Social Contributions

Basic Stance and Structure of Community Activities

The community activities of the Advantest Group focus on "preserving the global environment," "developing the next generation," and "contributing to local communities" under our basic policy of "We will respect our stakeholders, promote harmony with society, and contribute to the SDGs in order to achieve a sustainable society" within the "ESG for Sustainability" established in July 2019. In addition, we use our business activities to meet the needs of our stakeholders and of society, and to fulfill our social responsibilities as a group throughout the world.

Academic Support and Next-generation Development Support

Enabling Leading-Edge Technologies: the business activities of Advantest are supported by the skills of many engineers from around the world and the understanding of the communities in which we operate. With this, Advantest supports academia and science education, mainly in regions that host our research and development sites, to contribute toward the development of human resources for science and technology. For example, in Japan, we have established "The Advantest D2T Research Division" at the Tokyo University Systems Design Lab (d.lab), to provide students in Japan studying design technology of very large scale integration (VLSI) with an integrated education environment from VLSI design to testing, with the aim of developing specialist in test design and supporting research activities for SoC (System on Chip) design. Advantest also makes efforts to promote mutual understanding and exchange between international students and Japanese society, etc. through supporting (by making donations to) the Foundation of Corporate Friendship Network for Foreign Students with the aim of supporting students from around the world studying in Japan. We also are continuing our community-based activities such as holding science craft classes for children in elementary schools near our Japan business bases, and hosting "Girl’s Day" workplace experiences by inviting German female students interested in electronics to our offices.

Humanitarian Support

Advantest has been involved with many social support and charitable activities around the world for many years, rooted in "The Advantest Way."
In 2022, when the disruptive effects of the war in Ukraine intensified, we donated a total of JPY 90 million to UNICEF and four other domestic and international organizations as crisis relief efforts aiding people afflicted by difficult situations. In addition to these donations, our German subsidiary has set up an in-house "Ukraine Task Force Team," which is carrying out volunteer activities such as providing accommodation, clothes, and hygiene-related goods to refugees from Ukraine via local aid organizations in Europe.
Advantest also supports victims of major disasters. Furthermore, Advantest continues to engage in charitable activities in accordance with local needs at our global business sites to support disabled people, refugees, and people facing economic hardships.

Promotional Structure

Advantest promotes ESG activities under the Sustainable Management Promotion Working Group (SMWG), a company-wide organization. For community activities, we have formed team members to promote SDG activities at eight global locations, who work together with the Sustainability Promotion Office. In addition, discussions on community activities are held in both Japanese and English at the SMWG's Global ESG Meetings held twice a year.

Structure for promoting community activities Promotion teams around the world report to the Sustainable Management Promotion Working Group, and the following activities are formulated based on the reports. The Sustainability Promotion Office collaborates with teams around the world and supports working groups.

Framework to promote employee participation

The Advantest Group actively advocates for employee participation in volunteer activities.
Volunteer activities for giving back to the community recruit participants through systems such as an intranet message board. Reports on activities in each region are also published in our internal newsletter and social media (My LIFE. ON.), which contributes to attracting new participants.
Employees can save up their unused paid holidays that would otherwise not be carried over to the next year and use them for volunteer activities.

For details on My LIFE. ON., please refer to "Global Educational Activities on Our Internal Social Networking Platform "My LIFE. ON.""(Environmental Education page).

Examples of Social Contribution Activities

The Advantest Group is engaged in a variety of social contribution activities at its locations around the world so that each individual employee contributes to the betterment of society. In FY2023, we continued to implement a total of more than 90 social contribution activities worldwide, including nature conservation activities, welfare support for the elderly and disabled, disaster relief, and next-generation education support.

See also "Environmental Initiatives" and "Initiatives for Biodiversity" for details.

Nature Preservation

Philippines: Tree Planting Volunteer

Together with the Baguio City Environment and Parks Management Office, we planted trees at the Baguio Botanical Garden, one of the largest in the Philippines. The botanical garden is an oasis in the city and plays an important role in the city's greening policy. Eight employees from the Philippines participated in the event, and together we planted 16 coffee trees. The tree-planting event generated a strong sense of camaraderie among employees who participated and contributed to a greener future for the Earth.

