Ajinomoto Co.’s “Ajinomoto Foundation” Receives Public Interest Authorization

03 Apr 2017 --- Ajinomoto Co has announced that The Ajinomoto Foundation, which it established as a general incorporated foundation in August 2016 to contribute to improving nutrition through eating well, was authorized as a public interest incorporated foundation on April 1, 2017.

Social business and activities to contribute to society through eating well that were previously conducted by Ajinomoto Co. will be transferred to the foundation, and Ajinomoto Co. will contribute to resolving social issues in countries around the world through support for the foundation.

This is the third public interest incorporated foundation established by Ajinomoto Co., following Ajinomoto Scholarship Foundation and Ajinomoto Foundation for Dietary Culture.

Improving nutrition has been designated as a core issue in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030, which were adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015.

Ajinomoto Co. say it is difficult for companies to single-handedly resolve such a social issue, emphasizing the importance of finding solutions in cooperation with local communities and the international community, including national and regional governments and non-profit organizations.

Ajinomoto Co.’s business began in 1909 when umami, which had been discovered in 1908 by Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, who had a strong desire to "improve the nutrition of the Japanese people," was commercialized as umami seasoning AJI-NO-MOTO by Saburosuke Suzuki II, the company’s founder.

His founding spirit of “Eat Well, Live Well,” has been passed down continuously for more than a century.

Ajinomoto Co. has also been involved in social contribution activities including support for disaster area reconstruction, and nutritional improvement businesses in low-income countries and regions.

The Ajinomoto Foundation will take over these activities to deepen cooperation with local communities and the international community, including national and regional governments and non-profit organizations, and to increase the sustainability of social business and activities that contribute to society through eating well into the future.