Sompo Japan's SAVE JAPAN Project Approved as the Only Private Sector "The Japan Committee for United Nations Decade on Biodiversity Partnership Projects"

Online, October 29, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. (President and CEO: Kengo Sakurada; hereinafter "Sompo Japan") is pleased to announce that its "SAVE JAPAN Project - Select 'Web-based Insurance Clause' and Support the Protection of Endangered Species Habitats in Japan"*1 has been approved by "The Japan Committee for United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB-J)" (Chair: Hiromasa Yonekura, Chairman, Keidanren), as a partnership project recommended by the committee. Among 10 partnership projects which were approved by UNDB-J, the SAVE JAPAN Project was the only project selected from the private sector.
*1 Since 2011, Sompo Japan has been making donations to environmental NGOs and other organizations in Japan relative to the number of web-based insurance clauses selected when customers enroll in automobile insurance. In conjunction with local NPO centers and environmental groups as well as the Japan NPO Center; an intermediary organization, the project encourages biodiversity conservation by engaging Japanese citizens (website: http://savejapan-pj.net/sj2012/ (Japanese only)).

1. Overview of "The Japan Committee for United Nations Decade on Biodiversity" partnership projects

The United Nations designates the decade from 2011 to 2020 as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. With a view to achieving the targets adopted at the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity ("Aichi Targets"), a range of sectors from the international community are collaborating to address biodiversity issues.
In Japan, UNDB-J, founded in September 2011, promotes the participation and partnership of multiple sectors in Japan for the achievement of the Aichi Targets.

This project has been approved as recommended by The Japan Committee for United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB-J).

2. About the project's approval

In order to promote the achievement of the Aichi Targets, UNDB-J, for the first time this year, approved 10 partnership projects from an array of projects by holistically considering a variety of aspects, including the "diverse actors' partnership", "the project's importance", and "the project's awareness-raising impact". In this process, SAVE JAPAN Project was selected as one of these projects. Sompo Japan was the only private sector whose project was selected among the approved projects for the following reasons:

Diverse actors' partnership
The project promotes partnerships among actors that cut across many sectors, including Sompo Japan, the Japan NPO Center, NGO support centers nationwide, and local NGOs. In addition, the project conducts biodiversity conservation activities that engage Japanese citizens nationwide, and therefore, covers a wide area.

The project's importance
The project is designed to be sustainable by incorporating into Sompo Japan's business and donation activities which make use of web-based insurance clauses. Furthermore, by working together with diverse civic groups, effective support is provided for biodiversity conservation in all corners of Japan.

The project's awareness-raising impact
Donation activities which make use of web-based insurance clauses are innovative, and ripple effects can be expected in regard to triggering new initiatives.

3. Way forward

Started in 2011, the SAVE JAPAN Project expanded its activities to all 47 prefectures in Japan. Sompo Japan will continue to make active efforts for biodiversity conservation in across the country.

About Sompo Japan

Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. is a leading provider of Property & Casualty insurance in Japan. Together with Nipponkoa Insurance CO., Ltd., it established NKSJ Holdings, Inc. a joint holding company as comprehensive service provider group for risk and asset management in 2010 and is now preparing for a merger as "Sompo Japan Nipponkoa" by 2014.
As a long-time leader in CSR, Sompo Japan strongly commits to build sustainable society focusing on its own CSR material issues such as climate change and sustainable finance. The company is regularly recognized for our efforts to sustainability. Recent awards are "World's Most Ethical Companies" in 2012, "SAM Silver Class" in 2011, and "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World" in 2009 and 2010.

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