Senior Executive Officer Fujisawa Takumi (藤沢卓己) and Executive Officer Chihara Izumi (千原いづみ) of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group discussed the significance of DE&I management and the group’s policies for advancing organisational transformation by connecting diverse areas of expertise. Their initiatives to accelerate the appointment of women to senior roles and influence management decision-making were also introduced.
Senior Executive Officer Fujisawa Takumi (藤沢卓己) and Executive Officer Chihara Izumi (千原いづみ) of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group explained that they are advancing DE&I management by connecting diverse areas of expertise and turning differences into a force for value creation. The aim is to strengthen the ability to address social issues that cannot be solved through conventional thinking alone by combining individuals’ areas of expertise. They identified the group’s three pillars of DNA as a fiduciary mindset, the ability to integrate diverse perspectives, and the ability to take on challenges and execute, and outlined a policy of increasing value on a compound basis by combining areas of expertise.
Chihara (千原いづみ) emphasised that banking is a service industry and that its people are the source of differentiation. She said diversity is not a measure aimed at achieving a certain headcount, but a theme directly tied to business competitiveness, and that creating an environment for healthy debate is important. DE&I is also important from a corporate governance perspective, she said, pointing out that highly homogeneous organisations may lack diverse perspectives. She called for an organisational culture that welcomes differing opinions.