On Monday, October 6, 2008, Sumitomo Corporation introduced a new social contribution program at the on-site cafeteria at its headquarters whereby every time a healthy meal prepared for the program is ordered, 20 yen will be donated to provide a school meal to a malnourished child in a developing country. The program, titled "TABLE FOR TWO," is named for the idea that the two participants--one in the developed and one in the developing world--are sharing a virtual table, despite being separated by time and space.

The project was launched by TABLE FOR TWO International, a Japanese NPO organization that aims to resolve the imbalance between lifestyle-related diseases prevalent in developed countries and hunger in developing countries. Before starting the program at its head office in Tokyo in October, Sumitomo Corporation first introduced it at the Sumitomo Building in Osaka in September, which houses its Kansai Regional Business Unit. Donations equivalent to school meals for 234 children were made at the head office in the 12 days since the beginning of the program. Through this program participating employees can develop a sense of global citizenship, unity and empathy with others while providing hope to hundreds of children in need. The program also encourages the participants to improve their own health. Sumitomo Corporation will continue to implement the program, noting it is a form of social contribution in which everyone can easily participate.