Tokyo Football Club Co., Ltd. (hereinafter: FC Tokyo) and its official partner Intelligent Wave Inc. (hereinafter: IWI) jointly conducted a Diversity & Inclusion (diversity and inclusion, hereinafter: D&I) training through soccer "experience × watching" and a verification project to visualize the social impact obtained from that training. Using the Social Return On Investment (SROI) method, which analyzes and converts the social value of this project into monetary terms, it was found that a value 4.69 times the investment amount was created.
◇For an overview of the D&I training, please see here (external link).
□Background and Purpose
In recent years, there has been a growing movement to appropriately disclose and institutionalize non-financial information, including ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance). In the sports world as well, especially among Japanese sports clubs including the J.League, initiatives aimed at solving social issues and co-creating with local communities are expanding. It has become important to properly evaluate the social value generated by clubs’ social collaboration activities and events, and to visualize and share those outcomes.
FC Tokyo aimed to quantitatively grasp the outcomes of social contribution activities through sports by using SROI analysis, clarify the social value of sustainability activities, and make future partnership formations more substantive.
IWI implemented this project with the aim of cultivating employees' knowledge and experience regarding D&I and improving employee engagement based on social issues.
□SROI Survey Results
In this project, with the cooperation of Takuya Tsukamoto's laboratory at Chukyo University and Hajime Matsuo's laboratory at the University of Tsukuba, which are advancing research on "visualizing the social impact of social contribution activities through sports," we measured the effects of the social impact of the activities using SROI analysis. As a result, it was found that social value equivalent to 4.69 times the investment amount was created in monetary terms.
Also, as a result of this SROI survey, through the D&I training, FC Tokyo confirmed medium- to long-term outcomes such as an "increase in stakeholders involved in social collaboration activities and new branding," and IWI confirmed outcomes such as "behavioral changes and increases in actions related to D&I."
□About SROI Analysis
This evaluates the social impact generated as a result of funds and resources being invested and projects being implemented in social activities, by converting it into monetary value and quantifying it. This indicator assesses the social impact of various activities based on the costs and benefits from social, environmental, and economic perspectives, aiming to appropriately evaluate invisible values beyond just economic value.
*Please refer to the supplementary materials for details on the survey methodology, etc.
□Evaluation with the Cooperation of Expert Institutions
・Comment from Takuya Tsukamoto, Chukyo University
This SROI analysis has great social significance in that it quantitatively visualized the social value of the D&I training jointly conducted by FC Tokyo and IWI. Traditionally, social contribution activities through sports have often been discussed in ideological terms, but by conducting an objective evaluation in monetary terms, the outcomes of social investment were clearly demonstrated. We hope that this achievement will serve as a starting point for further development of the collaboration between FC Tokyo and IWI, continuing to create social value as a sustainable partnership.
・Comment from Hajime MATSUO, University of Tsukuba
As the principle of SROI analysis is to 'Be Responsive,' it is very important not to end with the evaluation but to think about 'how each stakeholder can gain greater social value' and take action accordingly. In that sense, the results obtained through this verification project will serve as a foundation for the next actions and we hope it will lead to the creation of further social value through the collaboration between FC Tokyo and IWI.
□Future Outlook
・FC Tokyo
FC Tokyo upholds the social statement, "Goals that connect to the future of our lives," and is committed to giving back to society through the power of sports while walking together with the community. Centered on three pillars—"A city filled with more positive energy," "A city wrapped in warmer support," and "A city blessed with cleaner air and nature"—we continue to build a variety of activities. The fact that the D&I training conducted together with IWI was visualized through SROI analysis as generating 4.69 times the social value is a significant achievement that solidifies our progress. By quantitatively demonstrating the social significance of sports, which is often spoken of in idealistic terms, we are confident that we can expand empathy among a wider range of stakeholders. FC Tokyo will continue to connect diverse people through soccer, challenge social issues, and create values that Tokyo can be proud of in the future.
・IWI
Through the D&I training, IWI employees were able to learn the importance of a society where people with diverse values and backgrounds mutually respect each other. Furthermore, the SROI analysis confirmed that this project generated social value, which reinforces the significance of its implementation. Going forward, IWI will continue its efforts to enhance employee engagement rooted in social issues and to enable diverse employees to proactively provide value to society.
□Supplementary Materials
[Research Objective]
To visualize and quantify the extent of social value generated by the D&I training program conducted by FC Tokyo and IWI.
Tokyo Football Club Co., Ltd. (FC Tokyo)
Head Office: 2-15-10 Sarue, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Representative: President and CEO Shigeya Kawagishi
Intelligent Wave Inc.
Head Office: Kayabacho Tower, 1-21-2 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: President and CEO Koji Kawakami
Business Areas: Payment Business Domain, Security Business Domain, Data Communication and Analysis Infrastructure Business Domain
URL: https://www.iwi.co.jp/
