Over fifty participants from the financial sector, as well as representatives from government, industry, consulting, research institutes, and non-profits discussed ESG integration in Japan at an event held at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank’s headquarters in Tokyo on 16th September.

The event was co-convened by UN Environment Finance Initiative and Principles for Financial Action for the 21st Century (PFA21), the Japanese financial institutions’ initiative supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan as the Secretariat. On the agenda were natural capital-related risks and opportunities relating to the environmental aspect of ESG strategies. Panels from Daiwa Institute of Research Ltd, Response Ability, MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc. and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc. discussed emerging supply chain risks for Japanese industry, opportunities for regional revitalisation such as strengthening resilience with green infrastructure and its financing, as well as the need for natural capital valuation.

New signatory: MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc. joined the Natural Capital Declaration in July. They are the first signatory from the Japanese insurance sector since Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc. signed in 2012. Read more on the Natural Capital Declaration website.