Employees who planted the trees

China: Bamboo Forest Conservation Activity

At a forest protection campground in Anji city, Zhejiang Province, employees engaged in bamboo forest conservation activities such as bamboo cutting and forest road maintenance under the guidance of local forest rangers. Bamboo forests have a huge carbon sequestration capacity and play a major role in combating global climate change mitigation. However, if they are left unattended, bamboo forests resources deteriorate and pose unprecedented challenges. The employees cut down a total of 16 bamboo trees and effectively reused the bamboo by making vases, pen holders, chopsticks, and other handicrafts from the bamboo they cut down.

Employees checking
the bamboo crafts
they have made

Japan: Undergrowth Clearing Session at the Biotope

Employees volunteered to clear undergrowth during their lunch break at our biotope. Undergrowth clearance aims to cut back weeds and seedlings to promote and conserve the growth of target species. This time, we cut "Azumanezasa" (species of bamboo grass). This bamboo grass needed to be removed since if neglected, it would spread all over the area and make it difficult for other flora and fauna to grow in their natural habitat. With the guidance of our biotope manager, the employees were able to understand the value of biodiversity and the importance of protecting ecosystems through the undergrowth clearance.

Employees clearing
the undergrowth

Welfare Support

Singapore: Volunteering at Ageing Centers

52 employees participated in volunteer activities at two Active Ageing Centers located near our office. Participants were divided into six groups and spent a heartwarming time together while enjoying fun memory quizzes and musical performances with approximately 90 elderlies aged between 60 to 95. The games and performances brought a lot of laughter and smiles to the elderlies and some of them even mentioned that it was their best day of the year.

Employees explaining
the quiz to the elderlies

Malaysia: Ramadhan Charity Cookout for the Community in Need

Advantest Malaysia collaborated with Mutiara Food Bank and organized a Ramadhan Charity Cookout for the community in need. Mutiara Food Bank is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based in Penang, established with the aim of distributing food and meals to the people in need. The employees prepared tomato rice, red sauce chicken, and other dishes using ingredients and kitchen supplies donated by Advantest Malaysia, and packed the meals into 200 boxes, which were then distributed by the Mutiara Food Bank to families in need. Through this activity, employees were able to support and contribute to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 2, which is about creating a world free of hunger by 2030.

Employees preparing a meal

Korea: Fishing Experience for the Visually Impaired

With the aim of providing a leisure opportunity for the visually impaired, 12 employees volunteered to participate in the fishing experience event and assisted the visually impaired. One volunteer was assigned to each visually impaired participant, who helped inserting baits and removing the hook when a fish was caught, allowing those who cannot see to enjoy the experience. The cost of this activity, KRW 6,000,000, was reimbursed by the Company.

The fishing experience

U.S.A.: Playhouse Workshop for Children

Volunteers partnered with Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley, an international NGO that supports housing construction, to build playhouses for the local community/family in need. Employees and their children participated in the project, cutting and attaching shingles onto the roof, doing woot cutouts, and painting to add artwork to the two playhouses, which were given to families in need. The recipient families sent thank you messages, saying that their children loved them so much that they played in them every day.

Playhouse built by employees
and their children

Disaster Relief

Italy: Support for the Flood Victims

Advantest Italia S.r.l. donated EUR 5.000 to the foundation and relief organization “Specchio d'Italia” to support the victims of flooding caused by the torrential rains in May 2023 in the Emilia-Romagna region, northern Italy. The funds donated contributed towards humanitarian aid, including emergency relief supplies, shelter assistance, and community rebuilding initiatives. The donation recipient sent a letter of thanks to our Italian office.

