== HEADER ==

Social Initiatives

 

Together With Employees

Sumitomo Corporation is working strategically to recruit, develop and utilize people—our most valuable business resource.

The Sumitomo Corporation Group is actively pursuing human resource policies for strategic and well-planned recruitment, development, and utilization of human resources who can understand and practice the Group's Management Principles and Activity Guidelines in order to contribute broadly to society and continue creating new value over the medium and long term.

Human Resource Management Policy

Aiming to “Be the Best, Be the One”

Effective recruitment, development and utilization of globally competitive human resources are the most important issues for the Sumitomo Corporation Group to survive the current ever-changing business environment and achieve sustainable growth. Our concern is how we can ensure that each of our ­employees—our most important assets—will exercise their full potential in line with the business strategy of their respective business units and based on the Group's Management Principles and Activity Guidelines.

For this reason, we are making continuous efforts towards training and fostering new employees on a company-wide basis, dissemination of Sumitomo's Business Philosophy—the basis of the Management Principles—and developing human resources. We use a combination of on-the-job training and off-the-job training to promote effective development of human resources, with the former based on job rotations and the latter reflecting the characteristics of each business.

Under the medium-term management plan “Be the Best, Be the One 2014,” we are reinforcing human resource development with an emphasis on wide-ranging frontline experience, while promoting human resource development and utilization on a global basis. These efforts are guided by our basic policy of “What We Aim to Be in Fiscal 2019, Our Centennial Year.”

Vision of the Human Resources We Seek

Human resource development will play an essential role in realizing our vision for the Company in its centennial year in 2019.

In developing a vision of the human resources we seek to build our foundation for the next 100 years, we are promoting the following three factors, starting with the necessary qualities, action, and abilities:

  • People with spirit and a lofty sense of ethics
  • People who accept diverse values but think for themselves and act on their own initiative
  • People who can create new businesses themselves without being constrained by existing frameworks

This vision of human resources has been determined on the basis of the value standards defined by the Management Principles and Activity Guidelines of the Sumitomo Corporation Group as well as in light of the nine core behaviors of the SC VALUES, which all employees are expected to share and practice.

SC VALUES

 

1. Integrity and Sound Management To comply with laws and regulations, while maintaining the highest ethical standards.
2. Integrated Corporate Strength To create no boundaries within the organization; always to act with a company-wide perspective.
3. Vision To create a clear vision of the future, and to communicate to share it within the organization.
4. Change and Innovation To accept and integrate diversity in values and behavior, and to embrace change as an opportunity for action.
5. Commitment To initiate, own, and achieve organizational objectives.
6. Enthusiasm To act with enthusiasm and confidence, and to motivate others through such action.
7. Speed To make quick decisions and act promptly.
8. Human Development To fully support the development of others' potential.
9. Professionalism To achieve and maintain high levels of expertise and skills.

 

Sumitomo Corporation is seeking human resources who have clear vision and strong commitment, as well as demonstrate leadership at their respective levels of the organization, through the practice of the SC VALUES. We also seek professionals who can take responsibility for what they do, display a broad spectrum of knowledge and high-level expertise in a particular area and achieve superior performance.

 

Recruitment: Recruitment Policy With Respect for Basic Human Rights
Recruiting Diverse Human Resources Who Are Able and Eager to Work in the Global Business Arena

As a global business operator, we look for talented people who are able and eager to work in the global business arena. To this end, we conduct fair recruitment activities with respect for basic human rights and with no discrimination. Specifically, we apply the same screening process to all employee candidates, irrespective of their gender, academic background, or nationality, and our selection criteria consist only of applicants' aptitudes and abilities.

In addition to new graduates, we recruit mid-career employees on an ongoing basis, since attracting talented people who can deliver results from day one forms part of our human resource strategy. We also welcome many employees with disabilities: as of April 1, 2013, employees with disabilities represented 2.03% of our workforce, a higher percentage than the statutorily required level of 2.00%.

