The final judging session for the “Sustainable Growth Company Award 2026” was held in Tokyo on 19 May, and 12 winners were selected from among 28 finalists. External judges were also invited, with the purpose of ensuring fairness explained. The awards ceremony will be held on 20 August, when details of the winning companies and the selection process will be disclosed.
This article discusses the significance and judging process of the Sustainable Growth Company Award 2026, incorporating the views of the 4 judges. The judging was conducted using a web conferencing tool, with presentations and question-and-answer sessions held for the 28 finalists. The judges included President Nakatani Takayuki (中谷 貴之) of Funai Soken Holdings, Professor Yamori Nobuyoshi (家森 信善), President Morita Hayato (森田 隼人) of Shabondama Soap, and Tanimoto Yuka (谷本 有香) of Forbes JAPAN.
The reporter describes the significance of the award as “an opportunity to make the challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises visible,” and points out that the diversity and agility of the participating companies, as well as their use of DX and AI, were evaluated. The winners included companies such as 井村屋グループ and 筑水キャニコム, with emphasis placed on the willingness of companies with long histories to pursue in-house development and embrace new forms of change.
The judges said that small and medium-sized enterprises should raise productivity and added value in an era of population decline, and pointed to the importance of employee education and engagement. Common features of the winning companies included management, including the presidents, promoting transformation together with employees on the front lines, and companies based in regional areas looking toward global expansion.