Social Impact Assessments (Logic Model and KPIs)

Dialogue between issue finder and co-creator

Interviewer: Junichiro Ishida (Mitsui & Co., right)
Interviewee: Fujio Kojima (Pirika, Inc., left)

Ishida: Mr. Kojima, would you begin by telling us what inspired you to start up Pirika?

Kojima: Half a year into my postgraduate studies, I took a break to travel the world. I was shocked to find that litter was increasingly contaminating the natural environment on an alarming scale in every country that I visited. This issue tends to be overlooked in Japan, but it’s a serious problem that can have direct impacts on people’s lives in regions with fragile environmental infrastructure. That’s why I founded Pirika in 2011 to use the power of technology to tackle the global litter problem.

Ishida: So you started up the company after seeing the realities on the ground. I can tell you’re obviously very passionate about this.

Ishida: How did you learn about the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund?

Kojima: I’d heard about the Fund before through an acquaintance working at Mitsui & Co. However, I initially assumed that stock companies are not eligible for grants. One day, however, a person working for the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund told me that they provided grants to social startups. I felt compelled to rise to the challenge of applying to the Fund and we set things in motion.

Ishida: What was your impression of the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund after actually using it?

Kojima: Initially I thought it would be great just to receive financial support. However, I was very encouraged to find that we were given a range of support beyond funding that would really accelerate our project, which is very reassuring for us. Our partners at Mitsui & Co., especially yourself, Mr. Ishida, our co-creator, have provided advice from a frontline perspective and given us access to Mitsui’s global networks. I found these things also valuable in addition to the funding.

Ishida: I’m glad it is encouraging for you to be able to receive different kinds of support than before through co-creation with Mitsui & Co. You can certainly leverage Mitsui’s retail-related assets and networks inside and outside Japan.

Ishida: What are your expectations toward your co-creators, and what value is being created through collaboration?

Kojima: By working with people who have knowledge about technology and retail/logistics infrastructure, we are able to find solutions for problems that we could not have tackled alone. For example, Mitsui & Co.’s networks and expertise enabled us to install the Takanome app on delivery vehicles serving retailers and the food service industry to visualize litter.

Ishida: By launching surveys using the Mitsui & Co. group’s vehicles, we were able to expand the areas covered. I think that was an important achievement.

Ishida: What do you need for solving this specific issue, beyond the support of the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund?

Kojima: I think we need more people to take an interest in this issue and work toward solutions from their own perspectives. Because it’s not a problem that can be addressed by specific industries or organizations, we want to accelerate cross-sector collaboration.

Ishida: I share your view that it’s important to lay the groundwork for efforts to tackle the litter problem, and that you need to increase the number of people involved so that they can find solutions from their own perspectives.

Ishida: What are your expectations toward the future role of the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund as well as its ecosystem?

Kojima: I hope that co-creation will result in a chain reaction of collaboration and learning, leading to accelerated efforts to tackle social issues. It would be great if our litter visualization project becomes an inspiration as a successful example for other people to take on challenges.

Ishida: I totally agree. I’ve learned a lot through our co-creation activities with you. I hope that the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund will continue to provide opportunities for issue finders and co-creators to take on challenges together, and that our project will be a kind of impetus for future generations.

Ishida: Finally, what are your goals during the grant period and thereafter?

Kojima: Within Japan, we aim to expand our collaboration with the retail and food service industries in order to create a more efficient survey structure. In other countries, including the United States, we want to accumulate case studies and work with governments and NPOs to create an environment in which litter visualization can be reflected in public policies. In addition, we will work to create a viable business model so that we can continue to operate independently after the end of the grant period.

Ishida: We will continue to work alongside you toward the realization of your goals. Thank you for your time today.

Activity Highlights