At the Inabata Group, we have always managed our business based on trust and respect for people, as expressed in our mission: People come first, based on the spirit of “love (ai)” and “respect (kei),” and together we strive towards contributing to the development of society. We believe that this philosophy of valuing people and society can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, which is the universal goal of our time.

For several years now, we have seen a clear acceleration of social trends demanding sustainable corporate management. We believe that this is proof of the growing expectations of companies in the business sectors to come up with solutions to social issues, including environmental conservation, respect for human rights, consideration for the working environment of employees, and fair trade, to name a few among the profusion of social issues that must be resolved.

In October 2021, we set up the Sustainability Committee where I serve as chair. The members of the committee engage in lively discussions with outside directors participating as observers. In November 2021, we established the Sustainability Basic Policy and the Sustainability Code of Conduct, followed by the Human Rights Policy in March 2022. As well as adopting these policies as the standard for the business activities of the Inabata Group, we hope that these policies will promote understanding and cooperation among our stakeholders. In April 2022, we became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact and were registered as a participant company. We strive to put its Ten Principles into practice.

The trend towards decarbonization is progressing rapidly worldwide with climate change being one of the most pressing problems among social issues. In view of this, in June 2022 the Inabata Group presented its Carbon Neutrality Declaration 2050. To achieve carbon neutrality in the future, we will reinforce decarbonization initiatives and focus on providing a variety of products and solutions that contribute to a decarbonized society.

In June 2022, we identified and announced materiality (key issues). The Sustainability Committee held a series of discussions regarding key management issues aimed at sustainable growth while receiving outside input through stakeholder dialogues. As a result, we identified a total of six materiality issues under two categories: creating sustainable value and strengthening the foundation for business continuity. It is our firm belief that looking squarely at problems and taking action to solve them is our social responsibility and, at the same time, provides us with major opportunities for continued global growth.

To be a trading company that is needed by society and one that withstands the test of time, we aim to achieve the sustainable society and to improve our long-term corporate value through all our business activities.