Talent Development and Fair Evaluation

At Shiseido, we are committed to the evolution of our talent development initiatives with the goal of filling the company with employees who drive the future with a commitment to and passion for beauty. Since our founding, we have placed a high value on talent development, earning the nicknamed “Shoseido” in our early days in Ginza, a playful reference to being a place for scholars. This tradition of talent development has been preserved to the present day. Guided by our “People First” philosophy which emphasizes the power of individuals, we empower all employees to enhance their expertise and leverage their unique strengths as professionals, contributing to their personal development and the growth of the organization.
In 2020, we established the Trust 8 Competencies as a common language for defining the behaviors expected of all Shiseido employees. TRUST 8 served as the foundation for our global selection, evaluation, and talent development programs, enabling us to manage talent more effectively across the Shiseido Group worldwide.
In 2023, we opened Shiseido Future University in Ginza, the birthplace of our company, as a platform for providing employees with opportunities for personal growth through selective leadership training programs. In 2024, we hosted the Shiseido Learning Festival at the same venue. It was open to all employees to foster a culture of learning.
Regarding talent development, we believe it is crucial to develop leaders who possess both the mindset and ability to lead transformation in the face of uncertainty and challenges while also being able to capitalize on the opportunities that arise in such environments—all in pursuit of our corporate mission. To this end, we have defined our leadership model at Shiseido as “Futurists, Leading Change” and are actively introducing and implementing this model throughout the organization.

To strengthen employees’ expertise and build a globally competitive organization, we have introduced the Job-Based Personnel System for managerial-level employees, career path positions, and beauty consultant roles (excluding production positions) in Japan. The system redefines employee level criteria by focusing on clearly defined job roles rather than individual capabilities, allowing for objective evaluation and treatment in line with global standards. This system redefines the criteria for determining employee levels, shifting the focus from individual capabilities to clearly defined job roles, and it facilitates objective evaluation and treatment aligned with global standards. By clarifying specifying the job responsibilities and required expertise in each department, the system is also designed to support employees in taking greater ownership of their careers.
The framework is built on four key elements:

We implement Strategic Talent Management to ensure that the right person are placed in the right roles across our global organization, while also strategically developing talent to align with future business requirements. Talent reviews are held annually at the global, regional, and functional levels to identify successors and create development plans for key positions. These succession plans are tailored to individual strengths and development needs, and may include stretch assignments, global mobility opportunities, and leadership development programs. Each plan is executed with the endorsement and support of the CEO.

To ensure the sustainable growth of both our business and our employees, we have strengthened our Performance Management practices. In 2021, we introduced a globally standardized evaluation framework that assesses both the achievement of performance targets and behaviors that are aligned with the TRUST 8 Competencies. This dual-focus approach supports medium- to long-term business performance and employee development.
At the beginning of each fiscal year, all Shiseido employees set individual performance goals through discussions with their supervisors. These goals cascade from the objectives of the employees’ teams, ensuring that individual contributions are aligned with team targets.
Throughout the year, employees engage in ongoing dialogue with their supervisors and receive feedback to regularly review their progress, allowing the employees to adjust their goals as needed. Formal performance reviews are conducted at least once a year, with a final assessment of goal achievement at the end of the fiscal year. Supervisors may also seek input from other employees to provide broader feedback, enabling multifaceted evaluations that go beyond the evaluation of the employee’s immediate supervisor.
To ensure the fairness and consistency of evaluations, calibration meetings are held to review evaluation criteria and finalize performance ratings. At the beginning of each cycle, goals are also calibrated to confirm that they reflect the expected performance level. This encourages employees to take on stretch assignments that further strengthen their expertise.

At Shiseido, we encourage our employees to have a growth mindset and support their independent development of their careers. With the introduction of the Job-Based Personnel System, we have been offering career workshops and e-learning programs to all employees in Japan since 2020. These initiatives aim to foster both career ownership and professional expertise. We integrate Career Development Plans (CDPs) into our Performance Management framework, enabling employees to envision their own medium- to long-term career goals. At the beginning of each fiscal year, employees share their CDP-driven action plans with their supervisors during the performance goal-setting process. Supervisors use this input to guide talent development and optimize work assignments. Employees also have access to a wide range of voluntary training programs designed to strengthen their foundational business skills and deepen the expertise required for their respective Job Families. To provide employees with more diverse and frequent opportunities for career development, we offer a year-round internal job posting program.

To support the strategic development of talent, the Shiseido Group offers leadership development programs through Shiseido Future University for management candidates from across the Group. These programs are designed to enhance leadership and management capabilities while fostering cross-border networks. A standout initiative is the Next Leadership Session for Women, which supports high-potential women employees develop their management and leadership skills while discovering their own authentic leadership style. This initiative has empowered many women and contributed to the percentage of women in management positions in Japan increasing from 29% in 2017 to 41.1% in 2025.

To support employees in their achieving high-level performance and taking ownership of the development of their careers, the Shiseido Group offers a range of voluntary training programs that employees can opt into. In Japan, these include training on foundational business skills that are applicable in many different roles, as well as specialized academies, such as the Sales Academy and the Marketing Academy, which are designed to increase employees’ expertise within specific Job Families. To further encourage self-directed learning and professional development, we have introduced LinkedIn Learning as a global learning platform that all Shiseido employees around the world can access.

To foster an open and trusting environment where every Shiseido Group employee can find meaning and fulfillment in their work, we conduct a Global Engagement Survey that encompasses all employees. The comprehensive survey covers a wide range of themes, including engagement, overall experience, intention to stay, inclusion, well-being, strategy, organizational structure, business processes, growth, performance management, leadership, organizational culture, customer focus, CSR, and corporate ethics. Conducted annually, the survey assesses the organization’s level of engagement.
We encourage Shiseido employees to adopt a mindset of adaptability and openness to change as part of our ongoing business transformation. Recognizing that variations in mindset and initiatives among employees can impact the pace of transformation, this survey provides management with valuable insights directly from employees, helping to identify current challenges. Employees are also encouraged to review the survey results and develop specific action plans to enhance the company. We believe that fostering two-way communication between management and employees is essential to drive meaningful transformation, and we are committed to expanding opportunities for direct dialogue with senior management. In addition, we have established internal and external reporting and consultation channels that are accessible to all employees, regardless of employment status, for reporting or discussing matters related to the work environment, interpersonal relationships, or any violations of internal rules or laws.