ユーザベース（3966） – Integrated Report

PurposeAwaken a world of play in business, with our insights01Data that supports decisions02Content that creates change03Knowledge that’s circulatedPeople and companies need the right data at the right time. And they need it anytime, because the world changes, fast. We not only keep up, we stay ahead. Our infrastructure quickly identifies, creates, organizes, and analyzes data so we can support a world where businesses pivot and deliver, alongside and even ahead of people’s needs.We believe in the power of content. It can teach, and it can inspire. A society never stands still, because its people are always looking to grow, always looking to be inspired. Content can bring that inspiration. It can provide the courage and motivation people and businesses need to change and to grow. And when they do, society reaches sustainable development. Let’s create that content and those businesses, together.Curated expertise, unique experience, and a passion for depth. We believe in the power of human knowledge that comes from these sources. And we believe in sharing that knowledge. When diverse people share their wisdom and ideas, it creates economic value that’s accessible to everyone and that helps promote the sustainable development of our society.04Technology that changes the worldWe believe that technology, together with people’s ingenuity, will change the world. That’s why we will keep automating our processes and combining our expertise with the best technology solutions to deliver value to the world. 05Business that awakens playEverything in harmony: individual, business, and society. We believe in creating a world where everyone can enjoy business and life, and we strive to deliver products that will make that a reality. With content that conveys ideas and practices and data that delivers fresh insights, we will create that sustainable world.27 Values 01 Be free & own it05 Don’t know? Choose brave.02 Unleash ingenuity06 In it together. No matter what.03 Thrill the user07 We need what you bring04 How fast? Wow fast.Our team’s diversity—our divergent thinking—is the source of our competitive strength. That’s why we embrace creativity and new ideas. We want everyone to bring their best work, and we know that can only happen if every one of us has the freedom to be their best. The 7 Values give us guidance and bring our Purpose to life—“Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights”.3A Message from Co-CEO & CTO Yusuke Inagaki (1/3)We Aim to Be a Company that Makes All of Our Stakeholders Happy“Business intelligence to change your world”.Uzabase has been committed to this mission since the company was founded in 2008.Starting with SPEEDA, our goal has been to create the business intelligence infrastructure that the world needs and to free all business professionals from labor-intensive tasks that use up a lot of their time. By doing so, we can offer more people the freedom to focus on more creative, high value-added work. This has been a part of the “change the world” challenge we took up as a company.At the same time, the three founders have always been discussing ways to make Uzabase into a workplace where all of its stakeholders can be happy. Uzabase is what it is today only thanks to the support of many, many people. That is why our goal has always been to create a sincere win-win relationship with our employees, their families and partners, business partners, investors, customers, and all other people who surround us.Now, fourteen years after the company’s foundation, we have changed our mission, focusing on a purpose instead—”Awaken a world of play, with our insights”.Although perhaps not clearly stated before, our ultimate goal is to make all stakeholders happy, even as the company has grown beyond the 1,000 people mark*, and the number of stakeholders keeps growing as well. We aim to be a company that can make all stakeholders happy without sacrificing the interests of society, the business, or the individual. * Includes full-time employees, contract-based employees, and part-time employees (as of end-December 2021)44A Message from Co-CEO & CTO Yusuke Inagaki (2/3)Harnessing the Power of Teams to Make the Purpose a Reality“We Need What You Bring”: Our Greatest Competitive EdgeIn order for us to make our Purpose a reality, we need highly collaborative teams that share the same values. From that standpoint, there are two things I focus on as a Co-CEO.The first is to establish an environment where each person can unleash their individuality and take on the challenges that they want to. The second is to create teams that combine different skill sets and produce results that none of us alone could ever achieve.These two factors help us awaken a world of play in our own business, if you will, and to continue to produce great results as a team. And I believe that with this, we will be able to give back even more to our stakeholders.The management team, including myself, is committed to creating this positive cycle and will work to fulfill the company’s Purpose.Each of our products has been created through a combination of the unique strengths of each member involved. SPEEDA, for example, is powered by the expertise of our analysts and our engineers. NewsPicks is powered by the expertise of our journalists and engineers. Combining human knowledge and technology to produce new services is at the heart of what we do here at Uzabase.To deliver the value of our products to a diverse range of users and potential customers, we harness the power of sales, design, and other teams both in Japan and internationally. “We need what you bring”—this value is indeed our greatest competitive edge.However, it is not always easy for people with diverse backgrounds and different talents to work together. Even when Uzabase was just founded, we had occasions where things were not going so well, mostly because of a lack of mutual understanding. We even had fights because of small disagreements.This is why it is so important to have a highly collaborative team that shares the same values. If we share the same values, we can overcome any crisis via simple dialogue. We can believe in each other and join forces to tackle challenges head-on. A team working together amplifies the power of each of its members many times over, creating great value from everything that they bring to the table.55A Message from Co-CEO & CTO Yusuke Inagaki (3/3)“We Need What You Bring”: Even Stronger with TechnologyNow that Uzabase has grown to over 1,000 employees*, diversity in teams and businesses is bound to grow more in the future, and collaboration within Japan and across our branches worldwide will certainly accelerate. To make sure that our diversity continues to grow, it will be important to make full use of technology.At Uzabase, all of us share the same value: to do our very best for our customers and our own teams in each moment of our work. This is, of course, a great thing and something to be proud of, but if we get it wrong, we will only be responding to challenges on the spot, which would only create more labor-intensive work.We want to ensure that each person’s actions and efforts in caring for our customers or their own team are not in vain, which we plan to achieve by promoting the use of technology to boost the power of our teams. Our ultimate goal is to give all Uzabase members the power to use technology more than ever before. We will help non-engineers to learn coding so that they can access data and execute scripts on their own without having to ask engineers every time they need to do it. On the engineering side, meanwhile, we will develop an overall system infrastructure to make it easier for non-engineers to code on their own, and create more time for people to dive into their own coding projects.For the customer, the ideal scenario is when a response can be delivered instantly by the product itself, and not one where a person had to spend time working out what to reply. For every team, the is to streamline all time-consuming tasks to avoid having to do the same work over and over again.ideal scenario To awaken a world of play in business, we will need to first awaken a world of play in engineering. By doing so, we will strengthen our value of “We need what you bring” and vastly improve the results achievable by each team. Through these efforts, we will do our utmost to meet the expectations of all our stakeholders.