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| Overall Assessment |
Comment |
Score |
| Comprehensive |
SoftBank Corp. provides a highly transparent account of its climate-related public-policy engagement. It names multiple specific measures it has addressed, including the “Energy Conservation Act,” the “Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures,” and proposals for “the introduction of carbon pricing” and other fiscal instruments to advance Japan’s decarbonisation agenda, as well as detailed submissions made in July 2020 to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of the Environment on ambitious renewable-energy targets and deregulation. The company also describes a range of clearly identifiable engagement channels: its President and CEO participate in “expert meetings and basic policy subcommittees organized by relevant government ministries,” senior officers “make recommendations to the Ministry of the Environment and relevant ministries,” it works through industry bodies such as the Telecommunications Carriers Association and GSMA’s Climate Action Task Force, and it collaborates with local-government councils comprising 34 prefectures and 20 ordinance-designated cities. Finally, SoftBank articulates the concrete outcomes it seeks, such as achieving “carbon neutrality by 2050,” securing “proactive fiscal expenditures” and a “multi-year grant scheme” to fund decarbonisation facilities, setting “ambitious renewable energy introduction targets,” and promoting corporate frameworks like SBT and TCFD to mobilise ESG investment. By clearly linking its policy positions, lobbying channels and desired legislative or regulatory changes, the company demonstrates a comprehensive level of transparency on its climate-policy lobbying activities.
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4
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| Overall Assessment |
Comment |
Score |
| Strong |
SoftBank Corp. discloses a structured process for keeping its lobbying activities consistent with its climate commitments, stating that it "regularly check[s] the consistency of our climate change policy/measures with those of our member organizations" and will "work with the member companies to strengthen their policy/measures" or "consider the possibility of withdrawing from the organization" if misalignment is significant, demonstrating an ability to manage indirect lobbying through trade associations. Oversight is clearly assigned: the company explains that it established an "ESG Committee in March 2020 as an advisory body to the Board of Directors" and that the "President and CEO assumed the role of Chief ESG Officer, holding ultimate responsibility for the overall sustainability activities, including climate change mitigation, under the supervision of the Board of Directors." It further notes that "regarding our involvement in external organizations (including trade associations) and engagement in public policy, such as lobbying, we report to the ESG Committee," while "significant matters are reported to the Board of Directors," and that, operationally, "the activities and lobbying of the external organizations to which we belong are monitored" by the "Executive Officer in Charge of ESG and the General Manager of the ESG Promotion Office." The company also commits to ensuring that these activities "align with the principles of the Paris Agreement" and confirms publicly that it conducts engagement "in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement." These disclosures indicate a strong governance system covering both direct policy advocacy and participation in associations, with clear monitoring and escalation routes; however, SoftBank does not disclose a detailed, publicly available lobbying-alignment audit or review, so the depth of its assessment and the transparency of outcomes remain unclear.
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3
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