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Monthly Archives: February 2019

Business, Religion and Refugees – Three Ways They’re Connected

28 Feb, 2019

Photo: Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya – May 2018 : South Sudanese refugee practicing carpentry in Don Bosco vocational training centre in Kakuma refugee camp. Empowering refugees through practical skills. Don Bosco Kakuma belongs to the world wide society of Salesians of Don Bosco founded by St. John Bosco (1815-1888) in Italy which today operates in about 140 countries. The main activities of their works are geared towards the human and intellectual formation of young people. (Photo credit: Adriana Mahdalova)


by Brian J. Grim

Business, religion and refugees are connected in al least three important ways. First, religion is a motivator to help others, and by definition, refugees are in need of help. Second, because religion is an important aspect in the vast majority of refugees’ lives, businesses will be more successful if the workplace safeguards religious diversity, equity and inclusion. And third, refugees as well as immigrants from minority religious faiths often have the drive and ingenuity to create new, innovative and socially impactful businesses.


1. Religion is a Motivator to Help Others

Much of the work to resettle refugees in a new country requires more than money. It requires community support and loving neighbors.

For example, a 25-strong team from St Monica’s Parish, Flixton, Salford (near Manchester, U.K.), was the first Catholic parish to welcome a Syrian family to be resettled in the UK under the Government’s Community Sponsorship scheme. The scheme allows parishes and community groups to welcome, house and support refugee families looking to rebuild their lives in the UK.

Sean Ryan, employed by Caritas Salford to support the scheme’s uptake by parishes in the North-West and then nationally by Caritas Social Action Network, was awarded an MBE for his work. Commenting on this honour, Phil McCarthy said: “This richly deserved honour recognises the work that Sean has done to answer the call of Pope Francis to Catholic communities to welcome refugees.”

Resettlement in U.S. is Heavily Faith-based

Stephanie J. Nawyn, Associate Professor of Sociology at Michigan State University, notes that working directly with the U.S. government on refugee resettlement, there are nine national voluntary agencies, six or which are faith-based. One is Jewish, one Catholic, one evangelical Christian and three are mainline Protestant.

“These groups arrange for refugees to find housing, land jobs and enroll in English classes. They do so regardless of the newcomers’ own religions or their countries of origin. In my research,” Nawyn states, “I have found that staff at faith-based organizations commonly use religious rhetoric to justify their work and to describe their commitment to that work. At the same time, religiously based refugee organizations frame their efforts using interfaith language. They invoke the ethical imperative to provide asylum and refuge in ways that cross-cut multiple religious traditions as they collect and disburse money and household goods – and mobilize volunteers.”

Salem’s Sparrow Furniture gives refugees jobs, help adjusting to American life

After six years working in Jordan, Sparrow Furniture founder Luke Glaze returned Oregon and set up the company to operate under the 501c3 of Salem Alliance Church, Portland. Glaze and his wife had started a similar company in Jordan that employed people to make a business out of recycling.

“My heart was just burdened by the need of the people,” Glaze said.

Glaze combined his business know-how with his passion to help international refugees, and partnered with Salem Alliance Church to run a social impact business. Sparrow Furniture gives refugees jobs and helps them live an American life.

Watch the more on the Sparrow website.


2. A Faith-friendly Workplace is Good for the Bottom Line

Analysis by the Pew research Center shows that refugees are far more religiously affiliated than either Europe or the U.S.

For instance, as shown in the chart, in 2016 virtually all refugees entering the U.S. were religiously affiliated, compared with fewer than 80 percent of the general population.

That means that as workplaces seek to integrate refugees, they will be more religious, especially because the countries they’ve come from were more defined by religion. And many are refugees because they were either persecuted for their faith or were driven out by religion-related conflict. Therefore, having workplaces that are sensitive to religion is important.

This actually is something businesses are coming to realize. Studies show that the most successful businesses encourage an environment in which employees can bring their “full self” to work. Employees need to feel comfortable, willing, and able to talk about what is most important to them. Employers benefit when they recognize and respect an employee’s religious identity, including their beliefs and practices.

In today’s increasingly competitive global business environment, companies will need to draw upon the unique talent and diverse experience of every employee. Employees that feel free to bring their entire self and identify to work demonstrate higher levels of innovation, creativity, and positive working environments, directly affecting business success. On the other hand, organizations that have environments of exclusion, intentional or not, risk excluding the next great business solution, the next great product idea, or talent retention.

