Social Contribution Activities of the Marubeni Group (From CSR Report 2009)
Toward a Better Society
In modern society, companies are required to develop corporate activities that balance the needs of the environment, society and the economy. At Marubeni, to meet this requirement, we are utilizing our CSR activities to strengthen and improve our coexistence with society so as to establish relationships of trust with all of our company stakeholders.
In the field of social contribution, based on our "Basic Policy on Social Contribution Activities," we are responsibly engaged in linking companies and society, and making contributions that especially meet the needs of the local communities. The Marubeni Foundation, which was established more than 30 years ago, could probably be described as being the first step. During these past few years, social contribution activities, such as volunteer efforts, have also been enthusiastically undertaken by individual employees.
Going forward, Marubeni will continue to use various activities to make social contributions, both as a corporation and as individual executives and employees.
Basic Policy on Social Contribution Activities
Basic Principles
In the sprit of "Fairness, Innovation, and Harmony," and being aware of our responsibility as a corporate citizen in the global community, we will actiively pursue social contribution activities.
Basic Policy for Activities
From a global perspective, we will adopt the following five priority areas: social welfare, international exchange, community contribution, global environment, and cultural support. We will also actively promote social contribution activities as a corporation, and support volunteer activities conducted by our executives and employees.
Specific Activity Policies
Based on the Basic Principles and Basic Policy for Activities, we have established the following specific policies, and are engaged in social contribution activities across the entire Marubeni Group.
- Social Welfare
Marubeni engages in a broad range of activities such as disaster relief, primarily through support for the Marubeni Foundation, a social welfare corporation.
- International Exchange
Marubeni engages in contribution activities for the international community, including the exchange of people, with a focus on support through scholarships and donations overseas.
- Community Contribution
Marubeni engages in activities centering around volunteer activities conducted by our executives and employees, such as development activities and clean-up activities in the communities in which we are based.
- Global Environment
In addition to our concern for environmental impact in our business activities, Marubeni actively engages in support for general environmental preservation
- Cultural Support
In addition to our cultural contribution through the Marubeni Collection, Marubeni extensively engages in support for various cultural activities.
- Employee Support
By planning and providing information on a range of programs, Marubeni supports volunteer activities in which employees can participate, and keeps employees informed about such activities. We also improve and expand systems required for activities, such as the Volunteer Leave System.
Marubeni Foundation
Welfare funding for facilities and organizations working with people with disabilities or serious illness
People from the Soyokaze-no-Kai (a social welfare corporation)
Based on the fundamental spirit of "marching forward, hand-in-hand with society," in 1974, the Marubeni Group established the social welfare corporation known as the Marubeni Foundation. Every year since then, for the last 34 years, Marubeni has continued to provide 100 million yen in aid to social welfare facilities and organizations across Japan. The number of assistance grants has now reached 1,916, amounting to 3.4 billion yen, on a cumulative basis. Furthermore, in the spring of 2009, Marubeni contributed 150 million yen in donations to the Marubeni Foundation. With the net assets of the foundation now at record high levels, this has supported stable aid programs.
Every year, from spring to early summer, the Marubeni Foundation invites applications for grants, and then in autumn, presentation ceremonies are held in various parts of Japan. In Fiscal 2008, the Marubeni Foundation received applications for assistance from 684 social welfare facilities and organizations. With consideration of the views of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Japan National Council of Social Welfare, the applications underwent rigorous screening by a selection council comprised of five social welfare experts. The board of trustees and the executive board decided to give assistance to 74 organizations. In screening applicants, in addition to giving priority to more urgent proposals, priority goes toward pioneering or ground-breaking proposals that are expected to have residual effects in enhancing and improving social welfare, and to proposals that will help improve the environment for people engaged in social welfare work. For example, a grant was given for the purchase of equipment and fixtures at a vocational aid facility, as well as the renovation of the facility and the purchase of vehicles, so that the people with disabilities working there could attain even more independence. Furthermore, in response to the Services and Support for Persons with Disabilities Act, which came into effect the fiscal year before last, Marubeni has included as eligible applicants those facilities and organizations that are working to increase opportunities for user activities and employment, as well as those that are working hard to figure out ways of improving wages.
Subsidized waste collection truck at the Himawari-Kai (a social welfare corporation)
Funding for the grants is not limited to just the investment gains on the funds contributed by Marubeni. There is also a fund-raising group called the 100 Yen Club, which consists of concerned present and former Marubeni executives and employees who make fixed monthly donations in multiples of 100 yen, which are then donated to the Marubeni Foundation. Marubeni then matches the donations collected and contributes this to the Foundation as a matching gift. This scheme, which began 14 years ago, has welcomed the participation of a large number of present and former executives and employees, and in Fiscal 2008, 12,080,000 yen was donated. Together with the matching gift, the good generosity of the people associated with the Marubeni Group amounted to in excess of 24 million yen, and this is included in the total 100 million yen of assistance.