Human Resource Development: Strengthening Human Resource Development With an Emphasis on Diverse Frontline Experience

 

Extension of the Human Resource Development Fund and Introduction of a Global Internship Program
A program making use of the Human Resource Development Fund A program making use of the Human Resource Development Fund

At Sumitomo Corporation, the Human Resource Development Fund, established in fiscal 2010, helps promote strategic and well-planned human resource development at each business unit and division by financially supporting a system for the overseas training of trainees (including those who engage in language or overseas studies) and employees participating in the overseas executive training program.

We have also introduced a Global Internship Program in fiscal 2013. The main purpose of the program is to have employees develop a global mindset through business experience abroad, particularly in emerging markets that have not received many trainees until now, and acquire grounding in the local languages of emerging countries.

300 Programs Offered Annually to Support Off-the-job Training for Strategic and Well-planned HR Development

Sumisho Business College (SBC) offers about 300 programs per year that are designed to nurture the human resources we seek to achieve our vision, with a focus on three areas: 1) Management Principles, Activity Guidelines and SC VALUES, 2) Leadership, and 3) Professional. In fiscal 2012, 10,619 trainees attended the programs (from Sumitomo Corporation alone).

Through a variety of training programs provided by SBC, we offer systematic leadership development, as well as instruction in common basic business knowledge and skills required to work in the trading industry. Various other programs include advanced specific knowledge and skills necessary for investment, business management, and business creation/innovation.

One of the programs, which has been conducted since fiscal 2006, is the visit to the Besshi Copper Mine, the starting point of the Sumitomo Corporation Group. The main objective of this training is to give leaders of organizations of the Group an opportunity to experience and assimilate Sumitomo's Business Philosophy, the basis of the Group's Management Principles, and to ensure that the business philosophy is passed on to younger employees.

We promote an active stance on growth opportunities as “something to be taken by oneself” rather than “something to be given.” Based on this concept, we continue our best efforts to improve SBC as a system that supports our prime talent who are able to think and act on their own to deliver results, and eventually contribute broadly to society through business.

 

Human Resource Development: Promoting Human Resource Development Measures Globally
Stratified Program for Locally Hired Employees Overseas
Training for locally hired employees overseas Training for locally hired employees overseas

The Sumitomo Corporation Group is also working hard to deploy and develop locally hired employees in its overseas offices and Group companies in order to recruit and develop personnel who can play a leading role in global business operations.

As part of these efforts, we conduct training programs for locally hired employees at different career levels (staff in charge, managers and senior executives). At the training programs, nearly 300 participants each year from all over the world come to the Head Office in Tokyo to share the corporate DNA that the Sumitomo Corporation Group is made up of and strengthen their sense of unity as a member of the Group through reaffirming their understanding of Sumitomo's Business Philosophy and Management Principles of the Group. In addition, they share information on the Group's management policies and strategies, and improve their skills by attending various lectures. The training programs also offer joint workshops in which Head Office employees also participate.

Enhancing Global Human Resource Strategies

From fiscal 2013, we reorganized our overseas offices into four broad regions. Under this new system, we are promoting development and utilization of local human resources by organizations in each region. Specific measures include rotation of locally recruited staff within each region, and assigning staff from overseas offices and Group companies to important positions. In tandem, we are promoting global human resource development and utilization by providing support from Tokyo Head Office to regional organizations with recruitment, establishing training systems, and other aspects.

Strengthening Globally Oriented Human Resource Development: the Sumitomo Corporation Global HRD Center
Sumitomo Corporation Global HRD Center Sumitomo Corporation Global HRD Center

We opened the Sumitomo Corporation Global HRD Center in Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, in April 2012 to serve as a training center to develop global talent and as a strategic multi-purpose facility. The training center is fully utilized to promote our global human resource development and diverse human resource activities, as well as to provide a multi-purpose, versatile space used to assist Head Office functions. In this facility, global colleagues from around the world, irrespective of organization or country, meet for intensive discussions on the future visions and strategies of the ­Sumitomo Corporation Group. In fiscal 2012, the facility was used by a total of 9,364 people from throughout the Group.

