Now is the time to reconsider "diversity." The cutting edge of diversity that companies must grasp.

Ensuring diversity within companies has become commonplace in today's era. Even within the rapidly spreading SDGs of recent years, it is no exaggeration to say that ensuring diversity is the source of all values.

However, the term "diversity" itself encompasses an incredibly diverse range of content and topics, and it continues to evolve daily. Perhaps it is precisely because the topics are diverse and constantly changing that it truly embodies "diversity." While many are familiar with the keyword "diversity," if asked whether they truly understand its substance and the latest topics, many might actually lack confidence.

Therefore, this article revisits the "frontiers of diversity" and explores "topics likely to become hot in the future." Our interviewee is Erina Hanzawa, Editor-in-Chief of the diversity web magazine " cococolor," which launched in 2013 and marks its 10th anniversary this year. Drawing from her position as someone deeply familiar with the current state of diversity, she discusses the relationship between "diversity and business."

Why is "Diversity" necessary for companies?

Q. It's been nine years since you began focusing on diversity in your work and launched the web magazine "cococolor." Could you briefly reflect on the changes over these nine years?

Hanzawa: It sounds almost like a joke, but for the first two years or so after starting this work, when I mentioned "diversity," people would literally ask, "Odaiba?" Of course, the term "inclusion" was also hardly heard back then. Thinking about that makes me realize how much things have changed.

Nowadays, the question I hear most often is, "What is equity?" I've had many more opportunities to explain the difference between "equity" and "equality." Understanding that distinction is crucial for advancing the discussion further. Simply advocating for "equality" isn't enough to genuinely ensure equal accessibility to the same opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. That's why it's essential to guarantee "fairness" through reasonable accommodations.

Q. This might be getting back to the fundamental question, but why is the concept of "diversity" necessary for companies right now?

Hanzawa: Of course, if we try to explain the importance and necessity of diversity, many points can be raised. These range from the "idealistic view of how people should live" – that it's a fundamental human responsibility – to the perspective that "diverse abilities expand a company's potential." There's also the more negative, reactive viewpoint: "When dealing with Western companies, you can't do business without considering diversity," or "Failing to address it leads to a decline in social reputation."

Indeed, there are diverse viewpoints. Personally, I believe that "an environment that safeguards a wide range of differences can strengthen an organization with the resilience of a flexible thread." We receive truly diverse inquiries and projects daily. For most companies, facing the same challenges every day is virtually unheard of. In such an environment, a uniform, conformist atmosphere is no longer viable for competing.

Moving forward, contributing to solving social issues will become increasingly important. This is why "Collective Impact" has gained prominence. This framework prioritizes creating Collective Impact – meaning that instead of local governments, companies, NPOs, foundations, and other players tackling social issues individually, they work together to create impact. To achieve this Collective Impact, the fundamental prerequisite is ensuring our own diversity.

How have consultations related to "diversity" changed?

Q. Mr. Hanzawa, I imagine you receive daily diversity-related inquiries from various companies. Have you noticed changes in the content of these inquiries or the types of companies seeking advice?

Hanzawa: When I first started working seriously on diversity initiatives, I recall receiving many inquiries from foreign-affiliated companies. I think this is because foreign companies were quicker to adopt diversity initiatives than Japanese companies. Questions like, "How can we implement initiatives already promoted by our headquarters in our Japanese branch?" or "We want to create a rainbow logo symbolizing LGBT and diversity—can you tell us how other companies are doing it?" Among these, we also received requests for training sessions or for me to serve as a lecturer, which we accommodated.

Simultaneously, we were running cococolor. When we first started, we received a lot of critical feedback. We ourselves were often figuring things out as we went along, so by sharing our work, we received pointed criticism. We then used that to relearn and refine our approach, repeating this cycle.

After that, changes began occurring within companies themselves. Previously, diversity initiatives often fell under the purview of "CSR managers." However, we started seeing dedicated diversity teams formed within corporate HR departments, and positions like "Chief Diversity Officer" being established. This signaled a shift in how diversity was positioned within companies. We witnessed many of these changes around 2017 to 2018.

Now, beyond training, we're being asked to contribute to planning and development, even proposing internal initiatives. The number of consultations has increased, and their content has diversified.

What's been particularly noticeable this past year is the push to include diversity initiatives in integrated reports. This means companies want to clearly set KPIs to evaluate how diversity aligns with their growth strategies, whether their initiatives are appropriate for their specific company, and the extent of their societal impact. They want to disclose and explain this to investors. In this sense, I feel a second wave of change is hitting diversity officers. Conversations are increasingly happening with departments and personnel closer to the executive level. This trend also began emerging first within foreign-affiliated companies.

What topics related to diversity are likely to gain even more attention going forward?

