Social Contribution Activities
We believe that contributing to society is one of our most important management priorities, and are advancing social contribution activities primarily focused on priority themes: “health enhancement,” “support for child raising,” and "global environmental protection," considering the affinity of these activities with the life insurance business.
Health Enhancement
Sumisei Vitality Action initiative
Through the “Sumisei Vitality Action,” a social contribution program with the theme of health enhancement, which uses a characteristic approach of CSV called “collective impact,” we are working on the social issue of health enhancement with the cooperation of local governments, foundations, athletes, and others. Specifically, we began rolling out a program, centered on parent-child sports events hosted by top athletes of various sports, in 2017. We have held such sports events at 110 locations across Japan as of the end of fiscal 2020.
Initiatives related to cancer
We support cancer patient associations, etc. for the purpose of promoting early detection and treatment of cancer as well as the cancer patients and their families. Furthermore, under the supervision of the National Cancer Center Japan, we have created tools such as “Things to Know about Cancer,” and educate the public about cutting-edge cancer treatment and particle beam therapy. We also support pink ribbon campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer. In addition, as part of the “Active Challenge,” one of the programs of SUMITOMO LIFE Vitality, we plan to start making donations to the Japan Cancer Society, an organization that supports cancer patients.
Initiatives related to dementia
We provide support to associations that engage in dementia care. In addition, through specified courses, we have been training “dementia supporters.” 47,155 supporters (as of March 31, 2021) have completed the course so far. Aiming to widely allocate dementia supporters to our branches, we have made a particular effort since January 2020 and trained 35,395 people nationwide. In recognition of our efforts to allocate dementia supporters nationwide and our activities to harness our knowledge in dealing with customers, we received the award for excellence for dementia supporter activities by corporations and occupational organizations in fiscal 2020 from the National Caravan- Mate Coordinating Committee. Under the supervision of dementia specialists and care managers, we created tools such as “Things to Know about Dementia” and are engaging in educational activities.
Support for Child Raising
Sumitomo Life provides support in child raising, mainly from before childbirth to later childhood, focusing on the concept of “a place for children,” in order to support the healthy growth of children and child raising in society.
Child raising project to empower the future
Sumitomo Life sponsors “Awards in Support of Child Raising” and “Sumisei Woman Researcher Encouragement Prizes” backed up by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The project started in 2007 and will enter its 15th year in 2021. We grant the Awards in Support of Child Raising to and thereby assist distinguished activities that support child raising across the country, while introducing them as role models in an effort to spread the good practice to other areas. The awards have been given to 157 groups so far.
The “Sumisei Woman Researcher Encouragement Prize” is a grant program intended to support both studies and child raising by woman researchers, and has been awarded in support of 140 researchers so far.
Sumisei After School Project
We have been running the “Sumisei After School Project,” another activity in support of child raising aimed at improving the child-raising environments in all regions of Japan since 2014. The project is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. With the aim of creating a more enjoyable and safer environment for elementary school children to spend their time after school, we visit after-school childcare centers throughout Japan to offer classes under the themes of life, health, and the future. Classes are given to roughly 50 groups per year, and so far, we have provided opportunities for learning and experience to about 11,500 children in approximately 310 locations nationwide (as of the end of March 2021). This initiative has received various awards including the “2017 Good Design Award.”
Children’s Drawing Contests
Since 1977, we have also organized international children’s drawing contests to help the healthy growth of children. Over 11.5 million works have been submitted since the start of this program. The winning works have been exhibited at the Louvre Museum in Paris every year since 2000, inspiring the dreams of children. We also donate one yen for each drawing paper distributed and ten yen for each work submitted to support the activities of the Japan Committee for UNICEF.
The exhibition at the Louvre Museum was canceled, and applications were temporarily suspended in fiscal 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but we resumed accepting applications in March 2021, taking measures to prevent the spread of infection.
