Creating an ecosystem in implementing sustainability at coworking offices (Sustainabili-Tea Talks Session 4)

In this session, we heard from two guest speakers from Fujimi Mori-no-Office, Yuta Matsuda and Yoshio Tsuda, who not only succeeded in introducing sustainability into the office, but also onboarded users to join in sustainable actions too. Fujimi Mori-no-Office is in Fujimi town in Nagano Prefecture, providing a focal point for visitors looking for a satellite office location, planning to move into the town, and even those looking for a workation experience.

A coworking space born from the need for regional revitalization

One of the SDGs goals is the creation of sustainable cities and communities that are inclusive and resilient. In Japan, this takes the form of regional revitalization, and Fujimi Mori-no-Office was born from that goal.

Matsuda: The town was facing an accelerating population loss. We decided to take an abandoned facility to turn it into a satellite office for remote work. Since the pandemic, the population was no longer decreasing but instead saw a positive uptick. Users included individuals on a workation and even families who are thinking of moving into the region.

Japan also saw the popularization of remote work. However, Fujimi Mori-no-Office doesn’t think of coworking space as just a place to work.

Matsuda: Rather than just attracting visitors or introducing the latest technology, we want to be useful to the local communities. When talent comes to Fujimi Mori-no-Office, we look at how their skills and experiences can be leveraged to solve some problems in the local communities. Skills and experiences that the town never had access to but can now tap on.

Involving users to participate

Fujimi Mori-no-Office also adopted a system called “GREEN COMMUNITY” that promotes an environmentally friendly workplace and community.

Matsuda: For example, we stock our fridges with drinks that are only in glass bottles, which we tie down with the local businesses to collect used bottles. This supports local businesses too. We also insist on proper garbage separation and educate users on the right ways to do it.

However, just implementing sustainable actions in the office is not enough to get users onboard. They started with building relationships first, something they have upkept since their opening.

Tsuda: No one used the office when we first opened it. It was then a deliberate effort that we focused on connecting with the first few users, while sharing our vision and goals of the facility. We eventually became the connectors between the users and the community.

And Fujimi Mori-no-Office is very active in building that bridge between the users and the community. It creates an environment that births new ideas and projects through new acquaintances, often organizing events between the two to double as networking sessions.

Sustainability values can be in community

Perhaps we should also look beyond the office as just a location, but what role it plays in the bigger picture in a city or community.

Tsuda: Fujimi Mori-no-Office’s work style is based on community, and we have witnessed how work values can change within the community. We can realize our goals by assisting one another. Personally, unlike staying in cities, I realized that it becomes natural to think about coexisting with the nature that surrounds Fujimi Mori-no-Office. I think we need this same idea of coexistence with the community.

Next session: Opportunities in Sustainable Tourism for Expanding Businesses