Nintendo isn’t Playing Around When It Comes to CSR

Japanese gaming and toy giant Nintendo is no stranger to corporate social responsibility (CSR). It was barely a decade ago when President Satoru Iwata announced he and the board of directors (including legendary Mario creator, Shigeru Miyamoto) would be cutting their salaries by up to 50% in the wake of the company’s declining profits, rather than making staff redundant.

Continuing in that fine tradition, Nintendo has recently outlined its manufacturing and environmental policies in a new CSR report.

When it comes to the procurement of parts from third party suppliers, Nintendo insists on conducting on-site checks and the completion of annual surveys to ensure they are carrying out operations in line with the gaming innovator’s own policies.

One area where the technology industry is facing increasing pressure is in the sourcing of raw materials such as tin, tantalum, tungsten, gold, and cobalt. Nintendo’s policy insists that it will not procure these materials from suppliers which rely on child labour, forced labour, environmental destruction, and the inhumane use of military force, and that no such materials are used in its products.

“Promoting CSR activities throughout our supply chain allows us to improve working conditions for those employed at our production sites, leading to higher product quality that in turn brings more smiles to our consumers,” said Nintendo in the report. “Nintendo will continue to work together with our production partners, focusing on communication and mutual understanding, to deliver smiles throughout our entire supply chain.”