Global Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Message

Transforming into an organization that puts integrity first

Integrity means more than simply following rules. It is a mindset of continually questioning our own actions against the expectations of society and serves as the foundation for every decision we make. We will continue to transform ourselves into an organization in which every officer and employee embraces and embodies these values as their own.

Embodying integrity requires us to ask ourselves questions. “Can I openly explain my work to my family? Is this work something I can genuinely share with my colleagues? Is it work that I can explain to our clients and earn their understanding?” These are the questions we arrived at through discussions with employees as we reflected seriously on past misconduct and, based on those reflections, advanced Mindset and Behavior Reform across dentsu Japan. At a time when the effectiveness of governance is under close scrutiny, it is essential that we bring conviction and commitment to the systems and frameworks we have established and put them into practice.

Since the transition to a holding company structure, I have been involved in rebuilding group governance and reforming the organizational culture at dentsu Japan. In addition to establishing organizational structures and rules, through dentsu Japan’s Mindset and Behavior Reform initiatives, we have worked to strengthen organizational culture, internal controls, and compliance awareness, with integrity as the starting point, while building the foundation for restoring trust. I have also engaged repeatedly in dialogue with employees about integrity.

Going forward, in my role as the executive responsible for overseeing Group-wide governance functions, including legal and compliance, internal controls and risk management, and sustainability, I will apply the knowledge and experience gained through our initiatives in Japan to the continued evolution of governance across the Group. I will also work to enhance the independence of governance execution and oversight while contributing to corporate value enhancement.

Integrity, one of our material themes, forms the foundation for our efforts to address the Group’s key governance themes. When each of us puts integrity first, it becomes a driving force for enhancing corporate value and achieving business growth. By fully upholding accountability to our clients, we will conduct business with a high degree of transparency. We believe that building long-term relationships of trust with our clients, rather than pursuing short-term gains, helps to establish a competitive advantage and generate sustainable profits.

Through a range of initiatives and systems, including creating an environment in which employees feel able to speak up, a culture that places a high value on integrity is steadily taking root across the organization. By embedding this culture and transforming into an organization in which every individual puts integrity first, we aim to remain trusted by our clients and society.