Panasonic Energy Conducts Experiential Entrance Ceremony at a 'Forest Campsite': Promoting Understanding of Battery Business through Mystery-Solving Games

Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Panasonic Energy) held its FY2026 Welcome Ceremony on April 1, 2026, for 139 new regular hires. In a first for the company, the event was planned by a volunteer project team of junior employees in their first or second year of service. The venue was transformed into a 'forest campsite' with artificial turf and tents, and participants attended in casual outdoor-style attire, a significant departure from conventional ceremonies.

The main event featured an experiential 'Darkness Mystery Solving' game designed to build teamwork while deepening understanding of the company's business. In this game, participants solved puzzles in the dark using lanterns. Executive management also participated, providing an opportunity for new hires to collaborate with leaders and colleagues they had just met, fostering a sense of community and understanding of the social significance of Panasonic Energy's battery business.

The concept for the 2026 ceremony was 'Encountering My Energy.' Panasonic Energy defines 'My Energy' as the individual dreams and motivations that drive each employee's work. The ceremony aimed to provide a starting point for discovering this energy on the significant first day of their professional careers. Panasonic Energy’s mission is 'to achieve a society in which the pursuit of happiness and a sustainable environment are harmonized.' The 'forest' serves as a symbol of this harmony. The company regularly holds 'Forest Meetings' in natural settings where executives and employees discuss future visions. Replicating this, the venue featured camping chairs, tents, and artificial grass. The fact that junior employees led the planning based on their own recent experiences as new hires was a key highlight of this initiative.

At the start of the ceremony, President Kazuo Tadanobu appeared from a tent and delivered a message: 'While the battery industry faces a rapidly changing external environment, batteries are playing an expanding role in various social scenes and are essential for the future. In your career, you may face doubts or difficulties. In such times, your "My Energy"—the reason why you work and the future you want to be involved in—will be your support. I hope today marks the starting point for each of you to find your My Energy and step forward into the future with your colleagues.'

New employees remarked on the unique atmosphere, noting that it was 'totally different from the stiff ceremony I imagined' and that collaborating with executives on the mystery game made them feel 'welcomed as a fellow teammate.'

The 'Darkness Mystery Solving' game specifically references the company's 'History of Liberation' starting from 1923, when the launch of a bullet-shaped battery-powered lamp for bicycles liberated people from the inconvenience of traveling on dark roads. Using Panasonic Energy's 'Big Lantern' LED lights, teams solved puzzles related to the company's philosophy and history, fostering team building and a deep dive into the purpose of their work.