The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
Fostering People Who Plant Trees: Stories from the Indonesia and Japan Internship Program
Republic of Indonesia
Sompo Environment Foundation runs the ""CSO
Learning Program,"" which sends university and
graduate students as interns to environmental organizations
in Indonesia and Japan.
In the first half of the event, representatives from the
Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation and adacemic
experts will talk about the importance of corporate
engagement in developing global environmental leaders.
The second half will feature a dicussion amang program
alumni from both contries. These young changemakers continue
tackling social and environmental challenges even after
completing the program. Through their stories, we invite you
to gain firsthand perspectives on how the next generation is
addressing environmental issues in Indonesia and Japan.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Climate change
- Biodiversity
- Deforestation
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese |
-
Track Programme
-
Time and
Date of
the event -
-
2025.09.19[Fri]
16:00 ～ 18:00
(Venue Open 15:30)
-
- Venue
- Pavilion
- Indonesia Pavilion
Programme details
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Sompo Environment Foundation launched the ""CSO
Learning Program"" in Japan in 2000 and in Indonesia
in 2019. To date, over 1,500 graduates have gone on contribute
to the environmental field in both countries. This long-term,
paid internship program, specialized in the environmental
sector, is highly regarded as an outstanding human resource
development initiative with no parallel in either country.
In the first half of the event, we will focus on the fact that
this program is operated by a corporate foundation. A guest
from the Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation will
discuss how companies can contribute to the environmental
issues. Additionally, academic experts with deep knowledge of
environmental issues in both countries will talk about
Indonesia's current environmental challenges and the
significance of Japanese companies supporting human resource
development in Indonesia.
The second half will feature a panel discussion with program
alumni from both countries. These young changemakers will
share their experiences, discuss what they learned from the
program, and explore the realities of youth-led environmental
initiatives. They will also address the importance of
fostering the next generation of environmental leaders.
Through these discussions, the session will highlight the
commonalities and differences in environmental challenges
between Indonesia and Japan and examine the ideal approach to
corporate-driven, cross-border social contributions.
Reports
【Reflection】
The exhibition highlighted initiatives for developing
environmental talent in Japan and Indonesia, with a particular
focus on the CSO Learning Programme implemented by the SOMPO
Environmental Foundation.
This programme offers long-term, paid internships for
university and graduate students, placing them with NGOs and
NPOs in both countries to provide practical experience and
cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders. It
began in Japan in 2000 and in Indonesia in 2019, and to date,
more than 1,400 graduates in Japan and over 120 in Indonesia
have gone on to pursue careers in the environmental field. At
the Expo, visitors learned about the significance of corporate
foundations in managing such programmes, as well as
initiatives by the Japan Business Federation’s Nature
Conservation Committee to support corporate engagement in
environmental activities, emphasising the importance of
collaboration between the corporate and educational sectors in
nurturing environmental leaders.
In the first half of the event, presentations by experts and
corporate representatives illustrated how businesses can
contribute to biodiversity conservation and address
environmental challenges. In the keynote speech, Mr Fujiki,
CEO of Biome Co., shared his experiences conducting
biodiversity surveys in Borneo and explained how the resulting
data is used for natural capital assessments for companies,
highlighting the importance of balancing environmental
protection with economic value.
The latter half of the event featured a panel discussion with
programme alumni from both countries, who exchanged views on
their internship experiences, current environmental
activities, and the role of businesses in supporting
sustainability.
Participants gained insights into pressing environmental
issues such as waste management, deforestation, and illegal
wildlife trade, while also appreciating the value of youth-led
initiatives and corporate partnerships in fostering
sustainable environmental talent. Through this structure, the
programme was recognised as a comprehensive model that
integrates education, corporate support, and hands-on
experience in environmental human resource development.
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Following the Expo, the SOMPO Environmental Foundation has
been leveraging its alumni network to further develop
environmental leadership and expand social contribution
activities.
Graduates continue to apply the knowledge and experience
gained during their internships, independently engaging in
biodiversity conservation and local environmental improvement
initiatives in both countries, thereby strengthening their
roles as emerging leaders. In addition, collaboration among
alumni, companies, and academic institutions has increased
opportunities for joint projects and information sharing,
enhancing the impact of their work on local communities and
society as a whole.
Corporate foundations have also further strengthened their
efforts, with companies deepening their understanding of
developing young environmental leaders and reflecting this in
their social contribution activities and sustainable
management strategies. Furthermore, alumni are using digital
technologies to collect and analyse biodiversity data,
enabling evidence-based environmental initiatives. This
approach ensures that conservation efforts are returned to
local communities in an economically and socially sustainable
manner, while also increasing the value of the programme as an
international model connecting Japan and Indonesia.
Building on its introduction at the Expo, the programme is
expected to continue expanding its reach and influence both
domestically and internationally, contributing to the
development of the next generation of environmental leaders
and promoting youth-led solutions to social and environmental
challenges.
Cast
Moderator
Tatsuhiro Kato
Secretary general of Japan Environmental Education Forum
After graduating from university, joined the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and were dispatched to Jordan in the Middle East. In 2014, joined the Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF), where have been involved in ecotourism projects and the development and sales of products utilizing natural resoures in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Since November 2019, have served as the Secretary General of JEEF.
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Speakers
Rie Sako
Director, Education & Nature conservation Bureau, Secretary General & CEO, Keidanren Nature Conservation Council, Keidanren Japan Business Federation
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Shogoro Fujiki
President & CEO, Biome Inc.
In 2017, he obtained a Ph.D. in Agriculture from Kyoto
University. He developed visualization technology for
biodiversity using satellite image analysis. After
spending more than two years living in camps in the
tropical jungles of Borneo, he resolved to
commercialize environmental conservation. He later
founded Biome Inc. and became its CEO.
Aiming to create a system in which biodiversity
conservation leads to benefits for society, he has
been engaged in building a business that converts
biological information into big data.
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Kodai Kishi
Nagoya City Environmental Affairs Bureau / Board Member, Fujimae Ramsar Society (NPO) / Alumni of Internship from Japan
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Nanami Takei
Director, General Incorporated Association Protect Our Winters Japan / Board Member, Certified NPO KIKO Network / Alumni of Internship from Japan
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Aulia Rahman
The Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia / Alumni of Internship from Indonesia
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Alfitra Firizkia Luthfiana Dewi
Graduate Student / Alumni of Internship from Indonesia
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Jo Kumala Dewi
Ministry of Environment, Head of Environmental Generation Development Center
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Co-organiser
Sompo Environment Foundation
Japan Environmental Education Forum
The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
Fostering People Who Plant Trees: Stories from the Indonesia and Japan Internship Program
Sompo Environment Foundation runs the ""CSO Learning
Program,"" which sends university and graduate
students as interns to environmental organizations in
Indonesia and Japan.
In the first half of the event, representatives from the
Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation and adacemic
experts will talk about the importance of corporate engagement
in developing global environmental leaders.
The second half will feature a dicussion amang program alumni
from both contries. These young changemakers continue tackling
social and environmental challenges even after completing the
program. Through their stories, we invite you to gain
firsthand perspectives on how the next generation is
addressing environmental issues in Indonesia and Japan.
-
2025.09.19[Fri]
16:00～18:00
(Venue Open 15:30)
- Pavilion
OTHER PROGRAM
The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
