SMBC Group’s Value Creation Process and Priority Issues (Materiality)

SMBC Group is a global financial group that develops operations in a wide range of fields, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. We are committed to providing solutions that meet customer needs and solve social issues by leveraging our strengths developed over many years and maximizing the power of industry-leading subsidiaries.

Through our business activities, we aim to create both economic and social value, contributing to "Fulfilled Growth" where social issues are resolved as the global economy grows, and where everyone can experience more fulfillment in life.

SMBC Group has long inherited the business spirit of Creating Social Value from its origins in Mitsui and Sumitomo, walking alongside our customers and society. The spirit of social value creation from our predecessors forms the foundation of our current endeavors.

Mitsui's predecessors came to Edo (now Tokyo) as a kimono fabric merchant in 1673, pioneering new commercial methods that anticipated the latent needs of Edo's townspeople, thereby enriching their lives. Later, Mitsui expanded into the financial industry, supporting the economic activities of Japan and the world as a key player in financial infrastructure.

Sumitomo's predecessors developed the most advanced copper refining methods around 1600, elevating Japan to one of the world's leading copper-producing countries. Recognizing the environmental destruction caused by copper mining early on, they began reforestation activities in 1894. Under the spirit of " Benefit self and benefit others, private and public interests are one and the same," they provided future generations with lush green mountains and safe, secure lives for local communities.

We are supporting and promoting the activities of the Sumitomo Foundation through various collaborative initiatives, including donations to the Foundation and the dispatch of officers and employees.

Based on the Sumitomo Group's business philosophy of “Benefit self and benefit others, private and public interests are one and the same,” the Foundation aims to contribute to the creation of an affluent society with an international perspective, and provides grants for basic scientific research, environmental research and Japan-related research in Asian countries, as well as for the conservation and restoration of cultural properties in Japan and abroad.

SMBC Group has identified "Green Planet," "Thriving People," and "Fulfilled Growth" as its materialities. As a frontrunner in social value creation, we will strive to realize a society filled with happiness and well-being.