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MC’s Social Contribution ActivitiesMC’s corporate culture is based on the desire to grow together with local and international communities in order to contribute to building truly prosperous societies around the world. With this in mind, we are engaged in a diverse range of ongoing social contribution projects and actively support the participation of our employees in volunteer activities.
Establishment of Maternity Hospitals in Dakar (Senegal)
MC helped build two maternity hospitals on the outskirts of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, as an initiative to help improve the condition of medical care in the country, which continues to be plagued by a chronic shortage of these types of hospitals.
Public Welfare 1
The British Museum and MC signed a 10-year sponsorship agreement in January 2008 under which MC will be the sole sponsor of the permanent galleries dedicated to Japanese culture in the Museum.
Permanent Galleries for Japanese Culture at the British Museum (U.K.)
Culture and Arts 2
Vehicles Donated to Bardo Museum (Tunisia)
In fi scal 2007, MC donated a pickup truck to the Bardo Museum, which will use the vehicle for its archeological surveying and excavation work as well as for transporting art works and other uses.
Culture and Arts 3
Experimental Project in Forest Regeneration (Kenya, Malaysia, China and Brazil)
Global Environment
Since 1990, MC has been engaged in the intensive, mixed planting of tree species native to each region. The aim of this project is to regenerate near-natural forest ecosystems in a short space of time.
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Donation of Solar-powered Lamps to Villages Without Power (India)
With the cooperation of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, MC has donated 200 solar-powered streetlights to villages without electricity in the Koraput region of Orissa in eastern India.
6International
Global Coral Reef Conservation Project (Okinawa, Midway Atoll, Republic of Seychelles)
Global Environment
Since fi scal 2005, MC has been engaged in a project that is actively researching the causes and effects of the coral reef crisis. The project aims to help conserve coral reefs around the world through a research based approach.
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Activities Around the World
Public Welfare
Culture and Arts
International Education
Global Environment
Basic Policy on Social Contributions
(Established in 1991)We engage in a wide range of activities that contribute to communities around the world based on an awareness of our responsibility to be a good corporate citizen.
WEB
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Ecology Education Afforestation Project (China)
Global Environment
Every year since 2003, employees of a local subsidiary in Beijing in China’s Hebei province have gathered with their families to plant fruit trees in an effort to greenify the area. This is a multifaceted social contribution program in that it also involves local farmers who are asked to manage the land.
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Supporting Facilities for the Disabled (Taiwan)
Public Welfare
MC continues to support Taipei Municipal Yang Ming Home for The Disabled, a facility for the intellectually disabled in Taipei. In 2007, pickup trucks were donated for transporting residents and glasshouses for growing vegetables so that residents can gain experience in agriculture.
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Education
Since 2006 MC has been participating in a project that donates classrooms to elementary and junior high schools in rural regions of the Philippines. The project was originally initiated in response to a call by the Philippine government for help in addressing the country’s chronic lack of classroom space.
Schools for the Future (Guatemala)Education
MC has lent a hand to a project run by the Guatemalan education ministry to provide educational support to impoverished areas of the country. MC has donated two pickup trucks which will be used to transport equipment and teachers to schools.
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Tokyo Greenship Action (Japan)Public Welfare
MC volunteers have participated in preservation activities in a Tokyo Metropolitan Government-designated conservation zone since fi scal 2005. Around 50 MC employees and family members participate in this program twice a year. The program is coordinated by a local NPO.
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Exchange Student Scholarships (Japan)Education
Since 1991, MC has provided scholarships to international students attending Japanese universities. A total of 70 students benefi ted from this system in fi scal 2007. From fi scal 2008, MC plans to expand the program to around 100 students.
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New Early Childhood Care and Development Center in Earthquake Stricken Central Java (Indonesia)
MC teamed up with Plan Japan (a national branch of the Plan International organization) to build a new Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) center to help with restoration efforts in Central Java following a major earthquake in May 2006.
