Basic Stance

Based on the concept of contributing to the sustainable development of society through its businesses, the Sumitomo ChemicalGroup is committed to social contribution activities undertaken from the perspectives of solving global problems and coexistence with local communities.
Sumitomo Chemical, its worksite in Japan and overseas, and Group companies engage in a variety of activities to meet the needs of local communities in order to build good relations with them.

Sumitomo Chemical’s Social Contribution Activities

Securing Safety, a Sound Environment, and Health

Communication with Society

Sumitomo Chemical has put in place Group-wide policies regarding communication with society and is endeavoring to promote its activities in these fields. Among a host of initiatives, the Company is focusing on enhancing its information disclosure while engaging in interactive dialogue. Each worksite formulates annual activity plans and conducts specific activities based on the aforementioned Group-wide policies. Taking into consideration feedback and requests received, the Company also strives to improve the aesthetic appeal of worksites.

Localized Information Disclosure and the Practice of Wide-ranging Interactive Dialogue

At Sumitomo Chemical, each worksite publishes the Report on the Environment and Safety (at all worksites) every year to report on its local activities in detail. The reports complement the Company’s own Sustainability Data Book (this publication). In addition, the Ehime, Osaka, and Oita worksites each publish local newsletters for the proactive distribution of area-specific information. These are often delivered to residents as newspaper inserts.
Moreover, each worksite engages in a variety of risk communication and dialogue activities for various purposes. These include risk communication model projects carried out jointly with local governments, environment and safety support projects for domestic and overseas governments and businesses, regular meetings with local residents, and dialogues with the community based on cooperation with the chemical industry. At the Company’s head office, Sumitomo Chemical participates in a range of committee activities conducted by the national government and industrial associations as well as in industry-government-academia seminars and lectures to disseminate relevant information and exchange opinions in a timely manner. The overall aim is to help people deepen their understanding of Sumitomo Chemical and to secure the society’s trust in us.

Matching Gift Program

As a social contribution activity with employees and the Sumitomo Chemical Group acting together since fiscal 2007, the matching gift program, which is run in collaboration with the labor union, collects donations from executives and employees working at Sumitomo Chemical and Group companies. Sumitomo Chemical then matches their donations.
One of the beneficiaries of the donations from the matching gift program is the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement International (OISCA), with whom we work on various tree-planting projects. In collaboration with the labor union, we have been dispatching employee volunteers to help with these projects since 2008.

Matching Gift Program

1. The Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement International (OISCA) is a global NGO engaged in rural development and environmental protection mainly in the Asia-Pacific region. The money donated by Sumitomo Chemical to this organization is used for its Children’s Forest Program, the Sumitomo Chemical Forest mangrove planting project in Ranong Province, Thailand, and Japan’s Coastal Forest Restoration Project following the Great East Japan Earthquake.
2. ASHINAGA is an NPO established to provide physical and mental support for children who have lost their parents because of illness, accidents, or for other reasons. The money donated to this organization is used to provide a scholarship fund for these orphans.

Sumitomo Chemical Forest

Running total* of forested area	Total trees planted	Running total* of participants
245 hectares	748,000	179 (Tree-Planting Project in Thailand)

• Running totals figures are as of February 2018 for a period dating back to 2008

TABLE FOR TWO Activities

Since May 2008, each of Sumitomo Chemical’s worksites has participated in the TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) initiative. Participating companies in this matching gift-style program donate an amount of money equal to the total donated by employees.
When employees choose to eat any of the healthy TFT menu options available at the Company’s cafeterias, 20 yen per meal is donated to help fight starvation in developing countries as well as obesity and lifestyle diseases in advanced nations. Through these types of social contribution activities originating in Japan, we are working to eliminate food disparity.
In fiscal 2017, Sumitomo Chemical ranked 12th of 578 participating companies in terms of amount of money donated. In May 2018, we received a letter of appreciation as a Platinum Supporter from the TFT secretariat.

