Biodiversity Conservation Project
"Corporations and Life Part2 Aiming at COP10, Analyze the relationship between business and biodiversity"
On November 26, 2008, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance held an environmental symposium called "Story of biology told by a corporation Part 2 -Aiming at COP10, analyze the relationship between business and biodiversity", at Surugadai Memorial Hall of Chuo University, where more than 230 participants attended. This symposium is continued from last year with the aim to call on more corporations to work more actively towards biodiversity conservation. The session was held with general support from Japan Business Initiative for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (JBIB)-the network of companies to promote conservation and sustainable use for biodiversity, and generous support from the Ministry of the Environment, COP10 CBD Promotion Committee and German Development Cooperation as well as the CBD Secretariat, also with the cooperation of Nippon Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation.
This year, we planned the program for the bussiness sector with uprising interest of biodiversity toward COP10 which will be held in Nagoya October 2010.
Symposium commenced with an opening speech by Mr. Shin, our Chairman, followed by first section introducing the latest information concerning the conservation of biodiversity. Second section was parted in 5 panel discussions each in essential themes for the business sector. Contents of the 5 panel discussions were presented at the end of the symposium for all participants to share its topics.
Chairman Shin of MSIG
Wrapping up the symposium
Program of symposium |
Opening Speech Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited Chairman Yoshiaki Shin |
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1st section "Introducing the latest information concerning the conservation of biodiversity" |
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Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment Mr.Tsukishima |
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Coordination Office of Business and Biodiversity Initiative Executive Coordinator Mr.Edgar Endrukaitis |
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COP10 CBD Promotion Committee Planning Group Leader Mr.Utsugi Adviser Mr.Kohsaka |
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JBIB Chief Secretariat Dr. Adachi |
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Comment from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry |
Environmental Policy Division, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Mr.Tanaka |
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2nd section "Panel discussions in 5 themes" |
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| 5 | Business opportunity of biodiversity |
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Business + Biodiversity "Leadership Declaration"
On the COP9(9th UN Convention on Biological Diversity Conference) held in Germany May 2008, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance signed Leadership Declaration and joined "Business+Biodiversity", a initiative of the German government and leading companies.
"Business+Biodiversity" has been launched reflecting the COP8 Decision which emphasises that the business sector has to be increasingly integrated into the implementation process of the Convention.
34 companies have joined from all over the world (9 companies from Japan including Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance).
Leadership Declaration's signatory companies furthermore commit themselves to the following objectives.Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance will start the activities for these objectives by determining our own steps.
Business + Biodiversity "Leadership Declaration"
- 1. Analyze corporate activities with regard to their impacts on biological diversity.
- 2. Include the protection of biological diversity within their environmental management system, and develop biodiversity indicators.
- 3. Appoint a responsible individual within the company to steer all activities in the biodiversity sector and report to the Management Board.
- 4. Define realistic, measurable objectives that are monitored and adjusted every 2 to 3 years.
- 5. Publish activities and achievements in the biodiversity sector in the company's annual, environmental, and/or corporate social responsibility report.
- 6. Inform suppliers about the company's biodiversity objectives and integrate them accordingly.
- 7. Explore the potential for cooperation with scientific institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and/or governmental institutions with the aim of deepening dialogue and continuously improve the corporate management system vis-a-vis the biodiversity domain.
Japan Business Initiative for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance addressed participant companies of the symposium "Story of biology told by a corporation Part 1", to make joint effort to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. With many companies' approval, Japan Business Initiative for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity (JBIB) has launched on 1st April 2008.
JBIB will be engaged in joint research on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity from a global view point, and to share its knowledge by a dialogue with the stakeholders. With following 5 objectives, JBIB conducts the activities toward CBD/COP10 in 2010.
Five Objectives of JBIB
- 1. To develop effective knowledge of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
2. To promote communication with stakeholders for sharing information for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
3. To provide stakeholders with good practices of the conservation of biodiversity with motivating all relevant sectors
4. To enhance research and development for methods, indicators, and guidelines to monitor and evaluate the conservation of biodiversity
5. To advocate biodiversity policies to governments and local authorities
On May 12, 2008, JBIB's first general meeting was held, which elected Mr. Shin, our Chairman as president.
Mr.Kamezawa, head of Global Biodiversity Strategy Office, Ministry of the Environment gave a speech, followed by the decision of action plan. At the press conference, Mr.Shin commented his expectation as a president of JBIB "As business sector is benefited by biodiversity, we must take part in the conservation of it. JBIB will engage in its objective effectively to encourage the private sector to engage in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity".
“Corporations and Life Part1 〜A Symposium on the role of Corporations in Biodiversity〜”
On November 21, 2007, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance held an environmental symposium called “Story of biology told by a corporation Part 1 - Symposium on business and biodiversity” at Surugadai Memorial Hall of Chuo University, where more than 200 participants attended. With the aim to call on more corporations to work more actively towards biodiversity conservation, the session was held with the generous support from the Ministry of the Environment and the Forestry Agency as well as Nippon Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation.
Along with global warming prevention, conserving biodiversity is one of the major global environmental agendas. Nagoya is seen as the most likely location to host the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) in 2010. Interest towards tackling the issue of biodiversity conservation is growing not just overseas but within Japan, and corporations are increasingly being sought to take active roles. We held this symposium as a way to offer opportunities for people to approach this issue. We added “Part 1” to the title in the hope we can hold more symposiums like this on a regular basis up till COP10.
Chairman Shin of MSIG
Symposium commenced with an opening speech by Mr. Shin, our Chairman, followed by a speech by Mr. Kamezawa, Director of the Ministry of the Environment Global Biodiversity Strategy Office, voicing out that “incorporating businesses towards conserving biodiversity is essential and we look forward to having more active participation”. In the first part, representatives and activity members of six companies each presented their activity cases.
Director Kamezawa, Ministry of Environment Biological Diversity Strategy Center
In the second part, the presenters held panel discussions under two themes; “activities as social contribution programs” and “activities as CSR of a business” to better understand of the projects. Points such as “costs of the activities” and “difficulties faced within the company” that were otherwise left unmentioned in the previous presentation were debated.
Finally, Dr. Naoki Adachi (CEO of Response Ability, Inc.), the overall symposium coordinator, ended the seminar saying “biodiversity conservation is something a company cannot approach alone. It also needs support from various stakeholders such as NGOs and NPOs”.
We received some positive feedbacks from the participants saying that “it was easy to understand” and that they “wished there was a second session in the future”.
We plan to create a network of companies related to biodiversity conservation and work toward COP 10 by fostering activities that enables Japanese businesses to engage in them more actively.
President Adachi, Responsibility, Inc.
In this symposium, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance gave a presentation on the theme of “Restoration and Recovery of Java Paliyan Wildlife Reserve”.
