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Since 2014, we have promoting a global project in which all executives and employees of the Sumitomo Chemical Group around the world participate.
2022 Shape Our Sustainable Future with JIRI RITA
In the 2022 project, we envision the future world in 2030 and what we Sumitomo Chemical Group want to be, and think about what we should do and what we want to do as individuals or as departments, companies, and the Sumitomo Chemical Group to realize these goals. By talking about these thoughts (in posts), we help accelerate understanding and implementation of “Jiri-Rita Koushi-Ichinyo (Our businesses must benefit society at large, not just our own interests)” with the aim of creating a reinforcing cycle of inspiration among Group employees as well as between top management and employees.
Title
Shape Our Sustainable Future with JIRI RITA
Concept
Let’s post and shape our world!
Share your vision for tomorrow and together let’s create a sustainable future!
Point
- Share your vision for the future with colleagues around the world using an image
Every person’s post will become part of the mosaic artwork! - Send positive comments and supportive messages to colleagues and expand the circle of empathy within the Sumitomo Chemical Group beyond countries and regions
- Create a mosaic artwork with the posts from around the world
Key Visual
Based on the Sumitomo’s Business Philosophy encapsulated in the phrase “Jiri-Rita Koushi-Ichinyo,” the key visual encourages the global Sumitomo Chemical Group to come together to create a sustainable future that is rich, fulfilling, and comfortable through the Group’s products and technologies.
Implementation period
April 11 – June 30, 2022
Participation method
Use of dedicated website
2019-2021 For a Sustainable Future—JIRI RITA—
For the three years from 2019 to 2021, we adopted “For a Sustainable Future—JIRI RITA—” as our project title in line with our Corporate Business Plan for fiscal 2019 to fiscal 2021. In order to promote our sustainability efforts across the Group, we communicate the significance of the Global Project and other sustainability measures to all at Sumitomo Chemical and Group companies in Japan and overseas.
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Note: Main image for global project: This image incorporates a message to create a sustainable future by promoting both Jiri (our business) and Rita (contribution to society). The shining light in the image signifies a sustainable future, while the light particles signify various solutions provided by our Group.
Participation Results
| 2019 Results | 2020-2021 Results | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participating companies*1 | Total | 110 | 115 | |
| By organization | Sumitomo Chemical and Group companies in Japan | 53 | 53 | |
| Group companies overseas | 57 | 62 | ||
| Cumulative total of quiz participants*2 | Total | 22,796 | 9,690 | |
| By organization | Sumitomo Chemical | 4,993 | 2,058 | |
| Group companies in Japan | 8,529 | 3,044 | ||
| Group companies overseas | 9,274 | 4,588 | ||
| Posts | Total | 12,067 | 18,764 | |
| By organization | Sumitomo Chemical | 2,243 | 9,714 | |
| Group companies in Japan | 3,294 | 5,298 | ||
| Group companies overseas | 6,530 | 3,752 |
- Companies that participated through the website by way of at least one of the following: the top management delivered a message; officers and employees took a quiz; and officers and employees posted their actions and endeavors
- Total number of people in 2019, actual number of people in 2020-2021
2019 Material Issues to Be Addressed as Management Priorities
In 2019, the first year of the Corporate Business Plan for 2019 to 2021, we set seven themes by referring to the material issues we will address as management priorities.
In the Global Project, at each Group company, the top management selected some of those themes and posted a message to show their commitment to resolving societal issues, and managers in charge of sustainability invited officers and employees to join in. Participants, first of all, took a quiz and answered questions on each of the themes, enjoying learning about the connection of societal issues and each of our material issues and about the Group's sustainability initiatives, and then considered what they could do to promote sustainability through their own work or their workplace initiatives and posted their thoughts and commitment.
Seven Themes
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Note: The seven themes include: “safety, compliance, and human rights,” selected from the items serving as the foundation for business continuity; “digital innovation” and “the creation of workplaces that bring out diverse capabilities,” efforts that we consider to be forces that drive our business forward; and “the environment,” “healthcare,” “ICT,” and “food and agriculture,” material issues that we will address to contribute to society through our business. These major themes represent our commitment to realizing a sustainable future.
Survey on participants' experience (1,850 responses from participants)
2020-2021 Initiatives
In from 2020 to 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic caused major changes in the business environments and values around the world. Amid this situation, we established the slogan "Build Back Better by JIRI RITA with the aim of promoting sustainability during the pandemic in line with our Corporate Philosophy and stance on resolving issues confronting society through our business, which is the Group's DNA.
To enable people to take ownership of the issues that must be addressed to realize a sustainable society, we added a vocabulary list to the dedicated website so they can fully comprehend terms related to sustainability, enjoy learning about global trends and the Group's initiatives through quizzes and case studies, and post and share their efforts, endeavors, and determination to solve issues as individuals or part of a team.