Letter of thanks for the donation

China: Donation of Sleeping Bags to Jishishan County, Gansu Provice for Earthquake Relief

On December 19, 2023, we prompted donated 260 sleeping bags in response to the urgent assistance appeal from the government and society of the disaster-stricken Jishishan County, Gansu Province. Thanks to our prompt shipment with priority, the sleeping bags arrived at the site on December 25 and were used to help set up temporary shelters and provide protection for affected residents.

Donated sleeping bags

Developing the Next Generation

Japan: Development of Semiconductor Human Resources

In the early 2010s, the Japanese semiconductor industry was in decline due to a long period of stagnant performance. Students were being discouraged from undertaking electronics and engineering studies and finding employment in semiconductor-related companies. Facing this reality, Advantest realized that unless we could build a foundation and acquire human capital for the continued growth of the semiconductor industry, it would be difficult for us to sustain our own growth. That aim drives our support for the Power Device Enabling Association (PDEA)which was established in 2012 in anticipation of growing demand for power devices*, from the conceptual stage, and we have been working with car manufacturers, electronic device manufacturers, semiconductor manufactures, and public organizations under the auspices of the PDEA over the past 10 years.

When the PDEA launched its“ Semiconductor Engineer Career Certification ” in 2014, we published “Measuring × Understanding Semiconductor,” a series of three textbooks that enables comprehensive study of semiconductor fundamentals, development, manufacturing, testing, and quality assurance, to support people preparing for this examination. Although these materials were mainly aimed at engineers involved in semiconductor design, manufacturing, testing, quality assurance, in recent years, demand from learners in their 20s and 30s is increasing on account of changes in the semiconductor industry environment. The textbooks have also been adopted in special curricula at technical high schools and technical colleges in Kumamoto Prefecture, as well as in the education of new employees at major device manufacturers. Furthermore, these educational materials may enjoy even wider adoption in future, as evidenced by the joint seminars held using “Measuring × Understanding Semiconductor” in cooperation with affiliated organizations such as SEMI Japan, Kitakyushu Foundation for the Advancement of Industry, Science and Technology (FAIS), and Oita LSI Cluster Promotion Council.

Advantest will continue to focus on developing future talent with the aim of continuously developing and building a foundation for the semiconductor industry.

"Measuring × Understanding
Semiconductors" Advantest printed
the 3 books: Introduction, Applications,
and Power Electronics.
  • *
    Power devices: Also called power semiconductors, used in power converters like inverters. In recent years, these semiconductors have been attracting more and more attention amid increasing interest in environmental technologies such as energy conservation and low power consumption.
A seminar held by PDEA.
Together with registered companies, academic associations, and experts in the related industries, the PDEA promotes awareness-raising activities within the industry by sharing themes for the practical realization of power devices.

Japan: Implemented IP Creation Education

The Japanese government has proposed an IP creation education* to enhance society by having children and students understand and enjoy "creating something new" and "respecting what has been created". Schools and communities need to work together to create educational materials in order to promote IP creation education with consideration for their development stage.

Advantest has held classes and workshops based on the concept of invention and great inventions in the history of Japan for elementary school students from 2021. The children learned that people's lives have been enriched by inventions, garnering positive feedback from their schools. We will continue our activities so that more children can receive IP creation education.

Japan: Programming Classes at Elementary Schools

We held our first programming classes for 6th graders at two elementary schools near our office. On the day of the programming class, using a mouse-shaped robot developed by our training representatives, the students completed a program in which a sensor causes the robot to stop in front of a wall. Through these fun-filled classes, our employees were able to contribute to next-generation education.

Mouse-shaped robot
in motion

Taiwan: Educational Camp Activity for a Remote Elementary School in Hsin-Chu

We designed an educational camp for English and science for a remote elementary school in Hsin-Chu, with a total of 30 students. In the English class, we taught the students how to order food. At lunch time, we served the same dishes as those used in the class and the children were very pleased with the program. In the science class, we offered a DIY experience where children enjoyed learning about "non-Newtonian fluids”. The elementary school later presented us with a letter of appreciation for our educational support activities.

