In 2008 ITOCHU celebrated the 150th anniversary of the company's foundation. In April 2008 we requested staff members to submit ideas for new international social contribution programs that would be appropriate for ITOCHU, as a company aiming to be a truly global enterprise. We received 274 program proposals and based on each proposal's international scope, continuity and the possibility of staff participation, we have decided to carry out two programs as our “Social Contribution Programs to Commemorate the 150th Anniversary of ITOCHU's Foundation” and they are “Supporting the activities to regenerate the tropical rainforest and conserve Borneo's ecosystem” and “Establishing the ITOCHU Scholarship Fund”.

“Supporting the activities to regenerate the tropical rainforest and conserve Borneo's ecosystem” is an important program that will contribute to the prevention of the decline and deterioration of the world's tropical rainforests in addition to global warming and the destruction of ecosystems, which are becoming very serious problems for the global environment, and it is said to be the largest-level forest regeneration program to be carried out by a private enterprise. As a part of the program, we warmly welcome the participation of our group companies and will be named the “ITOCHU Group Forest for Orang-utan”.

Also the ITOCHU Scholarship Fund will be established from the viewpoint of fostering the next generation and will be available to lessen the economic burden on foreign students in Japan so they can remain dedicated to their studies and contribute to the development and strengthening of the relationship between their home countries and Japan in the future.

Outline of the Social Contribution Programs to commemorate the 150th anniversary of ITOCHU's Foundation

1. Supporting the activities to regenerate the tropical rainforest and conserve Borneo's ecosystem - ITOCHU Group Forest for Orang-utan

~ITOCHU Group Forest for Orang-utan~

This program offers support to one of WWF's most important programs, the regeneration of tropical rainforest and the conservation of the ecosystem in Borneo. WWF is globally recognized as one of the largest environmental organizations in the world and our support for this program is expected to become the largest forest regeneration program carried out by a private enterprise. The island of Borneo is said to be as biologically diverse as the Amazon. The regeneration of the tropical rainforest in Borneo is one of the most important global environmental conservation efforts as it will aid in conserving the ecosystem of many endangered species including the orang-utan.

Details

For reference

Outline of the WWF

Established in 1961. Head office in Switzerland. Offices in 55 countries around the world including Japan. Carrying out activities in over 100 countries around the world. The largest global environmental specialist organization with more than 50 million supporters from all over the globe.

2. Establishing the ITOCHU Scholarship Fund

Twenty or thirty foreign students who are currently studying at a university in Japan (3rd and 4th year students are eligible) will be selected and each student shall receive financial support of 1.5 million yen per year (each student shall receive support for two years totaling three million yen) and each year another 20 to 30 students will be selected. Over a three year period we plan to offer scholarships totaling 240 million yen. These foreign students in Japan will also participate in ITOCHU's CSR volunteer activities, attend business information sessions and actively be a part of exchanges with ITOCHU staff members in order to understand ITOCHU's business operations.

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