Mitsubishi Corporation
Business conglomerate
Japan's largest financial and industrial association, which operates through seven main business groups: living essentials (agricultural products, food and beverages, textiles, and construction materials); metals (ferrous and nonferrous); machinery (power generation equipment, electrical systems, automobiles); energy (liquefied natural gas, crude oil); and chemicals (petrochemicals, fertilizers, plastics).

Overall

Owned JPN
Rating F
About the Ratings

Company Ownership

Mitsubishi Corporation
JPN
Mitsubishi Group
owns 100% of Mitsubishi Corporation
JPN
Conglomerate
Japan's largest "keiretsu", a collaborative group of integrated companies with extensive share crossholdings, personnel swaps and strategic co-operation. Companies in group include Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Paper Mills Ltd, Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co., Kirin Holdings (who owns Australian dairy and drinks company, Lion), and many more.

Company Assessment

(Last updated Aug 2024)
Mitsubishi Corporation
Praise
CDP Climate Change score of A-
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change score of A-.
Source: CDP (2023)
CDP Forests score of B
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests score of B.
Source: CDP (2023)
CDP Water Security score of B
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security score of B.
Source: CDP (2023)
Criticism
17.2% in Forest 500 Rankings
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 17.2%.
5/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2023 and received a score of 5/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
18.4% in Food and Agriculture Benchmark
The 2023 Food and Agriculture Benchmark assessed 350 keystone companies across the entirety of the food system, from farm to fork. It covers three dimensions where transformation is needed: nutrition, environment and social inclusion. This company ranked #153/350, with a total score of 18.4/100.
15.7% in Nature Benchmark
The Nature Benchmark ranks 816 companies across 20 industries on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity. Companies were assessed in three phases between 2022 and 2024 using three measurement areas: governance and strategy; social inclusion and community impact; and ecosystems and biodiversity. This company was assessed in 2023 and is ranked #371/816, with a total score of 15.7/100.
16.9% in Seafood Stewardship Index
The 2023 Seafood Stewardship Index ranks the world's 30 largest seafood companies across four measurement areas: governance and strategy, ecosystems, traceability and social responsibility. This company ranked #21/30, with a total score of 16.9/100.
Information
US recycling report card
The Electronics TakeBack Coalition's Recycling Report Card evaluates takeback and recycling programs for computer, TV, printer and game console companies. The report card focuses on the programs available to consumers in the US, and relies on publicly available information, as of Sept 2010. This company received a grade of D+ for its recycling efforts in the USA.
Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
52.4% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 52.4/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
43/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 43/100 in the Trading Companies & Distributors category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 21 Oct 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Mitsubishi Group
Criticism
Forced labour in China
The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including brands owned by this company. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's 2020 report estimates (somewhat conservatively) that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of Xinjiang to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, and some of them were sent directly from detention camps.
Source: ASPI (2020)
Arms sales
Two Mitsubishi subsidiaries are on SIPRI's list of the Top 100 arms-producing and military services companies in the world (excluding Chinese companies), ranked by their arms sales in 2020.
Overfishing
Mitsubishi owns 35-40% of the market for the Bluefin Tuna, which is listed as Critically Endangered, the highest risk category of the IUCN Red List. Mitsubishi has been stockpiling up to 20,000 tons of the frozen fish while continuing to buy more. While the price of a product gets higher the harder it is to find, Mitsubishi has been accused of deep freezing these fish to make an even bigger profit as the species gets ever closer to being completely wiped out.
0/100 in Solar Scorecard
The 2018-19 Solar Scorecard, produced by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, rates solar panel producers on their commitment to the environment and worker safety. Areas looked at include emissions reporting, chemical reductions plan, workers rights and conflict minerals. This company received a score of 0/100.
Information
Previous boycott call
Rainforest Action Network (RAN) ran a Boycott Mitsubishi campaign from 1989 to 1998 for being the world's worst logger of tropical forests at the time.
Source: RAN (1998)
Nuclear - direct involvement
Mitsubishi manufacture nuclear fuel through Mitsubishi Nuclear Fuel Co. Ltd
mitsubishisucks.com
This website is dedicated to exposing the questionable business practices of Mitsubishi. Last updated 2004.
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Company Details

Type:
Public company
Founded:
1918
Revenue:
134 billion USD (2020)
Employees:
86,098 (2020)

Contact Details

Address:
Tokyo, Japan
Website:
www.mitsubishicorp.com

Products / Brands