19 September 2023

Mitsui & Co. is 6.3% shareholder in Vale SA which indirectly has 43.8% shareholding in PT Vale Indonesia, the operator of the nickel mine in Sulawesi that is the subject of the letter from WALHI South Sulawesi, Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI / FoE Indonesia), Friends of the Earth Japan, and the Pacific Asia Resource Center (NGOs).

Mitsui & Co. is committed to respecting human rights in line with international standards and our human rights policy, and we expect various stakeholders including our business partners to have similar standards. Vale has adopted the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, and committed to respecting human rights. It always seeks engagement with affected parties and partners, who participate in the development and implementation of remediation actions or support for sustainable development.

We take the concerns expressed in the letter very seriously and forwarded them immediately to Vale, which had not been contacted by these NGOs. Vale is actively leading on this issue and is best placed to keep you updated as well as answer additional questions and concerns. We have been in close communication with Vale which has provided below are the main actions taken and planned.

-  Vale has a team in Sulawesi looking more deeply into these issues, talking to community members to better understand those incidents and perceived impacts from operations.

-  In regards to Tanamilia, on September 7, 2023, PT Vale held a socialization meeting with five village heads, ministry of forestry, and community representatives to discuss the activities related to exploration at the location. On September 10, 2023 Vale Senior Leadership visited Lembo South to meet with the community and see the two new 45m water wells that have been provided to the community. Across PT Vale, stakeholder engagement is a continuous activity and a core part of its operations.

-  Additionally, Vale plans to engage Wahli in the coming weeks to further understand the challenges they have raised.

We are in correspondence with the NGOs and have informed them of Vale’s actions in Sulawesi. We are monitoring the situation closely.