Corporate Social Responsibility
Environmental Preservation
Environmental Initiatives
Promotion Structure
Initiatives of Each Company
An outline of initiatives of each group company
Establishment of Environmental Impact Assessment Framework
SMBC has established Environmental Analysis Department within the Credit Dept., International Banking Unit, and has established an environmental impact assessment framework.
SMBC adopted the Equator Principles, a set of guidelines developed by private financial institutions for managing environmental and social issues related to project financing.
(dated
January 23, 2006) Press Release (PDF:12KB)
(dated
July 7, 2006) Press Release (PDF:36KB)
The Equator Principles and SMBC
ISO 14001 Certification
Sumitomo Mitsui Card and Japan Research Institute acquired ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for environmental management systems.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation |
Japan Research Institute |
Utilization of Green Power certification system
At SMBC, the Green Power certification system of Japan Natural Energy Company Limited is used.
(Electricity generated from April through June 2002 amounted to 188,000kWh)
Signing of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Statement by Financial Institutions
SMBC is a signatory to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Statement by Financial Institutions on the environment and sustainable development (Japan Research Institute is registered as the responsible "window".
(dated July 1, 2002) Excerpt from SMBC's press release (PDF:10KB)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
A United Nations' programme responsible for environmental issues, established in 1972.
"Statement by Financial Institutions on the Environment & Sustainable Development"
In 1992, about 30 banks around the world, working together with UNEP, launched the "UNEP Statement by Banks on the Environment and Sustainable Development", in the course of the run-up to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, or the Rio Summit. With investment banks, asset management companies, securities companies, and other financial institutions joining the initiative, "Statement by Financial Institutions on the Environment & Sustainable Development" was adopted and includes 190 signatories from 46 countries as of March 2002.
(Main Items of the Statement)
- a)
- Commitment to "Sustainable Development"
Pledge by financial institutions to take responsibility for "sustainable development" of society - b)
- Environmental Management and Financial Institutions
Achievement of "sustainable development" through activities, such as lending; pledge to take actions to reduce consumption of resources, such as energy, paper, etc.; and internal audits - c)
- Public Awareness and Communication
Disclosure of environment-related information, communications with stakeholders
Promotion of Environmental Businesses
At each group company, we are bolstering actions for environmental issues within our main businesses.
1, "Ecological Consulting"
SMBC and Japan Research Institute have set up a system for "ecological consulting" services to support environmental measures taken by client companies, and various environment-related consulting assignments are received.
2, Building "Environmental Business Promotion System"
To deepen SMBC's involvement in environment-related businesses, we formed the Environmental Business Forum jointly with JRI, with whom we have also formed an advisory alliance. The Forum will capitalize on opportunities arising from public- & private-sector initiatives to preserve the environment as well as from individuals' growing environmental consciousness, and intends to cultivate a new profit profile.
Corporate client services
We will energetically provide information, extend credit, and offer other relevant support to those corporate clients proactively addressing environmental issues and developing proprietary environment-related businesses.
Consumer services
We will investigate the range of consumer-oriented financial products & services linked to environmental issues, offered by financial institutions both in Japan & overseas.
Markets for environment-related financial products & services
The Tokyo Metropolis participates in the "certification market for carbon dioxide emission reduction" project started as part of the measures to curb the greenhouse effect. As a potential member, proposals are made to the Tokyo Metropolis.
Investor Relations
In US and Europe, corporate environmental ratings are commonly employed as a factor in evaluating companies. Specifically, pension funds and other institutional investors are increasingly taking into account individual companies' environmental activities when making investment decisions. In this context, we will continue to pursue a proactive investor relations program targeted at investors and research organizations.
3, Holding "Environmental Seminars"
SMBC holds corporate "environmental seminars"
<Outline of seminar held last fiscal year>
- Date held:
-
March 1, 2002
- Location:
-
Otemachi headquarters & Osaka headquarters of SMBC (simultaneous TV broadcast throughout Eastern & Western network)
- Theme:
-
"Environmental Management & Businesses"
- Lecturer:
-
Eiichiro Adachi, Senior Researcher, Center for the Strategy of Emergence, The Japan Research Institute, Limited.
- Participants:
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400 people from companies in Eastern & Western Japan
Eco-Fund
Japan Research Institute has been consigned the research for the eco-fund UBS(JPN)Equity Fund "Eco Japan" managed by UBS Global Asset Management (Japan) LTD. SMBC is consigned to sell this fund.
JRI contributes a part of the profit relating to the research consignment from the eco-fund of UBS to the Japan Committee of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
