Sojitz Group promotes Group employees' participation in grassroots social contribution activities with the aim of deepening involvement in local communities.
Main Activities
Table for Two (TFT) Program
Bento are arranged to depict the Japanese characters for “Sojitz”
Sojitz is a participant in the “Table for Two (TFT)” program, serving healthy bento boxes to employees in the Sojitz cafeteria.
TFT is a social contribution program first launched in Japan that aims to simultaneously tackle both the issue of malnutrition in developing countries, and the obesity and lifestyle diseases that afflict populations in developed countries.
For every TFT bento box purchased, 20 yen will be donated to fund one school lunch for a child in a developing country.
The Grand Prize-winning photo
Onigiri arranged to depict a wind farm
Photo taken at Ministop Vietnam
Sojitz will also match every donation, meaning that for every Sojitz employee who purchases a healthy TFT bento, two school lunches will be provided for a child in a developing country.
By participating in the TFT program, Sojitz hopes to raise awareness of social issues like poverty and world hunger among its employees, while also providing them with an opportunity to contribute to society through the purchase of a healthy bento box.
In October 2019, Sojitz began sales of “Sojitz bentos” at its employee café as part of the TFT program in honor of World Food Day. The Sojitz Group developed and supervised production of the first edition of this Sojitz onigiri bento, which uses Sojitz Foods Corporation’s salmon flakes.
Sojitz participated in the “Onigiri Action” program (organized by TFT) in which 100 yen is donated for every photo. Sojitz held two in-house photo sessions for the cause, during which participating employees lined up bentos into emoji and created the Sojitz “global arrows” logo. Approximately 100 photos were taken and sent to TFT.
In October 2020, Sojitz held the second “Sojitz Bento” sale and Onigiri Photo Contest.
A photo shoot was also held where employees arranged bento to depict emoji and visual representations of Sojitz’s business such as a tuna, an airport, and a wind farm. Sojitz President Masayoshi Fujimoto was also present for the photo shoot.
Sojitz Group employees in Vietnam—where Sojitz manufactures and sells onigiri—cooperated by submitting photos. Members of Sojitz Group offices around the world submitted photos, such as Sojitz Australia’s Perth Branch, where Japanese staff held an onigiri-making workshop to teach local staff about onigiri.
As part of Sojitz’s social contribution activities, employees participate in a lunchtime cleanup around Hibiya Park with other tenant companies of the Tokyo HQ building.
* The Hibiya Park cleanup is carried out together with other tenants of Iino Building. Close to 50 participants gather for each cleanup.
Volunteer cleanup at Jonanjima Seaside Park
Volunteers included many Sojitz staff working in plastics-related departments
In October 2019, Sojitz began sales of “Sojitz bentos” at its employee café as part of the TFT program in honor of World Food Day. Sojitz Group developed and supervised production of the first edition of this Sojitz onigiri bento, which uses Sojitz Foods Corporation’s salmon flakes.
Secondhand Book Power Project
Sojitz Corporation concluded a partnership agreement with Japan Blind Football Association (JBFA) in 2018, becoming an official sponsor supporting JBFA’s activities.
Since December 2018, Sojitz has been carrying out a secondhand book drive. Used books are donated to Value Books, a partner of the Japan Blind Football Association (JBFA), and the proceeds are then put towards a donation to JBFA’s “Spo-iku” program sponsored by Sojitz, or towards purchasing equipment such as soccer balls for JBFA.
As of the end of 2021, Sojitz has donated 2,158 used books. Sojitz will continue to hold a secondhand book drive twice a year.
Support for the Disabled
The scene at a regularly held sales event for Swan Café & Bakery at Sojitz’s head office
Since 2006, Sojitz has been supporting Swan Café & Bakery, which provides employment opportunities to people living with disabilities, in order to support the independence and social involvement of people with disabilities in the local community. Sojitz invites the Swan Café & Bakery’s Akasaka Branch to hold regular (about once a month) in-house sales events in Sojitz’s head office. These events always prove to be a great success, with almost all the bakery items selling out every time.
Blood Donation
Blood donations are conducted twice during the year in meeting rooms at the Sojitz head office
Conducted twice during the year in meeting rooms at the Sojitz head office.
