Poverty & Inequality

Child poverty in Japan refers to relative poverty, with one in seven children said to be living in such situation. Parents' financial difficulties can cascade across generations, leading to lost learning and experience opportunities for their children, declining academic skills, and precarious employment, with children at risk of spiraling into poverty as well. To stop the negative cross-generational cycle, we are working to eliminate the education and experience gap.

SMBC Group is actively engaging in activities that promote financial inclusion to extend financial products and services to unbanked individuals and businesses in a sustainable way.

For instance, in countries like Indonesia and India, where many people still lack access to financial services, SMBC Group provides various initiatives contributing to financial inclusion under the vision of "Driving Asia’s growth together" through BTPN (92.43% owned by SMBC), Bank BTPN Syariah (70% owned by BTPN), and SMFG India Credit Company (SMICC, 100% owned by SMFG).

The initiatives in BTPN and BTPN Syariah include providing finance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), extending financial services to underbanked social groups, promoting finance access through agent banking in rural areas, and providing financial literacy trainings to low-income groups. SMICC offers financial products like group loans similar to microfinance, unsecured loans, and real estate-secured loans for small businesses and the mass population. Additionally, SMICC contributes to India's sustainable development by providing services and skills to improve living standards through CSR activities.

Bank BTPN has long maintained a big commitment on the development of the MSME sector. From financing perspective, Bank BTPN has developed a socially sound portfolio, through its support for micro, small and medium enterprises.

Apart from financing support, BTPN also developed a sustainable training program that aims at providing innovative modern approach and market access to MSME customers.

For example, we provide information on business trends such as digital banking and know-how for business growth through online and offline channels.

Bank BTPN Syariah is the only Sharia Commercial Bank in Indonesia with the primary focus to provide services for the productive underprivileged customers, especially women in rural areas who run their own businesses and are often the breadwinners of their families.

In Bank BTPN Syariah, unlike usual branch banking, the bank goes to the customers. Area staff visit local community every two weeks, gathering fund and disbursing loans on cash basis. Transactions are carried out in front of a group of customers, creating a sense of joint responsibility.

Aside from business on cash basis, Bank BTPN Syariah is also engaging in mobile banking (deposits only) and agent banking. Customers can conduct their own transactions using a mobile phone (deposits only) or through agents of Bank BTPN Syariah using a special application to conduct transactions ranging from paying bills, topping up phone credits, transferring funds, loan repayment, to depositing and withdrawing cash.

BTPN Syariah provides access to the underprivileged communities, marginal societies in underdeveloped areas, or remote areas in Indonesia that so far have yet to be reached by conventional banking services.

SMICC operates over 550 locations across India to provide group loans to meet the diverse needs of women living in financially underserved rural communities. In the group loan system, Groups of about 10 women from the same village borrow money together under joint responsibility. These group loan customers use the funds to engage in various businesses, such as retailing daily necessities and decorating and selling clothing, which helps them increase their income and improve the quality of their living conditions.

SMICC's CSR activities focus on Healthcare, Livelihood, Environment, and Education to support local communities. For example, in a cattle care event, 4,500 employees conducted health check-ups for 120,000 cows in one day, setting a world record. They also offer health check-ups, eye exams, financial education for women, and vocational training in collaboration with local NGOs. These activities not only create social impact but also boost employee engagement.

In 2023, RCBC in the Philippines launched a financial education program using SMBC Group's expertise. The program aims to improve financial literacy for employees of business partners and students. Since its launch in September 2023, 6,500 people have participated by April 2024. The program will continue to be offered to a wide range of individuals, including students.