Q. While diversity encompasses many themes, what do you consider the hottest topics right now, or those likely to gain more attention this year?

Hanzawa: Yes, there are indeed many themes, so let me list a few. First, regarding "gender," I believe the topic of "women's healthcare" will gain even more attention. For example, issues around birth control pill use and abortion. In these areas, Japan still has situations where women cannot access options that should be available, resulting in a continued heavy burden on women.

The keyword here would be "reproductive health/rights." Beyond pregnancy, childbirth, and abortion, the focus will likely shift to discussing how we can care for and protect women's health throughout their entire lives. This includes issues from adolescence to menstruation, proper sexual health education, addressing diseases specific to women, and menopause. Within this, I believe we'll see a trend of looking not only at women's issues but also at "masculinity studies," and the field known as "femtech" will gain attention. However, it's crucial here to avoid progressing in a way that reinforces a binary opposition like "male or female."

Next, regarding "sexual minorities." Recently, "LGBTQ+" is used more often than "LGBT." The rainbow flag, once composed of six colors, has diversified, with flags incorporating five additional colors now existing.

There's also a movement to call people who understand and support LGBT activities "Allies." However, the term "Ally" isn't always received positively. Some feel that the stance of the majority understanding and supporting the minority comes across as condescending. Personally, I prefer the term "Friendly," but I think perceptions vary here too.

While opinions are divided, I believe it's positive that discussions are happening. Rather than people showing no interest and no debate occurring, gathering attention while maintaining mutual respect is an important step forward. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has announced plans to introduce a "same-sex partnership system," and in education, some schools are expanding uniform options by removing gender-based restrictions. In this way, I feel discussions about sexuality are becoming necessary not only regarding the rights of those directly involved but also in more everyday areas.

Next is the realm of "disability." I sense growing interest in the technologies and art forms developing within this field. I believe involving more people and companies in this area could spark significant change, potentially revealing a different landscape. I hope we can start by carefully engaging with the dedicated efforts of those involved in welfare and the families of people with disabilities, asking ourselves: What can we do together? Furthermore, Japan is an aging society. As we grow older, our physical abilities decline. For us, disability isn't something that happens to someone else; it's something close to home. There is much we can learn from those already involved.

I've listed several hot topics by theme, but looking at the bigger picture, I feel themes that might not immediately seem related to diversity are gaining momentum. For example, "Healthcare" × "Diversity." With the era of 100-year lifespans, how we live and even how we die are becoming major points of discussion. Of course, how we live is important, but what does it truly mean to be "alive"? And will we reach a society where we can openly discuss how we want to die?

Conversely, I have some concerns about the "multicultural" domain. Due to the impact of COVID-19, fewer people are entering Japan from overseas, and topics like globalization, which were frequently discussed for a time, seem to have diminished. I had expected topics like multiculturalism, globalization, and regional revitalization to gain even greater momentum, but in reality, they seem to have stalled somewhat.

However, considering Japan's future, the working-age population will inevitably shrink. Even if the pandemic's impact is temporary, the influx of foreign nationals is likely to increase. Even during the pandemic, foreign nationals and non-native Japanese speakers face hardships. This inevitably means cultural topics like religion, ideology, and food must be carefully addressed and expanded upon. Furthermore, an increase in people with diverse cultural backgrounds in Japan means the Japanese market itself becomes "global." This could create business opportunities where previously unsellable products find buyers and lead to greater diversity in people's lives.

Becoming multicultural connects to many things. For example, many elementary schools provide school lunches, but in a multicultural setting, religious or cultural issues may prevent everyone from eating the same meal. School lunches are actually an important opportunity to create shared experiences, but this shared experience through food becomes difficult. While one could argue it should lead to even more wonderful shared experiences, the reality is that educational settings are very busy and may lack the capacity. This challenge, too, presents an opportunity to generate better solutions when addressed not just by educators but by society as a whole.

Such changes represent new needs among people and should also be seen as business opportunities. I believe that accurately predicting "the changes that will inevitably occur" and proactively taking steps in advance is essential for all companies moving forward. This, too, cannot be achieved without understanding and embracing "diversity." To survive and continue growing in this era of change, companies must fundamentally be "strong yet flexible organizations." Ensuring diversity is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving this.

While "diversity" is now widely accepted as commonplace, the reality is that just a few years ago, it was far from prevalent. Even now, within the broad umbrella of diversity, various challenges are being identified, and movements toward solutions are emerging.

The spread of COVID-19 likely made many of us experience how "today's norm can vanish in an instant." When such major shifts occur, which type of company will remain resilient—one with diversity or one confined to a single, uniform direction? We will undoubtedly continue to face various changes. While we cannot fully predict the future, anyone can look squarely at possibilities and respect them. Why not reconsider diversity as something that concerns you personally and your company?