As companies globalize, they’ll need employees who can relate to the daily experience of increasingly diverse customers. For billions of potential customers, including in the world’s fastest-growing economies, religious belief and practice are a part of daily life. Having employees who understand the ways religion manifests in private and public life will help companies avoid costly missteps and develop products and services better tailored to customer needs, and an essential part of being competitive.

See RFBF’s website for resources helping companies embrace religious diversity.

3. Religious Minorities often drive innovation and socially impactful business

Many refugees are entrepreneurs, having been business owners in their country of origin or having entrepreneurial skills to start or expand a business activity in their host country, according to UNHCR. And since over 95 per cent of the world’s businesses are small, medium or micro-sized enterprises, there is a tremendous opportunity for refugees to innovate and help drive economic growth, income and employment opportunities worldwide.

Some refugees have started massively successful companies. Daniel Aaron was a refugee from Nazi Germany and an orphan who went on to become one of the founders of Comcast. Comcast is the second-largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world by revenue and the largest pay-TV company, the largest cable TV company and largest home Internet service provider in the United States, and the nation’s third-largest home telephone service provider.

Refugees Are a Great Investment

Philippe Legrain, writing in FP, provides a compelling case for the economic contributions of immigrants and refugees, ranging from providing willing labor to being some of the most innovative business leaders:

“Google co-founder Sergey Brin was a child refugee from the Soviet Union. WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum and PayPal co-founder Max Levchin were refugees from Ukraine. The late Andy Grove, who helped start and was later CEO of Intel, fled from communist Hungary. So, too, did hedge-fund manager and philanthropist George Soros; Thomas Peterffy, the founder of Interactive Brokers Group; and Steven Udvar-Hazy, the founder of Air Lease Corp.”

“The biological father of the late Steve Jobs, the co-founder and legendary CEO of Apple, America’s most valuable company, was a Syrian who fled his country for political reasons.”

“eBay was founded by an Iranian-American, Pierre Omidyar. At Chobani, the company that makes America’s leading brand of Greek yogurt, three in 10 employees are refugees. Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya [a Turk, not a Greek] doesn’t just employ them to do good; it also turns out to be good for the bottom line.”

Ulukaya said that he left Turkey due to the Turkish state’s oppression of its Kurdish minority group, of which he is a member.

Islamic Relief USA Awards $25,000 ‘Silver Anniversary’ Grant to Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

27 Feb, 2019

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, has awarded a $25,000 “Silver Anniversary” grant to the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, an organization based in Annapolis, Md., that helps businesses foster interfaith understanding and peace.

The “Silver Anniversary Community Bridge-Building” program was announced as an initiative to bridge the differences that frequently divide communities – such as religion, race, or political opinion. The grant announcement generated 175 formal inquiries from organizations working in 36 states and the territory of Puerto Rico, demonstrating that people all across America are interested in finding common bonds and committing to a common mission for the sake of their communities.

“The tremendous response from grassroots, community-based and national organizations shows that people who on the surface have little in common can come together to make the world a better place – a place where there’s more unity, more sensitivity, and an endless amount of potential and promise,” said Anne Wilson, director of programs for IRUSA.

The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation will use the grant to educate Muslim and non-Muslim chief executive officers and business leaders about how religious freedom is good for business. The grant will also be used to engage the business community in joining forces with government and non-government organizations in promoting respect for religious freedom in society and in the work place.

At a February 13th public launch of a suite of corporate tools to promote workplace religious diversity and inclusion, CEOs and business leaders will speak in support of the initiative and sign the corporate pledge on religious diversity and inclusion. The launch event is at the Knight TV Studio at the Newseum on Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C. See link for details.

“It is an honor for the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation to receive the IRUSA 25th Anniversary Grant. It is our hope that the results of the grant project in which we will invite and equip businesses to advance religious freedom and inclusion will be as successful as is Islamic Relief USA,” said Brian Grim, president of the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. “Indeed, businesses can learn from IRUSA’s model of inclusivity, employing people from multiple faiths who share the compassionate ideals that motivate everything IRUSA does. The mission to love and serve our neighbors overcomes differences and builds strong, inclusive neighborhoods.”


Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States. Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

A Bishop at Google and Amazon?

26 Feb, 2019

Bishop Barron gave a talk at Google Headquarters on his recent book, Religion and the Opening Up of the Mind.

