Shiseido Company, Limited has received the Prime Ministerial Award for Women Empowering Companies 2020, one of two Awards for Women Empowering Companies 2020 bestowed by the Cabinet Office.
 
The award is presented to companies that have delivered outstanding results in terms of policies, initiatives and achievements in promoting women to executive and managerial positions, as well as in disclosing such information, with the aim to create a work environment where women can play an active role and realize a society where women shine.
 
Promoting Gender Equality in the Workplace
 
Shiseido promotes women’s empowerment and gender equality internally and externally in order to cultivate a working environment in which all employees, regardless of gender, can demonstrate their individual abilities.
 
Childcare leave and childcare time systems were introduced in early 1990 to support employees in balancing work and childrearing, and today, the retention rate after leave is nearly 100% across the Shiseido Group in Japan. In 2003, the company opened an in-house nursery, and in 2017, it established Kodomology Co., Ltd., which provides consulting services regarding the setup and operation of in-house nurseries, and operates the same on consignment.
 
In addition, since 2017 Shiseido has held the training program “Next Leadership Session for Women” for female employees to help them find their own leadership and management styles and motivate them to act as senior managers and executives.
 
Externally, 30% Club Japan was launched in 2019 with the aim of increasing the ratio of female executives on Japanese company boards, and Shiseido president and CEO Masahiko Uotani was appointed as the first chairman of the club. As a leader that transcends industry boundaries, 30% Club Japan advances women’s empowerment in Japan.
 
At present, the ratio of female managers in the Shiseido Group in Japan exceeds 30%, and the ratio of female board members is 46%. Furthermore, women in managerial positions in the Shiseido Group globally exceed 50%. While aiming to achieve gender equality, one of the most pressing issues in Japanese society, the company would like to increase the ratio of female managers in Japan to 50% by 2023 in true representation of equal opportunity.
 
A Positive Corporate Mission
 
With “Beauty Innovations for A Better World” as its corporate mission, Shiseido aims to solve social issues and contribute to a peaceful society through our core beauty business. Going forward, the company says it will continue to promote activities to empower employees with diverse backgrounds regardless of and unbound by gender, origin, or organizational career path, and further accelerate our diversity management.