 

Utilization of Human Resources: Promoting Diverse Human Resource Activity
Cultivating a Workplace Culture With Respect for Diversity

As the needs of workers have become increasingly diversified across society, Sumitomo Corporation has been quick to respond, addressing the issue of long overtime hours by promoting work-life balance, and striving to respond to various social needs, such as encouraging more active involvement of female employees in business, extending the employment period, and deploying non-Japanese national employees. We are implementing a variety of initiatives to cultivate a culture at the workplace that respects the diversity of human resources so that this diverse talent can capitalize on their different backgrounds to create new value and achievements in their respective fields, thus contributing to the sustainable growth of the Group.

 

Ratios of Male and Female Employees in Sumitomo Corporation (As of March 31, 2013)

 

Social Contribution Activities

 

Developing the Next Generation of Human Resources: Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship

Sumitomo Corporation by offering scholarships provides support in nurturing the next generation of human resources in various Asian countries that are in the process of developing.

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Scholarship Recipient Universities (Number of Individual Recipients) in Fiscal 2012
Scholarship Recipient Universities (Number of Individual Recipients) in Fiscal 2012

In 1996, we established the Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship as part of our 50th anniversary in the trading business. The program was born from our desire to offer support in nurturing the next generation of future leaders for advancement of countries in Asia. We have expanded the program in stages to cover more regions and universities in keeping with the needs of various countries, regions, and universities. In fiscal 2013, scholarships were granted to about 1,000 students at 41 universities in 10 countries. Since 1996, we have awarded scholarships to approximately 13,000 students. These individuals who completed their studies with the assistance of our scholarships are now actively engaged in a variety of fields in each country. The Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship program is operated in close cooperation with our business bases (overseas subsidiaries and offices) in the covered countries, capitalizing on our extensive global operating network. We will continue these activities, striving to make program advances attuned to national and regional characteristics.

Voices of Scholarship Students
Thitiporn Tongthipcharoen Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) Thitiporn
Tongthipcharoen Chulalongkorn University
(Thailand)
“I want to help people in need in Thailand.”

I believe that great people make a country great and that the key to making great people is education. Thanks to the Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship, I had the opportunity to further my education and expand my view of society. However, when I participated in the volunteer camps of ­Chulalongkorn University in several remote areas of Thailand, I realized that many children were not receiving a proper education for economic reasons.
I want to do my best devoting myself to helping other people in need, in the hope that they too will also have a chance to fulfill their dreams, in the same way that Sumitomo Corporation helped to grant my wish.

Zhong Yongjie Northeast Normal University (China) Zhong Yongjie Northeast Normal University
(China)
“I want to devote myself to friendship between China and Japan.”

I believe I made a great life choice by enrolling in Japanese language studies. I gained my first exposure to a different culture by learning Japanese. This enabled me to obtain a clearer view of commonalities and differences between Japanese and Chinese culture, as well as my own existence.
The scholarship that I received serves as a recognition of my efforts so far, and has been a great encouragement to me. I will work even harder in the days to come to be indispensable to society and to do what I can to foster good relations between China and Japan, so as to live up to expectations.

Voices of Locally Hired Employees
Zhao Jun General Affairs, Corporate Communications & CSR Dept. Sumitomo Corporation China Group Zhao Jun General Affairs, Corporate Communications & CSR Dept.
Sumitomo Corporation China Group
“The scholarships are making a difference.”

When a Group officer met with a government official, this individual apparently expressed his great fondness and appreciation for Sumitomo Corporation, having received a Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship when he was in school. Knowing that this scholarship recipient is playing an active role in society really impressed upon us that our scholarships are making a difference.

Tran Thi Tuyet Trinh Sumitomo Corporation Vietnam LLC Administration Department Tran Thi Tuyet Trinh Sumitomo Corporation
Vietnam LLC
Administration Department
“I will do my best to make the ­Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship more meaningful.”

The Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship can help students reduce the financial burden on their families and also make them proud and motivated because their efforts are recognized by society. I was very pleased to hear that the scholarship students are interested in the culture and mindset of the Japanese, and desire to contribute to friendship between Vietnam and Japan. I will therefore do my best to make the Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship more meaningful to the students who will shape the future of Vietnam.

Voice of a University Official
Mr. Jiban K Mishra Director of Planning and Development University of Dhaka (Bangladesh) Mr. Jiban K Mishra Director of Planning and Development University of Dhaka
(Bangladesh)
“We are proud to be a part of the Sumitomo Corporation's social contribution program.”