Bishop Barron addressed a room full of Google and YouTube employees on how religion doesn’t shut down the questing intellect, but in fact opens up our minds, causing us to seek the fulfillment of our deepest longings. He argues that these yearnings won’t be satisfied by wealth, pleasure, power, or honor, but only by the God who wired us to be satisfied in him.

His talk has been viewed over 125,000 times online and remains one of the most-viewed videos from the “Talks at Google” series in 2018.

On January 16, 2019, Bishop Barron visited the headquarters of Amazon in Seattle, WA, to discuss his new book, “Arguing Religion,” with Amazon employees.


About

Bishop Robert Barron is an author, speaker, theologian, and founder of Word on Fire, a global media ministry. Word on Fire reaches millions of people by utilizing the tools of new media to draw people into or back to the Catholic Faith.

The Productive Muslim

24 Feb, 2019

This is part of a series of profiles on faith and work initiatives from various faiths.


Mohamed Faris, founder of The Productive Muslim Company, asks Muslims, “Are you living the best version of yourself Spiritually, Physically & Socially?” To help them, he offers a 6-week online live masterclass to learn practical, hands-on skills to win more days, overcome stress, and live the best version of themselves.

Background

Mohammed Faris, a Tanzanian young man of Yemeni descent, who was pursuing a masters degree at the University of Bristol (UK) in Finance and Investment.

Throughout his University years, he found himself fascinated by productivity science and how one can achieve so much in so little time.

One day, on a cold November morning, in 2007, Mohammed woke up and two words popped into his head “Productive Muslim”. He got so excited by the term, that he decided to register the domain name ProductiveMuslim.com and launch a personal blog sharing his thoughts and ideas on how to live a productive lifestyle. Two months later, he shut the blog down. He thought the blog was pointless and was not worth pursuing.

A renewed focus

Fast forward six months later and two incidents propelled Mohammed to reconsider starting ProductiveMuslim.com again but with a new focus. First, a 10-year-old boy emailed him and asked about his blog saying that he was a fan! Mohammed couldn’t believe there was somebody out there who read and benefit from his blog.

Secondly, he came across a hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) that said: “The early hours are blessed for my nation” (Tirmidhi), and it was as if a lightning bolt hit him. Because every productivity book he was reading up until that point mentioned the importance of waking up early to be productive. And there was a 1400-year-old saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) that encouraged waking up early. He realized that the mission of ProductiveMuslim.com was not to share productivity advice like any other productivity platform. The purpose of ProductiveMuslim.com was to connect spirituality to productivity science and showcase the relevance of Islam in helping human beings live productive, meaningful lives.

From a Personal Blog to a Professional Training Company

In 2011, Mohammed incorporated ProductiveMuslim.com in the UK as “Productive Muslim Ltd” and started delivering productivity workshops in cities across the world as well as online. He was supported by a dedicated team of sincere and hardworking volunteers who helped transform the personal blog into a full-fledged training company.

A Calling

In 2015, Mohammed decided to quit his full-time career at a multinational Islamic bank and move to the US with his family to launch his book “The Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity”, and re-launch “The Productive Muslim Company” as a faith-based professional training brand part of his Dallas-based productivity training and executive coaching company, Leading Productive Lives LLC.

Spiritual Business Principles for Sustainable Success, Rabbi Michael Shevack

20 Feb, 2019

This is part of a series of profiles on faith and work initiatives from various faiths.


 

Executives and CEO’s are people with people problems. Business problems are always people and psychological problems in disguise. Virtually all our problems are simply contradictions in our minds. Contradictions in our minds are usually due to antiquated “operating systems” so-to-speak. Rabbi Michael Shevack offers to help people download the new version.

He helps people learn how to align their professional and personal lives so they can do it all– with less expenditure of time, personal-energy and money (in that order). Bottom lines improve quickly, because I teach you how to work with Life not against it. New business improves too with this approach. However, you have to not be afraid to face your fears or I can’t help you. You also have to be prepared to take a safe, calculated risk, in order to change the way you are currently operating.

READ: Spiritual Business Principles for Sustainable Success

Moreover, his approach translates into financial success: decreased waste and increased quality of life. Rabbi Shevack sees money, relationships, corporate structure, personnel, as a single, integrated structure, and show you how to navigate it all with a minimum of time and resources.”

