Grade D+
ChemScore report card 2024

Sumitomo Chemical

About the company

Sumitomo Chemical Company, the third largest chemical company in Japan, specializes in basic chemicals, petrochemicals, synthetic resins, and fine chemicals such as photoresists, pharmaceutical intermediates, and agrochemicals. Sumitomo Chemical serves different sectors such as the plastics, construction and electronics industries. The Tokyo-based company is a member of the Sumitomo Group and operates manufacturing plants and sales offices worldwide.
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Total score
10 out of 48 points
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Product Portfolio
2 out of 18 points

To reach a final score in this category, we assess the company’s transparency in chemical production. Lower transparency makes it harder to achieve a good score. If the product portfolio transparency is very low, a company producing just one or even zero toxic chemicals (according to available data) might receive the same poor score as one producing 50.

Visit the methodology to delve deeper into the ChemScore ranking.

Number of registered hazardous chemicals 6
Number of chemicals on the EU’s Candidate List 1
Number of chemicals on the EU’s Authorisation List and/or POP substances 0
Number of persistent chemicals 0
Product portfolio transparency 17%
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Development of Safer Chemicals
6 out of 12 points
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Management & Transparency
2 out of 12 points
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Lack of Controversies
0 out of 6 points

Action points 🔍

1. Increase transparency

Little is known about Sumitomo Chemical’s production or use of hazardous chemicals. We have requested that the company disclose information about its chemicals management, but it has not responded to that request. To demonstrate a commitment to transparency, Sumitomo Chemical should disclose both the share of revenue and production volume of products that are, or contain, hazardous chemicals. This information should cover all operations, including subsidiaries, worldwide. Sabic provides a good example, as it has disclosed its full chemicals portfolio, including production volumes and locations.

2. Map and phase out persistent chemicals

According to public registries in the EU/US, Sumitomo Chemical is not responsible for placing any persistent chemicals on these markets. However, the company might be using persistent chemicals, bought from other producers within the EU/US. They should, like Sika and LyondellBasell, disclose the share of revenue generated by products containing PFAS or other persistent chemicals. If that figure is 0%, the company should, like Sasol, clearly state that they do not buy or produce any PFAS, then expand that to include all persistent chemicals.

3. Develop safer solutions

Sumitomo Chemical currently lacks a strict policy for limiting hazardous chemicals in its new product development. As a result, both its existing and future product lines are dependent on substances that run the risk of becoming regulated. Therefore, Sumitomo Chemical may face growing challenges in maintaining profitability in the long term. The company should set a 2030 target for the share of revenue generated by products free from hazardous chemicals and develop a strategy to achieve it. A first step should be to, similarly to Lanxess, publicly state that it will not develop or market new end-products containing more than 0.1% of substances that have the characteristics of a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHCs).

Category breakdown

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How did we come to this score?

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Company facts
Founded
1913
Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan
Revenue
17.4 billion USD
Market capitalization
4 billion USD
ISIN
JP3401400001
Category
Basic
Agro
Other
Plastic & Rubber & Fibres
Metal & Mineral products
Other years
Year Rank Total score
2024 45 / 51 10 / 48
2023 49 / 50 7 / 48
2022 48 / 54 7 / 48
2021 16 / 50 16 / 48
2020 24 / 35 12 / 48