Disaster Relief
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Donating Classrooms for Elementary and Junior High Schools (The Philippines) 8
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Global Corporate Citizenship
As of January 1, 2008, the Chief Regional Offi cer for North America, currently Mr. Ryoichi Ueda, has been appointed Chief Sustainability Offi cer (CSO) for North America as a way to strengthen MC’s long-standing commitment to conducting our business in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner. The CSO will ensure that assessing the sustainability of our business practices, and proactively seeking new “green” business opportunities, will be made an integral part of our strategic planning processes, and will guide us in developing new business and assessing ongoing business operations throughout North America. During the fi rst quarter of 2008 the CSO initiated a CSR survey and enhanced existing CSR policies and CSR education initiatives as the fi rst step in rolling out a comprehensive CSR plan and “green” business strategy for North America.
CSR Education at Mitsubishi International CorporationSeveral CSR-related education programs have been implemented at Mitsubishi International Corporation (MIC), MC’s primary subsidiary in the U.S. One is the CSR Lunch Series, which provides employees and stakeholders with an opportunity to exchange opinions and ideas regarding CSR several times a year. In December of 2007, for example, Mr. Michael Northrup, the Sustainable Development Program Director for the Rockefeller Brother‘s Fund, came to speak about the urgency of the climate crisis and the role corporations can play in response to the crisis. CSR has also been added to the agenda of new hire orientations, human resource workshops and senior vice president meetings at MIC.
Robust Volunteerism at Mitsubishi International CorporationVolunteerism has long been a signifi cant part of MIC’s corporate citizenship activities, and President and CEO Ryoichi Ueda, in his role as CSO, has placed an even greater emphasis on corporate volunteerism at MIC. Leading by example, Mr. Ueda, as a trustee of the New York Botanical Garden, has raised more than half a million dollars for the Garden. On Earth Day, April 22, 2008, Mr. Ueda led a group of MIC employees to lend their green thumbs for some Spring weeding at the Garden. During a CSR lunch held just before Earth Day, Ms. Grace Velardi from the Earthwatch Institute came to speak about the importance of volunteerism and its impact on business and the communities in which they operate.
Chief Regional Offi cer for North America Designated Chief Sustainability Offi cer
Mitsubishi Canada Limited (MCL), following the lead of Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan and Mitsubishi International Corporation in the U.S., has adopted a volunteer leave policy allowing employees up to fi ve days of paid time off for specifi ed volunteer programs. Guided by the new CSO, MCL’s President, Mr. Kowase announced that starting in June of 2008 MCL will join Mitsubishi Corporation’s global Earthwatch program by sending one employee a year as a volunteer on an Earthwatch expedition to assist scientists conducting environmental research. MCL is also receiving advice and guidance from the CSO on strategic philanthropy. This enhanced volunteer program follows on the heels of MCL’s successful participation in the 2008 Annual Vancouver Sun Run in which more than one third of MCL’s employees braved chilly temperatures to raise money and awareness for literacy programs for children in the province of British Columbia.
Mitsubishi Canada Limited Bolsters CSR and Volunteer Programs
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MC’s European Corporate Centre (ECC) supports the MC ECC Earthwatch Fellowship Programme which enables staff volunteers from Mitsubishi Corporation offi ces to participate in Earthwatch expeditions, assisting scientists and specialists on some of Earthwatch’s 120 conservation projects worldwide. By joining these research projects, MC employees are able to enhance their awareness and understanding of environmental issues while playing an important role in vital data collection. This year, the scope of the fellowship programme was expanded to include not only all staff in Europe but also those in the Middle East and Johannesburg, giving more staff than ever the opportunity to gain a unique insight into the implementation of global conservation projects. This year’s volunteers will join the 75 MC staff members who have already spent up to two weeks as volunteers, contributing over 5,000 hours of fi eldwork in total.
