Main

Mitsui & Co.’s Materiality

Create an eco-friendly society

Accelerate initiatives towards environmental issues, such as responding to climate change and water resource problems, and contributing to a circular economy.

Recognition of Societal Issues

Global warming, climate change
Water resource shortages
Circular economy
Environmental pollution
Loss of biodiversity

Major Risks and Opportunities

Risks

Impact of tighter policies and regulations as part of the transition to a low-carbon society
Impact of new technologies and the creation of new markets on supply and demand in existing business areas
Disruption of business operations due to the impact of cyclones, hurricanes, and other physical impacts linked to climate change
Impacts on the natural environment, such as the large-scale use of water in business operations
Impact of leakage of hazardous chemicals
Increase of environmental costs due to the destruction/deterioration of eco-systems

Opportunities

Accelerating market changes in the mobility area resulting from rising environmental awareness and the tightening of regulations
Expansion of markets for environment-related business areas, such as renewable energy
Demand for high-efficiency power plants
Creation of new business models based on the circular economy
Handling of products and services that contribute to the creation of a lowcarbon society by conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Materiality Action Plans

Please scroll horizontally to look at table below.

Segment	Business unit	Business field	Response to issues	Target (assuming a date by 2030)	Actions and performance indices for achieving the target	Current status/progress
Mineral & Metal Resources	Mineral & Metal Resources	Mineral and metal resources business development	We will contribute to the achievement of a society that is in harmony with the environment by supplying mineral and metal resources that support a low-carbon society and by reducing environmental burdens in the resource industry.	Promote businesses to reduce environmental impact, including greenhouse gas reduction.	Contribute (from the raw materials side) to the low carbonization of the steel industry, and build value chains. Develop copper and battery raw materials that are required for EVs and electrification, and build value chains. Take low-carbon-emitting initiatives in mining operations.	Together with Vale/Kobe Steel/Midrex, we are jointly considering providing low-carbon iron sources and low-carbon iron-making solutions. We are collaborating with partners to reduce Scope 1/2 GHG emissions (exhaust gas from mining equipment, accompanying methane gas, etc.) from metallurgical coal business. Also considering a possibility of collaborating with related infrastructure and technology owners. All electricity procured for the Collahuasi copper mine in Chile has been switched to renewable energy.
Mineral & Metal Resources	Mineral & Metal Resources	Environmental measures/metal and battery recycling businesses	We will contribute to achieve a circular economy through our metal and battery recycling businesses.	Expand our metal and battery recycling businesses that contribute to the promotion of a circular economy.	Promote and expand metal and battery recycling business.	We are promoting scrap metal business at domestic and overseas bases and among investees (MM&Kenzai, Kyoei Recycling, Sims, etc.). We are promoting reuse and recycling business for EV waste battery cells and packs.
Energy	Energy Segment	Energy solutions	We will contribute to the achievement of a low-carbon or no-carbon-emitting society by utilizing our accumulated knowledge inside and outside our Company in our business domains.	Support our Company and our partners for their effort on Net zero emissions by providing comprehensive energy solutions that combine technologies and businesses such as distributed renewable energy, storage batteries, next-generation fuels, and emissions trading. Thoroughly disseminate our sustainable supply chain policy and, if necessary, formulate individual procurement policies and goals based on this policy, and aim to achieve them.	Work in various business fields with excellent partners who possess a high degree of technical ability and a wealth of knowledge. Provide innovative solutions that utilize our comprehensive strengths. Monitor the implementation status of individual procurement policies.	We participate in and promote distributed renewable energy, energy management business, carbon-free LNG/biofuel/next-generation fuel supply, and CO2 Capture and Storage ("CCS") businesses. Our main projects are listed below. In November 2021, we strengthened capital ties and concluded a collaboration agreement with Forsee Power of France, through which we are promoting the electrification of mobility. In March 2022, we concluded an MOU with Storegga Limited of the U.K., a Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) operator in which we have invested, for the commercialization of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. In May 2022, we invested in Climate Friendly, an Australian company engaged in the creation and sale of carbon credits through the restoration of native forest vegetation. We have created an individual procurement policy for timber, which is recognized as a product that has a significant environmental and social impact.
Machinery & Infrastructure	Infrastructure Projects	Centralized RE/distributed power generation	We will construct, develop, and operate an RE power supply that can help reduce GHG emissions through decarbonization.	Achieve an RE ratio of 30%.	Construct new domestic and overseas RE power sources (offshore wind power, centralized large-scale solar power, distributed solar power, DSO, etc.). Steadily operate RE power sources in Japan and overseas. Provide RE peripheral business provision.	In April 2022, we invested in Mainstream Renewable Power Limited, a leading renewable energy operator engaged in onshore and offshore wind and solar power projects mainly in Latin America and Africa. The company is aiming to develop 25 GW over the next 10 years.