The University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, is grateful to Sumitomo Corporation for granting scholarships to 160 of our meritorious students since 1997. The Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship is considered most prestigious among our students, and the recipients all feel privileged and honored. The scholarship helps students to be more attentive to their studies and encourages them towards achieving higher credentials. As an old and leading university of Bangladesh, we are proud to be a part of the Sumitomo Corporation's social contribution program. We sincerely hope that the program will help the scholarship students further their understanding of Sumitomo Corporation and Japan, and lead to strengthening of the bond between our two countries. One day these brilliant students will become leaders of our country in their respective fields and contribute greatly to the development of Asia. We hope that our relationship with Sumitomo Corporation will continue forever.

 

Activity Report
Scholarship Awards Ceremonies Encourage Students Around the World
A scholarship award ceremony at the National University of Mongolia A scholarship award ceremony at the National University of Mongolia

In Mongolia, we awarded scholarships to a total of 50 students from the National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian University of Science and Technology in April 2013. At an award ceremony, a university president expressed his gratitude, saying that Japan offers an array of assistance to Mongolia and that this type of human resource development support is also extremely helpful. A student representative also delivered a powerful message in her speech, expressing appreciation for the assistance provided to students along with the support tied to national development.

While scholarship award ceremonies take many forms with sponsorship by universities and Sumitomo Corporation, they are held every year in various regions providing opportunities for exchange with students. By introducing our global business operations, we are working to encourage a worldwide perspective and deepen understanding of Japan. Seeing how eager the students are to have the opportunity to advance their studies also boosts the motivation of locally hired employees around the world.

Work Experience Programs Provide Exchange With Students
A work experience program at Sumitomo Corporation (Guangzhou) Ltd. A work experience program at Sumitomo Corporation (Guangzhou) Ltd.

In China, scholarship operations led to the implementation of a short-term work experience program inspired by a CSR person in charge at Sumitomo Corporation (China) Holding Ltd. In fiscal 2012, 32 university juniors and seniors participated in the work experience program at Sumitomo Corporation (Guangzhou) Ltd. Employees served as instructors, offering lectures on the company's IT, logistics, tax, and human resource operations. The program also involved risk management drills and case studies of actual trading activities leveraging these skills, as well as on-site visits to Group companies. Students who attended the extensive three-day program gave it rave reviews. Students from differing fields of study inspired each other, expanding their horizons. There were also students who said their experience will be of help in contemplating their future course. We are also considering expanding the program to include sophomores in the future.

Developing the Next Generation of Human Resources: Sumitomo Corporation Youth Challenge Program for the Revitalization of East Japan

The Sumitomo Corporation Youth Challenge Program for the Revitalization of East Japan supports the revitalization of regions and the rebuilding of the daily lives of those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The five-year program that began in fiscal 2012 is part of our policy of providing long-term assistance for recovery.

Program Overview
Activity and Research Subsidy

Over two years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. While there are concerns that people's memories of the disaster will erode with time, a large number of people are still working to help get the affected regions back on their feet.

Since right after the earthquake struck, the fundamental policy of Sumitomo Corporation has been to provide long-term assistance for recovery. We began by providing donations and emergency aid supplies, and dispatching employees to offer assistance in affected regions through our volunteer program for earthquake disaster reconstruction. We have followed up with support matching the affected regions' changing needs over time. In fiscal 2012, we kicked off the Sumitomo Corporation Youth Challenge Program for the Revitalization of East Japan. Through this five-year independent program of ours, we are backing up regional revitalization initiatives by the young generation* so as to support recovery in the affected areas and develop the next generation of human resources.

* The young generation in our program refers to youth in their late teens to twenties who are mainly university and graduate students.

The program has two parts. The activity and research subsidy supports youth-led activities and research targeting the revitalization of regions and the rebuilding of daily lives for those affected by the disaster. The internship program supports long-term internships for youth at NPOs and other organizations active in the affected regions.

