Environmental Preservation with External Partners

The Kumon Group has been supporting WWF Japan, a member of the WWF Network and a global environmental conservation organization operating in more than 100 countries, through the Kumon Forest Fund since 2014.

WWF was founded in Switzerland in 1961. Its main activities are to protect biodiversity on the earth and to reduce the impact of human life on the natural environment and wildlife. One of these activities is forest conservation.

WWF Japan works toward sustainable forest conservation through direct activities in the field, such as research and conservation of rare species and reforestation, as well as by supporting local communities and responsible raw material procurement in Japan. In addition, we also conduct public awareness activities through the development of environmental education programs and seminars on the environment.

Through its global network, WWF Japan supports forest conservation activities in countries around the world and is also involved in environmental education. The Kumon Group, which aims to contribute to local and global communities through education around the world, continues to support these activities, as we share the same goals.

In 2022, WWF Japan was awarded the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon in recognition of its support activities for forest conservation activities, and on August 17, 2022, a gift presentation ceremony was held at the Ministry of the Environment, where a certificate of merit was awarded. The Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon is awarded to individuals or organizations that have donated private funds for the public good and whose achievements have been outstanding.

The Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon was also awarded in recognition of the company's ESD activities during the pandemic aimed at environmental preservation and creating a society that coexists in harmony with nature in Indonesia.

The Kumon Group will continue to contribute to forest conservation and sustainable education through its support for WWF Japan.

*ESD: Education for Sustainable Development. Activities aimed at creating new values and actions that will lead to solutions to various global problems such as the environment, poverty, human rights, peace, and development, and to the creation of a sustainable society.

Borneo Island is rich in biodiversity, but its forests are shrinking year by year due to the expansion of plantations by small-scale farmers to grow oil palm (the plant from which palm oil is made).

In order to realize sustainable palm oil production and halt deforestation in Merawi, West Kalimantan, Borneo, it is necessary to raise the environmental awareness of the entire community and build a system to manage the forest.

In order to raise the awareness and interest of as many local residents as possible, ESD was introduced at two junior high schools in the target area. The goal of ESD is to: 1) raise environmental awareness not only among children but also among teachers, staff, and local residents by establishing a system for implementing environmental education, and 2) to create a curriculum that is in line with the characteristics and needs of the region, and to involve more stakeholders in the creation of a sustainable province.

When WWF first began working in Merawi, it was mainly in collaboration with small-scale farmers and the provincial government, but as time has passed, the content and scope of activities have expanded and many stakeholders have become involved in the creation of a sustainable province. Today, the principals of two junior high schools participate in the program, and various groups meet once every three to four months to exchange opinions.

As Brazil continues to experience deforestation due to rapid agricultural and economic development, WWF Japan has initiated forest conservation activities in two important ecosystems in Brazil, the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest, starting in 2022

The Cerrado, a vast savanna area that runs through the center of Brazil, boasts rich biodiversity, massive carbon storage, and abundant groundwater sources. However, the region's nature is now being lost to cattle grazing and large-scale agricultural development for the cultivation of soybeans and other crops.

WWF supports local residents who collect seeds and cultivate seedlings in areas suitable for regeneration, and together they promote reforestation such as tree planting. Through dialogue with companies involved in soybean distribution, WWF is also working to halt the destruction of forests caused by soybean production.

The Atlantic Forest on Brazil's Atlantic coast is a treasure trove of biodiversity, but as a result of economic development over the past several hundred years, only 12% of the original forest now remains, and many endemic species are threatened with extinction.

WWF, together with other environmental organizations, has set a goal of reforesting 15 million hectares by 2050. Working with local NGOs and local communities, WWF is engaged in reforestation activities that combine the needs of local people and forest conservation, such as balancing reforestation and income through agroforestry (a farming method in which forests and agriculture coexist in harmony) and land rehabilitation that improves water sources.