Yasuo Goto

Yasuo Goto, chairman of the Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Company and a business leader always includes the environment in his company's policies. Since 1994, more than 3,000 people have participated in environmental awareness courses, organized by Yasuda in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Yasuda has reduced the use of natural resources by implementing a practical management system. In November 1997, its computer center was the first financial institution to be certified in conformity with ISO1401, and today it is providing other organizations with the know-how to get certification.

In 1992, he led the Japan Federation of Economic Organizations (KEIDANREN) delegation to the Earth Summit - where he represented some 1,000 companies. Soon after, the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund (KNCF) was established and Goto appointed Chairman. KNCF has supported 71 conservation projects implemented by NGOs in 23 countries.

In 1993 and 1996, he attended the IUCN Congress where KNCF activities were lauded as an excellent example of partnership between business and NGOs. KNCF hosts seminars, lectured by leading environmentalists from around the world, to educate Japanese leaders on nature conservation. At the Kyoto Conference in December 1997, KNCF and the World Bank co-sponsored a symposium.

Goto is Chairman of the Common Agenda Round Table of Japan which held a workshop in May 1997 on environmental awareness and education where recommendations were formulated and presented to the cabinets of the United States and Japan.

Yasuo Goto
4-25-15, Minami-Ogikubo
Suginami-ku
Tokyo 167
Japan
Telephone: (813) 3349 9596
Fax: (813) 3349 3304