Advancing Gender Equality

At the Shiseido DE&I Lab established in 2023, we explore ways to leverage the power of diversity in our joint work with University of Tokyo researchers. We study the process by which the empowerment of diverse human resources facilitates innovation by introducing different values and ideas to verify the relationship between DE&I and corporate growth. Additionally, we disseminate our findings broadly throughout society through the website “Shiseido DE&I Lab Site,” thereby contributing to revitalizing the Japanese economy through DE&I.

In 2024, we published the results of our research themed "From Women's Empowerment to Gender Equality" on the Shiseido DE&I Lab Site that suggest a gender imbalance among organizational leaders could reinforce unconscious biases. In response to these findings, we emphasized the importance of achieving gender balance among leaders and taking a company-wide approach that treats this not as an issue for a specific group, but as a challenge for the organization as a whole.
In March 2025, the Shiseido DE&I Lab held its symposium, featuring a streamed discussion on achieving gender equality. Together with our collaborators, including Professor Shintaro Yamaguchi of the Graduate School of Economics at the University of Tokyo, we shared the latest research insights. The Shiseido DE&I Lab will continue to conduct empirical research that leads to organizational transformation, striving for true gender equality.

The 30% Club Japan aims to increase the proportion of women on the boards^*1 of companies in Japan. Since the launch of the TOPIX Presidents’ Committee in 2019, Shiseido has led the community of chairpersons and presidents from 33 companies^*2 included in the TOPIX 100 and TOPIX Mid 400. As of 2024, the committee has held 11 sessions^*3, with a total of 218 participants from these companies, all of whom are members of the 30% Club Japan.
To lead innovations, it is necessary to nurture an organizational culture with high adaptability to change, and it is considered extremely important to achieve gender balance among management executives (such as executive officers and organization head positions) who have many team members and substantial influence on daily operations. In addition to the ongoing theme, the appointment of women to executive officer and organization head positions, there were lively discussions and case studies from different member companies on broad topics, such as fostering an organizational culture that leverages diversity. On the project management team organized by operation-level leaders of member companies (about 80 members from 33 companies), cross-company projects have been organized to tackle three gateways that inhibit the career development of women, which was clarified through the TOPIX Presidents’ Committee, by promoting the implementation of concrete measures to resolve common issues, including sharing best practices for combining work with childcare and holding exchange meetings between women candidates for executive positions with the Presidents’ Committee leaders.
Additionally, the 30% Club Japan’s fully integrated approach—introduced in 2022 to influence society through collaboration among companies and various stakeholders—was further reinforced by emphasizing the sharing of best practices across participating companies and advancing initiatives in partnership with institutional investors and universities.

The ratio of women among the executives of companies participating in the TOPIX President's Committee has risen to 24.9%, exceeding 12.5 percentage points, which is the average for domestic listed companies. It has also brought about further progress for women’s participation in corporate decision-making, such as advancement to previously untraditional posts, including directors of business operations and manufacturing operations.
Shiseido will lead the way in transforming Japanese companies to break away from the current homogeneity by promoting the active participation of women, thereby leading innovations.

The proportion of women researchers in Japan is low compared to other countries, remaining at roughly 18.3%^*. To help change the situation, Shiseido offers continued support to women researchers in Japan who are engaged in world-leading, innovative research in natural sciences. The Shiseido Female Researcher Science Grant has been providing support in this area since 2007. Now in its 17th year, 2024, we awarded research grants to 10 women researchers. This subsidy is distinguished for its versatility in providing support to women in their life events, such as childbirth and childcare, so long as the objective of the funding is research. To date, it has contributed to the research results and the career development of 169 researchers.
The theme for the 2024 award presentation ceremony held at the Shiseido Global Innovation Center (Yokohama) was “Deepening the Network of Women Researchers.” Past recipients also joined the event, which featured research presentations and a panel discussion centered on strengthening the network among women researchers. Ayako Hirofuji, Chief DE&I Officer at Shiseido, congratulated the recipients with the following message:
“Shiseido recognizes that pursuing research while navigating life events in a culture where gender roles are still deeply ingrained can be incredibly challenging. However, we have high hopes that you will become role models and pioneers for the next generation.”
Shiseido will continue to support the success of women researchers and provide opportunities for diverse individuals to exchange ideas and knowledge.

As part of “Supporting the Children’s Challenge for the Future,” the Foundation organizes Self-Reliance Seminars in cooperation with Shiseido Japan Co., Ltd., Aoki Inc., Recruit Co., Ltd., and other companies and organizations, to enable junior high school and high school students who receive social care^*2 to acquire social knowledge and skills from specialists so that they can live independent lives. In 2024, the Foundation rolled out a career-support program for junior high school students, holding the first session at the Fukuoka Kurume Factory. Through tours and hands-on activities, participants learned about various jobs in manufacturing and cosmetic sales. In addition, the scholarship program, which launched in 2007 to support students entering universities, junior colleges, and vocational schools, supported 16 recipients as of the end of March 2025, making the total number of recipients to 93.
Other activities included training staff of child welfare facilities as part of “Creating Opportunities to Learn for People who Nurture Children” and subsidizing child abuse prevention awareness events and seminars for families raising children throughout Japan for “Creating a Society in which Children are Supported by Everyone.”
Through efforts like these, the Foundation aims to contribute to advancing gender equality by providing equal opportunities regardless of gender.