FY2017 Results
¥2,392,880	59,822 meals

(matching type with executives, employees, and the Company)

Nurturing the Children of the Next Generation

Supporting Education through Science Workshops

Sumitomo Chemical’s Group companies and worksites hold general classes and science workshops at local schools and events. We hold science workshops at our bases for children to conduct experiments and make crafts with our products, enabling them to experience the wonders and appeal of science with their own hands, in order to convey in a manner that children can easily understand how everyday products are linked to chemicals.
In fiscal 2017, we held science workshops entitled, “Let’s Make a Glittery Kaleidoscope!” at the Tokyo Head Office and Misawa Works for visiting children with the aim of helping them understand the inspiring nature of the chemical industry. Going forward, we will continue holding science workshops in each region and at each worksite to pique an interest in chemistry among as many children as possible.

Example: Let’s Make a Glittery Kaleidoscope!

Materials	Paper cups, polarizers, cellophane adhesive tape
Directions	Punch holes in the bottoms of two paper cups and affix polarizers over the holes Affix overlapping pieces of cellophane adhesive tape on to the polarizer of one cup in various angles and place the other cup over the top Point the overlapping paper cups toward a bright light, and rotate one cup to make it possible to see vivid, sparkling colors just like a real kaleidoscope
Purpose	Utilize the Company’s polarizers used in TVs and other LCD products to enable children to learn about the properties of light and, in turn, show how science is used in their everyday lives

Support for Education in Africa

We believe that in order to break free from poverty and achieve sustainable economic development, Africa needs to build a better educational environment for children. Since 2005, Sumitomo Chemical has been conducting educational support activities centered on the construction of primary and secondary school buildings and related facilities in Africa to support children, on whom the continent’s future rests.
As a result of a new collaboration with the Nigerian Oando Foundation begun in fiscal 2017 as well as activities undertaken with the World Vision Japan and Plan International Japan, we have to date completed 25 projects in 12 African nations and improved the educational environments of more than 15,000 children.
In fiscal 2017, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we supplied math and science teaching materials, raised awareness of malaria, and offered preventive healthcare training in addition to building classrooms for elementary schools. Also, in the Republic of Senegal, we built classrooms and restrooms for middle schools, built science laboratories, and strengthened science classes for female students. In Nigeria, we improved learning environments by providing aid to build Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centers at three elementary schools as well as teacher training and computer peripheral equipment and other devices for ICT-related education and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

Support for Education in Africa

Assisting in Natural Disaster Relief

The Sumitomo Chemical Group supports areas affected by natural disasters in a variety of ways.
In 2017, northern Kyushu was inundated with torrential rain and floods. We provided donations to the affected people through the Central Community Chest of Japan. Furthermore, we joined with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma to dispatch employee volunteers from our shared Oita Works to help with recovery efforts.
Since the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, we have been promoting initiatives involving employee participation to keep the memory of the disaster fresh in people’s minds. We have also been providing donations collected through the sale of “Disaster Hit Area Support Meals” served in our cafeterias since April 2011. Under this scheme, a portion of sales is donated to a business that aids orphans in areas hit by the disaster, and the companies match that amount.
Since fiscal 2013, through the matching gift program, we have participated in the OISCA coastal woodland rejuvenation project aimed at rejuvenating black pine coastal woodlands in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture. These woodlands were damaged by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since fiscal 2015, we have dispatched employee volunteers to the area. In fiscal 2017, we dispatched 20 volunteers who provided black pine saplings, planted trees, and weeded and fertilized areas where trees were planted with the aim of rejuvenating about 100 hectares of coastal woodland.
Looking ahead, we will support the recovery of disaster-affected areas through a wide variety of activities.

Support Results
Disaster Hit Area Support Meals
¥1,267,520	31,688 meals

September:
The Great East Japan Earthquake Fukushima Children’s Fund: ¥650,000
(the portion used between March 2017 and August 2017)
March:
The Great East Japan Earthquake the Iwate Learning Hope Fund: ¥617,520
(the portion used between September 2017 and February 2018)

Looking Ahead

In order to maintain the trust of local communities, Sumitomo Chemical will promote its social responsibilities by making various social contributions distinctive to the Sumitomo Chemical Group from three perspectives: securing safety, a sound environment, and health; nurturing the children of the next generation; and assisting in natural disaster relief.