On December 5, Okayama University conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) upon Mr. Martin Essl, Founder of the Essl Foundation.
At the conferment ceremony held at Junko Fukutake Hall, President Yasuto Nasu presented the honorary diploma to Mr. Essl, who traveled to Okayama for the occasion, in the presence of faculty members, students, and external stakeholders.

Mr. Essl previously served as CEO of the Schömer-Baumax Group (1999), where he expanded the company into one of the largest home improvement retail chains in Central and Eastern Europe, operating more than 150 stores across nine countries. Under his leadership, the company cultivated a corporate culture that embraced diversity and inclusion, enabling people of different nationalities and abilities to work together. For successfully combining economic achievement with social responsibility, he received numerous awards, including recognition as one of “Europe’s Top 10 Companies,” “Entrepreneur of the Year,” and the TRIGOS Award for Corporate Social Responsibility.

In 2008, Mr. Essl founded the non-profit Essl Foundation, with a particular focus on the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. He established the Zero Project, a global platform dedicated to advancing the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Zero Project seeks to identify, share, and scale innovative policies, practices, and technologies that improve the daily lives and legal rights of persons with disabilities, working toward a fair, equitable, and barrier-free world. The initiative has gained international recognition and has been highly regarded at meetings of governments and international organizations, including the United Nations. Today, the Zero Project connects a network of more than 10,000 participants across over 100 countries. In 2024, Mr. Essl was awarded the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria in recognition of his exceptional contributions.

Following the conferment ceremony, a commemorative lecture was held featuring Mr. Essl and Associate Professor Yuko Kataoka (Medical Innovation Domain, Institute of Academic and Research, Okayama University). In his lecture titled “Toward a Zero-Barrier World,” Mr. Essl reflected on the development of the Zero Project and shared his expectations for future collaboration with Japan and universities. Associate Professor Kataoka presented her work on “Technological Innovations to Eliminate Communication Barriers for the Hearing Impaired,” explaining practical solutions developed to address communication challenges. Both speakers emphasized that the most important element in advancing inclusion is building organizations and societies that are created together.

Mr. Essl’s visit to Okayama also provided opportunities for exchange with Japanese organizations recognized by the Zero Project Award 2024, including Okayama Broadcasting Co., Ltd. and Ryobi Systems Co., Ltd. Associate Professor Kataoka, a finalist for the award, also engaged in dialogue with corporate and academic partners.

Prior to the ceremony, Mr. Essl paid a courtesy visit to President Nasu, accompanied by President Suzuki of Okayama Broadcasting Co., Ltd. During the meeting, Mr. Essl introduced the Essl Foundation’s global initiatives and engaged in discussions on potential areas of collaboration and concrete directions for future partnership with Okayama University.

Through this honorary conferment, Okayama University aims to further strengthen collaboration with the Zero Project and contribute to enhancing well-being both regionally and globally.