Both the company and individuals support the Marubeni Foundation. We are committed to continuing aid programs as the focus of the Marubeni Group's social contribution activities.
More than just contributing grants: executives and employees visit recipients
Presentation by the General Manager of the Marubeni Kyushu Branch
Marubeni Foundation presentation ceremonies are held at the Tokyo Head Office of Marubeni for the Kanto region, and at the Osaka Branch of Marubeni for the Kansai region. For other regions, presentations are made by an executive or employee visiting the facilities and organizations in each region. This is because it is important for the executives and employees who are supporting the Marubeni Foundation activities to see first-hand the actual places where social welfare work is in action and to further broaden the network of support.
Marubeni Special 150th Anniversary Event
Exhibition of the Marubeni Collection
Exhibition Poster Sandro Botticelli's "La Bella Simonetta"
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of its founding, Marubeni held an exhibition of the paintings, classical costumes, design drawings and other objects from the collection of Marubeni and the Marubeni Group. The Marubeni Collection contains about 600 paintings, about 400 classical costumes and about 600 design drawings, and by passing them down to the next generation, we hope to contribute to the preservation of art and culture. This exhibition brought together about 80 key pieces of art, including the "La Bella Simonetta" portrait, which is thought to be Botticelli's only work held in Japan.
Approximately 57,000 visitors came to see the exhibition. Marubeni matched the admission proceeds yenfor-yen, and donated the total amount to the Marubeni Foundation.
Volunteer Activities by Group Employees
The Marubeni Group believes that the experiences gained by our employees through their personal participation in volunteer activities are of significant importance in promoting CSR activities as a corporation. The Volunteer Promotion Team develops volunteer programs to convey to employees the pleasures of volunteering, and encourages their participation. The goal of these initiatives is to boost awareness for employee social contribution through volunteering, and to nurture better awareness of being a "good corporate citizen."
Continuing on from last year, in Fiscal 2008, a total of 108 Marubeni employees took part in two events organized by Marubeni: the carrying of an omikoshi (portable shrine) at the Kanda Matsuri festival and the "International Exchange Camp in Hakone." Two other annual events, the "Okutama Forest Thinning Volunteer" program and the "Arakawa Clean Aid" program, were unfortunately cancelled due to rain. As training programs in social contribution for new employees, we also ran a simulation program where participants experience being visually impaired, and we held a lecture given by a visually impaired person accompanied by her guide dog.
Carrying the Omikoshi at the Kanda Matsuri Festival
Carrying the omikoshi at the Kanda Matsuri Festival
At the Tokyo Kanda Matsuri Festival, every May, the Marubeni Group volunteers to carry an omikoshi (portable shrine). The aim of our participation is to hand down traditional culture to future generations, and to contribute to local communities.On Sunday May 11, 2008, despite rain, some 800 volunteers from businesses in Ohtemachi and Marunouchi gathered to participate, including 81 officers and employees from the Marubeni Group. Excited people joined with others from neighboring businesses to carry the omikoshi. One of the participants commented, "A strange feeling of unity developed, like we should all soldier on together..."
Fourth International Exchange Camp at Hakone
Together with the foreign students at the International Exchange Camp
During September 6-7, 2008, Marubeni held the International Exchange Camp in cooperation with the Corporate Friendship Network for Foreign Students. The camp is held for foreign students in Japan to further their understanding of Japanese culture and Japanese companies. 36 foreign students and 27 employees from the Marubeni Group participated. The students and Marubeni volunteers were able to deepen their understanding of each other's cultures. Our employees introduced such Japanese culture as how to put on a yukata (casual summer kimono), the game of "split the watermelon," and nagashi-soumen (eating flowing Japanese vermicelli), and the students taught the volunteers their own languages.
Clean-Up Activities around Local Communities
Clean-up activity program run by the Kyushu Branch
Marubeni's branches have also led in the development of volunteer activities that contribute to the community. At the Osaka Branch, employees participated in the "Cleanup Osaka" event again in 2008, tidying up the area around the office building. The Osaka City Environment Bureau promotes tthis event. 240 people participated from Marubeni. At the Nagoya Branch, 11 people participated in "Clean Up 2008" (a safe-secure-comfortable urban development campaign), which is part of the "Urban Beautification Plan" activities that have been run by the Regional Development Committee of the Chubu Association of Corporate Executives since 2005. Furthermore, at the Kyushu Branch, 20 people participated in the annual clean-up activity program held in November. Participants cleaned the areas near the office, around Maizuru Park, Heiwadai Athletic Stadium and the Heiwadai Baseball and Sports Park.