* Includes full-time employees, contract-based employees, and part-time employees (as of end-December 2021)66A Message from Co-CEO Taira Sakuma (1/2)Share the Potential of Business Intelligence with the WorldOn December 16, 2021, Uzabase announced its newly-created Purpose:“Awaken a world of play, with our insights”.Previously, Uzabase had a Mission: “Business intelligence to change your world”.Driven by this Mission, we have taken on numerous challenges over the years:・2008: Released business intelligence platform SPEEDA・2013: Released social business media service NewsPicks・2017: Acquired startup information database JVR (now INITIAL)・2017: Released B2B customer strategy platform FORCAS・2018: Acquired international media service Quartz・2020: Acquired expert knowledge platform MIMIR・2020: Acquired new business consulting service AlphaDriveAt the end of 2020, we made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Quartz business, and Yusuke Umeda took responsibility for it by stepping down from his position as CEO. Our other challenges, however, have produced significant results.At the heart of these challenges to change the world has always been the will of individual people and the power that united them. That is Uzabase’s biggest strength. We will continue to take on new challenges based around the will of individuals. In a sense, all of us can become entrepreneurs and contribute to bringing meaningful change to our world.77A Message from Co-CEO Taira Sakuma (2/2)We Want to Awaken a World of Play in BusinessContinuing Our Challenge Towards International ExpansionAs a result of taking on so many challenges, we ended up facing a new dilemma: I joined Uzabase in 2013. At that time, our office took up only one floor in Gaienmae some challenges directly impede the challenges of others. The idea of “changing (Tokyo), and I still remember how we had family gatherings there or watched the the world” itself has such a wide range of interpretations that it is difficult to fireworks from the windows during summer festivals.ensure that your interpretation matches those of others.We decided to formulate what exactly we want to achieve and share this public, and boost our sales to over 16 billion yen. However, we still have a long way to interpretation not only with Uzabase members, but also with the world. To go if we are to truly awaken a world of play in business.About nine years have passed since then. We have been able to expand overseas, go achieve this goal, we will need to take on many new challenges, but those will be consistent both within and outside the company, and we could turn this We must accelerate Uzabase’s growth. Through the synergistic fusion of SaaS and momentum into a powerful force for changing the world.NewsPicks, we can produce new, never-before-seen value, and create a world where people’s knowledge is utilized to its full extent, solving social issues. We will also With this in mind, we decided to change our Mission from a highly abstract one continue to work on our challenge towards international expansion.that was oriented more internally, towards Uzabase itself, to a more concrete Purpose that is shared with the world and paints a more precise picture of what “Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights.”we want to achieve.We want to share this Purpose with everyone who reads this Integrated Report, and we promise to do our utmost to make it a reality. I believe that approaching this “Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights”. It took almost a year to process with an element of play will also help me to awaken a world of play in craft this Purpose, but during this process, we realized that all of Uzabase’s business within myself.businesses have always had this Purpose in their hearts.88IndexPart 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 5Company OverviewOur Approach to SustainabilityCorporate GovernanceESG Data BookOur Vision Behind Each Business1017607073Editorial PolicyDisclaimer Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis “2021 Integrated Report for Uzabase, Inc.” is an integrated report containing financial and non-financial information on This report may contain forward-looking assumptions, forecasts, and projections based on plans. These forward-looking Uzabase, Inc. intended for all of its stakeholders. It contains information on the consolidated earnings of the company, as well statements are based on information currently available to the Company and certain assumptions that the Company believes as management policies and business strategies for mid- to long-term value creation.are reasonable, and the Company does not promise that they will be achieved. There may be significant differences between Report CoverageJanuary 1, 2012 to December 31. 2021 (however, certain events preceding or following this period are also mentioned).and announce them publicly.such forecasts and actual results due to various factors in the future, including changes in economic conditions, customer needs and user preferences, competition with other companies, or changes in laws and regulations. The Company thus assumes no liability for any damages resulting from the use of the information in this document. The Company is under no obligation to revise any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information or future events 9Company Overview10Financial Highlights (FY12/2021)CAGR38.9%(2016–2021)12.59.3Consolidated Net SalesConsolidated EBITDA MarginUnit: JPY billion4.513.0% 12.7%3.19.2%16.013.811.9%6.6%Year EstablishedConsolidated ARR200812.3billionGroup EmployeesSaaS ARR806 people9.8billionSubscription Revenue Ratio69 %NewsPicks ARR2.5billionFY2016FY2017FY2018FY2019FY2020FY2021that follow).-3.3%1. Figures shown are as of Decmber 31, 2021.2. All monetary amounts are truncated values. Progress rates and growth rates are rounded to the nearest whole (same applies for all slides 3. Number of Group Employees is the total of full-time employees and contract-based employees.4. Subscription Revenue Ratio refers to the ratio of recurring revenue to total consolidated net sales.5. ARR refers to annual recurring revenue and represents the revenue to be earned via subscriptions for the coming year. It is calculated as the monthly recurring revenue (MRR) multiplied by 12 months.6. The ARR for SaaS is a sum total of ARRs of SPEEDA, INITIAL, SPEEDA Edge, FORCAS, FORCAS Sales, and AlphaDrive/NewsPicks.7. The ARR for NewsPicks is the ARR generated by premium subscriptions and NewsPicks Learning personal subscriptions.11* Figures from August 2018 to October 2020 include the earnings of Quartz.Company HistoryReleased FORCASMAYAcquired INITIALnapaJ nIsaesrevOCompany foundedReleased SPEEDAAPRMAYIPO on TSE MothersEstablished UB VenturesAcquired AlphaDriveAcquired MIMIREstablishedUB DatatechOCTJANFEBNOVAPROCT20082009201620172018201920202021Launched NewsPicksOCT2013JANSPEEDA expanded into Asia(Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong)SPEEDA