In July 2005, with the goal of promoting the realization of a sustainable society, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. launched the Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund to support a variety of activities and research promoted by NPOs, educational institutions, and other organizations in the field of global environmental issues. Through the Environment Fund, we have supported 588 projects in a wide range of fields with grants totaling approximately six billion yen, with the aim to "Build brighter futures, everywhere", which is the corporate mission of Mitsui & Co.

The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) were formulated in 2015, and with an increase in ESG investment, there has been an acceleration in the global trend to resolve social issues through business. Mitsui & Co. has been promoting efforts toward finding solutions to global issues through its business activities. Since it is believed that this trend will further grow, Mitsui & Co. decided to close the Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund and newly launch the Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund as a successor program. The new fund aspires to overcome social challenges together with Mitsui & Co.'s officers and employees – the company's most valuable assets.

The Mitsui & Co. Co-creation Fund is aimed at providing support in finding further solutions to social issues by promoting co-creation between Mitsui & Co.'s officers and employees and "issue finders", including NPOs, researchers, and social startups, who take on the challenge of addressing social issues. We will provide grants to projects implemented by the issue finders who tackle difficult social issues with "kokorozashi" (aspirations that individuals have to make a difference in the world, driven by an inherent desire to serve the common good). The officers and employees of Mitsui & Co., who have the same kokorozashi, will support and co-create these projects by utilizing their experience in tackling wide-ranging social issues. In this way, we shall endeavor to create more significant social impacts.

We will provide more detailed guidance about the new fund at a later date on the website and through other means.