The Sumitomo Business Philosophy

The Sumitomo Business Philosophy – Passed Down through Over 400 Years of History to the Present Day

Masatomo Sumitomo, the founder of the Sumitomo Group, left behind “Monjuin Shiigaki” (“The Founder’s Precepts”) as a set of principles and guidelines for merchants to abide by. His teachings have been passed down from generation to generation throughout Sumitomo’s 400-year history as the “Sumitomo Business Philosophy,” their essence later condensed in the form of Sumitomo’s more modern “Business Principles.” Containing such principles as, “The business activities of Sumitomo must not benefit only Sumitomo, but must also be of benefit to the nation and to society as a whole, ”the Sumitomo Business Philosophy reflects Sumitomo’s strong sense of duty to society. To this day, the Sumitomo Business Philosophy still forms the basis for the Sumitomo Rubber Group’s own corporate philosophy.

＊: Sumitomo Historical Archives

For more information about the Sumitomo Business Philosophy and Sumitomo’s history, please visit the website of the Sumitomo Group Public Affairs Committee.