July 24, 2023
Kanematsu Corporation (hereinafter "Kanematsu") is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a component of the FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index, an ESG investment index.
This index selects Japanese companies with relatively high ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ratings by FTSE Russell in each industry. It is designed to be sector-neutral to reflect the actual composition of the Japanese stock market. To support the transition to a low-carbon economy, in the case of the top 10% of stocks in terms of GHG emissions per net sales, the TPI Management Quality (MQ) Score (*Note 1) is used to select a component.
There is a total of six ESG indices for Japanese stocks adopted by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), and Kanematsu has also been selected as a component of the following three of them.
1．MSCI Japan Empowering Women (WIN) Select Index : Index constructed by companies that excel in gender diversity
2. S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index : Index composed based on environmental information disclosure status and carbon efficiency
3．Morningstar Japan ex-REIT Gender Diversity Tilt Index : Index focused on companies committed to instilling gender diversity policies in their corporate culture and equal opportunities in the workplace
Note 1: The TPI Management Quality (MQ) Score is a score which uses disclosed corporate information to evaluate the quality of a company's management of its greenhouse gas emissions and its response to risks and opportunities associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Kanematsu Group's sustainability initiatives
Kanematsu Group has established five key issues (Materiality) that it needs to focus on through its business activities, based on its corporate principle and importance to management. In the Materiality revised in 2021, Kanematsu has established the following items with sustainability as their main focus and is working to resolve issues: "Building a Sustainable Supply Chain," "Decarbonization Initiatives," "Mutual Development with Local Communities," "Creating an Environment that Enables Diverse Work Styles," and "Enhancement of Governance and Compliance." Recent initiatives include "disclosure based on recommendations of the TCFD " (2021), "endorsement of the United Nations Global Compact " (2022), and "formulation of the Kanematsu Group's Human Rights Policy " (February 2023).
Principle of sustainability at Kanematsu Group, passed down since 1889
Kanematsu Group's corporate principle is based on the founding principle, "Let us sow and nurture the seeds of prosperity for Japan ," declared by its founder, Fusajiro Kanematsu, at its founding in 1889. This means "sowing a seed (i.e., founding a business) to develop and enrich the Japanese economy and make people happy." The corporate principle is consistent with the SDGs philosophy and aligned with the concept of creating shared value (CSV) to solve social issues and create value that can be shared with society through corporate business activities.
Kanematsu will continue to recognize social and environmental issues and other challenges, and conduct corporate activities proactively and with a sense of mission. By doing so, Kanematsu will aim to enhance its corporate value and contribute to solving social issues.
[Contacts]
Public & Investor Relations Section, Kanematsu Corporation
Tel: +81-3-6747-5000
https://www.kanematsu.co.jp/en/inquiry/