Shiseido is advancing initiatives to improve the quality of DE&I. In 2023, it launched the Shiseido DE&I Lab and began joint research with the University of Tokyo. The company aims to create a workplace environment based on actual conditions, rather than numerical targets alone.
In efforts by Japanese companies to advance DE&I, numerical targets are said to take precedence, with the resulting gap between workplace awareness and actual conditions becoming a challenge. To close this gap, Shiseido is advancing initiatives that emphasize the “quality” of DE&I.
Building on the history of Miss Shiseido, which dates back to 1934, the company launched the “Shiseido DE&I Lab” in 2023 and is conducting joint research with the University of Tokyo to address fundamental issues.
Okabayashi (岡林氏) and Isobe (礒部氏) of Shiseido’s Sustainability Strategy Promotion Office pointed to the difficulty of securing understanding from both senior management and the workplace, as well as differences in the challenges faced depending on workforce size and gender composition. The company says it is gradually moving from a phase focused on “achieving numerical targets” to one focused on improving “quality.”
Going forward, the new focus of DE&I efforts is expected to be creating an environment where diverse talent can thrive, rather than relying on superficial figures such as the percentage of men taking parental leave.