Through the activity and research subsidy, we have ­supported the activities of 34 organizations in fiscal 2012 and are assisting 48 organizations in fiscal 2013. We not only simply offer financial aid, but also hold the Sumitomo Corporation Youth Challenge Forum in the middle of the fiscal year. At the forum, all of the organizations present interim reports on their activities. This provides the organizations with an opportunity to spread the word about their work, gain new insights through information sharing that they can utilize in future activities, and forge networks amongst themselves. The forum also includes a symposium bringing experts in relevant fields into the mix.

Turning to the internship program, seven students gained nine months of experience serving at six groups in Miyagi Prefecture in fiscal 2012. While the interns were active in different ways and places, they all successfully served out their terms, exchanging information through blogs participants set up and networking events, and learning through trial and error along the way. We received feedback from individuals completing the program such as “I learned the importance of putting ideas into action” and “Being personally affected by the earthquake, taking part in activities has enabled me to move forward.” Seeing how much these young men and women have grown through the program really brought home to us its significance.

In fiscal 2013, we are supporting the internship activities of 19 students at 12 groups in Miyagi and ­Fukushima prefectures. The needs of affected regions will continue to change as time passes, but we will keep believing in the power of youth to take on challenges and provide long-term assistance for their growth and recovery of the affected areas.

Message From the Selection Committee Chairman
Mr. Takeshi Jitsuyoshi Director and Executive Secretary Kobe Empowerment Center Senior Managing Director Hyogo Community Foundation Mr. Takeshi Jitsuyoshi Director and Executive Secretary
Kobe Empowerment Center
Senior Managing Director
Hyogo Community Foundation
Why Support Youth

Simply put, the program is unlike others in that it stems from the fusion of two goals: to help out in disaster-stricken areas and to encourage youth development in the process. While the former is key, the program aims much higher by also focusing on fostering youth playing a role in recovery as an integral component of long-term human resource development. Through this, the program's ambition is to revitalize affected regions, and by extension Japanese society. There are lots of corporate programs offering aid to affected areas of eastern Japan, but I feel that this program excels because it offers a rare focus on cultivating people. While funding comes from Sumitomo Corporation, naturally it is the Company's officers and employees who generate these funds coupled with the understanding and support of shareholders and business partners that make the program a reality. I would like to express my gratitude to these stakeholders. Look forward to more from this program through which many youth play an active role and grow.

Activity and Research Subsidy
Voices of Groups Subsidized in Fiscal 2012
Miyu Maekawa A junior at the Nara Women's University Department of Language and Culture Institute for Human Diversity Japan Miyu Maekawa A junior at the Nara Women's University Department of Language and Culture
Institute for Human Diversity Japan
As I Imagine Kamaishi and Kansai 20 Years from Now

People from four universities in the Kansai region came together to form our group, which works to help enliven the temporary shopping district in Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture. In fiscal 2012, we conducted a tour of support for Iwate in which female Kansai area university students participated and planned regional revitalization events in the shopping district, and joined up with people from the shopping district to hold a workshop showcasing Kamaishi's attractions. With these and our other activities, we constantly asked ourselves, “As university students from the Kansai region, what can we do to help?” Every time I visit Kamaishi, I am captivated by the strength of the people there, and how they forge ahead with a smile on their face despite grim conditions. I want to keep working to get the word out in Kansai about all the city of Kamaishi has to offer, working with the locals to light up the once defunct shopping district with smiles.

Tomoya Hirano A sophomore at the Tohoku University School of Engineering Mimamori-Tai A student-organized group providing local assistance Tomoya Hirano A sophomore at the Tohoku University School of Engineering
Mimamori-Tai
A student-organized group providing local assistance
Keeping Watch Over Higashi Matsushima After the Disaster

In fiscal 2012, we helped farmers in the city of Higashi Matsushima clear debris from farmland and relocate vinyl greenhouses, and assisted with memorial services in the city's Omagari district. For the memorial services, we made lanterns together with local residents and decorated them with inscriptions of the character meaning “pray,” lotus flowers, and the like. We heard that attendees were touched by the lanterns. Through our activities, we have come to feel that we must keep working to bring to light needs in the affected regions that have not yet been fully uncovered.

