Shiseido Co. Ltd. : Shiseido Selected and Awarded 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies Designation

03/15/2012| 10:01pm US/Eastern

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Shiseido has been selected and awarded the 2012 World's Most Ethical Companies designation. The announcement was made on March 15 by the Ethisphere Institute, a U.S.-based international think-tank dedicated to advocating best practices in business in such areas as corporate ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
In addition to strengthening governance and thoroughly adhering to sound corporate ethics, global companies are currently urged to address major management challenges by taking a leadership role concerning social and environmental issues while also ensuring profitable, sustainable growth. Representative Director and President Hisayuki Suekawa of Shiseido Co., Ltd. made following comments upon selection: "We are honored to be selected at this time to receive this honor, which was presented in recognition of Shiseido's specific and practical initiatives toward the environment and CSR that have been promoted throughout the Group as well as its potential of realizing sustainable growth by clearly stipulating a Supplier Code of Conduct and practices with our business partners."
President Suekawa also stated: "Going forward, based on the Shiseido Group corporate philosophy "Our Mission, Values and Way," Shiseido will undertake greater efforts to promote highly ethical activities and disclose honest and highly transparent information with the aim of enhancing the trust of our five stakeholders, namely, consumers, business partners, shareholders, employees, and society and the earth."

The Ethisphere Institute has been conducting research targeting approximately 1,000 companies in more than 100 countries worldwide and announcing its selection of the World's Most Ethical Companies annually since 2007. In terms of selection, surveys are submitted by nominated companies based on the five categories of 1) ethics and compliance program, 2) reputation, leadership and innovation, 3) governance, 4) corporate citizenship and responsibility, and 5) culture of ethics.

Over the course of 140 years since it was founded in 1872, Shiseido has been engendering the spirit of "serving our customers through beauty and wellness" as a fundamental principle of its corporate activities. Also, cognizant that overseas sales currently account for over 40% of sales, Shiseido has reviewed and newly established the Shiseido Group corporate philosophy entitled "Our Mission, Values and Way" in April 2011 with the aim of enhancing the
solidarity of the Shiseido Group. Specifically, with regard to corporate ethics, Shiseido is carrying out initiatives based on "Our Way," which denotes action standards that each and every employee should take to earn the trust of stakeholders. As for social contribution activities, Shiseido is also promoting various initiatives by designating women and cosmetics (beauty), culture and the environment as the three priority domains in which Shiseido is able to leverage its strengths.

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