Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I)

We believe that combining the different strengths of each individual generates creative thinking and diverse ideas full of inspiration. Therefore, we have made the acquisition of top talent based on high-level recruitment standards and the diversity of our employees a core part of our recruiting initiatives. We are working hard to develop an organizational culture that enables a diverse range of employees to realize their full potential and proactively develop their careers.

Support for the Active Participation of Women

More than 80% of Shiseido Group employees are women. 59.5% of the people in management positions across our global organization and 41.1% (as of January 2025) in Japan are women. 54.5% of the Board of Directors are women (as of April 2025). Regardless of gender or other attributes, we believe employee empowerment can ignite innovation, which in turn promotes further growth at Shiseido, enabling employees to fulfil their potential. To drive this, we aim to increase the percentage of women in management positions in Japan to 50% by 2030 to fairly represent gender equality.

For many years, Shiseido Japan has been dedicated to supporting women through various life events by offering a wide range of measures and support programs. Since the early 1990s—well before the introduction of childcare and family care laws—we established childcare leave policies and shortened working hour systems. Notably, we launched two on-site childcare facilities for Shiseido employees, local businesses, and community residents: KANGAROOM Shiodome in 2003^*1 and KANGAROOM Kakegawa in 2017. To further accommodate diverse workstyles and provide flexible childcare options, we opened KANGAROOM+ in April 2023—a comprehensive childcare facility that focuses primarily on babysitting services. In addition, to provide greater flexibility in terms of time and location, we have expanded our services to include one-on-one childcare for elementary school students, rather than just group childcare. This initiative aims to address the challenges that parents face when their children start first grade.^*2 In 2007, we introduced the Kangaroo Staff program to provide support for Shiseido Personal Beauty Partners who need to reduce their working hours to care for children. As a result, 93.9% of employees within the Shiseido Group in Japan return to work after taking childcare leave, and we continue to uphold this high percentage.

In the eight years since the launch of the women’s leadership development program called Next Leadership Sessions for Women, a total of 334 women employees (68 in 2024) have participated in the program. The program provides them with opportunities to learn management skills and find their own style of leadership. Additionally, to achieve our goal of having the ratio of women in management positions to 50%, we expanded this session to three new programs for candidates for next Group Managers, Department/Division Heads and Executive Officers. These initiatives strengthen our leadership pipeline and support the steady development of the next generation of leaders. From 2020 to 2024, a total of 213 women from various fields including sales, production, and R&D have participated in Speak Jam, a mentoring program connects them with Executive Officers.^*3

The Next Leadership Sessions for Women

*1：KANGAROOM Shiodome (our in-house nursery) was closed in line with the transition to KANGAROOM+
*2：While nursery schools look after children from morning until night, elementary schools finish in the afternoon, meaning that some parents have to begin working shorter hours when their children start school.
*3：Previously referred to as Corporate Officers until 2021

International Women's Day Initiatives

Every year on March 8, International Women's Day, Shiseido carries out initiatives to deepen understanding of gender equality and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I).

Initiatives in Japan

To mark International Women’s Day, Shiseido held an online seminar series titled Diversity Week for Gender for our employees around the world. The program included workshops on gender equality and webinars on related topics. One workshop focused on reevaluating the division of housework and childcare responsibilities, giving participants an opportunity to reflect on gender equality in the home. In addition, Chief DE&I Officer Ayako Hirofuji spoke at her webinar about Shiseido’s long history of supporting women’s careers and leadership and shared her personal experience with proactive career planning, offering powerful inspiration.

Workshop focused on the division of housework and childcare responsibilities

Ayako Hirofuji, Chief DE&I Officer and featured webinar speaker

Initiatives Worldwide

At the Shiseido Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters and the Shiseido China & Travel Retail Regional Headquarters in Singapore, an event was held in celebration of International Women’s Day. Participants learned about Shiseido’s long-standing commitment to women’s empowerment and heard personal stories from leaders about their career journeys. In collaboration with United Women Singapore, a non-profit organization, we also hosted skincare and makeup workshops to share confidence-boosting beauty techniques for the workplace. During the event, Shiseido employees distributed thank-you cards handcrafted by women artisans in Nepal.

At the request of Women Empowering Women, an employee resource group, the Shiseido Americas regional headquarters organized a region-wide campaign, posting portrait photographs of employees on social media in support of International Women’s Day to foster networking among women.

Event hosted at the Asia-Pacific Regional Headquarters and the China & Travel Retail Regional Headquarters

LGBTQ+ Initiatives

As a committed supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies inside and outside the company, we strive to nurture a society where everyone can feel empowered to live their life freely. The Shiseido Code of Conduct and Ethics, which defines the mandatory behavior expected of every individual working for Shiseido Group, clearly states that we respect diversity and do not engage in or tolerate discrimination in the workplace.
In order to enable each and every employee to bring out their potential and excellence, we are also committed to improving the environment and raising awareness regarding LGBTQ+ topics.
We are holding internal events and talk sessions that provide opportunities for employees to reflect on the current situation surrounding the LGBTQ+ community by sharing their personal experiences and inviting external experts.
In Japan, we made it clear in our working policies that the same-sex partners of employees shall be treated in the same manner as those with heterosexual partners regarding special leave, nursing care, childcare, and other benefits.
In 2024, we obtained Gold, the highest rating in the Pride Index, as well as our first Rainbow Certification. The index is developed by Work with Pride Association,^*1 which evaluates initiatives to support the LGBTQ+ community.