Training & Exchange Programs for Domestic & Overseas Students
Accepting group of university students from China for homestay
Watching bouts by Marubeni Karate Club members
Marubeni has been supporting the "Get Closer to Japanese Companies and Feel Japan" Project sponsored since 2007 by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China. The project is a social contribution project organized by contributions from member companies to invite to Japan university students who represent the future of China, to increase their understanding of Japan and Japanese companies. Four groups totaling 131 students have been invited to Japan as of the end of 2008, to tour Japanese companies and exchange opinions with the employees, as well as to tour agricultural villages and Kyoto and to stay at Japanese homes. Marubeni has been actively supporting the project since the project's inauguration, accepting company tours and homestay students.
Accepting trainees from Sabanci University, Turkey
Together with President Asada
Marubeni accepted two Sabanci University students for about one month from July 31, 2008. The university belongs to Sabanci Holdings. In 2008, they received training at the Tokyo Head Office and the branches in Osaka and Nagoya and visited the Osaka Factory of Komatsu, which provided good opportunities for students from the Middle East, where information about Japanese lives and cultures is hard to obtain, to increase their understanding about not only Japanese industries but also the culture.
Accepting trainees from the French National School of Administration (ENA)
In August 2008, Marubeni hosted two trainees from the French National School of Administration (ENA), a prestigious school producing outstanding talent for the French political, governmental and business communities. Marubeni and ENA have had these personnel exchanges since 1981. This year, Marubeni implemented, training at the Tokyo Head Office, and tours to a subway control center, Tokyo Environmental Public Service Corporation and our group companies, and organized meetings with Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials and central government ministerial officials. In Kansai, the trainees visited the Kansai Economic Federation, Kyoto Marubeni, and our Osaka Branch. We believe that this 3-week training course deepened their understanding of the Marubeni Group, as well as of Japanese society and culture.
Accepting company tours by domestic students
Company tours by students
Marubeni actively accepts company tours by students to help them understand the work and roles of a general trading company and social mechanisms, and to help them select their future careers. In Fiscal 2008, 62 students from eight schools, mainly high school students from all over the country, visited the Tokyo Head Office. They participated in presentations and discussions on such subjects as "What CSR activities should Marubeni engage in?" and "Who owns companies?", and toured Marubeni's trading room.
Social contribution activities on a global scale
Contributing Newspapers to Japanese Language Faculties of Romanian National Universities
Visiting Japanese classes using Japanese newspapers
The Marubeni Bucharest Office in Romania has been providing Japanese newspapers, which employees finished reading, to the University of Bucharest, Hyperion University, and "Ion Creanga" High School for use as Japanese educational tools for the students. There are many seminars on modern Japan and Japanese classes at universities in Romania. As a token of their gratitude for our activities, the Marubeni Bucharest Office Manager together with the Japanese ambassador (proxy) were invited by the Japanese Language Faculty of Hyperion University to the Year End Party in 2008 and were given an opportunity to deliver a speech on Marubeni's CSR activities. We also received a message of gratitude from the University of Bucharest.
MAC Social Contribution Program uniting company and employees
Toys gathered for the "Toy Joy" event
Marubeni America Corporation (MAC) has been engaged in the MAC Social Contribution Program since 2006. The program consists of the following three major activities: (1) financial contributions for educational, environmental, welfare, and disaster relief purposes; (2) matching gifts in which the company makes contributions at an amount similar to those contributed by individual employees; and (3) volunteer programs in which employees participate in community activities on a paid leave basis. In December 2008, employees at MAC and Marubeni Power International, Inc. (MPII) contributed 113 toys to the "Toy Joy" event in New York City. On the day of the event, four employees volunteered to sort through thousands of toys donated from several local corporations and organizations. After the toys were sorted, they were provided to children at homeless shelters and programs assisting families throughout the New York City area. MAC and MPII also contributed over US$1,000, an amount similar to the value of the toys MAC and MPII contributed. As part of MAC's disaster relief activities, MAC donated funds to the Myanmar cyclone victims, Shichuan earthquake victims in China and Hurricane Ike victims along the Gulf of Mexico. In Fiscal 2008, MAC made contributions and provided matching gifts to over 50 organizations. A total of 6 employees participated in two employee volunteer activities in 2008.
