Soka Gakkai International

What Soka Gakkai International does

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) is a non-profit Buddhist community organization reporting 12 million members across 192 countries and territories, operating as a non-governmental organization in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 1995. The organization engages in peacebuilding, nuclear disarmament advocacy, human rights education, environmental sustainability, gender equality, and humanitarian relief through grassroots community-driven initiatives implemented by local Soka Gakkai organizations in individual countries. It has been affiliated with its parent organization, Soka Gakkai based in Japan, since its founding in 1930 by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi.

SGI produces a portfolio of non-commercial educational, policy, and multimedia resources rather than commercial products. The portfolio includes annual Peace Proposals authored by Daisaku Ikeda from 1983 to 2022 (with his final proposal in 2022), the Changemakers documentary film jointly developed with UN OHCHR and Amnesty International, the Seeds of Hope and Action (SOHA) exhibition created with Earth Charter International (25 panels in 10 languages), the Young Women's Stories leadership project (launched 2018), policy documents on nuclear disarmament, UN reform, environment, and education for sustainable development, and two mobile applications for SDG engagement (BSG for SDG and Korea SGI). Digital infrastructure consists of the sgi-peace.org website with embedded YouTube and Vimeo content, a Twitter presence, Google Analytics and Plausible Analytics, and a YouTube/Vimeo publishing footprint. The UN-facing corporate arm, Soka Gakkai International Office for UN Affairs Corporation, is incorporated in New York, with the main office located at 777 United Nations Plaza, Suite 3-D.

SGI's revenue model is non-commercial: operations are funded through member contributions and donations rather than sales or contracts. Programs are distributed via local Soka Gakkai national organizations (192 countries), UN system engagement and consultative status forums, partnerships with organizations such as Amnesty International, Earth Charter International, TERI, Jaipur National University, and World YWCA, direct distribution of exhibitions and SDG Clubs to educational institutions (notably through Bharat Soka Gakkai in India), and free digital downloads through sgi-peace.org. The organization's customer base is structurally distributed: civil society at large, youth and women globally, UN agencies, partner NGOs, and educational institutions. Daisaku Ikeda, who led SGI from 1960, passed away in 2023, introducing a leadership-transition phase for the organization.

Name

Soka Gakkai International

Legal name

Soka Gakkai International Office for UN Affairs Corporation

Website

https://sgi-peace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Soka Gakkai International is a non-profit Buddhist community of 12 million members across 192 countries operating as a UN consultative-status NGO that produces peace proposals, educational exhibitions, documentary films, and human rights education programs through grassroots community engagement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Peace Advocacy and Human Rights Education

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Peace, Security Sector Reform & Stabilization Programs (BPADABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights, Democracy & Rule of Law IGOs (BPADAAAG), Environment, Climate & Sustainable Development IGOs (BPADAAAI), Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Peace advocacy
• Human rights education
• Buddhist community organization
• Nuclear disarmament advocacy
• Humanitarian relief

Headquarters

HQ city

Shinjuku

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Contributions and Donations: As a non-profit Buddhist organization, SGI likely relies on member contributions and donations to fund operations, peace initiatives, and educational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Soka Gakkai International is a global Buddhist non-governmental organization that promotes peace, culture, and education through a network of approximately 12 million members across 192 countries. Its core deliverable is advocacy and educational programming across six focus areas (disarmament, environment and sustainability, human rights education, peace, gender equality, and humanitarian relief), primarily via annual peace proposals, traveling exhibitions, documentary films, leadership projects, and UN engagement.

Product overview

Soka Gakkai International operates primarily as a policy and advocacy organization rather than a traditional software product company. Its portfolio consists of peace and policy publications (SGI Peace Proposals and Statements from 1983-2022), educational multimedia resources (Changemakers documentary film, Seeds of Hope and Action exhibition), and community programs (Young Women's Stories leadership project). The organization also develops mobile applications focused on Sustainable Development Goals advocacy. All offerings are non-commercial in nature, serving the organization's mission to strengthen connections between civil society and the United Nations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SGI Action for Peace: The peace and advocacy arm of Soka Gakkai International, focusing on disarmament, human rights education, environmental sustainability, gender equality, and humanitarian relief