Three Steps for Paticipation
The Six Fields
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Note: Employees made posts in the six fields that were selected from global sustainability trends and our material issues that we will address as management priorities
In from 2020 to 2021, 115 Group companies participated in the Global Project, with a total of 9,690 people taking a quiz and 18,764 posts. Each company's top management posted messages, and, having read those messages, employees posted about their own inventive ideas and endeavors. Moreover, in response to employee posts, officers post encouraging and compassionate comments. This virtuous cycle has expanded compassion and empathy within the Group.
What the Sumitomo Chemical Group has achieved through Global Project 2020-2021
By building on the achievements of the Global Project, with its solidarity and determination enhanced through this initiative, the Sumitomo Chemical Group will continue to work as one to create new value and help resolve major social issues with its creativity and the power of chemistry.
2016–2018 Our Sustainable Tree
Over the three-year period of 2016-2018, the Sumitomo Chemical Group has implemented ”Our Sustainable Tree”, specifically through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through the common language of the SDGs, each individual pondered social issues and considered what they could do about these issues, posting this information on the dedicated Website.
The concept of “Our Sustainable Tree” can be likened to a tree rooted in society representing the agglomeration of products, technologies, employees, and initiatives of the Sumitomo Chemical Group: a tree that grows as we edge forward toward a more sustainable society.
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This three-year project worked toward sustainable business in phases. The goal of this project has been to do our part to achieve a more sustainable society directly through our business.
Three-Year Results Participants Running total of 60,257 Posts Running total of 22,804 -
60% of the 60,257 participating employees are from overseas Group companies
2016 Everyone Understands the SDGs
What are the SDGs? How can a diversified chemical company help solve the world's problems? We distributed a manga in 11 languages answering these questions in an easy-to-understand way. Individuals have posted about their day-to-day personal initiatives, a process that has facilitated better understanding of SDGs and social issues on the part of the individual.
A Manga in 11 Languages
The manga can be viewed in each of the languages below.
2017 Connection between Work and the SDGs
We decided that the theme for posts would be work as well as initiatives at the workplace. We encouraged conversations in the workplace and posts, with the intention of integrating the ideas of the SDGs with our work even more effectively.
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An example of posting the content discussed by members of the workplace
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2018 Working toward the SDGs as a Company
Within the dedicated website, each Group company creates a page and posts about their initiatives in terms of T: Top management message, S: Solution, and P:Participation.
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Example of Sumitomo Chemicalʼs page
In addition, the dedicated website played the role of a portal site that supports the promotion of sustainability at each company. On the website, we introduced the advanced initiatives of the group companies as “The Post Introduction of Best Practices” and posted information content on sustainability that can be utilized by each company.
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The Post Introduction of Best Practices
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The Sumitomo Chemical Group's Initiatives toward the Sustainability
2015 Centennial Give back
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Gratitude to the greater society from all Group executives and employees around the world(Click to enlarge image)
On the occasion of Sumitomo Chemical's 100th anniversary in fiscal 2015, all of our employees participated in social contribution activities to express their gratitude to all of our stakeholders who had given their support. We aimed for employees throughout the entire Group to take forward-looking action on their own that tie in with the next 100 years of the Sumitomo Chemical Group.
On the dedicated Website, which was launched so that all executives and employees from around the world can easily participate, individuals posted pledges on their choice of social contribution action, later putting up action reports at the conclusion of the actions.
Over the “100-day challenge” leading up to the Group's 100th anniversary, we had 31,742 posts (23,332 pledges and 8,410 action reports). The sentiment of gratitude as well as the actions of every individual in the Group led to our being able to give something back to society.
The “100-day challenge” leading up to the Group's 100th anniversary
31,742 posts
(23,332 pledges/8,410 action reports)2014 School Aid for Africa
For the FY2014 School Aid for Africa project, Group companies set up donation boxes in their offices, cafeterias, etc. From amongst the elementary schools in Africa previously funded by the Sumitomo Chemical Group, this money was used to provide school supplies such as textbooks and desks to schools in Mali and Malawi lacking these supplies.
Activities
Participating Group Companies 86 (in 14 countries) Total donations ¥5,158,449 Donated materials 572 textbooks and dictionaries, 278 sets of tables
and chairs (for 2 to 3 students)Making manga in ten different languages to present project details to Group executives and employees around the world
The Sumitomo Chemical Group has carried out projects to alleviate hunger in Africa as well as to resolve health issues, including the development and supply of Olyset™ Net. The Group has also provided assistance in the education sector by building schools in Africa.
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