Harvard Business School Professor Sandra Sucher Discusses Sampo-yoshi during Visit to ITOCHU’s Founding Site

October 8, 2026

Harvard Business School Professor Sandra Sucher, an expert in building trusted organizations, visited Japan in June to conduct interviews with ITOCHU.

Previously in 2025, Professor Sucher published a case study examining ITOCHU Group’s corporate mission, Sampo-yoshi (“good for the seller, good for the buyer, and good for society”). The goal of this return visit was to develop an expanded multimedia version of the case study.
Over the course of a week, Professor Sucher conducted 24 interviews, including with Chairman & CEO Masahiro Okafuji. She also visited ITOCHU’s founding site in Shiga Prefecture to experience the company’s history and the spirit of Sampo-yoshi.

Professor Sucher shared her observations on Sampo-yoshi and ITOCHU after completing interviews in Shiga.
The multimedia case study is expected to be released in fall 2027.

External site links:
Full version (8:50): Harvard Professor Sandra Sucher discusses Sampo-yoshi (full ver.)
Short version (5:06): Harvard Professor Sandra Sucher discusses Sampo-yoshi (short ver.)

Reference (2025 case study outline):
ITOCHU Group Corporate Mission “Sampo-yoshi” Featured in Harvard Business School Case Study, Now Publicly Available | Sustainability News | ITOCHU Corporation

Professor Sucher Discusses Sampo-yoshi