Chapter 5: The Role of Values in an Era of CASE and VUCA

Starting in the mid-2010s, it became apparent that a fundamental change in the status quo was taking place. With the rise of CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electrified mobility), many experts noted that the automotive industry was entering a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) era.

This time of uncertainty made it difficult to predict the future of the industry. DENSO needed to clarify the company's values and the direction in which it was headed, both internally and externally. This led to DENSO’s Second Founding and the formulation of the company’s global Long-Term Policy for 2030. The slogan, "A company that continuously generates value to enrich mobility that achieves sustainability, happiness and peace of mind for everyone", encapsulates the essence of LTP30 and the company’s commitment to achieving Green and Peace of Mind, providing value that extends to areas beyond the automotive industry, and creating new value that resonates with society. Driven by these commitments, DENSO launched initiatives around the world aimed at reducing traffic accident fatalities to zero, achieving carbon neutral manufacturing ahead of the rest of the world, and developing solutions to address social issues.

Given the region’s leading stance in addressing environmental issues, DENSO Europe takes an active role in developing and implementing a global strategy for achieving carbon neutrality and a circular economy. With an outlook towards 2035, DENSO Europe is working to achieve carbon neutrality across its European manufacturing plants and has already made considerable progress towards this goal through initiatives such as the use of electricity derived from hydrogen, synthetic methane, and renewable resources, as well as carbon capture, and carbon offsetting.

Innovation is central to this transformation as the automotive industry tries to meet the changing expectations of industry, government, and society. There are many OE customers in Europe who have led the global automotive industry in terms of technology. For DENSO Europe, this is the ideal region to refine DENSO technology and to create core products that can be used globally. In this respect, DENSO Europe as a region plays a crucial role globally.