Vision and Policy

　Mission　　Maximize intellectual property value through the cycle of basic IP operations, IP utilization, and innovation activities.

　Vision　　A company that excites with intellectual property.

Ensure Maxell's superiority and support the realization of technologies that create a sustainable society,
through a cycle of IP Basic Duties, IP Utilization and Innovation Activities

• IP Strategies to Support Business

In order to maximize the contribution of IP to our businesses with our business environment, business strategy and IP information analysis as the base, we will steadily build an IP portfolio that will come to life in five to 10 years' time. We will achieve this through IP grand design activities, whereby we plan IP activities by "backcasting" - casting an eye back from the future use of IP envisioned at each business, to the present - and through strategic invention activities that prioritize fostering IP rights with a focus on important technologies.

• Intellectual Property that Supports New and Existing Businesses「Integrated Report 2024」Digital Book viewing

Management, Structure and System

Subsequent changes include the shift to employer attribution following the patent law revision in April 2016. In 2020, further revisions were made to enhance the innovative capabilities of inventors/creators, ensuring timely recognition and reward for contributions to the business. These adjustments have been made in response to legal and environmental changes.

Education System (Basic Education/Hierarchical Education)

As an internal initiative, we consolidate the educational expertise held by each member of the IP Innovation Division.
We conduct activities to establish a hierarchical education system with the aim of improving the quality of educational content for various target groups such as new employees and designers.
Additionally, we utilize the outcomes of these efforts as e-learning materials for internal education, creating a mechanism for widespread educational dissemination. To foster the development of intellectual property professionals for the next generation, we also implement on-the-job training (OJT) for young employees. In recent years, we have invited outside lecturers to provide training on the intellectual property system for engineers, thereby enhancing our education system for intellectual property.

• Analog Core Technologies

Activities

Company-wide Innovation Activities from an IP Perspective

Through collaborations with the IP Innovation Division, the New Business Producing Division and the Sales & Marketing Division, as well as the Group companies, we will comprehensively explore the intellectual and human assets related to the technologies owned by Maxell Group, and drive innovation activities with the premise of creating new businesses across business segments by leveraging these assets. In fiscal 2024, we will strengthen and promote integrated cross-divisional activities through the newly established Cross-link Department.

Contributing to SDGs through Invention Creation Activities

To promote innovation that contributes to the SDGs, we encourage the creation of intellectual property with an awareness of its connection to the SDGs from the invention discovery stage. As part of this, we include the SDGs development goals that the invention contributes to in the specification.

Contributing to Fair Business Activities that Respect Other Companies

We build cooperative frameworks with external organizations, collect information, and strive to protect intellectual property rights. We continue to respect other companies' intellectual property by setting appropriate goals at various phases from research and development to pre-sale of new products and conducting clearance activities.

IP Utilization Policy

We will contribute to the protection and development of the Company's businesses with IP. Additionally, we will obtain licensing fees by licensing Maxell's IP to other companies, which will directly contribute to the Company's profit and lead to the emergence of new innovation and the continuous creation of new IP. We are proactively advancing licensing activities in the area of batteries, which is Maxell's founding business, and the area of video and communications, in which we possess highvalue patents. In cases　where the Company's IP is not being appropriately respected, we are prepared to take action when compelled to, such as lawsuits.

Counterfeit Measures

To reduce the risk of brand damage due to unauthorized use by third parties, we take firm measures against the manufacture and sale of counterfeit products and unauthorized applications and registrations of similar trademarks by monitoring e-commerce sites and registering with customs in major countries.

Achievements

Status of Intellectual Property Rights

【External Awards】

Maxell's proactive IP activities and created intellectual property have received various external awards.

• Asia IP Elite

Maxell, Ltd. has been continuously selected since 2018 for the "Asia IP Elite" by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM), an internationally authoritative intellectual property media organization, as one of the　companies that position IP at the core of their business strategy.
　IAM Webpage　 The IAM Asia Elite of 2024 - IAM (iam-media.com)

(Japanese)

• Social | Sustainability