of a consulting firm that works to solve social issues, as you mentioned earlier.

For example, let's say that a client, a manufacturer, consulted us about creating a new business. There, we identify social issues that clients should address (e.g. carbon neutrality) and help them draw a path to solving those issues. Specific support includes organizing information on the environment surrounding social issues (e.g., grasping trends in rules regarding carbon neutrality, etc.) and strategic planning regarding how the client's technologies and products can contribute. will be

Thank you. As for the next question, Mr. Toyoda, I would like to know how you would like to approach social issues in the future.

I would like to continue to approach social issues through projects as I have done so far. Also, if I may be greedy, I would like to be able to work on social issues while belonging to other organizations like other members. It's a future prospect, so I haven't decided specifically, but I think one option would be to go on to a doctoral course and contribute while polishing my expertise from an academic perspective.

Thank you. As a sophomore in college, I started to think about my career path, and it was great to hear Mr. Toyoda explain why he joined Owls in the first place. I am going to use it as an example.

Let’s move to the next question. This year's event theme, "BLOOM," which I introduced at the top of the article, contains the wish that each person's individuality will blossom. I would like to know if there will be and when.

This question is very difficult (laughs), because in the work of a consultant, it is important to "have you been able to provide new value to the client?" This is because we are conscious of contributing to the creation of value. Also, I now see “self-identity” as something relative. Rather than recognizing it yourself, it is more likely to be noticed by others pointing it out. For example, in the feedback we receive from members after the end of a project, different members may evaluate the same point as our greatest strength. That point has been mentioned as one of my strengths in the organizations I've been a part of, and I feel that this is where my characteristic, or in other words, my "personality" lies.

It was a difficult question, but thank you for answering.

Mr. Toyoda, I believe that you have had a variety of experiences throughout your career. I think quitting a company or studying abroad is a pretty big decision, and I think that comes with anxiety, but I thought that even if you put those things aside, you're still being asked to be yourself and be curious.

I don't know if the expression "seeking to be myself" is appropriate, but I'm working to "seek a place where I can contribute more to society." For example, when I changed jobs to Deloitte, I thought that my experience in local administration in Japan and the knowledge about international development I learned in graduate school could be used to support the capacity building of local administrations in developing countries. However, while working on international development projects, the opportunities to make use of my experience and knowledge were not as many as I had imagined, and I began to think that there might be other fields in which I could contribute. It was around that time that I met Owls, and I decided to join the company for the reasons I mentioned earlier.

thank you. When we think about finding a job, our position becomes a little ambiguous when it comes to whether we should choose ``self-respect'', ``future prospects'', or ``the way to live''. I was worried about that. Thank you for your opinion.

Conversely, I would like to ask you, do you recognize a certain “personality”? I think there are things that I want to challenge and things that I am interested in, but I would like to hear your thoughts. Excuse me, I'm being interviewed (laughs)

No, no (laughs) I entered university and wanted to do various things freely, and I am doing various activities and challenges, but the more I do, the more I lose track of what I want to do. Sometimes. Therefore, Mr. Toyoda, what do you think about whether it is better to have a variety of experiences, and whether it is possible to find the answer to "being yourself" by doing so?

I think it's better to take on various challenges. This is because we believe that there is a possibility of discovering a common denominator of “personality” while taking on various challenges. However, it should also be recognized that it comes with the condition of "being prepared". In other words, I believe that it is important not to dabble in things that interest me haphazardly, but to “perfect” when I take on a challenge.

Through my own experience, I am keenly aware of the importance of what I have achieved in previous challenges in order to take on the next challenge, both from the perspective of gaining confidence and persuading others. Masu. Students are in an environment that allows them to move freely, with less restrictions than working adults in terms of time and responsibilities. By all means, I hope that you will have the determination to “do it all” and actively take on challenges while making the most of the blessed environment.

I learned a lot. Thank you.

I was also wondering what it was like to be myself, but the reason I decided to go to ICU in the first place was that I had a wide range of interests, regardless of whether they were in the humanities or the sciences. It was because I was fascinated by it. However, it is still undecided recently. I myself belong to an educational organization, but I also like chemistry as well as education. Recently, I've been thinking that I'm the one who tackles a wide range of things.

At my university, I belonged to the liberal arts department for the first two years, and in the middle of my sophomore year, I decided to choose my major for the remaining two years. As for "self-identity", it may be possible to say that a wide range of things are "self-identity", but in the process of devoting all one's energy to one's own interests, one can see the common denominators of one's likes and strengths. There is also a possibility. Also, it might be good to refer to the opinions of others like me.

Please let me move on to the next question. Mr. Toyoda, I would like to know what kind of student life you had when you were in college.

I belonged to the sports day soccer club until the middle of my sophomore year. I have been playing soccer since the second grade of elementary school, and I remember that until then, soccer had always been the foundation of my heart. In terms of the theme this time, until the middle of my sophomore year in college, my “personality” may have been me playing soccer. However, due to an injury that had continued since high school, I had to quit club activities. After all, from the beginning of my third year, I belonged to a circle that provided legal advice to local residents, and from the middle of the year I became one of the members responsible for managing the organization.

You said that you went to hear about NPOs, but Mr. Toyoda, did you have an interest in solving social issues since you were a student?

After I lost my footing in football, I began to think about how I could contribute to society. I'm from a rural town in Kyushu, but when I was in the 6th grade of elementary school, I decided to move to a core city where my father, who is self-employed, left his hometown. In the area I moved to, there were many families who were enthusiastic about education. When I first entered school, I misunderstood that the results I obtained were because I worked so hard to the point of death. I was made aware of something.

In addition, I was inspired by my father's activities to contribute to the local community while working for his own business in his hometown. The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred in the year I quit soccer, and I think that seeing the reality of the collapse of "ordinary things" had a considerable impact on this way of thinking.

thank you. Finally, I would like to ask Mr. Toyoda to give a message to university students.

Although it overlaps with the content I mentioned earlier, university students are full of opportunities to take on challenges and are in a blessed environment in which failure is relatively permissible. By all means, I would like you not to waste that environment and to actively move to find your own identity. And at this event, I hear that speakers with a wealth of experience will be invited to give lectures. I hope that you will participate in this event and find your own identity, or use it as an opportunity to rediscover yourself.

With that, I would like to conclude the interview.

Mr. Toyoda, thank you very much for your valuable talk today!