opened a research-focused branch in Sri Lanka JANJULMARMAYJANAcquired QuartzReleased SPEEDA ChinaBusiness and capital alliance with EnquireLaunched SPEEDA EdgeUzabase itselfM&ALaunched FORCAS SalesOCTOCTWithdrew from Quartz1. INITIAL changed its name from Japan Venture Research in November 2019.2. Quartz has been excluded from consolidated results starting from November 2020. For details, refer to this press release.3. Enquire AI, Inc. changed its name from GlobalWonks, Inc. in September 2021.12Our ServicesSaaSSaaS Products Offering Support for the Implementation of Agile ManagementBusiness Strategy: Business planning, competitive analysis, M&A, investment strategy, new business developmentCustomer Strategy: Customer targeting, digital sales/marketing, new business developmentOrganizational Strategy: Corporate culture transformation, employee training, talent search,new business developmentNewsPicksA Leading Business News Media in JapanNewsPicks delivers hand-picked business news from over 100 Japanese and international media outlets, as well as original articles and videos created by the NewsPicks Editorial Team. The content is accompanied by commentary from experts and business professionals from various fields.1313How Our Services Help Businesses and IndividualsAwakening a World of Play in BusinessFinding harmony among societal, business, and individual purposesBusinessIndividualPopularize a customer-oriented, highly adaptable approach to business management (Agile Business Management)Help more people find a world of play in theirwork and take meaningful actionModernize and automate competitive analysis,enabling businesses to quickly adapt to changeEncourage more people take interest in the world of business and enjoy newsModernize and automate customer analysis,connecting it to marketing and salesHave more people take interest insocietal issues, learn, and take actionNurture more self-driven talent, creatingteams that seek out new customer valueCreate a society in which sharing information leads to new opportunities, and where individual knowledge can be properly circulated 1414Shared Use of Business Intelligence, Our Core AssetThe collaborative use of business intelligence and insights across the entire Group serves as our strong competitive edge.Company and Industry DatabaseNewsPicksNewsPicksExpertSaaSSPEEDAINITIALFORCASAD/NP* Alpha Drive/NewsPicks business is planning to release a product that utilizes the company and industry databases as well.1515The Three Core Assets Shared by Uzabase (Business Intelligence)1Data2Content3Knowledge ssenisuBecnegilletnI evititepmoCegdEListed/Unlisted Companies (Global)Over 10 millionStartups(Global)Over1.2 millionCompany FeaturesIP & Patent TrendsOver1,800 types332● Long-term partnerships with top data suppliers in Japan and abroad (Morningstar, Tokyo Shoko Research, etc.)● Original data (data on startups, software service usage statistics) compiled over a long period of time and stored on the platform(s)News Media Sources(Global)Industry & Trend ReportsOver2,160Over20,000Over3,000Over2,000Original Articles(Total)Original Video Content (Total)● Top-class journalists, editors, and designers producing high-quality articles on a regular basis● With a strong team of 70 analysts in Sri Lanka (since 2016), a large volume of reports are produced on a regular basis at a relatively low costNewsPicks ProPickersOver200peopleExpert Network100,000 peopleIn Japan: 17,000Globally: 83,000● Value provided by numerous Pickers sharing their views via NewsPicks, and the community around them● Major expansion of the expert network in Japan and abroad via the acquisition of MIMIR in 2020 and partnerships with expert companies abroad1. Number of experts is a total of the number of experts of Uzabase and those of the partnering companies as of end-December 2021.2. All other figures are as of February 9, 2022.1616Our Approach to Sustainability17Our Approach to SustainabilityAwakening such a world requires finding harmony between societal, business, and individual purposes. address—our materiality issues.One of our goals is to reconcile economic and social interests and to prove that the two are not, in fact, mutually exclusive. In order to achieve that, we have formulated our high-priority topics that we need to We aim to contribute to the sustainable development of the world through 1) our SaaS solutions, which in our mind could serve as solid infrastructure for management approaches rooted in sustainability, and 2) our social business media, which would encourage individual people to make meaningful changes in their Uzabase’s purpose is to “Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights.”That would mean a world that is working towards solving environmental issues, such as climate change, through the development of business and society in a way that strikes a harmony between both. It would also mean a world that is working towards solving various labor-related issues, and, as a result, is able to awaken a world of play in business—where anyone done through the development of business and individual talent in a way that strikes a harmony between both.A world where people feel joy when doing business is a sustainable one.and everyone can find joy in their work. This must be daily lives towards sustainability. 1818Awakening a world of play in business means…Finding harmony between sustainable society and business and individual purposes123Harmony between Sustainable Society and Business PurposeWe believe that the pursuit of economic rationality and a sustainable society are not mutually exclusive. If the move towards sustainability gains significant traction among consumers, the market will actually start favoring companies that aim to create a sustainable society. Without a clear sustainability paradigm for social good, companies will not be able to attract talent. As a result, it will become more and more economically rational for companies to aim towards creating a sustainable society.Harmony between Business Purpose and Individual PurposeFinding enjoyment in work is often said to be an important part of finding enjoyment in life. There is a whole world of play that can be found in business, and awakening it can only bring more joy into one’s life. If you like the overall direction (=purpose) of the company you work at, if you find it relatable to your own purpose in life, work may become one of your many purposes in life, rather than simply a means to an end.Harmony between Individual Purpose and Sustainable SocietyEnjoying business and enjoying life is only possible when we have hope for the future—our own and our children’s. Contributing to the establishment of a sustainable society can bring such hope. Rather than working at the expense of our personal lives, we can create unique working styles to fit our unique lives, working styles that are sustainable and offer room for play. These can then be shared with the rest of the world!1SustainableSociety3BusinessPurposeIndividualPurpose(Purpose in Life)21919Promotion of ESG Board of DirectorsConsultationESG CommitteeCollaborationCollaborationD&I CommitteeCommittee ChairpersonCo-CEOTaira SakumaESG Committee MembersCPO/CAOShinobu MatsuiExternal DirectorMasahiro KotosakaCFODaisuke Chiba・PICs for each Material Issues (executives in charge of materiality)・Other experts to be involved as neededCollaborationActivity・Develop action plans for each Material Issue and monitor progress・Hold a meeting at least twice a year, with the results reported to the Board of DirectorsBusiness Execution Teams2020Value Creation ProcessInput(Source of Value)Output(Societal & Environmental Impact)Business Intelligence People & TechnologyData・Company data・Statistics・Market data・Startup data・ForecastsContent(for details, refer to P55)・NewsPicks articles and videos・Industry reports・Trend reports(for details, refer to P55)Knowledge・Past experience and accumulated expertise・Future projections as seen by humans—something that cannot be presented as data(for details, refer to P55)Group Employees806Diverse Job Types・Content creation・Technology・Business side・CorporateSociety・Circulating human knowledge・We need what you bring・A world of play in business, for everyone・Becoming a technology companyEnvironment・Addressing climate changeEconomic ImpactSaaS10 billionConsolidated Net Sales16 billionNewsPicks6 billionStrong management and synergy creation towards fulfilling the PurposeGovernance・Sustainable management of data and content・Synergistic fusion of SaaS products and mediaPurposeAwaken a world of play in business,with our insightsSustainableSocietyBusinessPurposeIndividualPurpose● Group Employees is the number of full-time and contract-based employees, including Executive Officers (as of Jan 1, 2022)2121Our Approach to Materiality AssessmentIdentifying Our Material Issues 　“Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights”. Towards making our purpose a reality, we have formulated a set of topics that are material to Uzabase, the issues we need to prioritize in order to create value, both societal and economic. By working to address these material issues, we aim to provide continuous value to society, business, and individuals, while also improving our enterprise value.Step 1Step 2Step 3Identifying social issues that need to be addressedAssessing importance of thesesocial issues to the company Formulating Uzabase’s materialityThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set up by the United Nations were used as a reference point for discussions between our management team and independent experts to identify those social issues that are highly relevant to our company’s Purpose, business activities, and corporate culture.Social issues identified at Step 1 were then also discussed by the Board of Directors, assessing their relevance and importance to our corporate strategy.Based on the assessment done at Step 2, and with the approval received from the Board of Directors, Uzabase’s 7 Material Issues were formulated.2222Uzabase’s 7 Material IssuesSocietal issues we are actively looking to help solve:Quality Education for AllGender EqualityDecent Work and Economic GrowthIndustry, Innovation and InfrastructureReduced InequalitiesClimate ActionCirculating human knowledgeCreate a world where human knowledge is used to solve various societal issuesWe need what you bringEstablish an organization where diverse talents are unleashed to their maximum potential●●●A world of play in business, for everyoneCreate a world where children and future generations can awaken a world of play in businessBecoming a technology companyEstablish a new, technology-driven business model for the companySustainable management of data and contentEnhance and improve content and data, our shared strength, in a sustainable mannerSynergistic fusion of SaaS and mediaCreate tangible synergy between SaaS and NewsPicks●●●●●●●●●●●SocietyGovernance1234567EnvironmentAddressing climate changeTake concrete actions to address climate change, inspire other people and companies to do the same●23231Circulating KnowledgeConnecting one person’s knowledge with another person’s knowledge creates new value. A lot of knowledge lies dormant inside people, unavailable online. Creating a true circle where people can exchange their knowledge will surely awaken a world of play in business.MIMIR provides access to a network of experts, aiming to promote the circulation of knowledge within and outside the Uzabase Group. Our services aim to create opportunities for Uzabase members to interact with more experts outside the Group and leverage their knowledge. We also want to create a fitting environment and enough opportunities for members to provide their own expertise as a side job parallel to Uzabase. Through these efforts, we aim to properly circulate human knowledge, transcending the virtual boundaries between companies and organizations.We believe that this will help more people to gain access to the knowledge held by a diverse range of people, recognize the value of their own knowledge, and contribute that knowledge to society.Initiative intended to address the following SDGs :Material Issue PICMIMIR CEOSoshi Kawaguchi 242411Circulating KnowledgeCirculating Knowledge via Uzabase Group’s BusinessesOur goal is to expand our expert network with MIMIR at its center and establish an environment where experts can demonstrate their knowledge on both SPEEDA (towards enterprise customers) and NewsPicks (towards individual subscribers). This would get us closer to creating a society where knowledge is properly circulated beyond the rigid boundaries of companies and organizations.Providing knowledge via:● Interviews● Quick replies to questions (FLASH OPINION)● Posts on NewsPicks Topics● Comments on news articles● Communication with followersExpertResearchNewsPicks TopicsComments on newsExperts● Compensation● Information on results● Evaluations● Compensation● Followers252511Circulating KnowledgeCirculating Knowledge Between the Society and Uzabase GroupOur goal is to offer side-job opportunities within the Uzabase Group, boost the use of expert knowledge within and outside the Group via MIMIR, SPEEDA, and NewsPicks, and finally promote expert activity in other companies. All of these initiatives combined will help us boost the circulation of knowledge in our society.SocietyAccess to Expert KnowledgeSPEEDAEXPERT RESEARCHSharing of Information by ExpertsNewsPicksTopics and CommentsInternal ExpertsSide-Job OpportunitiesPromotion of the Expert-Related BusinessPromotion of Expert Activity262611Circulating KnowledgeDetails on Current Initiatives“DIVE” was launched in 2021 as a program that allows companies and individuals within the UB Group to sign outsourcing contracts between each other and receive remuneration for the services rendered. The program started with engineers, and there have already been a number of contracts signed. We set limits on how much you can work and require the exact working hours to be reported. We are also constantly working on improvements to help employees broaden the scope of their careers and discover new perspectives.Experts who have conducted interviews and other expert activities in the past, are invited to an exclusive online gathering organized by MIMIR to celebrate highly knowledgeable individuals and provide an opportunity for experts to interact with each other. First held on February 25, 2022, MIMIR presented awards to 14 business professionals with expert knowledge, with around 230 experts in attendance. The event provided opportunities for experts to interact with each other, successfully reaching its goals.Organizing an Expert Award CeremonyLaunch of Group-WideSide Job Program “DIVE”Promotion of Expert Activities of Group Employees Outside UzabaseIn order to offer as many opportunities as possible for Uzabase Group employees to utilize their knowledge outside the company, we have invited all employees to register as NewsPicks Experts. This would provide them with opportunities to offer their services as an expert, such as via interviews or answers to questions asked through MIMIR’s expert network service. Many people have already joined and are active.Launch of NewsPicks TopicsPromotion of Expert Network Business via MIMIRMIMIR, which became a wholly owned subsidiary in 2020, has built a database of experts and is developing a service that provides expert