Read the full story with photos at:
https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/company/globalnews/2013/0908_01.html
Otsuka continued its active participation in APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) events at the Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) 2013 Forum, which brought together 800 delegates from 21 member economies in Bali, Indonesia, September 6-8. The PPWE provides a mechanism to integrate gender considerations into APEC activities.
This year’s forum was themed “Women as Economic Drivers” and it addressed how women can advance economic activity across APEC. The forum was opened by Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, Indonesian Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection. She stressed the need for women to fulfill their potential in the Indonesian economy in which women own 60% of microbusinesses, a sector generating more than 50% of GDP.
The panel on Infrastructure and Human Capital was moderated by Ms. Akiko Ryu, Senior Operating Officer, Global Head of Public Relations Department, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Co., Ltd.. The development of soft and hard infrastructure to help women access information to gain knowledge and thereby contribute to the economy development was discussed. Ms. Ryu raised important questions on the kinds of human capital challenges to overcome to advance women in entrepreneurship and in other forms of work, particularly in rural areas.
Ms. Ryu moderated the session that brought together the Minister of Council of Economic
Planning and Development of Chinese Taipei,Chung Ming Kuan; the CEO of Martha Tilaar Group,
Martha Tilaar; Executive Director of GAP Inc. PACE USA, Dotti Hatcher; Managing Director Tupperware Indonesia, Nining Pernama; and Senior Manager for Global HR Unicharm Japan, Miyako Sasaki. The session concluded that there was an urgent need to build supporting infrastructure and develop skills to enhance women’s economic productivity.
Numerous other women leaders from Indonesia and other APEC member countries addressed the forum. Japanese Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate Minister of State for Gender Equality, Masako Mori spoke on the importance of diversity, including female workforce participation, as a growth driver. She also spoke on the central importance of women's success and advancement in Japan to the government's revitalization strategy.
The mayor of Yokohama Japan, Fumiko Hayashi noted in her speech that through cooperation of the private sector, in Yokohama essentially no children need to wait at home at the end of the day for their working mothers to return. The mayor added, “In order to change the social structure, we need to reform our consciousness by deeper utilization of women's perspectives. A more diversified society in which women play active leadership roles will enrich and vitalize our economy and country.
Participants from the Otsuka Group in Indonesia interacted with other women leaders from around the globe and commented that the event reinforced the importance of taking into account each individual’s personal initiatives when making decisions as a useful way to implement the values of diversity.