As a good corporate citizen, Kioxia Group believes we have  a responsibility to help address social issues through its business activities while coexisting in harmony with local communities. We aim to help realize a better society by leveraging our technology, products, services and expertise as well as the abilities of our employees. We engage in dialogue with local communities, governments and other public bodies, NPOs/NGOs, and academic organizations, to address community issues. We focus in particular on energizing local communities in the areas where we conduct business, and on fostering human resources in the fields of science and engineering.

At Kioxia Group, the administration divisions of group companies and operational sites are in charge of community engagement activities. We partner with local communities where we operate and engage in activities that are rooted in these areas. We also encourage employee participation in social activities.

Kioxia Corporation has introduced an annual leave system to make it easier for employees take part in community activities. They can use up to 25 days of accumulated leave for such purposes.

Kioxia Group leverages its technological strengths to focus on making a contribution to local communities in the field of science. Kioxia Group sponsors opportunities for young people—the leaders of the future—to develop an interest in science, technology and manufacturing, as we believe it is important to support those aspiring to become outstanding scientists or engineers. In FY2024, we conducted science outreach classes, workshops and lectures in various locations in Japan. See below.

In August 2024, Kioxia Corporation took part in the Yokkaichi Science Seminar for Children at the Yokkaichi City Cultural Center, held with the aim of raising children’s interest in science.

In a seminar titled “Science Experience—Yokkaichi, a City of Monozukuri” (the art, science and craft of making things), the company delivered a presentation titled “The Secrets of Flash Memory” for roughly 120 children. The company explained how semiconductor memory works and ran a few quizzes on the subject of human memory. The children responded eagerly to the questions and especially enjoyed a virtual reality experience that simulated a cleanroom in a manufacturing facility. Many of them appeared genuinely engaged, moving their bodies as they explored the virtual space.

Kioxia Iwate Corporation supports the Iwate Programming Education Project for elementary school students, an initiative devised by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

In August 2024, the company hosted a programming workshop for elementary school students interested in programming but unsure about how to enter a contest or create a program. The event encouraged them to enter a programming contest in December. The day of the event also included a plant tour, giving the 43 participating elementary school students a hands-on experience with both programming and manufacturing. Employees helping run the event expressed surprise at the children’s abilities.

The company will continue to support this initiative, believing that the free-thinking and creativity unique to elementary school students will contribute to the future development of manufacturing and various other fields.

As part of our efforts to promote women’s active participation in the workplace, since 2018 Kioxia Corporation has supported the Summer School for Girls in Junior and Senior High Schools,² one of Japan’s largest events promoting science and engineering careers.

In 2024, The company participated in a “Poster and Career Consultation” event. Building on the concept of “The World is Filled with Memory,” The company gave a presentation explaining how flash memory works and the many ways it is used in our daily lives. The company’s female engineers also spoke about their own careers.

Approximately 60 female junior and senior high school students asked questions about career development, the criteria for choosing a company, and other topics related to education and careers. The company’s female engineers shared their excitement and the attraction of working on the front lines of semiconductor manufacturing, based on their own experiences, while also offering advice about the students’ future careers.

The company will continue to actively provide career counseling to junior and senior high school students who are considering pursuing a career in science-related fields.

To increase the number of female engineers and researchers majoring in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), it is crucial to create opportunities for female students to explore these areas and to provide them with information that helps them consider their career paths after higher education.

In FY2024, Kioxia Holdings Corporation made donations to support various STEM events for female students and researchers organized by institutions such as the Institute for Solid State Physics at the University of Tokyo. These events included an initiative to encourage middle and high school girls to pursue STEM careers, a networking and career development event for female physics undergraduates and graduate students, and conference programs designed to support female researchers and graduate students in the field of materials science. A large number of students and researchers attended these events, and there was valuable interaction among the attendees.

Kioxia Iwate Corporation has been pursuing educational collaboration with Iwate University since 2019. In 2024, the program was expanded to include Akita University, Yamagata University, and technical colleges and high schools in Iwate Prefecture, where semiconductor-related lectures were given to approximately 700 participants. The company gave lectures covering the history of the semiconductor industry as well as miniaturization technologies for logic devices and three-dimensional memory technologies, both drivers of semiconductor technology.³ The students asked many questions and lively discussions took place.

To foster mutual development between industry and academia, The company will continue to create opportunities to showcase the appeal of the semiconductor industry and help develop the next generation of talent.

Kioxia Group hosts classes at graduate schools and other institutions in Japan to help foster the development of young scientists and engineers.

In FY2019, Kioxia Corporation entered a comprehensive collaboration agreement with the University of Electro-Communications under which engineers are fostered through personnel exchange, and the company encourages in various joint research activities. This initiative aims to promote semiconductor memory development and semiconductor manufacturing technologies. In FY2024, one of the company engineers conducted a lecture titled “Information Media System (Data Mining)” for approximately 100 master’s and PhD students at the University’s Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering.

The company also held a lecture titled “Semiconductor Data Storage Solutions Supporting Generative AI” at the University of Tokyo, and a lecture entitled “AI Utilization and R&D at Kioxia” at the Institute of Science Tokyo. Additionally, The company dispatched lecturers to seminars and lectures hosted by the Semiconductor Committee of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA). In FY2024, The company held 125 lectures at universities and graduate schools nationwide, which were attended by approximately 3,600 participants. Kioxia Group in Japan aims to continuously nurture talented engineers through collaboration with educational institutions. In so doing, the company aims to develop engineering as an academic discipline, and boost the semiconductor industry.

Kioxia Group conducts community contribution activities in accordance with the needs of the local communities where it operates and the challenges they face.

In 2024, Kioxia Europe participated for the second time in B2Run, a charity running event aimed at supporting community engagement, employee health promotion, and teambuilding.

The B2Run vision is “A society united through sport and an awareness of health,” and their mission is “Supporting long-term health, teambuilding, and motivation in society by creating environments where people work together.” The B2Run was held as a 6 km race in Düsseldorf, Germany, with 14,500 people completing the course.

A highly motivated Kioxia Europe team of 14 employees took part. As a charity starter, the company also donated 5 euros per person from the participation fees to the German Bone Marrow Bank through B2Run.

Solid State Storage Technology Corporation (SSSTC) hosted a cultural event on June 8, 2024, at the Eslite Performance Hall in Taipei, aimed at fostering the development of the arts and culture. The event was organized in collaboration with One Song Orchestra, a Taiwanese musical ensemble dedicated to nurturing the next generation of musical talent. Ten the company’s employees volunteered to help manage the event, which provided a valuable performance opportunity for 25 young musicians. A total of 353 participants—including customers, suppliers, employees, and their family members—attended the event, sharing memorable and inspiring cultural experience through music.

The company remains committed to strengthening community ties by continuing to support emerging artists.

For community engagement activities of Kioxia Corporation’s Yokkaichi Plant, Kioxia Iwate Corporation, and SSSTC, please click on the links below.