- Structures to Support Business Activities
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- Corporate Governance
- Sumitomo's Business Philosophy / Sumitomo Corporation Group's Corporate Mission Statement
- Corporate Governance System
- Internal Control and Internal Audits
- Compliance
- Risk Management
- Human Resource Management
- Towards a Better, Sustainable Society (CSR)
- Message from the Chair of the CSR Committee
- Environmental Initiatives
- Social Initiatives
Environmental Initiatives
Environmental Management
Throughout its 400-year history, the Sumitomo Group has pursued industrial development that co-exists with local communities and the natural environment. Using the experience it has built up over this long period, the Sumitomo Corporation Group is committed to contributing to the sustainable development through sound business activities that take into account global environmental issues.
Environmental Policy
All Group companies carry out environmentally sound management under a common environmental policy, including those participating in the Group's environmental management system, in order to reduce our environmental impact and improve environmental conditions through our business activities.
Sumitomo Corporation Group Environmental Policy
The Sumitomo Corporation Group recognizes that environmental issues are global in scale and are long-term matters affecting future generations. As a global organization, the Sumitomo Corporation Group, through sound business activities, will strive to achieve sustainable development aimed at symbiosis between social and economic progress and environmental preservation. With this as its basic policy, the Sumitomo Corporation Group strives to achieve environmental management in its commercial trading, business development, and investment, etc., based on the guidelines stated below.
I. Basic Policy
The Sumitomo Corporation Group recognizes that environmental issues are global in scale and that they are long-range concerns affecting future generations. As a global organization, the Sumitomo Corporation Group, through sound business activities, will strive to achieve sustainable development aimed at symbiosis between social and economic progress and environmental preservation.
II. Basic Guidelines
In pursuing its diversified business activities both within Japan and overseas, the Sumitomo Corporation Group shall comply with the following guidelines, and, through cooperation between its Group companies, work to achieve the aims of its basic environmental policy.
- Basic stance with regard to the environment:
To attach great importance to protecting the global environment as a good corporate citizen in keeping with its Activity Guidelines. - Compliance with environmental legislation:
To strictly observe legislation related to environmental matters not only in Japan but also overseas and abide by any agreements undertaken by the Group companies. - Caring for the natural environment:
To protect the natural environment and preserve biodiversity. - Efficient use of resources and energy:
To be mindful of the finite availability of resources and energy and strive to use them both efficiently and effectively. - Contributing to the building of a recycling-oriented society:
To endeavor to help build a recycling-oriented society by reducing waste and reusing and recycling resources. - Promotion of businesses that contribute to environmental preservation:
To utilize our integrated corporate strength to promote businesses and projects, which contribute to environmental preservation and reduction of the impact of society on the natural environment. - Establishment of environmental management:
To use an environmental management system to prevent environmental pollution and set environmental objectives and targets which are regularly reviewed and continuously upgraded. - Disclosure of the Environmental Policy:
To communicate this Environmental Policy to all people who are working for or on behalf of the Sumitomo Corporation Group, as well as disclosing it externally.
June 22, 2012
President and CEO, Sumitomo Corporation
Kuniharu Nakamura
Environmental Management System
The Group has obtained certification for the ISO 14001 standard and has been working to implement environment management activities.
The Group's integrated authentication enables unified environmental management of many different offices and organizations in line with the Sumitomo Corporation Group Environmental Policy. As of June 2014, approximately 19,000 employees in total from all domestic locations of Sumitomo Corporation and its 29 Group companies are participating in these environmental management activities under the Group's integrated authentication.
For information about Group companies that have obtained ISO 14001 certification, please refer to our corporate website.
Status of ISO 14001 Management Systems
Environmental Objectives and Targets
Please refer to the following website for information about our results on fiscal 2013 targets.