A workshop involving local shop owners and students from Kansai and Iwate Prefecture A workshop involving local shop owners and students from Kansai and Iwate Prefecture
An event for invigorating the temporary quarters of the Kamaishi ­Aoba-Koen Shopping District An event for invigorating the temporary quarters of the Kamaishi ­Aoba-Koen Shopping District
Removing stones scattered all over a field to revive it as farmland Removing stones scattered all over a field to revive it as farmland
Handmade lanterns light up the memorial service with calligraphy and patterns Handmade lanterns light up the memorial service with calligraphy and patterns
Internship Program
Voices of Sponsor Group and a Student Intern in Fiscal 2012
Ms. Yuka Takahashi Sponsor Group Chairperson of the Board Switch Ms. Yuka Takahashi Sponsor Group
Chairperson of the Board Switch
The Lessons We've Learned

We learned a lot by having Aya Abe as a student intern.

Watching her learn the value of firmly grasping what the other person's heart is saying, despite finding it challenging to really listen, was heartwarming.

The straightforward outlook that she brought as a student intern rather than a supporter taught us the importance of thinking simply. I remain encouraged by Ms. Abe's words: “I intend to treasure what I learned here.”

Aya Abe Student Intern A senior at the Ishinomaki Senshu University School of Business Administration Aya Abe Student Intern
A senior at the Ishinomaki Senshu University School of Business Administration
The Importance of Relating to Others

At the NPO Switch, I assisted with transitioning people with mental disorders into the workforce. I got involved because I received support when I was affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and I wanted strongly to give back by providing assistance this time. I began by learning about mental illness from square one and supporting the operation of the organization's mental health program. While I also gained knowledge from reading, I learned a tremendous amount by interacting with patients and staff in the program, and listening to what various people had to say. I will continue to cherish human relationships and want to contribute to society.

 

Contributing to Local Communities All Over the World

Operating Courses Bearing the Sumitomo Corporation Name at Two Chinese Universities
Senior Advisor Oka of Sumitomo Corporation lecturing at Tsinghua University Senior Advisor Oka of Sumitomo Corporation lecturing at Tsinghua University

To support development of the next generation of human resources, we have been active since 2006 in operating courses bearing the Sumitomo Corporation name at two of China's leading universities—Nankai University (Tianjin) and Tsinghua University (Beijing). In April 2013, Motoyuki Oka, Senior Advisor of Sumitomo Corporation, presented a lecture on the theme “What Makes a Good Organization” at Tsinghua University. About 150 university students and graduate students attended the lecture, which was followed by an in-depth discussion. Through these courses, we hope many students in China will gain a better understanding of Japan's business world, and serve as a bridge for economic exchange with Japan in the future.

 

Operating Japanese Language Classes in Vietnam
A graduation ceremony for the Japanese language classes A graduation ceremony for the Japanese language classes

Since 2006, Sumitomo Corporation has been operating ­Japanese language classes for junior high school students in Da Nang, a city located in the central region of Vietnam. The program is designed to provide opportunities for children in Vietnam to learn about and develop an interest in Japan and its culture while learning the language.

The lessons are taught to about one hundred junior high school students in eight classes by an employee of Sumitomo Corporation who has a national license to teach Japanese. Many program graduates have passed the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test with flying colors. But the program is not just about learning the language. It also introduces many aspects of Japanese culture, including the different seasonal celebratory rituals, and traditional Japanese pastimes such as doing origami and cat's cradles. Among other varied activities promoting a greater understanding of Japan are field trips to factories on the outskirts of Da Nang run by Japanese companies.

 

Activities as a Good Corporate Citizen

Cooperating in the Promotion of Barrier-Free Environments at Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea
The Universal Design Symposium The Universal Design Symposium

Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation Korea Ltd. worked together to create an audio description as part of a ­barrier-free initiative to help make the Japan Pavilion at the International Exposition in 2012, held in South Korea's southern city of Yeosu, fully accessible to all in the spirit of hospitality. Sumitomo Corporation has been promoting barrier-free movies since 2004. Our cooperation in providing an audio description to the pavilion enabled visitors with impaired vision to also enjoy the exhibit.

In addition, about 250 people, including 25 Yeosu locals with disabilities who attended the Universal Design Symposium sponsored by Saga Prefecture during the Expo, watched a barrier-free version of the popular Japanese cartoon “Doraemon.” Sumitomo Corporation Korea employees helped to run the event, serving as volunteers performing tasks including interpretation and guiding guests with disabilities. This was the first screening of “Doraemon” accompanied by subtitles and audio descriptions in South Korea to enable the visual and hearing impaired to also enjoy the show. Saga Prefecture Governor Yasushi Furukawa emphasized the need to promote barrier-free films. “As we get more and more movies like this, life becomes easier,” he noted. “We must therefore promote the expansion of the Sumitomo Corporation Group's efforts.”

Through ongoing promotion of barrier-free movies, we aim to make society more livable for everyone.

Providing Long-term Assistance for Recovery From the Great East Japan Earthquake

When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11, 2011, the Sumitomo Corporation Group wasted no time in coming together to collect and deliver emergency aid supplies, as well as make donations. This was only the beginning. We also made a commitment to long-term assistance for both the reconstruction of industries and humanitarian relief, asking ourselves how we can keep putting our diverse business bases in various fields and regions as an integrated trading company to work in post-disaster recovery.

Assistance for Industrial Reconstruction

 

Supporting Recovery of the Fish Processing Industry in Kesennuma
A general assembly commemorating the Kesennuma Shishiori Fisheries Processing Cooperative Association first anniversary A general assembly commemorating the Kesennuma Shishiori Fisheries Processing Cooperative Association first anniversary

The city of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture sustained grave damage to its core fish processing industry from the tsunami and major fires. Getting the industry back on its feet is an urgent task, as efforts to rebuild factories have been delayed by damage to buildings and land subsidence along the coast where factories are concentrated, and this has been compounded by problems such as the loss of sales channels and employment.

Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku Co., Ltd. teamed up with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. to contribute to rapid, creative reconstruction of the industry in cooperation with Miyagi Prefecture, Kesennuma City, and the local chambers of commerce. This trading company coalition is helping to develop a recovery business model for the sector by assisting with the activities of the Kesennuma Shishiori Fisheries Processing Cooperative Association, which business operators united to form following the earthquake.

 

Humanitarian Assistance

Sumitomo Corporation offers various humanitarian assistance programs, such as the Sumitomo Corporation Youth Challenge ­Program for the Revitalization of East Japan, using its extensive partnerships and know-how developed through its ongoing social contribution activities.

Junior Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO)
Junior Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO)

The Junior Philharmonic Orchestra, which Sumitomo Corporation supports, held a charity concert for Great East Japan Earthquake relief in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture where it performed with the local Sendai Junior Orchestra. Sumitomo ­Corporation matched sales from the concert, with all proceeds going to the Ashinaga Tohoku Rainbow House Construction Fund. (November 2012)
Barrier-free Movie Screenings
Barrier-free Movie Screenings

We were spurred into action in 2011 by people noting that “There is a variety of support for disaster-struck regions, but little assistance for people with disabilities.” In 2012, we held a barrier-free movie screening in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture with assistance from the Miyagi Welfare Division for Persons with Disabilities. Miyagi Prefecture Governor Yoshihiro Murai expressed thanks for the initiatives for ensuring that people with disabilities can also participate. (December 2012)
Event to Sell Local Products From Disaster-Stricken Areas
Event to Sell Local Products From Disaster-Stricken Areas

In the grand lobby of Harumi Triton Square where Sumitomo Corporation's Head Office is located, we held a sales event offering products from a facility in Miyagi Prefecture supporting independence for people with disabilities. We received feedback from customers such as, “This was a good event providing shoppers easy access to good merchandise and contributing to the Tohoku region's recovery at the same time.” (February 2013)
Grief Care Program
Grief Care Program

We offered a grief care program in a temporary housing complex in Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture to help long-term evacuees heal emotionally. (August-November 2012, February 2013)

 

Sumitomo Corporation provides a running update of the Group's social contribution activities around the world in the form of activity reports (Japanese only) published on our corporate website to provide a broader overview including activities not mentioned in this publication.

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