About ITOCHU's Participation in the United Nations Global Compact

May 27, 2009

ITOCHU Corporation (hereinafter “ITOCHU”) has joined the Global Compact initiative advocated by the United Nations.

Having established “Committed to the Global Good” as its corporate mission, ITOCHU puts it into practice through its corporate activities. To better fulfill its corporate social responsibility as a global enterprise, and in line with this corporate mission, ITOCHU supports the ten principles of the Global Compact, a worldwide effort to achieve the sustainable growth of the international community.

In compliance with the Global Compact’s ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption, ITOCHU will continue to meet the demands of various stakeholders of the international community and conduct its business as a global enterprise to contribute to the construction of a sustainable society.

About the United Nations Global Compact

The Global Compact was established in 2000 after having been advocated by the former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The Global Compact is a voluntary initiative where companies demonstrate responsible and creative leadership to act as good corporate citizens and participate in the building of a global framework for achieving sustainable growth. Participating companies and organizations support and put into practice the 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption. As of May 7, 2009, 6,858 companies and organizations (including 88 from Japan) have joined the Global Compact.

The Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact

The UN Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption:

Human rights Principle 1 Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and
Principle 2 make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labour Principle 3 Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
Principle 4 the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
Principle 5 the effective abolition of child labour; and
Principle 6 the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment Principle 7 Businesses are asked to support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
Principle 8 undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility; and
Principle 9 encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-corruption Principle 10 Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

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