Objectives/Targets and Results
Environmental Accounting
Environmental Liabilities Identified
At the Sumitomo Corporation Group, environmental risks associated with land, buildings and other tangible fixed assets of Sumitomo Corporation and Group companies are identified and monitored using the ISO 14001 management methods, especially focusing on asbestos, PCB and soil contamination. The Company endeavors to apply the data obtained as information useful for management in making decisions. Also, the obtained and relevant information is included in related in-house seminars and training programs, in order to facilitate the sharing of relevant information within the Group.
Environmental Performance Data
The Sumitomo Corporation Group considers the environment through its business activities, while making efforts to reduce the energy consumption and waste emissions in its offices.
- * Data for electricity consumption, CO2 emissions (in offices), waste emissions, and water consumption includes data from some Group companies.
- * Previous years' data for electricity consumption, CO2 emissions (in offices), waste emissions, water consumption, and paper consumption have been revised to reflect a revision of the scope for data collection in line with actual management status.
- * Data scope: Head office, regional offices and branches in Japan (*The three major offices for water consumption, nine in all for other data)
CSR Through Business Activities
The Sumitomo Corporation Group has established an environmental policy of striving to achieve sustainable development, through sound business activities, aimed at symbiosis between social and economic progress and environmental preservation, under which it is promoting numerous environmental businesses.
Working Around the World to Close the Loop in the Water Cycle and Enable the Efficient Use of Precious Water Resources
Water, a Precious Resource We Can't Live Without
Water is a precious resource that is indispensable for life. Almost all of the water resources on Earth, called the "Water Planet," are seawater, with fresh water representing only 2.5% and, when it comes to water that is usable by humans, the figure plummets to 0.01%.
There are no alternatives to existing water resources and resources are unevenly distributed around the world, which means countries in regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia are always worried about water. Furthermore, as a result of rapidly increasing populations and accelerating urbanization and industrialization, water demands have been growing continuously while the capacity of the environment to supply safe and sanitary water has been deteriorating. Given this, water security is expected to become an even more serious issue in the coming years.
Aspiring to Become an Integrated Water Business Company
An SESW reservoir amid rich natural surrounds
The Sumitomo Corporation Group is involved in developing recycling systems through activities such as water supply and sewage treatment operations and the seawater desalination business in areas around the world to create solutions for water problems.
For example, in Mexico, where sewage systems have lagged behind water supply systems, we have been cooperating since 2004 on a joint project in sewage treatment business with Degrémont S.A., a French water service company. This business recycling sewage for agricultural and industrial use is contributing to improving the environment in Mexico. And in China, which is developing the sewage infrastructure at speed as it tries to cope with more stringent environmental regulations accompanying its rapid economic development, we are involved in a joint sewage treatment business with a local water company. In Oman, where demand for water is increasing, we are taking part in a water production business that uses reverse osmosis to desalinate seawater.
Furthermore, in 2013, we acquired Sutton & East Surrey Water (SESW) plc. in the U.K. with the aim of fully participating in a project to privatize water supply services right through from collection from rivers and underground springs to filtering and then supply. At present, we operate SESW as a joint venture with Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. Going forward, we will not only engage in other water-related business activities outside of the U.K., but also provide a variety of functions that help to improve the world's water environment.
Developing Recycling Systems by Way of Public and Private Partnerships
Design support for sewage treatment facilities by the Tokyo Metropolitan Sewerage Service Corporation
In Japan, water supply and sewage is usually undertaken by local governments, which boast world-class skills and technologies for operating, managing, and maintaining water and sewage treatment plants and water and sewer pipes, achieving low water leakage rates, and reusing treated sewage, among others. Sumitomo Corporation seeks to contribute to the realization of a safe, sanitary water environment by exporting an integrated solution that combines the know-how of Japanese local government outfits with the technologies of the private sector and our own integrated capabilities as an integrated trading company together into a single package. To this end, we have already taken the first step by launching a project in Malaysia in cooperation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The Group is contributing to solutions for water problems through developing multifaceted water businesses on a global level.
Please refer to the following website for further details about our initiatives.
Environmental Contributions Activities