Basic Stance

As a diversified chemical company, the Sumitomo Chemical Group pursues global business development in an array of fields with widely differing characteristics and environments based on the basic policies below. In the course of doing so, we look to intellectual property as a source that gives us a competitive edge. We file patent applications for our accomplishments involving technologies, research, and development based on business strategies. Also, we promote the acquisition of patent rights and are building a robust patent portfolio to maintain and strengthen our competitive edge. In addition, in our material fields of the environment, food, healthcare, and ICT, we must build a cooperative business model that includes supply chains and co-creation with companies, universities, and others. Based on the results of its research and development, Sumitomo Chemical promotes the strategic acquisition of rights aimed at co-creation and cooperation.

Basic Policy

Management System

Under the guidance and supervision of executive officers responsible for and in charge of intellectual property, reports are submitted as necessary to regular meetings regarding major IP issues, measures, strategies, and activities. In addition, the intellectual property department was reformed into group-specific organizations adapted to each business sector in 2019 to conduct intellectual property activities more closely aligned with businesses. Under this organization, we promote intellectual properties activities unified with businesses while cooperating with the intellectual property managers of business sectors, research laboratories, and each base. We regularly hold meetings with Group companies in Japan and overseas, sharing each company’s IP activities and the latest information on IP-related legal systems and topics, thereby striving to strengthen and enhance IP activities across the entire Sumitomo Chemical Group.

Structures for Intellectual property

Results

Number and Ratio of Registered Patents and Ratio of Sales Revenue by Region

SDG-Related Patent Asset Size

As shown in previous graphs, the Company diligently files patent applications for its accomplishments involving research and development activities based on business strategies. The Company is also building and strengthening its robust patent portfolio in line with its business size. In addition, we boast a top-class patent asset size among domestic chemical companies and promote innovation aimed at recent sustainable growth.

Examples of Initiatives

IP Activities

In the IP sector, to promote IP activities aligned with our business strategies, at each stage of business development, we accurately investigate and analyze IP as necessary and share and discuss information on business sectors and R&D. We analyze the rights of other companies for IP risk countermeasures and continuously strive to swiftly identify and minimize risks.
In addition, in the late 2010s, as a new solution focused on changes in the environment surrounding business and IP, we launched IP landscape activities to complexly analyze markets and other non-IP data when searching for new themes, searching for customer and partner candidates, and considering M&A. Currently, we position these activities as key activities for the IP sector and utilize them in drafting strategies for management, business, R&D, and IP. (See illustration below.) Going forward, we will continue promoting IP activities while working to make operations more efficient by proactively implementing data search software and AI technologies, which have made significant progress recently.

IP Landscape Activity Outline

IP Landscape Process Example