knowledge to companies in Japan and abroad via interviews and Q&A sessions. Through this service, many companies have been able to utilize expert knowledge in their decision-making processes, providing many experts with the opportunity to offer their knowledge as a service.Promotion of Expert Activities via PartnershipsIn November 2021, NewsPicks released “NewsPicks Topics”, a new service where individual creators can create content based on their own personal knowledge and receive compensation for it. With this service, everyone can become an expert in something, share information on their area of expertise or specialty, attract readers, and communicate with other Topics participants.In order to create opportunities for people to share their knowledge and expertise while belonging to a company or organization, and to expand opportunities for such external activities, we have been working on establishing partnerships with various organizations that would allow their members to register as NewsPicks Experts and engage in expert activities. Examples include Dentsu (announced in March 2021) and the Graduate School of Management, Globis University (announced in June 2021), with more to come in the future.Providing Expert Knowledge via SPEEDAMIMIR and SPEEDA are collaborating on providing expert network services to SPEEDA users through SPEEDA EXPERT RESEARCH. In addition, we have begun posting select responses from experts on SPEEDA in the form of content. A wide range of users on SPEEDA now have access to the knowledge of a variety of experts, utilizing this expertise in their own businesses.Sharing Information on Expert ActivityMIMIR shares information on the activities of our experts, focusing on what kind of knowledge they possess, via MIMIR’s owned media and other means. MIMIR also publishes the list of the Expert Awards winners and information on their achievements.27272We Need What You Bring“Awaken a world of play in business, with our insights”.In line with our Purpose, Uzabase aims to deliver value to business professionals around the world by creating platform solutions that cater to the needs of a diverse range of users.To achieve this, we ourselves need to be diverse. As one of our 7 Values says, “We need what you bring”. This means having respect for each other and creating opportunities to unleash the full potential of each and every person working at Uzabase. This thinking is what drives the growth of our business and our teams. We aim to create an organization where diverse talents have ample opportunities to unleash their full potential. By putting this goal into practice and spreading the news about what we learned from it, we believe we can help create a society where diverse talents can truly flourish.We communicate openly—expressing ourselves honestly and listening with respect turning our differences into strength. The unique way you see the world makes all of us smarter. The way you express yourself inspires us to be more creative. Speak your mind. Share from the heart. Express your talents and be yourself. We celebrate diversity of experience, thought, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and culture. Whatever your path, we need your point of view.Initiative intended to address the following SDGs :Material Issue PICBoard Director, CPO/CAOShinobu MatsuiWe need what you bring28282822We Need What You BringD&I Committee Launched in June 2021 and D&I Commitment Announced as a Management Objective1 Ensuring information transparency● Ensure that information is shared openly, with the exception of private and confidential matters● All information, including executive compensation and company-wide salary tables, is fully disclosed internally; 360-degree feedback also implemented to ensure transparency of evaluations● Enhanced interpretation and translation teams to overcome language barriers2 Set up a D&I Committee and disclose D&I-related metrics and policies● Established the D&I Committee, including external directors● Committed to regular disclosure of D&I-related metrics and initiatives3 Help people overcome hurdles arising from structural issues in society● “Design Your Own Working Style” – freedom to choose where and when to work● Childcare allowance for sick children, daycare fee subsidies, nursing care support allowance● Partnered with an external consultation service for fertility treatment, held seminars for employeesSeeing how our company grew in size over the years and noting the changes ● Same-sex partnership system and same-sex marriage & common-law marriage certification systemin society’s views on sustainability and the role of businesses in it, Uzabase ● COVID-19 vaccination organized by the company, paid leave after vaccination (including care for decided to launch a project on diversity and inclusion in FY2020. As a result family members)of this project we arrived to the conclusion that D&I initiatives must be ● Acceleration of employment of DiversAbility members (people with disabilities) and development of implemented in a more systematic manner, and, they are not something that an onboarding system for themonly one company should be doing. In FY2021, we officially launched the D&I Committee and announced our own D&I Commitment as an official management policy.4 Reduce the gender disparity among regular employees and leaders● Empowerment measures and mentoring programs to give people the courage to take the first step● Support for internal communities, such as Career Juggling (for working parents) and Rainbow (LGBTQI+)292922We Need What You BringCurrent Status of Diversity at UzabaseGender Ratio Among EmployeesGender Ratio Among ManagersGender Ratio Among ExecutivesGender Ratio Among Board DirectorsUzabase Only54.6%Entire Group56.6%Uzabase Only71%Entire Group74.1%Uzabase Only80.9%Entire Group85.3%Uzabase Only77.8%Entire Group87.5%MaleFemaleNationalities45.4%43.4%29%25.9%19.1%14.7%22.2%12.5%Professions14.8%Corporate1616Japan, Sri Lanka, China, South Korea, USA, Singapore, Thailand, UK, and more29.6%Business38.1%ContentUzabase OnlyEntire GroupMaleFemaleMaleFemale17.5%TechnologyGender Ratio Among New Hires in 2021 53.4%46.6%58.2%41.8%Parental Leave Taken57.1%100%38.1%100%Came Back to Work After Parental LeaveFlex Time & Remote Work Implementation* Data as of January 1, 2022100%100%ContentBusiness Technology Corporate Designers (UI/UX), analysts, editors, translators, etc.Sales, new business development, inside sales, marketing, etc.Engineers, programmers, etc.Legal, HR, accounting, etc.30303022We Need What You BringDistinctive HR System to Fully Support the Value of “We Need What You Bring”Design Your Own Working Style1. Working style diversity gives the freedom to unleash 2. Fulfill our job responsibilities in a way that fits individuality and talent across different teamsIn order to make our Purpose a reality, we need a diverse team composed of different personalities and talents. For these teams to coexist and respect each other, we need diverse working styles. By sharing the value of “Be free and own it”, we make it happen.individual lifestyles, making sure that everyone can work happily and perform to their fullestWe respect the freedom of each team member to choose their own lifestyle, including that of their family and partners. This respect helps them focus on their work even better, achieve higher performance, and fulfill their responsibilities.Free to choose where and when to workSome of our employees work remotely from rural regions or from abroadVarious forms of employment and levels of work commitment to attract the best talent (incl. side jobs)Many employees are working parents, with 100% coming back to work after parental leave (both men and women)313122We