Sumitomo Corporation of Americas Commits $50,000 to Chile Wildfire Relief Efforts

New York, NY – February 20, 2024 –Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) is committing USD $50,000 to Desafio Levantemos Chile, to support the wildfire relief efforts in Chile. Sumitomo Corporation Group has deep ties to the region, with Sumitomo Corporation (Chile) Limitada headquartered in Santiago, Chile.

SCOA’s donation will support the people of Chile’s Valparaiso region who have been affected by the wildfires of February 2024. These fires devastated the urban areas of the region, upending the lives of thousands of Chileans over the course of five days. Record heat and a megadrought were major contributing causes to the fires which led to the deaths of over 130 Chileans and injuring over 1,100 more. There are over 370 people still reported missing and the fires have destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, resulting in an estimated $4.39 billion in damages.

“It is incumbent upon us to uphold our commitment to support the societies and economies in which we do business,” said Tom Wada, President and CEO of SCOA and General Manager for SC Americas. “Sumitomo Corporation has been a major investor and business partner for various industries throughout Chile for decades. We appreciate the great people of this country, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by this disaster.”

SCOA has committed financial aid to be carried out in the coming days to help responders in delivering basic necessities to people affected by the fires, removing debris, and support education, health, social development, entrepreneurship and construction projects.

About Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (SCOA) is the largest subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, one of the world’s leading traders of goods and services. As an integrated business enterprise, the firm has emerged as a major organizer of multinational projects, an expediter of ideas, an important international investor and financier, and a powerful force for distribution of products and global communications through a network of offices worldwide. Its core businesses include Energy, Automotive, Social Infrastructure, Agri-food and Life Science, Construction and Transportation Systems, Real Estate, Mineral Resources and Energy Innovation.

For more information, visit https://www.sumitomocorp.com