ABOUT Rabbi Michael Shevack

Michael Shevack is an ordained rabbi, a leader in inter-religious dialogue, the author of six books. He’s been a consultant and business counselor to many executives and companies. His column on Spirituality in Business appeared in Success Magazine.

Rabbi Shevack is on the Board of Directors of the Center for Spirituality and Health Education at Stonybrook (SUNY), where he taught Spirituality on a graduate level in the School of Social Welfare. He teaches Business Spirituality at the Iacocca Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at Lehigh University.

Prior to his ordination, Rabbi Shevack was an award-winning Madison Avenue Creative Director. His work on Apple Computers won at the Cannes Film Festival. His campaign Gillette. The Best A Man Can Get is still running in over 120 countries around the world.

Rabbi Shevack is the Social Responsibility Officer of The Patton Foundation, founded by Helen Patton, the granddaughter of General George S. Patton. His teaching organization: The Association for Universal Judaism is actively engaged in teaching real-life spirituality to students of all faiths and no-faith around the world. Rabbi Shevack is married to wife and artist Teddy Frank, and has three children, Christian, Adam & Zoe. See: www.michaelshevack.com; www.universaljudaism.org.

Faith and Work Initiatives

19 Feb, 2019

  • This is the lead article in a series of profiles on faith and work initiatives from various faiths.



  • Brian J. Grim, Ph.D., President, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

A growing number of companies and religious groups embrace the idea that living out one’s faith at work is good for human flourishing and business.

Here I will highlight how religious groups help their members put their faith to practice in the workplace, making work more meaningful, productive and human. Stay tuned for a second post on how companies accommodate religion in the workplace, and the ways RFBF helps them do it successfully.

Profiles from Various Faiths


Evangelical Christianity

On February 22, 2019, thousands of Christian business professionals across the country participated in the second annual Work As Worship Retreat, a one-day live-streamed event featuring experts on connecting faith and work. Last year, over 13,000 business professionals participated.

With the aim of communicating a complete and biblical picture of work and faith, the organizers defined eight tenets of the Work as Worship message. Read more …

By the way, the photo below is the sign in front of the church I attended while growing up (now many long years ago). In those days, the  topic of faith at work wasn’t on the radar.



For a summary of the Work is Worship initiative, including another short video in addition to the one below, follow this link.


Buddhism

In December I attended the the first “gathering of managers learning from the Buddhism spirit.”

More than 2,000 people gathered on December 16, 2018, at Rissho Kosei-kai’s Great Sacred Hall in Suginami Ward, Tokyo. This was the first nationwide gathering of business owners and managers to study Buddhism’s application to management and business today.

The purpose of the gathering was to utilize the Buddhist spirit in business management, create a network to provide business value and new value for society through the application of Rissho Kosei-kai’s teachings.

Business Secrets of the Trappist Monks: One CEO’s Quest for Meaning and Authenticity

August Turak is a successful entrepreneur, corporate executive, and award-winning author who attributes much of his success to living and working alongside the Trappist monks of Mepkin Abbey for seventeen years. As a frequent monastic guest, he learned firsthand from the monks as they grew an incredibly successful portfolio of businesses.

Service and selflessness are at the heart of the 1,500-year-old monastic tradition’s remarkable business success. It is an ancient though immensely relevant economic model that preserves what is positive and productive about capitalism while transcending its ethical limitations and internal contradictions.  See what he learned firsthand from the monks.


Legatus

Tom Monaghan is best known for founding Domino’s Pizza and Ave Maria University and formerly owning the Detroit Tigers, but what is he most proud of? Founding Legatus, the world’s premier membership organization for Catholic business leaders.

Legatus members are business leaders – men and women with varying interests and diverse talents who all share one overriding goal: to become better Catholics and, in turn, positively impact their business and personal lives.

Legatus members are business leaders – men and women with varying interests and diverse talents who all share one overriding goal: to become better Catholics and, in turn, positively impact their business and personal lives. – Tom Monaghan

See the video below for the story of how Tom Monaghan went from a pizza giant to, as he’s been called, a giant of faith.


Islam

God at Work

There are many examples from Islam as well. One is summarized in a just-released business journal. A new article by Ali Aslan Gümüsay, Michael Smets and Tim Morris has been published at the Academy of Management Journal. It is entitled ‘God at Work’: Engaging central and incompatible institutional logics through elastic hybridity and examines how the first Islamic Bank in Germany maintains unity in diversity by forming what the authors call an elastic hybrid that remains resilient despite contradictory beliefs and values that persist over time.