Since 2025, we have endorsed “Business Support for LGBT Equality,” an international signature campaign by EqualityActJapan.^*2 This campaign advocates for legislation in Japan that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, aiming to create a society and workplace where everyone is treated equally.

*1：An organization that encourages companies and organizations to adopt LGBTQ+-friendly diversity management practices
*2：For more information on EqualityActJapan, visit: https://equalityactjapan.org/aboutus/

Initiatives to Enhance DE&I Literacy

We have expanded the scope of DE&I issues to help foster a more inclusive workplace. In 2024, we hosted Diversity Week twice in Japan for Shiseido Group employees, with a total of around 1,500 participants. Employee resource groups increased opportunities for dialogue with members of the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities, who shared their perspectives and encouraged all employees to take ownership in promoting DE&I initiatives. This stakeholder engagement has helped broaden the range of social issues addressed and contributed to building an inclusive organizational culture.
Since 2024, we have also conducted DE&I training for leaders in the Japan region, including executive officers and division heads. Another notable development in 2024 was inclusive marketing learning sessions to fully integrate DE&I approaches into our branding strategies. Marketing and creative teams engaged in dialogue with LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities, both within and outside Shiseido, on how our brands can deliver meaningful value.

Visual Impairment Simulation at “Diversity Week for Persons with Disabilities

Active Participation of Employees with Disabilities

The Shiseido Group in Japan employs approximately 370 employees with disabilities who put their experience and strengths to use regardless of workplace or type of work. The nature and extent of disabilities vary, but we tailor arrangements and resources to individual situations, and regard them as valuable talents in the workplace.
The employment percentage for people with disabilities is 4.88% at Shiseido Company, Limited. The percentage for the Shiseido Group in Japan is 3.06% (as of June 2025). Hanatsubaki Factory Co., Ltd, a special subsidiary of Shiseido where most employees are people with intellectual disabilities, operates in nine locations, including Tokyo, Tochigi, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka, employing more than 60 individuals with disabilities (as of June 2025).

Policies for employing persons with disabilities:

1."We seriously expect achievement from them"
2."We provide necessary consideration, but no special treatment"
3."We assertively support those with the passion to work hard”

Based on the above employment policies, many employees with disabilities are employed as full-time employees (FTE) under the same personnel system as those without disabilities.
The talent development program including training is also the same for employees with and without disabilities.
During the recruitment process, we inquire about any special accommodations needed for an applicant's disability prior to conducting interviews. We also organize work experience workshops to help students with disabilities gain a better understanding of the work environment. Before a new employee joins the company, supervisors and HR representatives confirm any necessary adaptations. If necessary, they also arrange seminars to enhance understanding of disabilities among employees in the department where the new staff member will be assigned.

After new recruits join the company, we maintain ongoing support in collaboration with their superiors, industrial physicians, public health nurses and dedicated personnel supporting the retention of employees with disabilities. Employees can utilize outpatient leave for rehabilitation, tests or hospital visits to their disabilities. We also foster flexible environments tailored to individual requests for assistance and equipment. In the Expanding Work Opportunities for People with Disabilities project launched in 2019, provided a new possibility of career as telecommunicating sales, a job category which was regarded difficult for people with visual impairments. In 2024, we launched Online Beauty, a free-of-charge online beauty consulting service for consumers with hearing impairments. We now have employees with disabilities who use sign language on a daily basis working as Shiseido Personal Beauty Partners (PBPs). In addition to taking internal initiatives, in 2021 we joined The Valuable 500, a global networking group for disability inclusion to support the full and effective social participation of people with disabilities. We are enhancing company-wide awareness of the importance of employing individuals with disabilities. To achieve this, we include disability-related topics in our management training programs and facilitate information-sharing sessions for HR representatives in the Shiseido Group..

Assistance and Equipment for Employees with Disabilities

Various tools are available for use. For example, audio transcription apps, telephone relay services,^*1
magnifiers, text-to-speech software, braille blocks, sit-stand desk, and Eyeco Support.^*2

*1：An instant bidirectional telephone service where a relay operator uses sign language, or text and voice to interpret a conversation between a person with hearing or speech difficulties and a hearing person (a person without hearing disability)
*2：A service that provides voice-based visual information to people who have lost their eyesight or have low vision. Support from a remote contact center based on location information or images taken with a smartphone.

In 2021 we joined The Valuable 500, a global networking group for disability inclusion to show our support for their vision and projects. "The Valuable 500" is a coalition of business leaders dedicated to driving systemic change, enabling individuals with disabilities to realize their potential and contribute to business, economic, and social value. Going forward, Shiseido will continue our commitment for disability inclusion through initiatives in recruitment and service provision within our beauty business.