Our board member giving
opening remarks at the event

Japan: Usage of The Interactive Digital Globe

We have installed an interactive globe at Advantest's Gunma R&D Center, displaying real-time Earth data, for use in environmental education for children who, we believe, are the generations that will bear the responsibility of shaping the world's future, our employees, and our stakeholders. This tool not only allows us to learn about global atmospheric temperature changes, but also about the past, present, and future of the Earth.
In FY2022, this globe was also set up in the ESG corner of our booth at SEMICON Japan, a premier international exhibition offering latest insights into semiconductor manufacturing equipment and materials. It was well received by our visitors and provided an opportunity to discuss various social issues such as climate change. Likewise, we used the globe for environmental learning during the training of new employees in FY2023, following on from FY2022. We will continue to make effective use of this tool for environmental learning for a wide range of our stakeholders.

Interactive digital globe

Japan: Advantest Participates in Edu Town SDGs Alliance

In addition to science classes for elementary school students, Advantest has also participated in the "EduTown SDGs Alliance" (produced by Nikkei Business Publications and TREE / operated by Tokyo Shoseki) project since fiscal 2021, which provides education on the SDGs to elementary and junior high school students.
The "EduTown SDGs Alliance" is a project that supports the development of creators of a sustainable society, and has created and operates the educational website "EduTown SDGs" as well as freely distributes supplementary materials (booklet).

China: Developing Human Capital for Semiconductor Test

Under the theme of "Social Contribution", Advantest (China) Co., Ltd. has been offering a program for universities, called “University Education Plan” since 2018. The program aims to strengthen the collaboration with universities and research institutions on talent development in the IC industry, especially in the field of IC testing. The program has been successfully implemented for the past several years and has brought IC test knowledge to thousands of students in universities.

In 2023, the program took a giant leap forward, after the pandemic. We invited a group of university faculty to our office to convince them how training with the CloudTesting™ Service (CTS) platform is suitable for university education. We hosted a seminar with over 30 faculty/professors from 26 universities to share their thoughts and plans for industry-university collaboration. We also visited over 10 universities to share our knowledge of IC testing with more than 900 students.

We are committed to fulfilling our social responsibility as a leading company in the industry and we believe these efforts will contribute to the realization of a more sustainable society. We plan to introduce more CTS systems and establish highly efficient working models so that we can collaborate with more universities in the future.

Global: Developing human resources for semiconductors with global industry-academic collaboration

In 2007, Advantest established the Advantest D2T Research Division within the campus of VDEC (the VLSI Design, Education, and Research Center at the University of Tokyo). The Systems Design Lab (d.lab), affiliated with the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, was established in 2019 as a result of reorganization of VDEC, and together with Advantest, it is currently conducting joint research and educational activities aimed at bridging the gap between "design" and "testing".

In June 2023, Advantest established a test engineering course at Arizona State University in collaboration with NXP Semiconductors, a world-class semiconductor manufacturer based in Arizona, USA. Arizona has a significant concentration of semiconductor industry, with many semiconductor manufacturers investing to establish their production bases and wafer-fabs within the state . With Arizona's burgeoning semiconductor industry driving the demand for test engineers, we are aiming to develop semiconductor test personnel with local roots so as to meet these expectations.

Other Examples of How We Support the World

Germany: Donation of Medical Supplies to Support Ukrainian Refugees

As part of our activities to support Ukrainian refugees, Advantest Europe GmbH decided to donate EUR 5,000 to Kindernothilfe e.V., a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Duisburg that has been helping disadvantaged girls and boys and their families around the world. The goal of the donation was to provide a year's supply of medication for young refugees living in the Ukrainian shelters. The donation was handed over by local Advantest employees at the local Kindernothilfe e.V. office in Duisburg.

Scene from
the donation handover

Germany: Donations from End-of-Life IT Equipment Raffles

We held our annual raffle of retired IT equipment (laptops, smartphones, etc.) and raised a total of EUR 9,900. The money was distributed among eight charities (organizations for premature babies, those with severe disabilities, animal shelters, those dedicated to children, etc.) selected by the works councils.

Scene from
the donation handover
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