MC European Corporate Centre Earthwatch Fellowship Programme
For the past 5 years, employees at Mitsubishi Venezolana, C.A. (CCS), in coordination with Junior Achievement, have taken part in a synergy effort to reach out to youth in local public schools who currently lack essential educational resources. Through their volunteer efforts CCS employees talk with the students and provide valuable insight into the business world, all in the hopes that it will spark the motivation needed for the young students to begin thinking about their future careers. Over 30% of the staff at the Venezuela offi ce have taken time out of their schedules to interact with students and help guide the next generation of hopeful business leaders. To date nearly 500 students have benefi ted from this program.
Mitsubishi Venezuela Fosters Future Business Entrepreneurs
On 28 September 2007, volunteers from MCUK helped to clear away the rubbish that litters the shoreline of London’s Docklands as part of The Cleaner Thames Challenge. Organised by environmental charity Thames 21, this is a four day clean up operation of one of the River Thames’ most polluted beaches. MCUK staff joined over 300 volunteers who helped to clear nearly 11 tonnes of litter, including approximately 25,000 plastic bags, as different members of the community came together to work towards the common goal of restoring the Thames to health for the benefi t of local residents and wildlife alike.
Thames 21’s Cleaner Thames Challenge
MC has been holding the three-night, four-day Friendship Camp for Mothers and Children in mountain village of Yoshizato, Minamiuonuma-shi, Niigata Prefecture, every year since 1974. The camp is for single mothers and their children who reside in the Tokyo metropolitan area. This program gives children the chance to interact with nature, something that is diffi cult to do in a big city, and to make new friends. Mothers, meanwhile, enjoy playing with their child(ren) as well as getting the opportunity to talk about their daily concerns with counselors and exchange information with other mothers. With the assistance of around 30 MC employee volunteers, participants take walks in the mountains, play in the local river and camp out, among other activities. A total of 100 mothers and children from 45 households participated in the Friendship Camp for Mothers and Children in fi scal 2007, taking home lasting memories of 4 days spent in the midst of Niigata’s great outdoors. 2008 will mark the 35th anniversary of this camp.
Friendship Camp for Mothers and Children
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Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas (MCFA)
MCFA Gives One Million Dollar Grant to Wildlife Conservation Society for Conservation Work in ArgentinaThe MCFA gave its fi rst million dollar grant, payable over four years, to the Wildlife Conservation Society to promote the conservation of the Patagonian coast and Southwestern Atlantic Seascape in Argentina. This unique coastal and marine ecosystem contains highly productive habitats which support squid and fi n-fi sh resources, a large and diverse community of dependent predator species and a spectacular wild shoreline where huge numbers of marine birds and mammals breed. The breeding and feeding aggregations of some of the species that congregate on the coast of Patagonia constitute some of the most important wildlife spectacles on earth.
Stakeholder Comment
Dr. Steven E. Sanderson, President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society is proud to partner with the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas in our efforts to safeguard coastal Patagonia. This beautiful wildlife area of global importance supports charismatic marine and terrestrial creatures such as Southern elephant seals, giant petrels, sea birds, right whales and Magellanic penguins. The Foundation’s leadership will benefi t humankind and demonstrate the power of private sector initiative in a world of global change. Devoted, passionate conservationists such as Claudio Campagna of the Sea and Sky Program, have dedicated their lives to fi nding effective solutions to
the conservation problems that affect biodiversity in the Patagonia Coastal and Southwestern Atlantic Seascape. Sea & Sky is leading the world’s efforts towards achieving long-term viability of the Patagonian Sea by integrating the best available science, building capacity and providing inspiration to promote local interest in ocean conservation. Maintaining ecological feasibility requires moving beyond single-species or taxon efforts towards an ecosystem approach to management that ensures the sustainability of these landscapes and seascapes, which have crucial, far-reaching conservation signifi cance.
The Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas (MCFA), based in New York City, was established as the Mitsubishi International Corporation Foundation in 1991 with funding from Mitsubishi Corporation, and its U.S.-based subsidiary, Mitsubishi International Corporation. With a current endowment of approximately $5.75 million, the MCFA has committed nearly $5.4 million to environmental projects throughout the Americas. The mission of the MCFA is to promote environmental causes throughout the Americas in the broadest sense,
which encompasses both the physical and social environments in which we live. In furtherance of the mission the MCFA supports a wide range of projects in the following four categories:• Environmental Education• Conservation and Biodiversity• Environmental Justice• Sustainable DevelopmentFor more information about the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas, please visit www.mcfamericas.org.
MCFA and MCFEA Activities WEB
The MCFA support is directed to fi ve specifi c projects within the Patagonian Coastal Management Plan, a multifaceted approach developed by WCS and various stakeholders for the purpose of preserving this unique natural setting:1 Southern elephant seal research2 Seabird surveys3 Southern giant petrel research4 Technical support for the Golfo
San Jorge National Park, the fi rst truly coastal marine national park of Argentina
5 Research and data analysis for WCS’s Sea & Sky program, the fi rst attempt at integrating research on individual species, biology and entire ecosystems in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean.
The MCFA has supported the conservation work of the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York since 2003 and we are confi dent that they are well-qualifi ed to lead conservation initiatives in Argentina’s Patagonia. WCS’s scientifi c expertise and commitment to local stakeholder engagement are guaranteed to help preserve Argentina’s magnifi cent natural heritage.
Ryoichi Ueda, Regional CEO for North AmericaComment from MCFA‘s Chairman
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The Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe and Africa (MCFEA) is a UK registered charitable foundation established in 1992 by Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation (UK) Plc. Since its inception, the MCFEA has contributed more than £1.5 million in donations to environmental and developmental projects in Europe and Africa, through grants to a range of partner organizations including London Zoo, Fauna and Flora International, Birdlife, Botanical Gardens Conservation
International and WaterAid. The aims of the MCFEA are to promote environmental conservation, education and research into the environment and poverty alleviation. In particular, the MCFEA aims to encourage the appreciation and conservation of fl ora and fauna with an emphasis on endangered species.For more information on the work of the MCFEA, please visit http://www.mcfea.org
WaterAid and MCFEA
WaterAid has worked in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, since 2003. They are currently working with the Municipal Government in fi ve ‘bairros’ – unplanned city neighborhoods – outside the main city water supply network, and two bairros inside the network, to achieve 100% coverage in water and sanitation. The MCFEA has been instrumental in supporting innovative approaches to the water and sanitation issues faced in
Maputo since 2004. This continued backing enables WaterAid to reach more people and build the capacity of local partner organizations that work with communities to access water, build latrines, organize environmental sanitation processes and spread
hygiene and health messages around the bairros. MCFEA has plans to support the work of three such partner organizations in the future – Estamos, Pamodzi and ADASBU*. Estamos and Pamodzi are both local
Stakeholder Comment
Barbara Frost, CEO, WaterAid
The continued support from the Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe and Africa is immensely valuable, enabling WaterAid to reach thousands of people in Maputo and to develop ever more sustainable, effective and empowering approaches. The MCFEA’s support really makes a life changing difference to communities in Maputo. Access to safe
water and sanitation underpins health, education and livelihoods and forms the fi rst essential step out of poverty. WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to the basic human rights of water and sanitation. With the support of the MCFEA we can help make this a reality for communities in Maputo.
NGOs, and will continue with their extensive program of latrine building and community hygiene education activities. ADASBU is a small community-based organization that has been working with great success to improve the health and environment of Urbanização. The MCFEA’s support will enable ADASBU to continue this activity, and will provide training to help ADASBU develop from a community-based organization into a successful commercial enterprise. WaterAid and their partner organizations can make a difference in Maputo that goes far beyond physical improvements to the environment and the subsequent improvements to the community’s health. With access to water, sanitation and hygiene education people can look to the future, build upon their community organization and infrastructure, and invest in livelihoods and education.
Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe and Africa (MCFEA)
*Association for the Development of Water and Sanitation in Urbanização Quarter
