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Improvement of Sustainability of Natural Capital
Climate change mitigation and adaptation through biodiversity conservation and the utilization of ecosystems
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Our daily lives and economic activities depend on the benefits of nature (ecosystem services), which are available to us thanks to the existence of a sound natural environment and biodiversity. But the foundation is seriously threatened by climate change caused by our lives and economic activities. On the other hand, nature provides ecosystem services that mitigate and adapt to climate change by maintaining and restoring a rich natural environment. We will proactively implement measures to recover, maintain and make use of the natural environment in consideration of the impacts climate change has on it and of the possibility of utilizing ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Case1 : Leading the activities of the Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB)
The Japan Business Initiative for Biodiversity (JBIB) was launched in April 2008 for the purpose of helping companies conduct joint research to foster biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of biological resources. The MS&AD Insurance Group has been leading the activities of the JBIB as its chair since its founding. Through joint research by a diverse range of companies, the JBIB is producing results that would be impossible for a single company to achieve on its own, and member companies are having dialogues with other companies and stakeholders based on the achievements made through the JBIB toward enhancing their respective initiatives and further contributing to biodiversity conservation. As a biodiversity initiative representing Japan, the JBIB has also been active on the global stage, including sending representatives to the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Case2 : Symposium on corporate biodiversity initiatives
Business Talking Biodiversity “The Story of Biology Told by Companies”
The annual symposium, “The Story of Biology Told by Companies,” hosted by MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc. This symposium inspired the start of JBIB when it was first held in 2007. It has been held 15 times since then. Through this event we have been sharing the latest information about biodiversity conservation, including examples of biodiversity promotion measures implemented by companies, desirable corporate behaviors and worldwide trends, and have been communicating the need for biodiversity conservation. At the symposium held in February 2022, the keynote speakers briefed participants on the global targets to be adopted at COP 15 and the latest trends concerning the TNFD. Moreover, a speaker from the Japanese Financial Services Agency gave a special lecture about how the loss of biodiversity was related to the economy and finance. Also, at the thematic sessions, guest panelists representing companies, institutional investors and NGOs with advanced biodiversity measures proactively discussed themes such as the need to make investments in supply chains and the definition of “Nature-Positive.”
Case3 : Participation in the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
In June 2021, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) was launched like the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). The TNFD aims to support a shift in global financial flows away from nature-negative outcomes and toward nature-positive outcomes. Mr. Makoto Haraguchi, SVP of MS&AD’s Sustainability Section, has been appointed as a Taskforce Member.
Case4 : Surugadai Building fostering biodiversity with a greening rate of more than 40%
The Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Surugadai Building (Head Office) and the Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Surugadai Annex are located in the university district of Kanda Surugadai in Chiyoda, Tokyo, an area where samurai residences once lined the streets in Edo period. Since the completion of the head office building in 1984, we have been upholding the principle of “harmony with the surrounding environment” and created a rooftop garden able to accommodate tall trees while also preserving existing trees already growing on the premises. Thanks to these measures, we are externally appreciated as an advanced company in terms of greening.
When the Surugadai Annex was constructed in 2012, we created a new green space by planting indigenous tree species as well as fruitful and syrup-yielding trees based on the concept of providing green space to promote harmony between the local community and local fauna, with a view to honoring the concept and history of the Surugadai Building by proactively addressing the issue of urban biodiversity. In order to create a green area that is open to the community, a direct elevator to the rooftop garden of the Surugadai Building and the ECOM Surugadai environmental communication space were built. The soil of the green space maintains a level of softness that is appropriate for the growth of a range of plants and can also hold rainwater. Moreover, a water detention tank with a storage capacity of 3,500 tons was installed in the building’s underground area for the prevention of flooding caused by heavy rain events. The head office building thus contributes to biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation.

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