Blue Value™ / Rose Value™

The Mitsui Chemicals Group, which includes “promoting human well-being” as one of the five social contribution areas in its Corporate Mission, lists “a comfortable society in which people can enjoy healthy lives and well-being” and “an inclusive society creating diverse value” as its ideal future society and aims to realize this through its business activities. In VISION 2030, we have established the building of solutions-based business models as a basic strategy. This involves expanding the social issue perspective across all our businesses and offering solutions that combine services beyond just material supply. Through this approach, we aim to contribute to improving quality of life by addressing areas such as “health and livelihood,” “highly livable communities,” and “food security,” alongside business growth.

As a tool to track progress, we have defined the contributions that our products and services make to improving quality of life as Rose Value™, certifying those that meet our defined criteria through our assessment and review processes. By maximizing our contributions throughout the entire product life cycle through expanding and providing Rose Value™ products and services, we hope to achieve corporate growth for the Group and realize our ideal future society.

We evaluate the extent to which the Group’s products and services contribute to our approach to social challenges identified in the first stage of assessment. This evaluation considers not only the Company’s direct contributions, but also aims to visualize the broader impact across the supply chain, including processing by customers and the use of the final products.

At the FY2024 review board, 42 products and services were certified as Rose Value™. Newly certified Rose Value™ products include breathable film that reduces discomfort caused by leaks and stuffiness in masks and diapers, and a business that recycles industrial waste into chemicals used as raw materials for semiconductors and other products. During the certification renewal review, which is conducted every five years to reflect changes in societal demands and the market environment, products such as water pipe that are less likely to break during earthquakes was once again certified.

On the other hand, applications that lack trade-off information or provide insufficient explanation of contributions to improving quality of life (QOL) are deemed inappropriate and are not certified. Additionally, applications in which the role of our products in solving social challenges is unclear are also not certified.

By applying this two-step assessment—considering both the approach to social challenges and our reasonable involvement, while also taking into account prerequisites and trade-offs—we strive to evaluate as objectively as possible whether a product or service truly contributes to solving social challenges. Additionally, we base our reviews on the advice and views from external advisors regarding the validity of certification in terms of the impact of social contribution throughout the entire supply chain.

When determining the assessment methods and review criteria for Rose Value™ products, we receive advice from the Japan Research Institute, Ltd., which serves as an external advisor and provides insights from a specialist perspective. In addition, prior to the review board meeting, we also take into account the expert opinions provided by the institute on the level of contribution made by the applicant products, and the review board determines whether they meet the criteria.