Need What You BringDetails on Current InitiativesOur HR system at Uzabase has been designed to reflect the company’s Purpose and Values. This handbook visualizes the ideas behind our HR system and serves to provide everyone with a deeper understanding of the concepts behind each of our systems and how they have been designed.BackgroundIn 2020, as part of the D&I promotion project, we conducted a company-wide survey to see if there is true equality of opportunity across the UB Group. One of the issues that came to light was a lack of common understanding regarding the background and details of the systems and programs in the company, leaving some employees unconvinced. This HR Handbook intends to address that issue.HR HandbookClick here to read the full HR Handbook (external website)This Handbook describes the application process for maternity/paternity leave within the Uzabase Group, tips on how to communicate that within the company, interviews with employees who have taken such leave, and other useful information to help address any concerns or uncertainties. The Handbook received an even better response than we anticipated, and a lot of our female and male employees reached out to the People Experience team to discuss these options. The reaction was particularly great from our male employees, many of whom expressed the desire to take a paternity leave in the future, even if they have no current plans to do so.We want everyone to work with a peace of mind: how the Maternity & Paternity Leave Handbook got made (Japanese only)Across the entire Uzabase Group, only 26% of our managers are women, while the overall share of women is at 42%. In reality, there is no lack of people, regardless of their gender, who really want to become leaders. The challenging part is that many of them can’t take that crucial first step towards making it a reality. To address this, we published 11 articles on D&I topics via UB Note.UB Note – Diversity & Inclusion (Japanese only)Maternity & Paternity LeaveHandbookThoughts from Diverse Role Models Shared Internally and Externally323222We Need What You BringDetails on Current InitiativesWe have created a casual mentoring program that invites everyone to ask leaders from diverse backgrounds across the Uzabase Group for advice, even on a one-off basis. In our professional life there are moments when we feel doubts about our current career path or working style, but don’t know who to talk to. How do you manage both parenting and work? I’ve been asked to become a leader, but can I really do it? Such questions often come up, especially among those who are preparing to become leaders. The casual mentoring system is designed to help our employees feel more at ease to discuss any concerns they may have.A stress-free way to have a 1on1 chat with executives from another business: how the casual mentoring program was made (Japanese only)D&I Casual Mentoring ProgramMasahiko Yasuda, the CEO of We Are The People and a ProPicker on NewsPicks was invited as a speaker for a workshop aiming to start a conversation about diversity and recognizing unconscious biases. Participants mainly included board directors and company leaders.Seminar on Unconscious BiasParticipants were divided into small groups to discuss ways for organizations that value diversity to deal with unconscious bias based around the D&I philosophy of the Uzabase Group. This workshop provided an opportunity to think about how to apply D&I principles in their own daily life, both individually and as a group.Across the Uzabase Group, there are many students working as interns and young employees in their 20s who are actively involved in the business. As part of this project, we have established a community of young employees from various teams, mostly targeting those under 25 years old or people in their first to third year of employment. The goal is to create an environment where young employees can support each other in the challenges that they tackle on a daily basis, moving as “One Uzabase” with the younger generation at the helm.With a meeting held once every quarter, the initiative is mainly designed to support the acquisition of soft business skills like self-management. In the past, we have held workshops to picture the future of the business and reflect on our values and the experiences that made us who we are.Next-GenerationEmpowerment Community　3322We Need What You BringDetails on Current InitiativesEliminating Information Gaps Due to LanguageThe Uzabase Group has offices in four countries, and more than 100 of our employees work outside of Japan. In addition, the Group has employees of 17 nationalities. However, a large part of communication is still done only in Japanese, resulting in an information gap between members who speak Japanese and those who do not. To help bridge this information gap, we are currently implementing a number of initiatives (listed on the right).● Company-wide Town Hall Meeting held in Japanese and English● Separately organized an English Town Hall Meeting (once a month)● Bolstered our interpretation and translation teams (simultaneous interpretation can be added to almost any meeting upon request)● Minutes of the Board of Directors meetings and other internal documents shared in Japanese and English● All major announcements made in Japanese and English● Implemented machine translation to globalize communication on SlackAs part of UB Care benefits, a counselling service for fertility treatment (Stork Benefit) was added in FY2021. A relatively high number of people have already used this service, and we have received several positive comments from Uzabase members, mentioning that it really helped them psychologically. In addition, we held a number of seminars on infertility treatment, basic knowledge on menstruation, and other sex and gender-related topics.Fertility Treatment Consulting / Seminars on Topics Related to Sex & GenderAbout UB CareUB Care is a benefit program to assist people in various stages of their lives, in accordance with our value of “We need what you bring”. In life, there are times when we can work to our full performance and when we can’t, often due to various life events, such as pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, marriage, nursing care. or medical treatment. There are times when we can’t do it on our own, when we need someone’s help. And then there are issues stemming from the way society is structured. At Uzabase, we aim to be a workplace where our members can do their jobs with a peace of mind, even in trying times.At Uzabase, we refer to the employment of people with disabilities as Diversability Hiring. Our hope is that our future Diversability colleagues understand that we really do need what they bring, and are able to make the most of their strengths at our company, delivering new value to our users by looking at things from new perspectives which we perhaps could not see before. We also believe that it is important for us to fulfill our social responsibility as a public company on our path towards a sustainable society.