Machinery & Infrastructure	Infrastructure Projects	Social environment infrastructure business	We will solve water problems and contribute to the sustainable growth of society through water production and water and sewage treatment.	Improve the efficiency of existing water and sewage treatment businesses. Stably operate water production business. Acquire new water-related businesses.	Construct water production projects in the Middle East. Steadily operate water and sewage treatment business in the Americas and the acquisition of new projects. Completion of water production projects in the Americas, and the commencement of operations.	Through MITinfra in Mexico, we are helping to improve the living environment of local residents, solve water resource shortages, and achieve sustainable corporate activities through the water and sewage treatment business and wastewater treatment business for industrial customers. We are also considering and promoting new initiatives.
Machinery & Infrastructure	Infrastructure Projects	General power/new areas/services	We will provide and utilize decarbonized and environment-related products in initiatives for decarbonization and carbon neutrality in new business areas, mobility, and other business areas such as steelmaking, chemicals, and food, thereby contributing to decarbonization and carbon neutrality in the world.	Promote and expand our decarbonization efforts utilizing our comprehensive strengths.	Promote the construction and operation of equipment that meets the LEED Platinum certification standard, and contribute to urban development in harmony with the environment. Correctly understand customer demand in next-generation domains. Discover new products and services, conduct verification tests, and subsequently roll out mass production.	District cooling equipment and distributed facilities are under construction in the One Bangkok district cooling and distribution business. We are pursuing entry opportunities by selecting partners for infrastructure construction related to decarbonization. Using our existing traders and business partners to assist us, we will promote the development of new traders in overseas markets such as Europe, as we seek to discover new products.
Machinery & Infrastructure	Mobility I	Manufacture and sale of EV/FCV buses	We will work to popularize transportation vehicles that have a low environmental impact and that can contribute to the realization of a low-carbon society.	Establish a service provision system for low environmental impact transportation vehicles such as EVs and FCVs.	Expand the lineup of low environmental impact products handled. Together with new and existing partners, promote efforts that can help to achieve low-carbon-emitting societies.	Caetano Bus, S.A., a Portuguese bus manufacturing and sales company in which we have invested, manufactures and sells EV buses that have a low environmental impact. These have been used as route buses in London since 2020.
Machinery & Infrastructure	Mobility II	Shipping	We will provide high-quality, environmentally friendly, competitive ships and services to meet the ever-expanding demand for marine transportation as the world economy grows.	Use DX to select the optimal shipping routes to save fuel and use new technologies such as new kinds of fuels to help reduce the environmental burden of shipping and enable sustainable growth of maritime industries.	Increase our efforts with global partners in each area of the world (shipyards, shipowners, shipowners). Showcase initiatives for utilizing the technological capabilities of Japanese manufacturers.	With emission reduction in the shipping industry becoming a global issue, in April 2021 we became a strategic partner of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS), a not-for-profit international research and development center dedicated to the decarbonization of the shipping industry.
Machinery & Infrastructure	Mobility II	Railways	We will promote our environmentally friendly railway transportation business, which serves as a major logistics artery in Europe and the Americas.	European environmental policy in the railway field promotes the shift from trucks to railways, promotion of electrification, promotion of regional integration, etc. The policy is to increase the railway modal share from 18% in 2020 to 30% by 2030. By offering electric locomotives and maintenance services that will play a part in this policy, we help to reduce the environmental burden.	Phase out diesel locomotives and have only electric ones. Reduce the environmental burden of our locomotives.	Mitsui Rail Capital Europe (MRCE), a subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd., which is the largest company in the European locomotive leasing industry, is working to reduce the environmental burden through the use of electric locomotives.
Chemicals	Basic Materials	Covering all business areas of the Business Unit (Gas Chemicals Business/Basic Chemicals Business/Performance monomer/Tank Terminal Business)	We will realize a low-carbon society and a circular economy.	Create business and strengthen initiatives in the areas of emission management and recycling.	Work on manufacture and sale of low-carbon products. Develop fuel ammonia and various recycling businesses.	We are promoting low-carbon methanol production using a U.S. methanol production facility.
Chemicals	Performance Materials	Manufacturing and distribution	We will work to procure and provide safe and secure products to achieve a sustainable society through environmental protection.	Disseminate our sustainable supply chain policy throughout our supply chain.	Monitor the implementation status of each individual procurement policy.	We have formulated individual procurement policies for timber, paper products and natural rubber, which we recognize as products which are required to be in line with the protection of the natural environment when effectively utilizing forest resources.
Chemicals	Performance Materials	Clean energy business	We will work to accelerate energy transformation and promote clean energy (such as hydrogen) to help achieve a carbon-free society.	Create demand for hydrogen and work on the industry issues such as cost reduction and deregulation.	Enhance collaboration with partner companies and expand the hydrogen supply chain.	We are investing in hydrogen tank manufacturers and hydrogen station operating companies, as well as providing business support.