The Productive Muslim Company

My colleague, Mohamed Faris, asks Muslims, “Are you living the best version of yourself Spiritually, Physically & Socially?” To help them, he offers a 6-week online live masterclass to learn practical, hands-on skills to win more days, overcome stress, and live the best version of themselves.


Judaism

Spiritual Business Principles for Sustainable Success

Michael Shevack is an ordained rabbi, a leader in inter-religious dialogue, the author of six books, and a consultant and business counselor to many executives and companies. His column on Spirituality in Business appeared in Success Magazine.

Executives and CEO’s are people with people problems. Business problems are always people and psychological problems in disguise. Virtually all our problems are simply contradictions in our minds. Contradictions in our minds are usually due to antiquated “operating systems” so-to-speak. Rabbi Michael Shevack offers to help people download the new version. Read more …

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has rolled out a global self-reliance program covering topics including personal finance, starting and growing a business, finding a better job, and education for better work. Practical courses with spiritual benefits.


What it all Means

These examples point to the reality that many people don’t separate their faith from their day-to-day lives.

Studies show that the most successful businesses encourage an environment in which employees can bring their “full self” to work. Employees need to feel comfortable, willing, and able to talk about what is most important to them. Employers benefit when they recognize and respect an employee’s religious identity, including their beliefs and practices.

In today’s increasingly competitive global business environment, companies will need to draw upon the unique talent and diverse experience of every employee. Employees that feel free to bring their entire self and identify to work demonstrate higher levels of innovation, creativity, and positive working environments, directly affecting business success. On the other hand, organizations that have environments of exclusion, intentional or not, risk excluding the next great business solution, the next great product idea, or talent retention.

As companies globalize, they’ll need employees who can relate to the daily experience of increasingly diverse customers. For billions of potential customers, including in the world’s fastest-growing economies, religious belief and practice are a part of daily life. Having employees who understand the ways religion manifests in private and public life will help companies avoid costly missteps and develop products and services better tailored to customer needs, and an essential part of being competitive.

Have a look at the resources we have developed to address these needs.

Practice the Six Perfections in Order to Grow My Business and Contribute to Society

19 Feb, 2019

  • This is part of a series of profiles on faith and work initiatives from various faiths.

This talk was given on December 16, 2018, at Rissho Kosei-kai’s Great Sacred Hall at a gathering of more than 2,000 business owners and managers from across Japan seeking to apply Buddhism to business and management.

[Script of Mr. Hideaki Goto]

Hello everyone. My name is Hideaki Goto. I’m a member of Suginami Dharma Center. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story.

“I want to be my own boss!” That was what I was thinking about when I came out to Tokyo from Oita prefecture. As I was young, I worked feverishly and tried frantically to seize a chance. Since I was working for a newspaper company, I saw and heard many things and I set my eyes on health foods. I was confident that the health business would undoubtedly grow since Japan was becoming a super-aged society. So I established a health food company in 1994. I was 35 years old. Today, health food products can be found at any household. But 25 years ago, you rarely heard a word such as “health foods” or “supplement”.

During the first few years, I struggled very hard with my business. But aided by a health boom, sales increased and surpassed 100 million yen a month.

I achieved the success I wanted. Then, I became arrogant and skimped on my business. Instead, I played 100 rounds of golf a year.

In 2013, Rev. Kunitomi introduced me to Mr. Fukumori. The very first words he gave me was “Are you “earnestly” doing business?” I felt shocked at his harsh wards as if I was hit with a hammer.

Although I joined Rissho Kosei-kai when I was young, I wasn’t an active member. Although I didn’t listen to my wife’s suggestion of reading the sutra, when I heard Mr. Fukumori’s words, I felt that he was not an ordinary teacher.

Back then, I thought my company was performing well. But due to my sloppy business management, my company was collapsing from within. Our distributors colluded with each other and broke out of contracts. Sales went down 80% like a stone rolling downhill. Before I knew it, we were on the verge of bankruptcy. It was all because I didn’t try to grasp the essence of business management. I was selfish. I was only concerned about sales figures. I finally got what was coming to me for my mismanagement. The infighting was a lesson from the Buddha.

