Month: September 2021

ICGN Excellence in Corporate Governance Programme 2021

2021-09-13 posted by

 

Seems like a good program. If you sign up, kindly please also tell us at info@bdti.or.jp so we can get credit for the introduction.

This 4-part course builds an awareness of how institutional investors with globally diversified portfolios analyse corporate governance practices and a company’s approach to generating long-term value. The curriculum focuses on recent changes to the Japan Corporate Governance Code and standards expected of JPX listed companies, particularly the new Prime Market segment. The ICGN Course provides:

  • Global Investor Lens with ICGN Member opinion responsible for AuM in excess of over $59 trillion, based in over 40 countries
  • Best Practices based on ICGN’s Global Governance Principles used by ICGN Members in voting polices and company engagement
  • Local Relevance applicable to national standards/regulations and clarity around any differences between local and global standards
  • Practical Experience featuring live case studies from international investors and pre-recorded keynote speeches

The ICGN Faculty is a prestigious group of professionals with practical experience from the corporate and investment field. Each 90-minute module will include insights and case studies presented by an international guest (with simultaneous interpretation) and teaching from the lead faculty member in Japanese language. Participants can also view a pre-recorded 15-minute keynote speech from an influential governance practitioner.

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METRICAL: Diversity Has To Be Strong

2021-09-01 posted by

This month, we will focus on diversity again. This is because I believe that diversity raises the bottom line of a company. Diversity is deeply related to S and G of ESG, and it has a great impact on the transformation of a company’s culture. On the other hand, it seems that many Japanese companies are more keen on “E” than “S” and “G” in their ESG initiatives, because “E” is an area that is relatively easy to tackle for Japanese companies that have a successful experience of setting technical numerical targets such as CO2 emission targets and improving the technical level through bottom-up efforts led by engineers to eventually achieve high targets. Even in the S and G areas, it should be possible to set clear goals and set timeframes for improvement without setting numerical targets. In several articles on diversity, I have mentioned the importance of respect for human rights, or in other words, understanding diversity, in order to build an environment where everyone can live comfortably, whether in a company or a society where various people are involved. On Thursday, August 19, I attended the analyst meeting of Monogatari Corporation (3097), which is engaged in advanced diversity initiatives as mentioned in my previous article, to discuss its financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, and I would like to update you on the company’s diversity initiatives.

Monogatari Corporation is one of the listed companies that is proactively working on diversity. As of June 2021, the company had 126 employees from 13 countries (10% of the total workforce), an increase from 105 employees from 11 countries (9.5% of the total workforce) as of December 2020. In the past six months, the number of store managers with international (foreign) nationality has increased significantly from 4 to 18. In addition, the company is also working to support the activities of LGBTQ employees, with training for all employees starting with basic knowledge and how to respond in the workplace and sharing the idea of understanding and supporting all sexualities. Also, the company has introduced a “Life Partnership System” that allows same-sex partners to receive the same treatment as legal marriages within the company. In Japan, where same-sex marriage is not yet legally recognized, this system allows LGBTQ employees to receive the same treatment as legally married couples in the company.

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