Basic Policy

In recent years, institutional investors have shifted the way to evaluate a company. One emphasis from this perspective of evaluation is engagement. The dialogue between companies and their shareholders as well as investors is growing in terms of strategies and efforts to improve corporate value. Trends to promote even broader engagement are growing after the publishing of the Stewardship Code even in Japan.

The Sumitomo Forestry Group places great importance on engagement from the perspectives of properly assessing the corporate value and earning trust from the market. The Group discloses a wide range of information, including non-financial information, in a timely and transparent manner to facilitate understanding among stakeholders of our management policies and business strategies, while regularly feeds back the opinions and requirements of investors who are a vital stakeholder into operations to put in place measures toward sustainable growth.

Returns to Shareholders

Basic Policy on Returns to Shareholders and Retained Earnings

Acknowledging that providing returns to shareholders is one of its most important tasks, Sumitomo Forestry has adopted a basic policy of paying stable and continuous returns.

Going forward, in addition to improving return on equity (ROE) and enhancing shareholders' equity by making good use of retained earnings for effective investment and research and development activities that help improve long-term corporate value, Sumitomo Forestry will continue to pay an appropriate level of shareholder returns in line with earnings while reflecting an overall balanced consideration of factors such as business fundamentals, financial conditions and cash flow.

Dividends in the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2021

In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, a year-end dividend of 45 yen per share and an interim dividend of 35 yen per share were issued. This corresponds to a full-year dividend of 80 yen per share.

Share Distribution by Shareholder Type (As of December 31, 2021)

* Digits below unit values displayed are cutoff on the chart

Information Disclosure and Communication

Basic Policy on Information Disclosure and Communication

In the interest of greater management transparency, Sumitomo Forestry takes a proactive approach to information disclosure.

We strive to provide reporting and explanations in an easy-to-understand manner at the General Meeting of Shareholders. We also publish a wealth of IR information in Japanese and English such as information about the settlement of accounts that includes short financial statements, fact book and a summary of financial results and forecasts, and monthly order information in the housing businesses on our website. In addition, we also publish detailed information about sustainability initiatives in Japanese and English on our website.

Furthermore, News releases share the latest information about Sumitomo Forestryour Group with stakeholders. Sumitomo Forestry published 77 news releases in fiscal 2021.

We have been publishing the Integrated Report since fiscal 2017 in place of the Annual Report published up until now in order to strengthen informational communication for both financial information and non-financial ESG information about the initiatives to improve corporate value throughout the Group. Besides the integrated report and the Japanese language report for shareholders on business activities, we also strive to actively provide information that includes the publishing of notifications for our Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders in both English and Japanese in print and online forms.

Two-Way Communication with Shareholders and Investors

General Meeting of Shareholders

Through various initiatives, we endeavor to get as many shareholders as possible to participate at the meetings and exercise their right to vote. These initiatives include sending out and posting online convocation notices (in Japanese and English) earlier than legally required and accommodating shareholders who wish to cast their votes electronically (online, etc.).

Individual Meetings

Sumitomo Forestry holds individual meetings with security analysts and institutional investors following the announcement of its quarterly results. In fiscal 2021, we conducted a total of 215 consultations in Japan and overseas. In addition, we will also regularly hold forums such as small meetings and on-site briefings.

IR Informative Meetings for Individual Investors

Sumitomo Forestry holds regular IR informative meetings for individual investors. Sumitomo Forestry holds regular IR informative meetings for individual investors. During fiscal 2019, Sumitomo Forestry held meetings in Osaka and Nagoya with many of individual investors in attendance. The meetings presented the growth strategy of the Sumitomo Forestry Group in addition to its business operations while its exhibition booth provided briefings to individual investors who have requested one with information on customized housing, rental housing, renovation, and private-pay elderly care facilities, and overseas real estate. This meeting was not convened in fiscal 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19）and the change in the accounting period.

IR Activities for Overseas Institutional Investors and Shareholders

Sumitomo Forestry management team held online conferences with institutional investors and shareholders in the United States, Europe, and Asia in fiscal 2021, in addition to engaging in efforts such as the distribution of English versions of financial information to all of our institutional investors and shareholders overseas. These efforts offer us the chance to exchange ideas in addition to explain aspects of our business such as our business performance and business strategies.

We also participate in conferences held by stock brokerage firms to have even more opportunities for dialogues.

Issuance of Green Bonds

Sumitomo Forestry Group promotes initiatives informed by an awareness of the global environment in all of the activities it pursues. In September 2018, as part of this initiative, Sumitomo Forestry issued ten billion yen of Convertible Bonds with Stock Acquisition Rights in accordance with the Green Bond Principles and with a second party opinion received from a leading evaluation agency (hereinafter “Green CBs”). The purpose was to refinance the reduced amount of cash on hand resulting from our acquisition of forest assets in New Zealand in fiscal 2016. This was the first instance of the issuance of Green CB worldwide, and this advanced initiative was highly evaluated and won the New Products category at the 4th Green Bond Pioneer Awards hosted by the Climate Bonds Initiative as a result. We were the first Japanese company to receive a Green Bond Pioneer Award. This initiative contributes to activating ESG investment markets and expanding the base within and outside of Japan.

Conclusion of Positive Impact Financing Agreements

The Sumitomo Forestry Group emphasizes contributions to the SDGs by defining Further integrating our businesses operations with ESG initiatives as one basic policy in the Mid-Term Management Plan.

In March 2020, the Company entered into the Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited Positive Impact Finance (a type of business loan that does not specify the use of funds) agreement, which is a financing loan that aligns with the United Nations Environmental Programme Finance Initiative^*1 Principles for Positive Impact Finance^*2. This borrowing not only praises Sumitomo Forestry initiatives that contribute to the SDGs but also provides favorable interest rates than standard financing. In regards to this financing, Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. has provided a third-party opinion^*3 about the rationality of evaluation factors used and the compliance to the Principles for Positive Impact Finance.

In the future, the Sumitomo Forestry also aims to improve medium-to long-term corporate value by further enhancing initiatives to achieve the SDGs.

*1 The UNEP FI established the Principles for Positive Impact Finance in January 2017. Companies disclose their contributions toward achieving the SDGs and banking institutions evaluate the positive impact and provide capital in an effort to maximize the positive impact and minimize the negative impact of corporate entities. The banking institutions providing the financing take responsibility to monitor the indicators and verify ongoing positive impact. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is a subsidiary body of the United Nations established in 1972 as an implementing agency for the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and the International Environment Action Programme. UNEP FI is a broad and close partnership between UNEP and more than 200 global financial institutions. Since its establishment in 1992, it has been working with financial institutions, policies, and regulators to transform itself into a financial system that integrates economic development with environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations.

*2 This is a financial framework for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) in January 2017. By disclosing contributions to the achievement of SDGs, with banks assessing the positive impact of these contributions and providing funds, the framework guides the efforts of fund providers to increase positive impacts and reduce negative impacts. As the responsible financial institution, lending banks monitor indicators to ensure that their impacts are continuing.

*3 Please see the Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. website.
https://www.jcr.co.jp/en/