Staff Connection-Building Workshop: Towards an Organization Capable of Tackling Challenges with the "Power of Cooperation" Across Departments

Pal System Consumers' Cooperative Union (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Atsuyuki Shibusawa) held a workshop on June 30 (Tue.) at an event space in Shinjuku-ku, utilizing its voluntary activity system. Thirty-seven staff members from various departments and offices, including product development, sales, welfare, accounting, and information systems, discussed projects they want to realize by leveraging the cooperative's "power of cooperation."

Building Connections for Voluntary Activities

The workshop, titled "Pal Connect," was held as one of the projects of "Pal System Collective," operated by a committee of volunteer staff members from the Pal System Union. Its aim is to promote awareness and utilization of the voluntary activity system, which allows for the formation of cross-departmental teams to tackle diverse activities on voluntary themes.

Participants included 37 staff members from 27 departments, gathered from the Higashi-Shinjuku, Inagi, and Iwatsuki offices. Staff members, ranging from young employees a few years into their careers to veterans with over 20 years of experience, including those who do not normally interact in their daily work, came together with expectations for building connections across departments.

Participants were divided into five groups, deepening their interaction through introductions of their respective departmental duties and self-introductions. Through interaction, staff members who normally have few opportunities to connect, such as those in care and welfare services and those promoting environmental activities, gained an understanding of the significance of the business activities undertaken by their respective organizations. Hearing about the work in the product development department sparked new ideas, with comments like, "It would be good if staff from other departments could also share their opinions for better development."

▲ Self-introductions revealing unexpected aspects of their work and personal lives ▲ Reporting on what they want to achieve with Pal System's organizational strength.

After deepening their mutual understanding, they shared the projects they wish to realize by utilizing Pal System's cooperative power as a consumers' cooperative.

Various ideas were presented, such as "New Product Tasting Sessions" where staff can learn about products, and the organization of "Hiking Clubs" and "Grand Sports Days" to promote staff health, reflecting their role as staff of a cooperative that supplies products valuing food safety and quality. Many also expressed hopes for building connections through shared hobbies like music and movie appreciation, and for establishing exchanges with other cooperatives. Some staff proposed "Agricultural Support Activities," valuing Pal System's connections with direct-supply production areas.

After sharing their ideas within their groups, they visited other tables to exchange ideas with the entire group. After hearing the specific project details, they voted with "like" stickers on ideas they resonated with, conveying their respective aspirations.

▲ Participants listening to project explanations while moving between tables ▲ Voting with stickers for "likes."

Participants commented, "It was great to be able to interact regardless of age or department," and "I'm interested in some of the activities and would like to join as a member," indicating the success of "Pal Connect" in building connections beyond the scope of daily work.

Three Projects Underway

The "Pal System Collective" is a system launched in fiscal year 2024, aiming for staff members to voluntarily engage in activities across departments to realize Pal System's 2030 Vision: "Creating Communities Where We Live Together, Through 'Eating,' 'Making,' and 'Supporting Each Other.'" Currently, three projects are being advanced by members from various departments.

One project, the "Biotope Watch Team," consists of five staff members whose goal is to deepen understanding among staff outside their direct departments regarding the significance of the pond life surveys Pal System has been conducting with production areas since 2004. Pal System's directly-supplied production areas promote environmentally friendly agriculture that minimizes reliance on pesticides. The life surveys are conducted to visualize the importance of agriculture in protecting biodiversity in production regions. By having staff from diverse departments experience the surveys and watch over the biotopes, the circle of Pal System's environmental conservation activities is expanding.

▼ Hand-made ecosystem "Biotope" by volunteer staff, conducting life surveys with children in Yatabe, Tsukuba City https://information.pal-system.co.jp/press/260603-biotop/

▲ Life survey at a biotope in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture.

The "Cat Club," connecting cat lovers, has gathered 24 staff members under the slogan "CATS ARE PEACE," aiming to contribute to creating a region where all cats, including rescued cats, can live comfortably. Through activities such as learning about community cats and rescued cats, and monitoring products from Pal System's "Link Ring Love" catalog for dogs and cats which features pet food, miscellaneous goods, and toilet supplies made with as many domestic ingredients as possible, they aim for a society where both people and cats can live fulfilling lives.

▲ Visiting a rescue cat cafe in Tokyo.

The project "Connection Career," which aims to revitalize the organization by deepening mutual understanding of each other's work and roles through cross-departmental workplace experience at Pal System Union, has 11 staff members. Taking the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives as an opportunity, they aim to realize a workplace experience program that further enhances Pal System's cooperative power as a consumers' cooperative through deepened mutual understanding and connections among diverse staff members.

Pal System will continue to deepen connections among its staff and fulfill its role as a cooperative to contribute to the local community and the lives of its users.

Pal System Consumers' Cooperative Union Location: Rakasu Higashi-Shinjuku, 2-2-6 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Atsuyuki Shibusawa Total business sales of 12 member and unified business system user members: 268.96 billion yen / Total number of members: 1.77 million (as of the end of March 2026) Member Cooperatives: Pal System Tokyo, Pal System Kanagawa, Pal System Chiba, Pal System Saitama, Pal System Ibaraki Tochigi, Pal System Yamanashi Nagano, Pal System Gunma, Pal System Fukushima, Pal System Shizuoka, Pal System Niigata Tokimeki, Pal System Kyosai Ren, Ai Coop Miyagi HP: https://www.pal-system.co.jp/