Supporting the Ethnic Diversity of Shiseido’s Workforce

Shiseido has actively pursued the employment of individuals from diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds both at its overseas Group companies and within Japan. Since 2018, English has been adopted as the official in-house language at Shiseido, including in Japan, to better connect our increasingly diverse workforce and enhance value creation. We cultivate an inclusive organizational culture where employees from various backgrounds collaborate across different departments. When hiring non-Japanese nationals at the Company's Headquarters, we adhere to Japan's immigration control systems, particularly regarding resident status requirements, and ensure that their treatment aligns with the relevant Rules of Employment. Additionally, to accommodate diverse faiths, we have established a prayer room at our Shiodome office.

Appointing Women, Non-Japanese Employees and Mid-career Hires to Key Positions
(in View of the Corporate Governance Code)

The Tokyo Stock Exchange's "Corporate Governance Code" outlines essential principles for effective corporate governance. Among these principles is the recognition of the significance of people strategies in enhancing corporate value over the medium to long term. It advises listed companies to articulate their policies and measurable objectives for fostering diversity among key talent, including the advancement of women, foreign nationals, and mid-career hires to middle management roles, and to transparently report their progress in these areas.
We prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) by respecting and empathizing with different values based on the belief that value is created through the integration of diverse knowledge and skills. We believe that combining the different strengths of each individual generates creative thinking and diverse ideas full of inspiration. For this reason, we respect the differences between individuals, regardless of their attributes or ways of thinking, and work to ensure the diversity of our core human resources, which include women, foreign nationals, and people hired mid-career.

Measurable targets related to women’s empowerment are presented in Social Data below. As of January 2025, approximately 3% of the Shiseido Group managers in Japan were foreign nationals and approximately 36% were mid-career hires. We do not set specific targets as foreign nationals and mid-career hires are provided with the same promotional opportunities as employees from other backgrounds.

Click here for the Principles of the Corporate Governance Code (CG Code) and Shiseido’s Response
Information about Shiseido's status regarding women, foreign nationals, and people hired mid-career is available in the Social Data section.

Post-retirement Reemployment System

Shiseido has introduced a system to re-hire experienced employees after they reach the retirement age of the Company (age 60) since 2006, so that they can continue to work as long as they have the motivation and ability to do so. In 2021, the system was updated to the EL Partners Advanced Program to enhance responsibilities and reemployment conditions. Recognizing the arrival of the 100-year life era, we have restructured the program to allow highly motivated employees who wish to grow and contribute to the Company after retirement to continue playing an active role regardless of age.

Employment of Fixed-term Employees

The Shiseido Group in Japan employs fixed-term employees based on labor-related laws and regulations and provides appropriate treatment with various social insurance and holidays stipulated by the law according to employment regulations and various other regulations. For fixed-term employees of five years or more at the Company, we switch their employment contract to an indefinite-term contract upon request in accordance with the law established in 2018.

Employment of Temporary Employees

Temporary employees work at the Shiseido Group in Japan according to the Worker Dispatch Law. With regard to the employment of temporary employees at the Shiseido Group, we implement various measures such as concluding agreements with employment agencies, development and management of registers, and appointment of personnel in charge of management, all of which is based on the Worker Dispatch Law policy related to measures that should be established regarding employment agencies and other relevant laws and regulations. Shiseido continuously and appropriately responds to amendments in or reinterpretations of respective laws and regulations.

External Recognition

The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives at Shiseido have been recognized with several awards. We will continue to accelerate Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) to support not only women, but employees with diverse backgrounds, including foreign nationals and mid-career hires.

FY2025 Nadeshiko Brand^*1

MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN)^*2

*1：Nadeshiko Brand is designed to spotlight stocks of listed companies that excel in the empowerment of women to attract investors. Selected companies are those that place emphasis on long-term corporate value improvement and the acceleration of activities designed for the empowerment of women. Shiseido has been selected consecutively since 2021.
*2：The MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN), developed by MSCI (USA), is designed to select Japanese businesses that rate highly in the empowerment of women and gender diversity. Shiseido has been selected six years in a row since its inception in 2017.

Shiseido selected in the “The Global Parity Alliance Lighthouse Awards 2022”

Shiseido has been selected as the only Japan company in the 2022 “DEI Lighthouse” of The Global Parity Alliance. The Global Parity Alliance was launched by the World Economic Forum^* and McKinsey & Company to accelerate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I).

Shiseido and Shiseido Japan Receive Highest "Gold" Rating in PRIDE Index and Earn First Rainbow Certification

Shiseido and Shiseido Japan have been awarded the highest "Gold" rating in the PRIDE Index, an index that evaluates corporate initiatives for LGBTQ+ and other sexual minorities in the workplace in Japan, as established by the general incorporated association—work with Pride. Shiseido has also received the Rainbow Certification, a credential that recognizes companies that promote cross-sector collaboration to create workplaces and societies where individuals who belong to LGBTQ+ communities can work authentically.

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