Aleph Inc. and Hosozawa Farm – winners of the Grand Prix at the 2011
Hokkaido Zero-emissions Awards – November 2011

Aleph Inc. and Hosozawa Farm received the Grand Prix at the Hokkaido Zero-emissions Awards – an event hosted by the Hokkaido Government – in recognition of their efforts to establish a food recycling loop based on purification and biogasification using cattle manure and food waste.

The companies produce methane gas at Hosozawa Farm’s biogas plant using cattle manure from the farm (an agricultural producers’ cooperative corporation in Chitose City) and food waste from Aleph’s Hokkaido Factory in Eniwa City. The gas is purified to create energy for use at each of the companies.

Managers at the food processing factory have worked closely with livestock farming staff to make use of their respective facilities and the waste produced there. The new resource-circulation mechanism established through this cross-industry collaboration has been recognized as a viable model for other business establishments in Hokkaido.

Winner of the 2011 President’s Outstanding Effort Award for leading companies employing people with disabilities – September 2011

Aleph Inc. received the President’s Outstanding Effort Award for leading companies employing people with disabilities in recognition of its role as a business establishment actively striving to maintain and promote such employment. The award is sponsored by the Japan Organization for Employment of the Elderly, Persons with Disabilities and Job Seekers.

The company was commended not only for employing people with disabilities at its restaurants and factories, but also for its various efforts toward normalization. Such work includes providing on-the-job training at schools and facilities for handicapped children and creating opportunities for workplace observation. The company also uses sign-language communication at some of its restaurants, and remains wholly committed to the continuation of various activities for further social contribution.

Winner of the Sapporo Mayor’s Award in the sound material-cycle society development section at the third Sapporo Environment Awards – July 2011

In July 2011, the Environmental Bureau of the City of Sapporo hosted the 3rd Sapporo Environment Awards – an event designed to help Sapporo develop as a model eco-city through active efforts to conserve the environment and to further promote eco-friendly initiatives. Aleph Inc. received the Sapporo Mayor’s Award in recognition of its work in collecting household cooking oil for recycling to help create a sound material-cycle society.

Winning 3rd place in the restaurant industry sector of the 3rd Japanese Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI) survey – January 2011

The Japanese Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI) survey is carried out as part of the Japan Productivity Center’s Service Productivity & Innovation for Growth (SPRING) forum under commission from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The results of the FY 2010 JCSI survey revealed that Bikkuri Donkey ranked 3rd in the restaurant sector.

With these results as our new starting point, the entire company will renew its commitment to quality and excellence to further enhance customer satisfaction.

Japanese Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI)
The aim of the JCSI survey is to improve the productivity of service industries in Japan through a cross-cutting comparison of different business categories and industries and the visualization of the quality of services. Responses by sampled consumers to approximately 110 questions in the following six categories are transformed into indices using a scientific method.
(Number of respondents in FY 2010: about 30,000)
(1) Customer expectation (expectation/prediction before use)
(2) Perceived quality (quality evaluation after use)
(3) Perceived value (degree of satisfaction with prices)
(4) Customer satisfaction
(5) Word-of-mouth (recommendation to others)
(6) Loyalty (intention for continuous use)

Winning the popularization contribution section prize in the 1st Japan Eco-Action Award contest – October 2010

Aleph Inc. received the popularization contribution section prize in the Japan Eco-Action Award contest hosted by the Japan Eco-Action Association.

The Japan Eco-Action Award is presented to private enterprises, local governments, schools, citizen groups and other organizations that have made advanced efforts with Eco-Action Points projects and have successfully set good examples in society. The Eco-Action Points projects are part of environmental conservation initiatives by the Ministry of the Environment. In the 1st contest, the awards were presented in five sections.

Since the start of the Eco-Action Points projects, we have collected waste cooking oil from households at our restaurants for recycling purposes. Currently, 49 of our restaurants in the Hokkaido and Kanto districts have participated in this endeavor.

Aleph Inc. will continue to increase the number of restaurants joining this endeavor as we strive to become a company that can contribute to local customers through our restaurants.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Prize at the First Contest for Corporate Activities on Biodiversity – June 2010

The First Contest for Corporate Activities on Biodiversity, which aims to promote company initiatives for the advancement of biodiversity conservation, was held by its organizing committee with the support of the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and other organizations. The related award ceremony was held on June 19, 2010.

Aleph Inc. was awarded the Minister’s Prize, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in recognition of its achievements and the significance of its Hokkaido Fuyumizu Tambo (winter-flooded rice paddy) Project. The initiative, which Aleph has promoted since 2006, involves demonstration experiments and dissemination activities to promote rice cultivation without the use of agricultural chemicals and artificial fertilizers.

The company participated in the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) held in Nagoya in October 2010 as a corporate signatory to the Business and Biodiversity Initiative leadership declaration.

“2009 Food Recycling Promotion, Environment Minister’s Award” – March 2010

Aleph won the “Food Recycling Promotion, Environment Minister’s Award” for its recycling project for garbage and waste cooking oil from its restaurants and factories. The company had established a garbage-recycling network, in which garbage generated at Bikkuri Donkey restaurants and food-processing factories is fermented and dried in waste disposal units. Aleph also collects used cooking oil from households to produce biodiesel.

Top-30 placing in the Japanese Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI) survey (6th in the restaurant industry)
– March 2010

The Japanese Customer Satisfaction Index (JCSI) survey is carried out as part of the Japan Productivity Center’s Service Productivity & Innovation for Growth (SPRING) forum under commission from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The results of the FY2009 JCSI survey revealed that Bikkuri Donkey ranked 6th in the restaurant sector.

“The 14th Energy Conservation Award” (Agency of Natural Resources and Energy) – January 2010

Aleph received the “Agri-Food Industry CO2 Emissions Reduction Award” from the General Food Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for its CO2 Emission Reduction in Bikkuri Donkey restaurants due to an energy-saving program based on its Micro-cogeneration System and an Energy Monitoring System.

"Hokkaido Shimbun Cultural Award" – November 2009

The Hokkaido Shimbun Press presents the Hokkaido Shimbun Cultural Award to individuals and organizations that contribute to the cultural/industrial development of Hokkaido. Aleph Inc. received the Industry and Economy Award in recognition of its environmental initiatives, which include the recycling of kitchen waste generated at its restaurants and other facilities.

“300 High-Service Award” – October 2009

The Japan Productivity Center’s Service Productivity & Innovation for Growth (SPRING) forum presents and publicizes the Japan 300 High-Service Award to businesses spearheading efforts that lead to innovation and productivity improvements in the service industry as a whole. Aleph Inc. received the 7th Japan 300 High-Service Award in recognition of its commitment to offering customer-first services, including its unique Aleph Production Method and its environmental activities.

“Agri-Food IndustryCO 2 Emissions Reduction Award” – March 2010

Aleph received the “Agri-Food Industry CO2 Emissions Reduction Award” from the General Food Policy Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for its CO2 Emission Reduction in Bikkuri Donkey restaurants due to an energy-saving program based on its Micro-cogeneration System and an Energy Monitoring System.