"30% Club Japan" Releases Survey Results Percentage of Female Executives Shows Increasing Trend
The 30% Club Japan, established in May 2019 to increase the proportion of female executives at Japanese companies, announced on October 8th that its survey of executive officers (directors and auditors) as of the end of July showed the proportion of female executives at TOPIX 100 companies reached 10.5% (up 2.5 percentage points year-on-year).
The club operates globally, including in the UK and US. After launching in Japan in May, it held a press conference and launch event in Tokyo in July. Masahiko Uotani (President of Shiseido) was appointed as the club's inaugural Chair. The club aims to achieve a 30% female director ratio among TOPIX 100 companies by 2030.
Related article:"30% Club Japan" Launched, Aims to Increase Female Board Member Ratio[July 19, 2019]
From the released announcement:
[Survey Results Summary]
・The proportion of female directors at TOPIX 100 companies rose 2.5 percentage points from last year to 10.5%
・The proportion of female directors (excluding auditors) also reached 10%
・The proportion of female directors increased by less than 1 percentage point annually until 2017, but the increase accelerated to 1.5 percentage points in 2018 and 2.5 percentage points in 2019.
・The number of companies with zero female directors decreased significantly compared to 2018, falling to 15 companies in 2019.
・The above trends are also observed in the TOPIX Mid 400
・Disparities by industry persist:
・Industries with relatively high female director ratios: Food products, Retail, Finance (Banks, Insurance, Other Financial), Services
・Industries with relatively low female director ratios: Construction, Non-ferrous metals, Warehousing and transportation services
Chair Uotani stated, "The increase in the proportion of female directors reflects the belief among many Japanese executives that 'diversity is key to corporate growth.' We believe the era has definitively shifted from debating whether to appoint female directors to actively increasing their representation.
At the same time, I feel that further improvement requires detailed initiatives tailored to Japan's unique corporate culture and realities. Through this club, we aim to address the fundamental challenges of closing the gender gap and promote diversity in decision-making processes across Japanese companies by fostering a community where Japanese business leaders take the initiative."
Official Website:
https://30percentclub.org/about/chapters/japan
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