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Sustainability Management

Participation in Initiatives

United Nations Global Compact

United Nations Global Compact

The United Nations Global Compact is a set of voluntary action principles for corporations proposed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland in January 1999. He proposed a means to harness the creative powers of the private sector to fulfill the wishes of underprivileged people and meet the needs of future generations. It is neither a regulatory means nor a legally binding code of conduct, but rather a strategic policy initiative that encourages corporations to come together as global citizens to solve the various problems that could arise as a result of economic globalization. Participating corporations are asked to support and put into practice ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. As of July 2023, over 23,000 corporations, labor unions, and civil society organizations from around the world are participating in the UN Global Compact.

Mitsui & Co. signed and pledged its support for the UN Global Compact in October 2004. As a signatory of UN Global Compact, Mitsui complies with the Global Compact as part of its own corporate guidelines, and pursues SDGs on a global group basis.
We participate in working groups of Global Compact Network Japan, such as the Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) Working Group.

Support for the UN Global Compact

In October 2004 Mitsui & Co. signed and pledged its support for the UN Global Compact. Mitsui has been participating in this initiative as a signatory of the UN Global Compact and is complying with the principles as part of its own corporate guidelines. Currently Mitsui conducts a companywide survey every other year in order to check compliance with the UN Global Compact principles and is working to comply with and practice the principles on a global group basis.

As well as engaging in activities geared toward observing “Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact”, we will advance various initiatives that contribute to realizing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through our business activities.

Kenichi Hori

Representative Director
President and Chief Executive Officer

Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact

Human Rights
  • Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
  • make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labor
  • Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
  • the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor;
  • the effective abolition of child labor; and
  • the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment
  • Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
  • undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
  • encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-corruption
  • Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define global sustainable development priorities and aspirations for 2030, with 17 goals and 169 targets. The SDGs call for action to end poverty and create a life of dignity and equality of opportunity for all, with consideration given to balancing sustainable growth and the limits of the Earth.

As a sogo-shosha (general trading company), Mitsui & Co. group conducts a diverse range of business across nations and regions. We believe that this allows us to make a wide-ranging contribution to the achievement of all the 17, goals set out under the SDGs. With the recognition that it is increasingly important to work together with our business partners, customers, local communities, NPOs and NGOs, and other stakeholders in order to find solutions to the various issues facing society and industry, we are promoting initiatives based on Goal 17, "Partnerships for the Goals".

To continue promoting our business with a focus on contribution to the achievement of the SDGs, we are working to further raise awareness of the SDGs and are aligning our business and initiatives with Mitsui's Materiality and the SDGs.


Mitsui & Co.'s Materiality

World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization that engages leaders from the worlds of business, politics, academia, and other sectors of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas in the spirit of global citizenship, through cooperation between the public and private sectors, for the improvement of the world situation.
As a partner company, Mitsui attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, as well as the regional meetings.

Environment

Climate Change


  • TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures)
  • TCFD Consortium
  • CDP (Climate Change)
  • Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
  • International Iron Metallics Association
  • ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative)
  • The Copper Mark
  • Battery Association for Supply Chain; BASC
  • Japan Business Federation (Keidanren)
  • Japan Foreign Trade Council
  • GX League
  • Japan Hydrogen Association
  • Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)
  • Carbon Recycling Fund Institute
  • The Institute of Applied Energy, Society of Anthropogenic Carbon Cycle Technology
  • Clean Fuel Ammonia Association

Water Resources


  • CDP (Water Security)
  • Japan Business Federation (Keidanren)

Pollution Prevention


  • CLOMA (Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance)
  • CEFLEX (Circular economy for flexible packaging)
  • Japan Partnership for Circular Economy

Circular Economy


  • CLOMA (Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance)
  • CEFLEX (Circular economy for flexible packaging)
  • Japan Partnership for Circular Economy

Biodiversity


  • TNFD Forum (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures)
  • 30by30 Alliance
  • RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)
  • Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)
  • Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation
  • CDP (Forests)

Social

Human Rights


  • United Nations Global Compact
  • Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)
  • RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)
  • Japan Business Federation (Keidanren)

Diversity


  • Japan Business Federation (Keidanren)

Responsibilities to Customers


  • Japan Processed Foods Wholesalers Association
  • Japan Pharmaceutical Traders' Association

Supply Chain Management


  • CEFLEX (Circular economy for flexible packaging)
  • ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative)
  • Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®)
  • Together for Sustainability (TfS)
  • RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil)
  • EcoVadis
  • Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange)