Over the last 40 years, JODCO has succeeded in developing a strong relationship with the local communities in Abu Dhabi through social contribution activities in the fields of education and the environment. Going forward, the company will continue to contribute to environmental protection and human resources development to further strengthen its relations with Abu Dhabi.
Environment
Mangrove planting
JODCO has supported mangrove planting activities with the technical assistance of Japanese specialists.
Pearl farming
Before the oil industry was developed, the exportation of natural pearls was a major industry in Abu Dhabi. In response to a request by the government of Abu Dhabi to help it revive the pearl industry, JODCO launched a pearl farming project in 2006.
Following a site inspection and two years of farming trials, the company has been supporting the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency on its pearl farming project since 2009 through research and technical assistance under the supervision of two Japanese pearl cultivation experts.
Education
Undergraduate training for UAE university students
Since 1993, JODCO has invited groups of students every year from the UAE University’s geology department to attend a seminar in Japan. From 2007, the company has also extended its invitation to students from the Petroleum Institute of Abu Dhabi.
In addition to classroom, JODCO organizes field trips to Niigata, the Boso Peninsula and Mount Fuji with the aim of training talented professionals to contribute to the growth of the oil development sector in Abu Dhabi.
Kumon mathematics curriculum
In 1998, JODCO introduced the Kumon mathematics curriculum to elementary schools in Abu Dhabi to improve academic competence among children. In 2018, an agreement between ADNOC, JODCO and the Kumon Institute of Education was signed to further promote the introduction of the curriculum across the Emirate.
The Petroleum Institute
Since the Petroleum Institute’s (PI) establishment in 2001, JODCO and other international oil companies have jointly supported the university’s operations. JODCO has organized courses on remote sensing technologies since 2008. In 2014, JODCO and Tokai University collaborated with PI to develop a Solar Car. In January 2015, PI took second place in the first edition of the Abu Dhabi Solar Challenge.
Enrollment of UAE Children in the Japanese School in Abu Dhabi
Starting from September 2006, with the support of the Japanese government, the Japanese School in Abu Dhabi has been accepting children of UAE citizenship. JODCO employees take part in the administration of the school as members of the school’s administrative board. In Japan, the company has established a non-profit organization to support the program, which sends early childhood education specialists and elementary & junior high school teachers to the school. In April 2018, the first Emirati students graduated from the Japanese Junior High School in Abu Dhabi and entered Tokai University Takanawadai High School in Tokyo. JODCO looks forward to when these children reach adulthood and serve as vital links between Japan and the UAE.