I sought for Rev. Kunitomi’s guidance and he suggested that I receive individual coaching from Mr. Fukunaga. Mr. Fukunaga said, “There are principles for business. You need to tap into them. In addition, if you have a philosophy, you will be able to survive difficult situations. Then, he taught me three basic principles.

The first one is “Do not give into emotions.” That is, never hold grudges, hates or regrets. I felt he said that because he could stay on the sideline. Remembering his words, I was upset and couldn’t sleep. I ended up drinking too much that night. But then, what hit home to me was that a company would collapse when its manager gave in. “Let the lawyer handle the traitors. What you have to do is to focus on the management of your company!” I decided to leave everything behind and consciously tried not to think about.

The second principle was that you must align the effort of everyone to reconstruct the company. He said, “No company will grow beyond the capacity of its manager.” In order to unite the minds of the remaining distributors, I gathered them and earnestly talked to them each about my desire, belief, and aspiration. Then, together we set higher goals and share the purpose of our business. Finally, we all came as one. I couldn’t pull this off without his tough coaching.

And the last thing—Elevating your mind. He said, “What’s happening is all a reflection of your mind. If you don’t polish your soul and change yourself, your business won’t grow. So change your mind by practicing the Six Perfections”. I have come to realize that what matters as a leader is character not talent, that it’s the humanity of a leader that influences and attracts people and win their cooperation.

I finally understood the meaning of his words. Until then, I thought that the teachings of the Lotus Sutra had nothing to do with management. Back then, my priority was all about making money and took a perfunctory attitude toward everything else. Instead of trying to change others, I was determined to change my way of thinking through the Six Perfections and applied it to my business.

In 2016, three years after the infighting of my company, I reported to Mr. Fukunaga, “Now I had prospects to achieve a recovery of my business. We are out of the red and sales bounced back by 14% last year.” Then, Mr. Fukunaga said to me, “Why don’t you put your gratitude into a concrete shape?” So, I made a donation of 10 million yen to show my heartfelt appreciation. Then, to my surprise, my mind began to change.

Previously, I was consumed by cash flow problems and payroll responsibilities, debt repayments. Those occupied 70% of my head. However, practicing generosity removed my attachment to money. I was able to let myself relax, thinking I just need to work hard and make money again. It gave a new perspective.

I learned how to maintain my own mental attitude. I realized that the growth of a company depends on its people and their minds, and that your mind will dictate the course of your business. If you keep striving to perfect your character, you will inevitably achieve the best results. My company’s mission is that “We provide opportunities for the material and intellectual growth of all our stakeholders.”

I’d like to close by praying for the repose of Mr. Fukunaga’s soul and by vowing to continue to practice the Six Perfections in order to grow my business and contribute to society.

Thank you for listening, everyone.

Maintain Ardent Desire, Receive Buddha’s Support to Change Business and Society

19 Feb, 2019

  • This is part of a series of profiles on faith and work initiatives from various faiths.

This talk was given on December 16, 2018, at Rissho Kosei-kai’s Great Sacred Hall at a gathering of more than 2,000 business owners and managers from across Japan seeking to apply Buddhism to business and management.

[Script of Ms. Keiko Kawamoto]

Hello, everyone. I am Keiko Kawamoto, the director of Gingamura RIV Research Institute. My company offers services to help child-rearing. As it was referred in the introduction on myself, I have fun with children every day. It gives me a purpose of life to interact with parents and children.

I started my business when I was struggling with my feelings of emptiness and depression. I started developing these feelings after I moved to Odawara. Away from my hometown, I had no friends. I have a real difficulty adjusting myself to a new environment.

It was around that time that I participated in a lecture held at HOJU vocational college. (Rissho Kosei-kai’s women’s college.) The speaker was a woman who herself ran her own business. “Women can shine by pursuing their dreams,” sad she. She also touched upon the “home nursery school,” which reminded me of the seven years I spent working as a nursery teacher at Kosei- Ikujien daycare. “Yes, this is it!” My heart trembled. I felt a powerful desire to work for parents and children and serve others through my work. It felt like the fog surrounding me finally lifted. So this was how I opened a home nursery school in my own house.

Sometime later, I met Ms. Seiko Mochizuki, who also ran a business of the home nursery school in Yokohama. This encounter encouraged me to set up my own company Gingamura, which offers services to help child-rearing.

My company’s motto is that “each and every person shines and finds happiness.” We aim to create a reliable daycare center where mothers can leave their children to have some “me time” to refresh and resume child-rearing with a rich spirit; an anchorage for child-rearing where mothers can discuss their child-rearing, and children meet new friends.