Products and services

• SGI Peace Proposals Annual peace proposals authored by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda from 1983 to 2022, addressing major world issues including nuclear disarmament, the climate crisis, and human rights. The proposals guide SGI's UN advocacy and inform activities of local Soka Gakkai organizations worldwide.
• Seeds of Hope and Action Exhibition (SOHA) A 25-panel traveling exhibition on the Sustainable Development Goals emphasizing interconnectedness and the power of each individual to initiate positive change. Jointly produced by SGI and Earth Charter International, available in 10 languages.
• Changemakers Documentary Film Documentary film 'Changemakers: Stories of Young Human Rights Educators' jointly produced by UN OHCHR, Amnesty International, and Soka Gakkai International, featuring seven young human rights educators from around the world.
• Young Women's Stories - Fostering Leadership Project Collection of stories by 15 young women globally demonstrating leadership in their workplaces. Launched in 2018 with contributions from SGI, the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders, and World YWCA.
• SGI Annual Reports - Peace Activities Annual reports documenting SGI's peace and awareness-raising activities, collaborations, and support of United Nations initiatives.
• SGI Statements Statements issued by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda addressing major world issues between 1983 and 2022, including No First Use statements calling on nuclear-weapon states to pledge No First Use.
• BSG for SDG Mobile App Mobile application launched by Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) in August 2022, serving as a global platform for users to enhance their understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals and share related actions.
• Korea SDGs App Mobile application created by Korea SGI that empowers youth to take action toward the Sustainable Development Goals through daily eco-friendly practices, illustrating how individual actions contribute to larger sustainability goals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 participants from 20 countries engaged in World Youth Forum 2021
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• Chinmaya MissionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 April 2023BSG organized its second Sustainability Conclave at Chinmaya Mission Auditorium in New Delhi, demonstrating venue partnership for community events.
• Municipal Corporation of DelhiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 April 2023BSG participated in Municipal Corporation of Delhi's #100DaystoBeatPlastic campaign on Earth Day 2023, introducing their #SayNOtoPlastic campaign.
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2023TERI organized the World Sustainable Development Summit 2023 linked to India's G20 Presidency. SGI (through Bharat Soka Gakkai) participated in roundtable on 'Circular Economy and Green Supply Chains'. TERI Director General delivered keynote at BSG Sustainability Conclave.
• Jaipur National UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2021BSG and Jaipur National University jointly launched the Change Maker Humanity Awards initiative on December 15, 2021. The ceremony was held on March 26, 2022 recognizing 29 awardees in 16 categories for humanitarian contributions in Rajasthan, India.
• Educate GirlsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 August 2021SGI partnered with Educate Girls for webinar on Women's Empowerment. Educate Girls has enrolled over 750,000 girls in school and improved learning outcomes for 1.3 million children in India since 2007.
• United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGI jointly developed the Changemakers documentary film with OHCHR and Amnesty International. Also co-hosts webinar series 'Human Rights Education for, with and by youth' on human rights topics including human trafficking and gender equality.
• Amnesty InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of 'Changemakers: Stories of Young Human Rights Educators' documentary film and ongoing collaboration on human rights education webinars and programs.
• Earth Charter InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative of SGI and Earth Charter International for the 'Seeds of Hope and Action' (SOHA) exhibition on Sustainable Development Goals. The exhibition is available in 10 languages and has been shown at numerous schools and public venues globally.
• United Nations SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGI has consultative status with UN ECOSOC and participates actively in UN forums including the Commission on Status of Women (CSW70), UN First Committee on Disarmament, and various UN working groups on peace and disarmament.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Religions for Peace: Multi-religious coalition advancing peace and interfaith dialogue with UN ECOSOC consultative status — directly comparable to SGI's faith-rooted, UN-engaged peace advocacy model and similar global membership structure.
• International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN): Nobel Peace Prize-winning coalition advocating nuclear disarmament through UN channels — directly comparable to SGI's disarmament focus, UN advocacy posture, and grassroots mobilization around a single cause area.
• United Religions Initiative (URI): Global interfaith peacebuilding network with UN ECOSOC consultative status operating grassroots cooperation circles in 100+ countries — directly comparable to SGI in faith-rooted identity, UN advocacy, and distributed global member-network structure.
• Amnesty International: Global human rights NGO with which SGI jointly developed the Changemakers documentary and co-hosts human rights education webinars. Both operate as ECOSOC-status advocacy NGOs engaging UN bodies on human rights issues, making them directly comparable in mission, audience, and partnership ecosystem.
• Earth Charter International: Sustainability and ethics NGO that co-produced the Seeds of Hope and Action exhibition with SGI. Both operate in the sustainability-education space, deliver exhibitions and educational resources globally, and target civil-society audiences — directly comparable in mission and delivery model.
• Tzu Chi Foundation: Global Buddhist humanitarian organization with millions of volunteers delivering disaster relief, education, and community programs across dozens of countries — closely comparable to SGI in faith-based identity, member-funded model, and global grassroots humanitarian footprint.
• International Peace Bureau: Nobel Peace Prize-winning peace advocacy network coordinating peace organizations globally with UN consultative status — directly comparable to SGI in peace-building mission, UN engagement, and coalition-based advocacy model.

Emerging players

• Buddhist Peace Fellowship: Smaller Buddhist-rooted peace and social justice organization with a more limited geographic footprint — comparable to SGI in Buddhist identity and peace mission but operating at much smaller scale and without equivalent UN standing.

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Watch: Large, established human rights organization with UN engagement and global advocacy operations — a broader incumbent operating at greater scale in the same human-rights-education space where SGI's programs sit.
• Greenpeace International: Global environmental advocacy organization with UN observer status and grassroots mobilization networks — a broader incumbent operating at far larger scale in the environment & sustainability space where SGI runs its SOHA exhibition and SDG programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=UiMyE1jfxSI
• Facebookfacebook.com/sgiouna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sgi-ouna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Soka Gakkai International