Chemicals	Performance Materials	Forestry resources	We will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases and work to conserve biodiversity.	Contribute to greenhouse gas reduction by tree planting and comply with forest certification.	Establish greenhouse gas reduction projects through tree planting and maintain forest certification for our forestry assets.	We have enhanced our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases with partner companies. We have obtained forest certification for all our afforestation assets overseas.
Chemicals	Performance Materials	Materials and products business	Through our materials and products business, we will contribute to the achievement of a carbon-free and recycling-oriented society.	Develop and recycle environmentally friendly materials and products. Create and enhance other recycling-oriented businesses.	Develop and market low-environmental impact materials and products with partner companies, and develop and provide solutions including the construction of circular business models.	We have participated in CLOMA (Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance) to help solve problems of plastic waste in oceans. We are promoting the development and commercialization of low-environmental impact materials and products with partner companies in the fields of plastics, biochemicals, and paper.
Iron & Steel Products	Iron & Steel Products	Renewable energy	We will work on the manufacture, maintenance and repair of infrastructure for renewable energy.	Help spread the use of renewable energy through the manufacture of equipment used in onshore and offshore wind turbine towers, as well as the establishment of inspection and repair business for tower materials and equipment.	Expand the services that we handle and the areas that these cover.	We have established Horizon Ocean Management, Ltd. jointly with Hokutaku Co., Ltd., the largest wind turbine maintenance company in Japan. We are promoting to preventive maintenance and longevity needs for wind power generation equipment, due to the increase in domestic offshore wind power generation facilities. We are supplying materials from Regency Steel Japan that are used in the building of self-elevating platforms (vessels). Through partnership with Global Energy Group we are promoting the fabrication and repair of offshore structures for renewable energy. We are promoting the global expansion of wind power tower and flange manufacturing with GRI Renewable Industries.
Lifestyle	Food	Trading/business investment initiatives	We will contribute a circular economy by creating existing business and new business models.	Add value to by-products generated in our food value chain. Promote the setting up of a sales channel expansion circulation system by cultivating demand.	Find out how by-products can be effectively used. Make proposals positively to existing and new customers about how such by-products can be used. Achieve a reduction of waste generated in the value chain, reuse by-products, and utilize sales channels.	We have effectively utilized by-products such as soybeans, rapeseed, wheat, sesame, and corn for livestock and fishery feed. We have reused sugar cane chaff as fuel for power generation. We have made sludge generated by wastewater treatment dried and used them as boiler fuel. Remnants of strawberry flesh on leaves removed from cut strawberries, are utilized to make juice. We have utilized tea leaf residue is used as a raw material for compost.
Lifestyle	Retail	Food retail	We will reduce the environmental burden in the food distribution value chain.	Expand the procurement and handling of materials, packaging materials in our business value chain that have a low environmental impact. Promote the reduction of the environmental impact in our business.	Enhance procurement and development capabilities for materials and packaging materials that have a low environmental impact. Cooperate with suppliers, manufacturers, and customers to procure materials and packaging materials that have a low environmental impact and increase the frequency of development.	We are providing customers with thin-walled, lightweight, and simplified food containers and packaging materials (reduction of packaging usage). We are using biomass film, biomass ink, aluminum-free paper cartons, thinner wood, recycled film and forest-certified paper.
Innovation & Corporate Development	IT & Communication	IT Service	We will contribute to realize the low-carbon society utilizing IoT and Cloud technology.	Contribute to realize the low-carbon society by reducing energy consumption through the utilization of IoT and cloud technology, and to optimize the air conditioning of spaces.	Increase the number of companies that have introduced services and the scale of air conditioning assets owned.	Through Mitsui Knowledge Industry Co., Ltd. (MKI), a subsidiary, we are providing GeM2, a cloud-based energy management service that provides both energy-saving and comfort, as well as a cloud-based remote monitoring service for solar power generation facilities. Through Air as a Service., Ltd. (AaaS), an affiliated company, we are providing a service that optimizes air conditioning usage environments and maximizes energy savings through the remote monitoring and control of industry-use air conditioning and ventilation systems.
Innovation & Corporate Development	Corporate Development	Commodity derivatives	We will contribute to realize the low-carbon society through transactions involving derivatives such as power certificates and emissions credits that contribute to the carbon management of customers in Japan and overseas, and by demonstrating optimization functions.	Realize concrete progress on customers' carbon management plans by demonstrating carbon management functions that meet customers' needs.	Strengthen our ability to trade in power certificate and emissions credit markets and grow our customer base. Cultivate knowledge and personnel connected to carbon management structures and systems.	We are expading trading functions and expand their customer base at Environment & Energy Sales Department of The Commodity Markets Division's and Mitsui Bussan Commodities Ltd.