Interim Report Compiled on Discussions by “Working Group on Efficient Collection and Strategic Use of Sustainability-Related Data for Creation of Sustainable Corporate Value”

1. Purpose and background

As various sustainability challenges—such as climate change and human rights—surface and become increasingly complex, companies are required to put sustainability at the core of their management and make management more resilient and sustainable.
 
In addition, investors are putting more emphasis on sustainability-related information in addition to financial information in evaluating the sustainability of corporate value. Furthermore, more and more investors are calling on companies to disclose sustainability-related information, and, in response, standards are being developed in many countries and regions on the disclosure of sustainability-related information.
 
However, many companies tend to consider the collection of sustainability-related data as merely a necessary chore in responding to external requests for such disclosures and regulatory compliance instead of seeing this collection of data as an opportunity to use the data in their business strategies.

In response to this problem, in December 2022, METI established the “Working Group on Efficient Collection and Strategic Use of Sustainability-Related Data for Creation of Sustainable Corporate Value.” Following this, the working group held seven meetings in total and conducted a survey titled “Fact-Finding Survey on Collection and Use of Sustainability-Related Data.” METI compiled the survey and discussion results into an interim report.

2. Interim report

In the interim report, based on the results of the questionnaire survey and case studies, we have identified and organized issues in the collection and strategic use of sustainability-related data, as well as described measures to address each issue and the form that should be aimed for.

“Ideal goals to be achieved” in the efficient collection and strategic use of sustainability-related data

As readers, the interim report targets, in particular, business owners of listed companies and personnel in the divisions that control sustainability-related data (e.g., Sustainability Promotion Office) and corporate planning that is involved in the design of business strategies and budget formulation.

METI hopes that this interim report will motivate companies to build a system for the efficient collection and strategic use of sustainability-related data, thereby enhancing the sophistication of sustainability management.

Related Materials (in Japanese)

• Report on Efficient Collection and Strategic Use of Sustainability-Related Data (interim report)(PDF:6,230KB)
• Report on Efficient Collection and Strategic Use of Sustainability-Related Data (summary of the interim report)(PDF:3,182KB)
• Appendix: Questionnaire Survey for Fact-Finding Survey on Collection and Use of Sustainability-Related Data(PDF:1,465KB)

Related Links

• Establishment of a Working Group on Efficient Collection and Strategic Use of Sustainability-Related Data for Creation of Sustainable Corporate Value (December 12, 2022)
• Working Group on Efficient Collection and Strategic Use of Sustainability-Related Data for Creation of Sustainable Corporate Value (in Japanese)
• Study Group on Disclosure Policies for Non-financial Information (in Japanese)
• Study Group on Dialogues that Contribute to Long-term Corporate Management and Investment for Creation of Sustainable Corporate Value (SX Study Group) (in Japanese)
• ITO Review 3.0 (ITO Review SX Edition) and Guidance for Collaborative Value Creation 2.0 Compiled (August 31, 2022)

Division in Charge

Corporate Accounting, Disclosure and CSR Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau