Hi, I’m Summer, an EcoVadis Talent Acquisition Senior Associate based in Hong Kong. I joined EcoVadis in 2021 as an HR Intern. With time when my experience and skills grew, I was offered to become the first full-time recruiter in the Asia, Pacific and Japan region in 2022.
I want to share a fantastic experience from earlier this year: my first business trip to Tokyo, to another of EcoVadis offices that I collaborated with on a daily basis.
Day 1
Catching my flight at 10:00 am at the Hong Kong International Airport. The flight offered a few notable sustainable features, including single disposable items such as napkins and toilet paper made from materials blended with recycled Oi Ocha green tea leaves.
After landing at the Tokyo Narita Airport, I took the Access Line and soon arrived at the hotel. I was inspired by the advertisement in the airport terminal with famous Nintendo Mario characters welcoming all travelers, as this shows Japan's innovative tech and animation culture.
EcoVadis encourages all employees to pick accommodations with sustainable standards and practices during business travels. In my room, there was an “ECO LINE” in the bathtub to ensure we were doing our best to save water. There was also a helpful notice on the refrigerator to remind us to save energy by only using it when necessary.
Day 2
That was one of the most exciting and fun days of my career as I participated in my first job fair that I organized on behalf of EcoVadis! I woke up early that morning to ensure all materials were ready before heading to the venue.
I met Hitomi-san, my HR teammate in Japan, to set up our booth in UDX Akihabara, and started the fair at 4:30 pm. Our booth was the most crowded at the job fair (YAY!); people kept waiting in line to talk to me and five experts from different EcoVadis teams who joined me. I was struck by how the EcoVadis mission and our company values genuinely inspired people. I was thankful for my colleagues who supported me for 4 hours as we answered all questions and received lots of interest for our open roles.
With Miwako-san, Sachiyo-san, and Hitomi-san, we went to an izakaya (居酒屋to have super delicious Japanese food like sashimi, sushi, and fried chicken. We discussed our experiences from speaking to different people at the job fair and agreed that the job fair was one of the most fulfilling experiences in our careers so far.
Day 3
My third day in Tokyo was a sun-filled Saturday. I started my day with an Udon and Sushi teishoku（定食）in Shinjuku. Afterwards, I explored Shibuya before finishing my day with delicious Tempura Udon.
Day 4
Day 4 was another cuisine-focused day, but this time in Harajuku, I enjoyed katsu teishoku - a fried pork cutlet with a special sauce. There are many cafes, restaurants, fashion boutiques and stores in Harajuku. I think that it would take me more than one day to explore all that the neighborhood has to offer.
Day 5
That day marked my first visit to our Tokyo office! I started my day with a few interviews, then enjoyed the office view with a hot coffee. In the afternoon, together with Hitomi-san, we visited the Tokyo Woman’s Christian University - where some of the EcoVadis employees graduated from - to discuss our partnership to help attract new talent.
We then visited the Shigoto Center (Job Center) to learn more about hiring people with disabilities. In Japan, we must adhere to many legal employment laws.
Day 6
Another action-packed day in our Tokyo office as I had in-person meetings with my hiring managers and local recruitment agency partners. After building online relationships for the last year, it was wonderful to get the opportunity to meet so many extraordinary people in person.
My working day finished with a beautiful sunset over Tokyo’s skyline.
Day 7
The following day was an opportunity for me to experience one of our regular events organized by our Office Management team to celebrate recent birthdays with cake and Japanese food. I was able to spend more time with our hiring teams and colleagues.
Day 8
The last day of my trip to Tokyo was my final chance to taste more local delicacies and reflect on my journey before returning to Hong Kong.
For me, this was more than a business trip. I was honored to represent EcoVadis at the career fair and felt relieved everything went smoothly. I loved learning more about Japanese culture, but the key takeaway was my glowing appreciation for my teammates who work hard every day to make a more sustainable world for the future. I hope to be back again very soon!
Find out more about life at EcoVadis and how the company supports its employees, visit www.ecovadis.com/careers and www.linkedin.com/showcase/life-at-ecovadis.
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