While the Sumitomo Electric Group’s more than 300 overseas affiliates in 40 countries pursue individual business activities, we promote the activities of Area Committees to discuss global management issues at the regional and country levels, transcending individual company frameworks and business boundaries to work as a unified group. These activities were launched in North America in 2011, and since 2014 have been expanded and promoted in four regions: the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia/Australia, and Greater China.

In each region, we have established Areas Committees for each theme, such as human resources, manufacturing, branding, IT, and Group joint purchasing, and appointed specialists from each Group company in the region as committee members. We are working on the horizontal development of best practices and the introduction of various global measures, as well as discussions on common issues after sharing the issues of each company.
Today, more than 500 diverse members participate in 36 committees around the world, and these committees also function as a place to deepen mutual exchange of human resources.
Also, in order to ensure that our activities in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia are in line with the laws, regulations, customs, and culture of each country in the region, we have established country-specific committees to promote our activities.

The Area Committee activities also provide valuable growth opportunities for human resources from Group companies to gain experience beyond the boundaries of their individual companies, and under the leadership of SEG Global Executives, we are working to develop the next generation of global leaders.

With the aim of integrating the proposals generated by the Area Committees into the management of the Sumitomo Electric Group, the SEG Global Executives periodically report their proposals and activities to Sumitomo Electric executives. Traditionally, the Group Global Executive Japan Invitation Conference was held annually at the Head Office (Osaka), and the Overseas Managers Conference was held annually in each of the four regions (the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia/Australia, and Greater China) to bring together the top management of Sumitomo Electric and its overseas affiliates.
However, in fiscal 2020, when it became difficult to travel overseas due to COVID-19, as an alternative to these meetings, we conducted online meetings twice a year where, after reporting on the activities of each region, a variety of opinions were exchanged, with the participation of SEG Global Executives and the executives of Sumitomo Electric. We will continue to accelerate the diversity management of the Sumitomo Electric Group and the promotion of cooperation among Group companies by further activation of the Area Committee activities.