● Created the Diversability Hiring Handbook● Created the Diversability Onboarding Handbook● Partnered with external experts to consult the teams and Diversability Diversability Hiring & OnboardingWe are also trying to update our onboarding system on a daily basis so that Diversability members who have just joined are able to fit in quickly and without issues (specific initiatives are listed on the right).members342 We Need What You BringDetails on Business-Specific InitiativesNewsPicks for WEBeyond DiversityAt the end of 2021, NewsPicks launched a community-based project together with IBM To coincide with Gender Equality Week in June 2021 and further accelerate the Japan to take a closer look at career development opportunities for women and movement for women’s empowerment in Japan, NewsPicks produced video content empower them to take the next step. ● Leadership development courses for women● Content on female leaders who can serve as role models● Case studies of companies leading in D&I initiatives● Opportunities for women to exchange opinions and share knowledge on their workThrough these initiatives, we aim to increase the share of women in decision-making positions across various companies and in the business world in general. This will help us contribute to the achievement of the 2030 goal proposed by Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) to ensure that 30% of executive positions in Japan are held by women.and Brand Story-type articles focusing on the initiatives of various companies who take concrete steps to address the issues faced by women in Japanese workplaces and the working styles that fit them. The initiative was jointly organized by Uzabase and NewsPicks, and Uzabase was also featured in one of the video interviews describing the various D&I efforts it undertakes as a company. 35353A World of Play in Business, for EveryoneIn order to awaken a world of play in business for everyone, the Uzabase Group will need to eliminate the information gaps that exist between different generations and different geographical regions. We will also need to provide more opportunities for people to enjoy quality content on business-related topics.We would like to guide users who enjoy business topics to quality content that interests them, and help them become content creators themselves. We believe that this cycle will help circulate knowledge in the business world and help us create a society where quality content on business-related topics is continuously being distributed across the globe.Material Issue PICNewsPicks CRO, Head of New Business DevelopmentDaisuke SakamotoWith our social business media NewsPicks at the center, we will work to collaborate with various people, including students and local communities, so that we can make high-quality content on business topics together, while also creating new ways to deliver information and create opportunities for those who need them.Initiative intended to address the following SDGs :3636NP Educationについて説明3A World of Play in Business, for EveryoneNewsPicks User Survey Results■ NewsPicks Users by Region■ NewsPicks Users by Age GroupOnly 32.3% are outside of the Kanto region (with Tokyo at the centre), indicating significant room for growth.Our goal is to popularize the service among the younger generation, increasing the number of users in the 20-29 age group.Outside Kanto32.3%KantoUnder 2020-2930-3940-4950-5960+37373A World of Play in Business, for EveryoneDetails on Business-Specific Initiatives (1) ── NewsPicks EducationNewsPicks aims to create opportunities for elementary, junior high, and high school students to experience news in an environment oriented towards learning, while also ensuring their safety and security. In the year since the NewsPicks Education service was fully launched, schools in more than 20 prefectures across Japan have used it, and the user audience is expected to grow further in the future. Students get to enjoy articles and video content on the publicly open part of NewsPicks, while also using a dedicated virtual space operated by each school separately to learn together with their peers. In April 2022, we launched “Cross-Border Piazza”, an online space for students from different schools to connect and learn from each other, as well as seeing a diversity of values and opinions. There are also opportunities to talk with NewsPicks reporters, ProPickers, and other professionals from various fields. It is also an important initiative for adults involved with NewsPicks to contribute to the next generation’s learning process via students, who represent the future of the world itself.38383A World of Play in Business, for EveryoneDetails on Business-Specific Initiatives (2) ── Student Pickers　We believe that news should be of interest not only to the working adults, but also to students who will be responsible for the future of the world. With this idea in mind, we launched the “Student Picker” initiative in October 2021, aiming to offer support to students in taking their big step forward with the help of meaningful content that helps them choose a career path and the power of a community with diverse values.A total of 43 students from Japan and abroad have been appointed as Student Pickers, and we are designing opportunities for interaction not only through connections among students themselves, but also by planning interviews with Pickers among working adults.▲学生向けオリジナルコンテンツを配信▲オンライン、オフラインでの交流会やワークショップなどを定期的に開催393933A World of Play in Business, for EveryoneDetails on Business-Specific Initiatives (3) ── NewsPicks Re:gion　The Japanese economy does not revolve only around its capital. The “regional areas” as they are often referred to account for 90% of the country’s population and 80% of its GDP. We believe that awakening a world of play in business done in these areas will contribute to the development of Japan as a whole. Regional areas are not only the focal point of various social issues, but also possess unique resources that cannot be found in large cities. They have the potential to become the frontier of value creation required in the new era.NewsPicks Re:gion aims to connect local innovators with business resources in Tokyo, with plans to develop initiatives to expand the regional economy via co-creation not bound by artificial borders.▼ Business conferences organized in regional cities▼Original content specifically for the Re:gion initiative40403A World of Play in Business, for EveryoneDetails on Business-Specific Initiatives (4) ── JobPicksThese days, people are more interested in what the job will allow them to do, rather than how prestigious the company is.They want to move to a different job that has more future potential, not an extension of their current job.More and more people are trying to handcraft their own careers, but it is often difficult for them to see what each type of job actually entails.To address this issue, NewsPicks launched “JobPicks”, a website where “insiders” from each profession post a realistic description of their job under their real name. The service also offers free articles featuring people who can serve as role models, but who also actually feel human.41414Becoming a Technology CompanyMaterial Issue PICCo-CEO & CTOYusuke InagakiWe want to be a technology company that awakens a world of play in business through the power of engineering.Since Uzabase’s founding in 2008, we have always aimed to combine the power of people and technology, drawing on the strengths of all team members to create must-have business intelligence services.Technology changes the way business professionals work by freeing them from labor-intensive tasks, allowing them to shift to more creative, value-added work instead. This is a vision that we would like to not only deliver to our users, but also to embody ourselves.One goal is to create a workplace where both engineers and non-engineers from a variety of backgrounds can leverage the power of engineering even further and enjoy taking on the challenges they desire.Initiative intended to address the following SDGs :42424Becoming a Technology CompanyBecoming a Technology Company the Uzabase WayAwakening a world of play in business with the power of engineeringSocial Purpose2021Co-CEOInagakiCo-CEOSakuma2022Co-CEO / CTOInagakiCo-CEOSakumaCompany GrowthIndividualHappinessTopic 1Topic 