Business Strategy Annual Report 2014 _  Astellas Pharma Inc.  33 addrESSiNG uNMET MEdiCal NEEdS ExplOriNG ThE CSr aCTiviTiES ExpECTEd Of aSTEllaS From your perspectives as external stakeholders,  what are your expectations for CSR activities as  Astellas pursues CSR-based management? How should Astellas work to address unmet  medical needs? in the course of exploring a company’s long-term strategic  direction, companies are expected to reflect the opinions  of stakeholders in this process. (Mr. Goto) *2 Stakeholder engagement refers to the process where compa- nies hold constructive dialogue with stakeholders, and reflect  the discussions and proposals from these dialogues in manage- ment activities. *1 United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): MDGs  are a series of eight time-bound targets with a deadline of 2015  drafted under the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which  was adopted by the United Nations in September 2000. Kaori Kuroda Toshihiko Goto Ms. kuroda:  To solve social issues, it will become  increasingly crucial for companies to engage and  collaborate with various stakeholders, instead of  trying to solve social issues on their own. from consumers in a well-balanced manner that  considers both the health risks and benefits. Mr. Goto:  Recently, companies have been called  upon to step up stakeholder engagement* 2  in their  CSR activities. In the course of exploring a com- pany’s long-term strategic direction, companies  are expected to reflect the opinions of stakehold- ers in this process. dr. aikawa:  Looking at this issue from a consumer perspective,  the fact is that while consumer feedback about drug problems  and side effects is often heard, consumers seldom say that  they could not have recovered from an illness without a par- ticular drug because of access to a particular drug. Based on  an understanding of the existence of such “silent consumers,”  we should give thought to how to go about gathering opinions  Mr. Goto: I also believe that employee participation is extremely  important. Even if a project does not generate profits in the  short term, it could help to strengthen the operating base of a  company over the long term through the formation of human  networks with the local country and its government, and by  facilitating monitoring and understanding of market conditions.  Companies should implement CSR activities from this type of  strategic viewpoint. In the process, the key point will be how  much experience and knowledge employees can amass  locally on the ground. For example, companies could position  Ms. kuroda:  Even among the themes of the MDGs, it has been  quite difficult to achieve goals, specifically in the areas of  reducing the child mortality rate and improving maternal  health. In the Post-2015 Development Goals, private-sector  companies will be expected to fulfill a much larger role.  Notably, there will be high hopes for pharmaceutical companies  to step in and play a bigger role. dr. aikawa:  In the case of pharmaceutical companies, the act  of supplying drugs to fulfill unmet medical needs is seen in  itself as a CSR activity, and will become more closely tied to  the viability, sustainability and development of pharmaceutical  companies. I believe that pharmaceutical companies are  expected to fulfill their social responsibilities by harnessing their  strengths and driving innovation. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical  companies can also implement CSR initiatives in developing  countries, harnessing their strengths through means other  than innovation. For example, pharmaceutical companies  could expand the indications of existing drugs to treat diseases  unique to a developing country. This approach can, in fact,  save many lives and could eradicate widespread diseases.  I believe that a flexible approach is necessary. Furthermore,  I believe that it is crucial for employees to directly participate  in CSR activities over the long term on a face-to-face basis, as  this will also go a long way toward developing an understanding  of local social issues. Mr. Goto:  Discussions on global development goals beyond  2015 (Post-2015 Development Goals) are now gathering  pace, as 2015 is the final year for achieving the current United  Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)* 1 . I believe  that this new framework will help to shape major global trends  over 15 years from 2016. In the course of exploring the direc- tion for CSR at Astellas, the Company should focus on trends  surrounding the Post-2015 Development Goals. dr. aikawa:  More than half of Astellas’ shares are held by  foreign shareholders, and the ratio of sales from regions out- side Japan is nearly 50%. These attributes make Astellas a  global corporation. Therefore, I believe that Astellas should  consider its CSR activities from a global perspective.