Nadeshiko Brand to Be Revamped, Call for Applicants to Begin

1. About the revamped Nadeshiko Brand

The revamped Nadeshiko Brand not only evaluates the efforts made by companies to encourage women's success in the workplace, but also focuses on whether the systems and measures to promote it are linked to management strategies. Specifically, it evaluates whether each company has visualized a consistent story, whether they are conveying information effectively throughout Japan and overseas, such as why it is necessary to promote women's success in the workplace in their management strategy, what they want to achieve, what kind of people are to support the business model that they are pursuing, how they will work toward it, what kind of results they want to achieve, how they publicize their efforts and results, and what their future issues and actions are.

This is against the backdrop of the growing focus on human capital management and discussions in the business community on the disclosure of non-financial information. There are discussions on various topics including the descriptions of human resource development policy or internal environment improvement policy in annual securities reports based on the importance of human resource strategy in the medium- to long-term improvement of corporate value, and designating the proportion of women in management positions, the gender wage gap, and other indices as specific disclosure items. In addition, the Cabinet Secretariat released the Human Capital Visualization Guidelines in August of this year.

While building upon the results of the Nadeshiko Brand over the past 10 years, METI and the TSE will reform the evaluation method, review participation incentives and a load of responding to the survey, and aim to create a project that further encourages women's success in the workplace in line with companies' management strategies.

2. Revamped selection methods and improved spread of information

METI conducts the Survey on Enterprises Encouraging Women's Success in the Workplace on all TSE-listed companies that are eligible for selection in order to understand the situation regarding companies' promotion of women's success in the workplace, then selects Nadeshiko Brands from among the respondent companies according to its own standards regarding women's success in the workplace. 

In FY2022, responses were collected via the following two kinds of surveys.

(1) Surveys on quantitative information related to promoting women's success in the workplace
(2) Surveys on qualitative information, such as connections between initiatives to encourage women's success in the workplace and management strategies, and the results thereof

If they prefer, companies are permitted to answer only (1), but to be selected as a Nadeshiko Brand, they are required to answer both (1) and (2). However, all companies—including those that respond only to (1)—are allowed to submit a self-evaluation sheet and receive information on their position and how they can further promote their internal efforts.

In addition, the survey responses to (1) and (2) from companies selected as Nadeshiko brands, and the responses to (1) by all companies that respond to the survey, will be released on the METI website. (Companies that respond to the survey can choose to keep their responses to (1) private, in which case the name of the company will not be publicized as a company that responded to the Survey on Enterprises Encouraging Women's Success in the Workplace [a company that actively promotes women's success in the workplace]).
METI will further communicate the information to stakeholders including those in capital and labor markets.
In addition, the record of efforts by designated companies will be compiled—along with the judges' evaluations—as best practices to serve as a reference for other companies.

3. About responding to the questionnaire

The survey period runs from October 14 (Fri.) to November 17 (Thu.), 2022 at 16:00 (strict deadline).
The questionnaire will be posted on the METI website. Please download it, fill in the answers, and submit it to the secretariat.
Companies that have requested a notification in advance will be informed by email.
The TSE will also notify listed companies when the survey period begins.

4. Future schedule

October 14 (Fri.): Start of the call
November 17 (Thu.), 16:00: End of the call
Mid- to late March: Announcement of selected companies

Division in Charge

Economic and Social Policy Office, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau