Pro Bono Project

SMBC Group Pro Bono Work Project

SMBC Group Pro Bono Work Project is an initiative aimed at supporting non-profit organizations (NPOs) that are working to solve societal issues. Starting in fiscal year 2011, SMBC initiated pro bono work, a first among Japanese banks, and from fiscal year 2014, the initiative has been expanded to include staff from all SMBC Group companies. Additionally, in March 2020, SMBC Nikko Securities, a group company, introduced a system that utilizes part of working hours to further contribute to the resolution of societal issues. Other group companies will also revise their systems to enable activities utilizing part of their working hours, aiming to solve a wider range of societal issues and create more social value than ever before.

2024 Support Organizations

Organization Name	Location	Overview
Certified NPO Teach For Japan	Shibuya-ku, Tokyo	Aiming to realize better public education through the "Fellowship Program," which builds a highly flexible teaching organization where diverse talents can participate and collaborate in school education by utilizing various teaching licenses.
Certified NPO Kamonohashi Project	Shibuya-ku, Tokyo	Engages in activities to eliminate human trafficking in India (restoring the lives of trafficking victims and creating social systems) and activities in Japan to create a society where children are not abused (supporting pregnant women, creating child-friendly communities, etc.).
General Incorporated Association Choifuru	Adachi-ku, Tokyo	Connects with impoverished families through food delivery, supports children with play experiences at children's cafeterias, and provides one-stop consultation services in collaboration with other organizations.
NPO Fair Start Support	Yokohama, Kanagawa	Provides career education, pre-employment support, and aftercare for children and young people under social care, such as those in children's homes and foster families.
NPO Bridge for Smile	Minato-ku, Tokyo	Supports children under social care, such as those in children's homes and foster families, by organizing "Independent Living Preparation Seminars," operating a donation mediation site for essential items, providing employment support programs, and running a place for continuous connection with those who have left care.
NPO Chance For All	Adachi-ku, Tokyo	Engages in various activities for children, including after-school care, running a candy store with a free space, park leader activities where children play in parks, operating a library that categorizes books by emotions, and organizing community events.
NPO Everyone's Code	Yokohama, Kanagawa	Aims to create a country where everyone can enjoy technology creatively, addressing the digital education gap between families, regions, and schools through both school and social education. They provide teacher training, develop teaching materials and curricula, and create "children's spaces" where children can freely engage with cutting-edge digital technology.
NPO eboard	Nishinomiya, Hyogo	Provides free ICT educational materials with 2,000 video lessons and 10,000 digital drills to offer educational opportunities to children who are distanced from learning due to economic, geographical, or personal reasons.
Social Welfare Corporation "Kodomo no Ie" Aftercare Consultation Office Yuzuriha	Kokubunji, Tokyo	Provides various support services for people who have left children's homes or experienced abuse and control at home, including accompanying them to government offices, hospitals, and police, organizing salons at the consultation office, and holding study sessions.
NPO Social Change Agency	Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo	Develops and operates chatbots to guide people through social security systems, offers online consultations, provides know-how to local governments, and conducts social security education for middle and high school students.
NPO Ryouiku World	Shibuya-ku, Tokyo	Operates the THINK UNIVERSAL project, offering workshops to think about oneself and society beyond disabilities and intractable diseases, the THINK POSSIBILITY project to support continuous employment and social participation for people with chronic conditions, and conducts research and advocacy activities for people with disabilities and intractable diseases.

*The names and descriptions of the organizations are aligned with their respective policies.

FY2024 Joint Kick-off Meeting

* "Pro bono"
Derived from the Latin phrase "Pro Bono Publico," meaning "for the public good," pro bono refers to volunteer activities where professionals use the skills and experience they have gained through their work in areas such as sales, planning, development, marketing, and public relations to support NPOs with a business perspective that they often lack.

FY2023 Social Impact Assessment Report

In the fiscal year 2023 "SMBC Group Pro Bono Work Project," we conducted a social impact assessment with the cooperation of the NPO Social Value Japan. This assessment visualized the degree of contribution to solving social issues and verified that the activities contribute to strengthening human capital.

You can refer to the full report below.

Japanese Only:2023 Social Impact Assessment Report (PDF)

2023 Support Organizations

2023 Support Organizations	Location	Overview
Certified Non-Profit Organization Watashi to boku no yume	Kurume City, Fukuoka	An organization that provides support up until high school admission through free tutoring and meal support for children facing difficulties due to poverty.
General Incorporated Association Heartful Family	Chuo-ku, Tokyo	An organization that carries out comprehensive self-support activities for single parents and works to support single-parent families to lead a vibrant social life.
NPO Pride House Tokyo	Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo	An organization that plans and implements collaborative programs with NPOs and individuals who engage in activities related to LGBTQ+ and social issues.
Public Interest Incorporated Association Chance for Children	Sumida-ku, Tokyo	The organization provides "Study Coupons" that can be used for cram schools, extracurricular activities, and experiential activities for children facing economic hardships. The aim is to eliminate educational disparities among children and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
NPO Chance For All	Adachi-ku, Tokyo	The organization aims to create a society where a child's life is not determined by the family or environment in which they were born and raised. To achieve this, they operate after-school facilities and free spaces to provide after-school education.