Nurturing independence and collaboration
The CSO Learning Program is an intensive, paid practical internship hosted by the Sompo Environment Foundation that enables undergraduate and graduate students to engage deeply for seven months on the front lines of environmental Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Rather than offering a volunteering experience or conventional workplace shadowing, the program instead encourages students to confront real societal challenges, reflect on their individual potential, and take ownership of meaningful projects. Through these authentic experiences, students cultivate the dual capabilities of personal independence and collaborative action.
To prepare the students for the front lines, a summer camp is held in the foundational stages of the internship. The camp provides an essential in-person forum where students forge bonds and build mutual trust within their cohort, establishing a supportive community that underpins their journey ahead.
Expanding horizons through encounters
For over 25 years, the CSO Learning Program has nurtured more than 1,450 environmental talent. During this year’s summer camp, the foundation organized a collaborative workshop bridging the program with Nature-preneur Japan, an NGO and key partner of Sompo Group’s “SOMPO Earth Positive Actions,” which integrates climate change mitigation and biodiversity preservation.
While many participating students are deeply invested in ecological issues, few have any blueprints for their long-term career paths. Engaging directly with social entrepreneurs who tackle environmental hurdles through inventive business models offers students a wider vantage point beyond conventional conservation. Helping students recognize diverse avenues to connect personal passion with tangible social value was one of the central goals of this workshop.
Transforming insights into personal purpose
Facilitated by Yuhei Kuratsuji, Director of Nature-preneur Japan General Incorporated Foundation and Lead Coordinator at NPO ETIC. (Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities.), the workshop welcomed two visionary practitioners who channel their environmental commitment through distinct paths: Kanako Ake, Representative Director of ROOTs and Vice Chair of the Japan Committee for International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whose career bridges academic research, NPOs, international organizations, and media; and Fukunari Wakabayashi, Representative Director and President of Yamane-shuzo Inc., who drives regional revitalization and biodiversity conservation through his artisanal brewing venture.
Working in breakout teams, students debated questions posed by the guest speakers and presented their collective insights. Expressing personal thoughts aloud and engaging with peers transformed abstract concepts into concrete realizations.
I realized that when you act alongside people who share your passion, you can achieve something truly significant.
CSO Learning Program participant
Kuratsuji offered inspiring advice to the cohort, tellig them “People are out there waiting for your initiative in places you least expect. When you take action, supporters will rally behind you, so don’t hesitate to take that first step.”
I discovered so many lifestyles, philosophies, and career paths that I had never imagined before.
CSO Learning Program participant
Through authentic anecdotes from the front lines by actual nature-preneurs and vibrant dialogue with peers, the students spent an inspiring day discovering how to align their values with diverse future careers.
Living up to the motto of ‘Fostering People Who Plant Trees’
Guided by its founding ethos ‘Fostering People Who Plant Trees,’ the Sompo Environment Foundation has consistently supported next-generation environmental talent. Today, program alumni apply their hands-on experience across CSOs, business enterprises, academia, and public agencies, broadening their positive influence throughout society. In fiscal 2025, an alumni community platform was launched to foster cross-generational mentorship and ongoing collaboration.
We hope the realizations sparked at this summer camp will serve as an enduring compass for the students, not only during their assignments at their respective CSOs, but in their everyday choices and long-term journeys to create meaningful change.
