Priority Issues
- The Sumitomo Rubber Group
Priority Issues (Materiality)
The Sumitomo Rubber Group has identified priority issues that must be addressed in the interests of both our various stakeholders and ourselves, with the aim of embodying our Purpose, “Through innovation we will create a future of joy and well-being for all.” as defined by “Our Philosophy,” our corporate philosophy structure.
We have also established strategies and targets for each priority issue in line with our Long-Term Sustainability Policy: “Driving Our Future Challenge 2050” to guide our activities. Moreover, our initiatives encompass other issues recognized in the course of identifying priority issues and deemed to carry relatively greater significance.
Note: Items marked with “” in the table below are measures specified under the Long-Term Sustainability Policy: “Driving Our Future Challenge 2050.”
| Priority Issues | Vision of What We Aim to Achieve | KPIs to Be Achieved by 2050 in Connection with Priority Issues |
|---|---|---|
Enhancing corporate governance and compliance
 |
Secure an even stronger compliance structure enabling us to maintain robust corporate governance systems as well as thorough compliance with laws, regulations and corporate ethics |
|
Pursuing the creation of a decarbonized society
 |
Contribute to decarbonization across society by achieving carbon neutrality through business activities focused on reducing CO2 emissions |
|
Building a circular economy
 |
Help create a circular economy by improving the efficiency of the value chain via the development of sustainable raw materials, products and services and the utilization of data |
|
Pursuit of eco-friendly products and services that boast high quality in terms of safety, security and comfort
 |
Develop and deliver products and services of high quality in terms of safety, security and comfort as well as environmental friendliness |
|
Promoting of diversity & inclusion
 |
Realize a workplace that ensures respect for diverse attributes and ways of thinking and empowers all individuals to live up to their full potential |
|
In addition to addressing priority issues, we recognize the following items as issues requiring countermeasures.
| Issues | Vision of What We Aim to Achieve | Measures to Address Issues and KPIs |
|---|---|---|
Strengthening of Our Environmental Management System
 |
Strengthen our environmental management system on a global basis by robustly managing environmental load substances and acquiring ISO certification |
|
Preservation of Biodiversity
 |
Promote measures to preserve biodiversity through business activities in addition to continuously striving to develop thriving forest and protect endangered species, etc. |
|
Creation of a Supply Chain That Gives Due Consideration to the Environment and Society
 |
Develop solid partnerships with suppliers through procurement initiatives that give due consideration to environmental and social concerns |
|
Respect for Human Rights
 |
Ensure respect for the human rights of Sumitomo Rubber Group employees and workers at supply chain constituents |
|
Development of Human Resources
 |
Promote the development of human resources and help employees raise their competencies |
|
Promotion of Well-Being Management
 |
Promote initiatives to ensure that employees stay physically, emotionally and socially safe and healthy |
|
| Improving Stakeholder Engagement | Develop and strengthen relationships with diverse stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, investors, employees, suppliers and regional communities |
|
| Harmonious Coexistence and Mutual Prosperity with Local Communities via Our Engagement in Social Contribution Activities | Strive to develop relationships with regional communities through social contribution activities |
|
Our Sustainability Vision and Priority Issues
With “Our Philosophy” as the basis for all of our decisions, the Sumitomo Rubber Group pursues the Purpose—“Through innovation we will create a future of joy and well-being for all”—which provides the impetus for all of its actions in the course of corporate activities.
Recently, we have established a Sustainability Vision to connect our Purpose, which is designed to convey abstract concepts, and various tangible measures specified under the Long-Term Sustainability Policy: “Driving Our Future Challenge 2050.” In line with this Sustainability Vision, we will increase the momentum of our efforts to embody our Purpose and thereby contribute to the continuing prosperity of a sustainable society as envisioned by the international community.
Sustainability Vision
Uniting our diverse strengths, we will make our future sustainable and “GENKI” (vibrant) by delivering products and services that are friendly to the environment and society.
Note: Our “GENKI” concepts included in the Sustainability Vision date back to 1988, when employee volunteers first launched community contribution projects to help realize a society in which everyone can thrive. With each letter of “GENKI” representing one aspect of our ideals for what the Sumitomo Rubber Group should look like in the future, we utilize these concepts in the course of identifying priority issues.
GENKI (literally, “vibrant”) stands for the following five concepts:
Governance- Effective Governance Framework
Ecology- Ecological Sustainability
Next- Next-Generation Products & Solutions
Kindness- A Kind Culture Where Everyone Can Prosper
Integrity- Integrity for Society
The following table features priority issues addressed under the concepts assigned to each letter of “GENKI,” along with visions of what we aim to achieve.
Note: Priority issues are presented in bold font.
| ESG | GENKI | Priority Issues and Other Issues | Vision |
|---|---|---|---|
G |
|
Strengthening of corporate governance and compliance | Secure an even stronger compliance structure enabling us to maintain robust corporate governance systems as well as thorough compliance with laws, regulations and corporate ethics |
| Improvement of stakeholder engagement | Develop and strengthen relationships with diverse stakeholders, including customers, shareholders, investors, employees, suppliers and regional communities | ||
| Creation of a supply chain that gives due consideration to the environment and society | Develop solid partnerships with suppliers through procurement initiatives that give due consideration to environmental and social concerns | ||
E |
|
Preservation of biodiversity | Promote measures to preserve biodiversity through business activities in addition to continuously striving to develop thriving forest and protect endangered species, etc. |
| Pursuing the creation of a decarbonized society | Contribute to decarbonization across society by achieving carbon neutrality through business activities focused on reducing CO2 emissions | ||
| Building a circular economy | Help create a circular economy by improving the efficiency of the value chain via the development of sustainable raw materials, products and services and the utilization of data | ||
| Strengthening of our environmental management system | Strengthen our environmental management system on a global basis by robustly managing environmental load substances and acquiring ISO certification | ||
|
Pursuit of eco-friendly products and services that boast high quality in terms of safety, security and comfort | Develop and deliver eco-friendly products and services that boast high quality in terms of safety, security and comfort | |
S |
|
Human resource development | Promote the development of human resources and help employees raise their competencies |
| Promotion of well-being management | Promote initiatives to ensure that employees stay physically, emotionally and socially safe and healthy | ||
| Promoting Diversity & Inclusion | Realize a workplace that ensures respect for diverse attributes and ways of thinking and empowers all individuals to live up to their full potential | ||
| Respect for human rights | Ensure respect for the human rights of Sumitomo Rubber Group employees and workers at supply chain constituents | ||
|
Ensure harmonious coexistence and mutual prosperity with regional communities via engagement in social contribution activities | Strive to develop relationships with regional communities through social contribution activities |
Methodologies Used to Identify Priority Issues
We have identified priority issues by employing the following scheme.
*Global Reporting Initiative: An international organization that issues CSR reporting guidelines. Currently issues the GRI Standards.
Issues Identified / Priority Issues for the Sumitomo Rubber Group
How Our “GENKI” Sustainability Activity Contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
On September 25 through 27, 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. This summit passed a resolution to adopt “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which included a declaration and targets regarding action plans aimed at securing prosperity for both humanity and the Earth’s environment. Thus, these targets, consisting of 17 goals and 169 targets, were named the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) taking over the Millennium Development Goals.
Looking ahead, the Sumitomo Rubber Group will continue to engage in initiatives aimed at contributing to the achievement of SDGs.
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