METI × Dentsu Inc. Dialogue: Companies Grow Stronger as DEI Takes Root

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) published the " Diversity Management for Enhancing Corporate Competitiveness (Diversity Report) " in April 2025.

In this series, Atsuko Kuchiba, Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) at dentsu Japan, who works daily to realize DEI across the entire domestic Dentsu Group, interviews Tomoko Soma, Director of the Economic and Social Policy Bureau at METI, who compiled the report.

In Part 1, we discussed the true purpose of the Diversity Report and key points for promoting diversity management. In Part 2, we explore concrete methods for implementation and future prospects.

Part 1: METI × Dentsu Inc. Dialogue. Why is DEI necessary for companies and organizations?

(From left) Ms. Tomoko Soma, Director of the Economic and Social Policy Division, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Ms. Atsuko Kuchiba, Chief Diversity Officer, Dentsu Japan

<Table of Contents>
▼What Qualities Are Needed in Managers in This Era of Rapid Change?

▼Inclusion Belongs to Everyone

▼All That's Left Needed is Management's "Decision"

▼As DEI Gets Installed, Companies Grow Stronger

What Qualities Are Needed in Managers in an Era of Rapid Change?

Kuchiba: Following Action 2 discussed in Part 1, what stood out to me was Action 4 in the Diversity Report: "Transforming Managerial Behavior and Mindset." I felt it clearly articulated the leadership qualities companies will need going forward. Specifically, it mentions "leaders who can embrace change positively and respond effectively" and "management that supports the success of diverse team members."

Excerpt from Diversity Report P.28

Soma: During our research group discussions, when we considered "the fundamental purpose of diversity," we concluded that creating tangible value within a rapidly changing society is crucial. That's why we decided to explicitly include the phrase "can positively embrace and respond to change."

It's precisely because we live in such a rapidly changing era that diversity truly comes into its own. Therefore, the role of managers is more important than ever. They themselves must be able to adapt to change, and they must also understand and support the diversity of each individual team member, implementing management practices that enable them to achieve results.

Kuchiba: At dentsu Japan, we revised our definition of management roles in 2024. This led to a significant increase in management diversity within some group companies. It wasn't just about the numbers showing more female managers; it was about everyone truly realizing, "This is what having more female managers actually means."

For example, it became visible that female employees previously perceived as "quiet and unsuited for management" were actually fostering significant growth among their team members. Or that their approachability contributed to the organization's psychological safety. The effect of "this happened because more women became managers" was substantial, and I believe it changed mindsets, including my own.

If the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's vision of leadership were to incorporate concrete actions like this kind of redefinition, I believe it could spark a shift in mindset across many companies.

Soma: Precisely. We've just begun considering specific case studies of companies. One committee member stated, "To drive cultural change, it's crucial to change managerial behavior." And to change behavior, establishing clear evaluation criteria is a key element. No matter how much one believes "diversity and inclusion are important," in reality, people inevitably act according to the evaluation criteria. From this perspective, we detailed the leadership model needed today.

Inclusion belongs to everyone

Kuchiba: Another point that struck me was Action 5: "Transforming Employee Behavior and Mindset." Specifically, the part about enhancing "the diversity of experiences within oneself." I interpreted this as conveying the message that even "experiences" like taking childcare leave contribute to a company's competitiveness.

Excerpt from Diversity Report P.29

Soma: I agree. The concept of "diversity of knowledge and experience" also includes the idea that even having diverse knowledge and experience within a single individual contributes to organizational diversity. For instance, if you have a team of only three people and can't hire new staff, there are two ways to ensure diversity: collaborate externally or ensure each individual possesses diverse perspectives. You often hear men who took paternity leave say, "The world looks completely different now." Or someone gaining new perspectives by attending graduate school—that's also "diversity of experience."

Kuchiba: Action 5 also states, "Accept and collaborate with diverse others possessing attributes and values different from one's own." I understood this to mean not just acceptance, but leveraging those differences.

For example, when considering the inclusion of minorities, what does it mean to work alongside LGBTQ+ individuals or people with disabilities? It's not merely about enabling people with different attributes to utilize their abilities. Someone with attributes different from yours inevitably sees things you don't. When diverse perspectives and ways of seeing things collide, previously unseen viewpoints emerge, leading to innovation and competitiveness.

Soma: Exactly. DEI isn't about the majority accepting the minority. That's why we say "inclusion belongs to everyone." We want people with majority attributes to recognize, "We are also part of diversity; we are the ones who should be included."

Kuchiba: I sensed a message that it's not about "support or accommodation," but rather that because each person has their own strengths and differences, they should turn those differences into their own strengths. When people who promote DEI daily read this report through their own struggles, they feel that depth.

Soma: I think our members would be delighted to know readers grasped that level of meaning.

What's needed now is just the "decision" from management.

Kuchiba: For companies where DEI remains a formalistic effort, could you offer advice on taking the next step?

Soma: As we discussed today, I believe it's about approaching DEI with a mindset focused on enhancing competitiveness and driving cultural transformation. Every executive wants to boost their company's competitiveness and foster a better corporate culture, right? When formulating business strategy, incorporating the perspective of "What does diversity mean for our company?" would be beneficial.