2Yusuke Inagaki, the person in charge of this materiality issue, has Based on the three perspectives above, we advocate the creation of a technology become the CTO of the entire Uzabase Group. With a stronger company where everyone has even more freedom and finds greater happiness in commitment to the technological side, he will be focusing on turning their work.Uzabase into an actual technology company.43434Becoming a Technology Company“Play Engineering: Awaken a World of Play with the Power of Engineering” announced on April 15, 2022To promote our transformation into a technology company that preserves Uzabase’s unique culture, we have launched a new project under the banner of “Play Engineering”.The goal is to awaken a world of play in everyone’s work via engineering.As part of this project, we will create the necessary mechanisms to leverage the power of engineering to assist both engineers and non-engineers of various professions in their daily tasks.More details here: https://tech.uzabase.com/play-engineering (Japanese only)Engineering Support System: Harnessing the Power of Engineering to Assist All Uzabase MembersAdditional Allowance for Engineering SkillsLearning Engineering in a Fun & Practical WayEnabling More Creativity in Work:A Festival of Productivity with No-Code & RPAIn addition to the base salary, this system provides a special allowance depending on an individual’s engineering skill. We are looking to implement this allowance from July 2022 and will consider reviewing the amount periodically when the need arises (at least once a year).Under the supervision of the Uzabase Group’s Fellows and CTOs, we will plan and implement a training program that enables non-engineers to learn engineering skills in a fun and exciting way.We will hold an event where all Uzabase members can experience various tools that can boost their productivity and share and discuss their knowledge on more creative and productive approaches to work — all in a festive atmosphere.444Becoming a Technology CompanyWhat Makes Uzabase Group’s Engineering Team Unique (1)Create a mechanism to help engineers enhance their performance and establish a cycle where engineering influences the business, boosting growth in new and existing businesses9 Executives and FellowsThe people who improve the quality of our engineeringAssign teams of engineers to each businessEngineers always participate in all management meetings191 *1+56 (net increase)135*1: The figure also includes contract-based employees and outsourcers who meet certain criteriaJanuary 1 2021January 12022CEO Yusuke Inagaki also has an engineering background and is involved, particularly in hiring and building up external teamsAssign teams of engineers to new businessesLeads to the creation of new CTOs and FellowsNew BusinessAcquired Business45454Becoming a Technology CompanyWhat Makes Uzabase Group’s Engineering Team Unique (2)Engineers can grow, take on new challenges in engineering, and be properly evaluated for itEvaluation System Focused on FairnessCompany Provides a High-Spec LaptopRemote Work & Flex TimeThe evaluation system for the engineering team is created and update by engineers. The evaluation itself is done by engineers and is based on 360-degree feedback from other members involved in the same project, as well as direct managers. Grades and salaries are fully linked and openly disclosed.Uzabase provides high-spec machines required by engineers, including the newest Macbook Pro. Machines can also be replaced as needed to ensure that they do not hold engineers back.At Uzabase, we work fully flexible hours, allowing everyone to choose when and for how long they work to the extent it does not interfere with our operations. There is also no obligation to go to the office and remote work remains the default.*Core times and requirements to go to the office are determined on a team-by-team basis46464Becoming a Technology CompanyOrganization-Specific Features: SaaSMission: Lead the business with the power of technologyShared LeadershipExtreme Programming (XP)Pair Programming & TDDOur team does not have a manager or leader. Based on the idea that “everyone is a leader”, we all share opinions not only on technology but also on organizational management, and everyone participates in discussions on hiring and team budgets. We aim to build an organization that values the autonomy and personal growth of our engineers.We practice XP to achieve high productivity. We go through multiple iterations of designing, implementing, and testing software, while incorporating the opinions and requests of other departments and customers on an adhoc basis.In Uzabase’s SaaS business, we are committed to pair programming and test-driven development (TDD) for everything related to software development. In addition to programming, all our tasks are generally handled in pairs. We also incorporate TDD in our development in order to continuously develop products and services at the required speed while also maintaining a high level of quality.47474Becoming a Technology CompanyOrganization-Specific Features: NewsPicks & AlphaDriveVision: Making business more exciting with technologyEveryone is a Product Development EngineerPursuing the Best Developer ExperienceA Virtual Office Accessible from AnywhereOne of our values is “Everyone is a product development engineer”. In line with this, a large number of our engineers are actively involved in multiple overlapping fields. Each of us is committed to our own area of expertise, of course, but the entire team works together on a full cycle of product development, from issue discovery to software development and its operation.We are constantly improving our development environment, based on the belief that great developer experience leads directly to increased value for users. We focus on safe and fast deployment, a wait-free and trouble-free development environment, open communication for consistency in decision making, and the democratization of data. Other initiatives include the promotion of Kotlin as a programming language and architecture renewal to foster more excitement among developers.In a fully remote environment, there tend to be much fewer opportunities for cross-team interaction. This is why our team has started using Gather, a virtual office service, to facilitate communication among team members. Since then, it has become a solid catalyst for casual communication not typically possible via Slack.48485Sustainable Data andContent ManagementMaterial Issue PICGroup Executive,SPEEDA CLOAyaka TakedaEver since the company’s founding, data and content have always been Uzabase’s core assets. We believe that we can contribute to the sustainable development of our society by, first of all, providing data that helps individual people and companies to make decisions quickly and accurately, and secondly, by offering content that can serve as a starting point for making changes to existing ways of thinking.As such, it is extremely important to make our data and content delivery system stronger and safer, and to improve its sustainability.We want to deliver better data and content—and do it in a better way.To make this mission a reality, we will aim to manage our data and content in a sustainable way. This will involve establishing strong relationships with content partners while also gathering more data ourselves, building up and expanding our security measures, ensuring that various policies and guidelines are properly implemented, and providing the necessary training to Uzabase members.Initiative intended to address the following SDGs :49495Sustainable Data and Content ManagementProviding High-Quality Data and Content with StabilityAcquisition, Creation, Ef