Our Approach to Sustainability

SoftBank Group’s philosophy, “Information Revolution - Happiness for everyone” embodies our determination to bring happiness to everyone, even to future generations 300 years from now. To create a world where people can live in harmony with the earth, the SoftBank Group will fulfill our responsibility as leader in the Information Revolution to realize a sustainable society.

SoftBank Group has established “The SoftBank Group Sustainability Principles” as a guideline for the Group's sustainability initiatives, so as to achieve sustainable growth by meeting the expectations of customers, shareholders, creditors, business partners, employees, and all other stakeholders.

Based on this policy, we have identified material issues reflecting business characteristics and social demands of each Group company. For autonomous promotion of our sustainability initiatives, we have established the Six activity themes.

1. Drive sustainable growth and innovation in society by uniting wisdom and knowledge

2. Take responsibility by responding to emerging issues that come with technological advancement

3. Ensure the growth of the future generations and our business by creating higher quality employment for all

4. Leverage breakthrough technologies to resolve environmental issues, including energy problems

5. Demonstrate highly transparent governance and integrity to win further trust of our stakeholders

6. Maximize our potential as a group by joining forces with people around the world to make a positive impact on society

SoftBank Group Corp. classified issues to be addressed from two perspectives: the importance to stakeholders and to the Group. Among these issues, we identified eight key issues as Strategic Material Issues that should be addressed with priority. As for the importance to the Group, issues in the major business sectors in which the Group is engaged are analyzed to determine the order of priority.

Step 1: Identification of issues / Identify social issues

Refer to external guidelines and the opinions of experts to identify social issues in the social and business environments surrounding the Group's main business sectors.

Step 2: Materiality analysis / Analyze the importance of social issues to stakeholders and the Group

Analyze importance from two perspectives: “importance to stakeholders” and “importance to the Group.”

Step 3: Identification of Material Issues / Identify the Strategic Material Issues that the Group should address in the society

Identify Strategic Material Issues the Group must address with a particular priority.

Going forward, we plan to continue addressing identified Strategic Material Issues by setting relevant targets. In addition, Strategic Material Issues will be reviewed as needed to reflect changes in society and the environment, the expectations of stakeholders, and changes in the business practice of each Group company, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth for the Group as a whole.

As a sustainability governance structure, Board of the SoftBank Group Corp. has appointed Chief Sustainability Officer (CSusO) and has established the Sustainability Committee. The committee is chaired by CSusO (Head of Investor Relations Department & Head of Sustainability Department) and composed of three members including Board Director, Corporate Officer, Senior Vice President, CFO & CISO (Head of Finance Unit & Head of Administration Unit), Corporate Officer, Senior Vice President (Head of Accounting Unit), and Corporate Officer, CLO & GCO (Head of Legal Unit). The committee discusses material ESG issues surrounding the Group and its promotion policies, while taking into account the requests from our stakeholders, and report to the Board for supervision.

SoftBank Group Corp. aims to realize a society where people all over the world can live happily and prosperously. Together with the Group companies that conduct business globally, we will work to contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing the six activity themes identified in our Sustainability Principles.