Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan has been working with Sendai City and NPO Wakatsuku since 2017 to organize the Sendai Youth Award, which recognizes the outstanding efforts of youth organizations to solve social challenges and achieve SDGs.

What is the Sendai Youth Award?

Ever since the Great East Japan Earthquake, young people have been actively engaged in activities aimed at solving social problems in Sendai City, otherwise known as "university town Sendai".

Furthermore, the impact of Covid-19 infections has caused new social challenges not only in Japan but around the world. The Sendai Youth Award recognizes and supports the outstanding efforts of youth organizations based in/around the city to create an environment where young people are actively engaged and to promote community-building by working with the people.

Final screening of the Sendai Youth Award

On the fourth meeting of Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020, the final screening for the 'Awards Category,' which recognizes activities by youths working to solve social challenges, and the interim results for the 'Collaboration Category,' which was established this year to generate new activities through collaborative efforts between local enterprises and youth organizations, were held online. Presentations were given for the final screening in order to bring visibility to the organizations that have been tackling challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic through the use of online tools and out-of-the-box ideas, in a year where so many activities were restricted due to the pandemic, and to support the creation of an environment that drives youth engagement.

Youths from the 10 finalist organizations in the "Awards Category" presented the content of their activities over this past year and voiced their opinions. The organizations covered a vast range of activities including efforts to heighten awareness about disasters by gathering people's experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and initiatives aimed at revitalizing shopping arcades, etc. The review committee selected one organization for the 'best youth organization award' and two organizations for the 'excellent youth organization award'. This was followed by an online vote from the viewers to choose one organization for the 'venue empathy award'.

"Sakura Leo Club," a volunteer group from Miyagi Gakuin Women's University, was chosen as the best organization in the Awards Category, for their diverse social work in helping people of the community, interacting with children and the elderly, and emphasizing the importance of engaging with people.

To help the children of Miyagi Children's Hospital unable to accept visitors due to Covid-19, the club used crowdfunding to raise funds for ipads, in the hopes of bringing smiles on the children's faces. They donated 17 tablets to the hospital and made online visits possible, and also promotes interaction with the children.

Under the corporate philosophy, "Paint it RED! Let's Repaint our Future", we will continue to strive for our mission to "deliver happy moments to everyone while creating value" by working with various partners to address community challenges.