Third-party Review of CSR Initiatives
Ms. Takahashi is devoted to promoting CSR, with a focus on corporate social contribution. She aims to encourage the private sector to be of service to the public by making proposals for collaborative work with NPOs, government organization, and the like, as well as serving as a bridge between various sectors. Ms. Takahashi is also a writer and editor. Key works include “Philanthropy Nyumon” (Introduction to Philanthropy) and “Shakai Kouken e Youkoso” (Welcome to Social Contribution).
1. Response to the Third-party Review
A key feature of the Sumitomo Corporation Annual Report 2013 is that the former Report on Responsibility & Sustainability relating to CSR initiatives has been integrated into the annual report. I consider integrated reports to be an important tool offering an overview of a company's current status and direction. I also believe all of the hard work and debate that is put into the production process makes them even more significant. The report includes information on how each segment approaches CSR through its business activities, and I commend the focus on the pursuit of operations with an eye to practicing CSR. However, this is the first integrated report and I feel that there is still a long way to go to achieve true integration embodying Sumitomo's Business Philosophy. I therefore hope the Company will engage in free discussion and creative experimentation to make the report more sophisticated.
2. Expectation for Comprehensive Initiatives on the Issue of Water Resources
Global companies are increasingly expected to preserve the environment to help realize a sustainable society. I think that Sumitomo Corporation's proactive provision of training to increase employee awareness and similar initiatives are playing a major role in creating a climate conducive to those goals. I see these actions as steps building up to environmental management and accounting.
Water resource problems are an important global issue, and I think that Sumitomo Corporation's aggressive development of water business could also become an activity that contributes to local communities. I believe support on both fronts will tie into overarching contributions to resolving social issues.
3. Expectations for Social Initiatives
The report provides information from various perspectives based on the principle that human resources are the most valuable business resource, which helps promote greater understanding.
Regarding social contribution activities, I felt the report compellingly conveyed Sumitomo Corporation's various measures around the world, which are fitting for a global corporation. I also thought that the feedback from participants and benefactors as well as photographs added interest, and imparted a sense of warmth and energy to the report. However, I must say the information seemed very broad. I therefore suggest redefining measures as a corporate citizen centered on human resource development and environmental preservation, and organizing information by genre. I believe that connections among business and regional traits will be brought to the fore during this process, illuminating the path to the next step.
The clear establishment of pillars for assisting reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake, namely human resource development and humanitarian assistance, and assistance for industrial reconstruction, raise expectations and trust of Sumitomo Corporation. I would like to see these robust measures used as a reference to extend assistance to daily support in all the affected areas.
I hope Sumitomo Corporation uses the report's publication as a stepping stone for taking an even more holistic approach to CSR management rooted in Sumitomo's Business Philosophy.
Response to the Third-party Review
We would like to thank Ms. Yoko Takahashi for giving her valued review on the publication of the Sumitomo Corporation Annual Report 2013.
From fiscal 2013, Sumitomo Corporation has integrated its Report on Responsibility & Sustainability published through fiscal 2012 with its annual report by enhancing the latter's information on CSR measures. As Ms. Takahashi noted, our first step has been to integrate both reports together. We are watching trends in international frameworks pertaining to integrated reporting, and aim to deliver even better quality in fiscal 2014 and thereafter.
Of our social contribution activities that are centered on developing the next generation of human resources and contributing to local communities all over the world, we intend to focus even more on the former. We are currently working to enhance the Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship and the Sumitomo Corporation Youth Challenge Program for the Revitalization of East Japan. The report provides an account of these initiatives' present status. The Sumitomo Corporation Group is engaged in an array of social contribution activities worldwide. We are grateful for Ms. Takahashi's advice, which we intend to put to use in presenting information on our activities in a manner that is more easily comprehensible, and highlights connections between the activities and the characteristics of businesses and regions.
As for the special mention on water resource problems, we are grateful for Ms. Takahashi's recognition of the Sumitomo Corporation Group's water business. We also regard water resource problems as an important social issue. As a global corporate group, our basic stance is to work to solve problems through our business activities. In providing support through social contribution activities as well, we look to seize opportunities through dialogue with stakeholders we encounter on our business frontlines.
Yasuyuki Abe
Chair of the CSR Committee
Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer,
General Manager, Corporate Planning & Coordination Group