Support for Related Initiatives and Cooperation with a Range of Organizations

Sumitomo Forestry participates in a range of organizations that are actively involved in biodiversity conservation. In the Keidanren Nature Conservation Council, the chairperson of Sumitomo Forestry serves as vice-chairperson and sends members to the planning subcommittee, which is responsible for its operation. We also serve as a board member of the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB) and conduct joint research on corporate biodiversity initiatives in its subcommittee meetings.

In addition, concerning its projects implemented in the environmental greening business, Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping is striving for registration for "Ikimono Kyozon Jigyousho®" certification for sustainable business sites, which is promoted by the Association for Business Innovation in Harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC), as well as for green certification under SEGES promoted by the Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure. Moreover, the chairperson of Sumitomo Forestry acts as the chairperson of the Organization for Landscape and Urban Green Infrastructure.

Expression of Support for the TCFD and TNFD Recommendations

Expression of Support for the Keidanren Declaration of Biodiversity and Action Policy

In December 2009, the Sumitomo Forestry Group expressed its support for the Keidanren Declaration of Biodiversity and Action Policy. The business federation set forth this declaration to show its basic policy toward conducting business activities in an even more biodiversity-friendly manner. Subsequently in June 2020, we also expressed our support for the revised version of the Keidanren Declaration of Biodiversity and Action Policy, which was announced as part of the Keidanren Initiative for Biodiversity Conservation. The declaration was revised again in December 2023 in consideration of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which had been adopted at the December 2022 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15). We will continue our efforts to create a nature positive sustainable society in accordance with the revised Declaration and Action Policy. These activities will also contribute to the achievement of global goals such as the GBF and the SDGs, as well as the successful implementation of Japan’s national strategies such as the 30by30 initiative.

Participation in Drafting the Guidelines for Private Sector Engagement in Biodiversity

The Ministry of the Environment drafted the Guidelines for Private Sector Engagement in Biodiversity (Ver. 1) in 2009 to advance biodiversity conservation and sustainable use based on the recognition that corporate activities play a vital role in those efforts. Sumitomo Forestry was involved in drafting these guidelines as a member of the study group.

The Guidelines for Private Sector Engagement in Biodiversity provides basic information and shows necessary approaches to conserve biodiversity and reduce loss in a way that is easy for private sector organizations not yet addressing biodiversity issues to understand, while also offering a means for companies already engaged in the efforts to play an even more effective role.

In December 2017, the second version of the guidelines was released in light of growing interests and expectations about conserving biodiversity driven by the SDGs and other international targets. In the revised version, Sumitomo Forestry’s sustainable wood procurement initiative was introduced as an excellent example.

In fiscal 2025, we engaged with the Forestry Agency in the examination of biodiversity evaluation methods as a member of its review committee on the development of forest ecosystem-related biodiversity evaluation methods. The review committee aims to conduct examinations on the indicators and methods that can be used to evaluate forest biodiversity based on the unique nature in Japan. By making effective use of existing data obtained from basic surveys on forest biodiversity, the review committee is examining evaluation methods that can be used for international initiatives. In reference to the methods examined by the review committee, we will conduct biodiversity monitoring surveys in the forests owned by Sumitomo Forestry.

Participation in the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

WBCSD is a CEO-led organization with over 200 companies who are committed to sustainable development, are working together to contribute to the transition to a sustainable society.

Sumitomo Forestry participated in the Forest Solution Group (FSG), a forest sector initiative of the WBCSD, in January 2019 and joined the WBCSD in January 2020.

As one of the major activities conducted in fiscal 2025, we participated in the FSG and the Nature Action Imperative and engaged in the development of the Nature Action Portal, which was announced at the COP30. With the Portal, companies can search for the metrics that enables them to identify, monitor and report the specific actions that they can take toward nature positive.

Before that, Sumitomo Forestry participated in the development of the Forest Sector SDG Roadmap (July 2019) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as in the development of the Forest Sector Net Zero Roadmap (November 2021) for a low carbon economy. In January 2022, we took part in formulating the Forest Sector Nature-Positive Roadmap. We also participated in the formulation of the TNFD’s draft guidance for the forest sector (released in December 2023), and engaged in the development of a forest and nature-related metrics tool during the implementation phase of the Forest Sector Nature-Positive Roadmap. The metrics tool is designed to help companies in the forest sector prioritize metrics for assessing and disclosing on nature. The tool was then merged to the Nature Action Portal.