The agreement will enable Mizuho to strengthen its offering to customers by combining LSEG’s expertise in innovative ESG and other sustainability solutions with Mizuho’s extensive network and knowledge as a comprehensive financial group. Sustainability, including that related to climate change, the environment, governance and human rights, has become an increasingly important management issues for its clients. In the first example of this collaboration, Mizuho will support customers in addressing governance and human rights issues by introducing services such as “World-Check One” (*1) and “Due Diligence reports” (*2) in response to Japan’s “Guidelines for Respecting Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains” that the government released in September this year. This will enable its customers to confirm whether or not their suppliers and other business partners have a history of negative human rights impacts, and to efficiently identify and assess the risk of human rights violations in their business activities. It will also help prevent and mitigate such risks. David Schwimmer, CEO, LSEG said: “Mizuho is a long-standing valued customer and we are delighted to expand our relationship. We look forward to collaborating with Mizuho as a strategic partner by providing our broad range of sustainability solutions and data to help expand its services.” Masahiro Kihara, President & Group CEO, Mizuho Financial Group Inc. said: “We are very pleased to be working with LSEG as a strategic partner. As sustainability becomes a global trend, we are confident that our collaboration with LSEG, which has accumulated a wealth of data and developed solutions on a global basis, will further strengthen Mizuho’s support for our clients’ efforts toward sustainability transformation.”