My business model utilizes a private homes and apartment rooms as business sites and set up daycare centers, community cafes, and nursery schools. We are also entrusted by Odawara City to manage child care support centers.

At those facilities, mothers who identify with our motto can work while doing their own child-rearing. The last ten years have passed so quickly. I tried everything that was considered good for parent and child. Now, I have more employees and operate those facilities at seven places including Yokohama and Odawara. And finally last April, we were able to establish a formal nursery.

I stated studying at Buddhist Business Manager-Juku in Kanagawa just after I opened the nursery school. My staff were already experienced nursery teachers. It was not easy to align our efforts before we developed a trusting relationship. I received complaints from each of my staff. I was desperate to resolve their dissatisfaction. The more I listened to them, the more I was swayed by what they said.

So when I heard Mr. Fukunaga said, “don’t get caught up in other’s feelings,” “don’t give into emotions,” I was moved to the point of tears. His words saved me. Looking back on those days, I dwelled on their feelings. I got swayed by them. I was struggling.

To improve the situation, what I practiced was to maintain an ardent desire in mind. I reflected on my desire, my passion on nursery, and my ideal as a nursery teacher. Then, I strived hard to embody my ideal. I also discussed it with my staff at various occasion. When rooms were messy, I myself did the cleaning. I believe that each child is unique and different, so I encouraged my staff to accept who they were. When I heard criticisms against parents, I said, “Let’s put ourselves in their shoes!” I also ask them to always try to keep a smile. Every time I notice something that needed attention, I conveyed it to them so that it would permeate their subconscious minds.

At the same time, I kept striving harder than anyone else. I read various magazines on nursery and developed my own nursery philosophy. I also tried to get close to the hearts of my staff as to what kind of nursery school they wanted to create as well as what kind of teacher they wanted to be because we are working as a team.

By conveying my expectation for them, their words and deeds began to change. We came to spend more time discussing child development rather criticisms and complaints.

By expressing my desire for my work, I found myself getting less and less caught up in others’ feelings. We became more considerate of each other. Our efforts were finally aligned. My staff even tell me that they want to be someone like me, who is cheerful and energetic, and that they want be someone who can think from the perspective of parents. We have become a team where everyone shines and respects others for who they are.

In fact, it was I myself that have changed the most thanks to this Juku. I’m confident that I can always find a shining light for my business if I keep elevating my mind and having an ardent, persistent desire.

I maintain the same belief that I had when I started my business. By getting close to the heart of parent and child, I aim to offer our support to more parents. I am also determined to realize our company motto based on the spirit of altruism and Buddhism, which I have inherited from my parents.

Mr. Fukunaga taught me that if I maintain an ardent, persistent desire, I can always receive support from the Buddha, and that my desire, dream, hope and earnest aspiration for my business will change not only my company but also society.

Mr. Fukunaga brought out fortitude in me with his smile and encouragement, saying “I want to support young business managers like you.”

Mr. Fukunaga, it’s regrettable that I can’t say “thank you” to you in person today. But anyway, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to you. I will continue to live earnestly with a smile. Thank you so much, Mr. Fukunaga.

Thank you very much for listening.

In Ultra-modern Japan, Buddhist Spirit Energizes Business

19 Feb, 2019

  • This is part of a series of profiles on faith and work initiatives from various faiths.

More than 2,000 people gathered on December 16, 2018, at Rissho Kosei-kai’s Great Sacred Hall in Suginami Ward, Tokyo. This was the first nationwide gathering of business owners and managers to study Buddhism’s application to management and business today.

The purpose of the gathering was to utilize the Buddhist spirit in business management, create a network to provide business value and new value for society through the application of Rissho Kosei-kai’s teachings.

Two of the talks from the conference are available in English translation, thanks to Rissho Kosei-kai:

– Maintain Ardent Desire, Receive Buddha’s Support to Change Business and Society, by Ms. Keiko Kawamoto

– Practice the Six Perfections in Order to Grow My Business and Contribute to Society, by Mr. Hideaki Goto

RFBF President Brian Grim attended the gathering as a guest of Rissho Kosei-kai President-designate Kosho Niwano, in follow up to their previous meeting in October.

Also see: The No. 1 business rule of a Buddhist billionaire: Make workers happy