Deepening customer connections through Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests

Enhancing customer convenience while reducing environmental impact

The Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests project began as an initiative to channel the savings from reduced paper statement issuance—thanks to the growing use of web-based statements—into forest conservation activities. By shifting from traditional paper statements to web- and app-based formats, the company has boosted customer convenience while cutting paper consumption and lowering the environmental impact. Moreover, the proceeds generated are reinvested in forest conservation, creating a sustainable cycle.

Specifically, Sumitomo Mitsui Card is emphasizing the three initiatives described below.

(1) Reduce paper use and protect the trees that provide raw materials
Converting one paper statement to a web-based statement reduces CO₂ emissions by 500 grams— equivalent to the volume of 500 plastic bottles (source: Japan Consumer Credit Association website). This helps prevent overharvesting and contributes to the protection of trees, which are important carbon sinks.

(2) Use products that benefit forests and the environment
Sumitomo Mitsui Card is transitioning to environmentally conscious paper products. Paper statements are sent in FSC-certified envelopes.

• Note: FSC certification is a system established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to certify products made from wood or other low-risk, responsibly managed raw materials. The certification aims to promote sustainable use and conservation of forests.

(3) Maintain forests in a healthy state
By carrying out appropriate planting and thinning, Sumitomo Mitsui Card is working to foster diverse forests—environments where a variety of tree species grow together in a balanced manner. These forests absorb more CO₂ and retain more water. Forests play a vital role in mitigating global warming by absorbing CO₂, and they also help prevent disasters by improving the soil’s ability to hold water. By nurturing rich ecosystems, the initiative also supports the conservation of biodiversity.

Currently, Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests are being developed at five sites across Japan, including Sumita Town in Iwate Prefecture and Tenkawa Village in Nara Prefecture. By taking into account the unique characteristics of each location and selecting tree species suited to the local environment, the project is helping to cultivate flourishing forests that are not only more sustainable but also more biodiverse and more resilient.

For example, in Tenkawa Village, Nara Prefecture, Sumitomo Mitsi Card is helping to revitalize traditional local resources by planting kihada (Amur cork trees), a species long native to the area. The bark of the kihada tree is used in traditional herbal medicine, but in recent years the tree has been in decline. The Forests initiative also supports the recovery of endangered regional resources and helps preserve the culture and history of local communities.

The most distinctive feature of Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests is that the initiative is led by the marketing department. Typically, corporate social responsibility activities are led by public relations or CSR departments, but at Sumitomo Mitsui Card, the marketing department—focused on customer communication—takes the lead, resulting in initiatives that truly reflect the customer’s perspective.

By combining the convenience of credit cards with social contributions, Sumitomo Mitsui Card is advancing the emergence of a sustainable society while earning the empathy and support of its customers. Knowing that their credit card usage contributes to the good of society not only strengthens customers’ trust in and loyalty to the company, but also encourages them to reflect on their own consumption habits.

In fact, this initiative has helped boost customers’ favorable impression of Sumitomo Mitsui Card as well as their willingness to use the card. Enhancing customer engagement is vital for the company’s sustainable growth. The Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests project stands out as a forward-looking undertaking to strengthen bonds with customers through social contributions.

Creating and maintaining forests requires close collaboration with local communities. In the Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests project, local residents, government officials, and NPOs work together on activities like tree planting and thinning. Through cooperation and ongoing engagement with the community, the initiative not only raises awareness about the importance of forests but also contributes to regional revitalization.

For local residents, forests not only provide resources such as timber and food but are also places where cultural and spiritual values are nurtured. By encouraging community participation and working together to create forests, Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests help foster a sense of attachment and pride in the locality, contributing to the realization of sustainable local communities.

The general incorporated association More Trees plays a key role in the operation of Sumitomo Mitsui Card Forests. Founded by the late musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and currently led by architect Kengo Kuma, More Trees is a group of forest conservation experts active in Japan and overseas. In addition to surveying the characteristics of each region and devising optimal afforestation plans, the organization also works with local communities and provides guidance on planting and thinning. By partnering with More Trees and leveraging its expertise and human networks, Sumitomo Mitsui Card is strengthening its forest conservation efforts and helping to realize sustainable forestry. The initiative aims to reduce CO₂ emissions equivalent to approximately 4,500 round-trip flights between Tokyo and New York (source: More Trees).

Sumitomo Mitsui Card plans to expand its Forests initiative to additional regions across Japan. Through forest restoration and conservation, the company aims to increase the number of kankei jinko—people who, though not residents, develop meaningful ties to a community and help enhance its value. These efforts are intended to benefit both local communities and the global environment. Beyond afforestation, Sumitomo Mitsui Card also seeks to generate new forms of value by deepening collaboration with local communities. This includes developing community revitalization programs that make use of forest resources, as well as implementing environmental education initiatives. Through such multifaceted activities, the company envisages making a broader contribution to building a sustainable society.