Special Features
The Citizen Group's CSR initiatives across the globe
As the world economy grows, the globalization of the corporate sector is gathering momentum.
Since its founding in 1930, the Citizen Group has always approached its business from an international perspective. Today, our overseas business accounts for more than 60% of our sales and employees and we have 54 overseas subsidiaries. Not surprisingly, then, the Group is steadily globalizing. Accordingly, our CSR activities have also become more international, especially since we signed the United Nations Global Compact in 2005.
The report looks back at the history of the Citizen Group’s CSR initiatives across the globe and showcases ongoing activities in different parts of the world in the special feature section.
History of our CSR activities and On-going activities
Topics in the history of our CSR activities
CSR activities around the world
History of CSR activities
- 1930
- Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. is established.
- 1931
- The first wristwatch (10 1/2 ligne) is completed.
- 1955
- Wristwatch exports commence.
- 1956
- The Parashock is released as Japan’s first wristwatch with an anti-shock system.
- 1959
- The Parawater is released as Japan’s first completely waterproof wristwatch.
- 1960
- An agreement is signed on technical assistance (plant export) to India.
- 1960
- A partnership is formed with the Bulova Watch Company to commence full-scale exports to the United States.
- 1960
- The CITIZEN Shine is released as Japan's first watch for visually impaired wearers.
CITIZEN Shine watches are donated to the Nagoya School for the Visually Impaired. - 1962
- Thirty CITIZEN Shine watches are donated to the school for visually impaired students operated by Thailand's welfare and education foundation for the blind.
- 1962
- A partnership is formed with Hong Kong-based Gilman & Co. to start full-scale exports to Southeast Asia.
- 1962
- A state-run watch factory is completed in India.
- 1963
- A CITIZEN WATCH employee wins gold in the mechanical drawing category of the 12th World Skills Competition in Ireland.
- 1964
- The Tanashi Table Tennis Team wins the All Japan Table Tennis Championship for Corporate Teams for the first time.
- 1964
- A Certificate of Company Contributing to Exports is received from the Minister of International Trade and Industry.
- 1964
- The Tanashi Factory wins an Excellent Safety Management Award from the Director-General of the Tokyo Labour Standards Bureau.
- 1965
- The CA-10 electric adding machine and the CR-10 electric cash register are released.
- 1967
- Via the United Nations, 215 CITIZEN Shine watches are donated to visually impaired persons in 29 countries around the world.
- 1970
- The Cincom D16 NC automatic lathe is developed.
- 1971
- A CITIZEN WATCH employee wins gold in the watch repair category of the 20th World Skills Competition in Spain.
- 1973
- The CITIZEN Quartz crystal oscillation electronic wristwatch is released.
- 1975
- CITIZEN Shine watches are donated to 5,000 10th- to 12th-graders in schools for visually impaired students across the country.
- 1980
- The Citizen Group becomes the official timer for the 14th Ohme Marathon. Since then, the Citizen Group has been serving as official timer for road races in Japan and overseas.
- 1980
- The fifth agreement is signed for technical assistance to India (quartz clock technology).
- 1983
- The CL Series lamps are released as the world’s first chip LED lamps.
- 1983
- The CT-20 thermometer is released as the world’s first electronic clinical thermometer with an IC sensor.
- 1988
- The Tanashi Works wins a Nationwide Excellent Advanced Business Establishment Award from Nikkei Inc.
- 1990
- The Citizen of the Year annual award scheme is launched.
- 1990
- The refreshing leave scheme is introduced and put into effect.
- 1993
- The world’s first multizone Radio-Controlled Watch is released.
- 1995
- Wristwatch models with ten-year warranty and permanent repair service are released under the brand name of The CITIZEN.
- 1996
- The solar-powered Eco-Drive becomes the first wristwatch to be granted the Eco Mark certification.
- 1998
- The Environmental Policy is published.
- 2000
- Environmental Report 2000 is published.
- 2003
- The business license award scheme is introduced.
- 2004
- The Citizen Group Code of Conduct is put into force.
- 2005
- The Citizen Group signs the United Nations Global Compact.
- 2005
- CSR Report 2005 is published.
- 2007
- A pure holding company structure is introduced and the company name is changed to Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
- 2009
- A CITIZEN HEIWA WATCH employee is honored by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare as a Modern Master Craftsperson.
