FORVAL and Hanno Shinkin Bank Partner for Business Matching to Boost Local Economy

FORVAL and Hanno Shinkin Bank Join Forces

In a strategic move aimed at bolstering local economic development, FORVAL Inc. has officially entered into a business matching agreement with Hanno Shinkin Bank. Recognized for its mission to "Create a new world with 'new norms'", FORVAL, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, focuses on on-going support for ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management by acting as a 'Corporate Doctor'—a new-generation business consulting entity led by President Masanori Nakajima.

Background and Objectives of the Agreement

The crux of this agreement lies in enhancing the profitability of regional businesses and promoting digital transformation (DX) efforts throughout the area. Hanno Shinkin Bank, located in Hannō City, Saitama Prefecture, operates under the purpose of "Continuing connections, continuously challenging, for a future adorned with smiles". This ethos drives the bank to go beyond mere financial service provision, actively engaging in collaboration with local enterprises and tourism and cultural resource development for regional revitalization.

The bank places strong emphasis on improving management practices and boosting profitability by offering extensive support, such as business incubation and restructuring services, as well as facilitating business partnerships.

On its part, FORVAL is committed to enabling small and medium-sized enterprises to advance towards digital transformation through its 'F-Japan Initiative', which aims to provide visibility in management processes nationwide. Together, FORVAL and Hanno Shinkin Bank are poised to more effectively foster growth within local enterprises by combining their respective strengths and resources.

Moving forward, the partnership will tackle common challenges faced by local businesses, such as uncertainty over where to start with digital transformation and difficulty in utilizing digital tools previously acquired. Both firms will utilize their resources to deliver ongoing support, ensuring that regional enterprises see tangible improvements in both management practices and profitability.

Key Support Services

Under this partnership, Hanno Shinkin Bank is set to introduce clients interested in FORVAL’s services, which include:

- Consulting services focusing on visualized ongoing support
- Sales of hardware and software, including office automation (OA) equipment

FORVAL is committed to seamlessly guiding the referred clients from problem identification to proposing and implementing suitable solutions, thereby fostering growth and improvement in client businesses. This collaborative effort aims to broaden initiatives across various industries and company sizes.

About FORVAL Inc.

FORVAL Inc., a group of next-generation business consultants known as 'Corporate Doctors', supports ESG management through visibility and ongoing support. With a capital of approximately 4.105 billion yen, the firm mainly provides consulting services tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises across five sectors: information technology, overseas expansion, environmental issues, human resources and education, and entrepreneurial succession.

In alignment with the government’s four drivers—"Green", "Digital", "Vitalizing Local Regions", and "Addressing Declining Birthrates"—FORVAL collaborates with local governments, private firms, and educational institutions to cultivate and enhance talent in digital transformation (DX) and green transformation (GX) across Japan, fostering a self-sustaining cycle that revitalizes local economies through its 'F-Japan Initiative'. Furthermore, FORVAL is increasingly focusing on supporting the visualization of ESG management, particularly emphasizing the value of human capital.