Our report includes several corporate case studies. I encourage you to compare them with your own situation for reference. You'll find numerous examples online; selecting those that seem suitable for your company would be a good approach.

Kuchiba: I have concerns about the "DEI and competitiveness" perspective... Even if we try to prove that implementing DEI enhances competitiveness, there are so many variables, making it difficult to establish a clear causal relationship, right?

Soma: We discussed this within the committee as well, but ultimately, I believe it comes down to management's decision. This applies not just to DEI, but to all corporate activities—ultimately, it comes down to management's decision. Take marketing, for example. There's no guarantee that "doing this will definitely succeed," but you proceed thinking, "We have these assets, so performance should improve." It's about whether management, after seeing data like what's in this report, feels convinced to "go for it." We created this report precisely to help them reach that conviction.

The report includes various data points. For instance, it features research showing that employees with higher awareness of diversity and inclusion tend to score higher on psychological safety and company engagement. We want this data to inform decisions, demonstrating that higher psychological safety and engagement are better for corporate management.

Excerpt from Diversity Report P.50

As DEI becomes embedded, the company grows stronger

Kuchiba: Final question. What kind of Japanese society do you want to create by promoting diversity management?

Soma: Japan's labor shortage is now a critical issue. We've entered an era where corporate management itself becomes unsustainable unless individuals—even those who don't fully meet the traditional corporate ideal—join companies, utilize their abilities, and thrive. Society is inherently composed of diverse people. When any one of these diverse individuals cannot fully utilize their abilities, it represents a loss for society. I believe that promoting diversity within companies is one path toward creating a society where everyone can thrive and live vibrantly.

Take women's advancement as just one example. Looking at the Gender Gap Index, the data clearly shows there's still significant room for greater contribution. Japan is a socially affluent society with many well-educated people. The economic benefits gained when these individuals can contribute authentically and to their full potential should be substantial.

Kuchiba: That's right. Creating new businesses requires talented people, but talented individuals won't join workplaces where diverse people can't thrive. I felt that's what management is being asked: how to lead the company in such an environment.

Soma: For example, looking at digital talent—which is highly valued these days—from a diversity perspective, they represent a completely different type of person for companies traditionally focused on manufacturing. Their skills are different, and likely their approach to work and even their compensation structures might differ.

If you hire experienced professionals and try to operate under the same systems and culture as before, I don't think it will work well in highly homogeneous companies. Inclusion is essential if you want to bring the knowledge and experience of diverse talent into the company, not just digital talent.

By embedding DEI perspectives into every aspect of corporate activities, I believe the company will grow stronger. Viewing various company initiatives through the DEI lens reveals numerous necessary actions.

Kuchiba: DEI initiatives tend to be treated as HR matters, separated from business operations. I believe the first step is to integrate DEI into contexts everyone understands, like "talent shortages." In our group, our job is to propose new ideas to client companies daily. So, the easiest way to get buy-in is by showing that "adding perspectives completely different from our own to the team enables us to generate new ideas." In the first part, we discussed how bottom-up approaches are crucial for building corporate culture. Bottom-up is equally important when installing DEI into business operations.

One example of a bottom-up initiative is the "Everyone's Communication Design Guide," created by nine domestic Dentsu Group companies pooling their respective expertise.

Related article:
Dentsu Inc. Releases 'Everyone's Communication Design Guide' with Eight Domestic Dentsu Group Companies

As a communications company, we have a responsibility. This guide comprehensively outlines what we should be mindful of when delivering information across various touchpoints, based on the principle that "we must not engage in communication that leaves anyone behind."

We hope this becomes a new standard not only within our group but also among competitors and the media.

Soma: I believe it's crucial for any company to integrate DEI in a way that aligns with its own business. Dentsu Inc. is a company whose livelihood is communication, right? I think this is a symbolic initiative that also leads to innovation.

By the way, are the members driving the bottom-up efforts mostly from minority groups?

Kuchiba: No, it's diverse. Regarding the "DEI Park" I mentioned earlier, we rotate the DEI leaders from each organization every six months, so a wide range of people participate. Some have high DEI awareness, while others haven't fully internalized it yet. When those individuals join the dialogue, everyone is profoundly impacted.

At the start of each DEI Park session, we have employees who are members of minority groups share their struggles and painful experiences of being unable to fully utilize their strengths, in their own words. That's when everyone realizes, "Oh, I hadn't seen anything at all." Then, when they look at their own organizations, previously unseen challenges become visible. Last year, we expanded this beyond employees to include approximately 250 executives and board members across our group companies. Over 95% reported in surveys that they "changed," and concrete initiatives are now advancing within each organization. When executives and board members change, the entire organization transforms significantly. As mentioned in the first part, both top-down and bottom-up approaches are essential.

Soma: That's fascinating! DEI often gets perceived as something only those with a strong interest pursue. Your approach to making DEI everyone's personal responsibility is very insightful.

Kuchiba: Deeply embedding culture throughout every corner of an organization naturally takes time. We intend to persistently pursue this effort, also utilizing the METI report. This report truly gives us courage and renewed hope that this work is changing Japan's future. Thank you very much for today!

・dentsu Japan's DEI site is here
https://www.japan.dentsu.com/jp/deandi/

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