Recruit Holdings CEO Signs Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)

Accelerating the group’s global efforts toward realizing its commitment to achieving 50% representation of women among the members of the board of directors, senior executive roles, managerial positions, and all company employees by FY2030.

The CEO of Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), has signed on to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)^*2, which were jointly developed by the United Nations Global Compact and UN Women (the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) to actively promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community.
In addition, CEO, President, and Representative Director of the Board, Hisayuki Idekoba and our other managers have expressed support for the “HeForShe”^*3 movement led by UN Women that engages men and boys to promote gender equality, strongly reaffirming their resolve to accelerate efforts to achieve gender equality throughout the Group.

Since its founding in 1960, Recruit has positioned “Bet on Passion” as an important value and has continued to create new businesses and services by valuing the differences of each of its diverse employees, and investing in the ideas and passions that arise from their curiosity. For Recruit, the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion is the very realization of our management philosophy.

In May 2021, we announced our “Commitment to Sustainability” to achieve by FY2030, which includes:

• Achieving approximately 50% representation of women in senior executive roles, in managerial positions, and among employees within the entire Recruit Group^*1

• Proposing candidates for election to the annual meeting of shareholders, in order to achieve approximately 50% representation of women out of the total number the Directors of the Board and Audit & Supervisory Board members of Recruit Holdings^*1

With the signing on to the WEPs, and with our declaration of support of HeForShe, we will accelerate our efforts throughout the Group to realize our commitments.

Hisayuki “Deko” Idekoba’s commented:
Recruit Group is strongly committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce as it is vital to our continued innovation, growth and competitive advantage.

While today nearly half of our employees are women, we are focused on doing more to support equality. For example, by fiscal year 2030, we aim to achieve gender parity at all levels across our organization - from individual contributors to managers, and from senior executives to Board members.

We support the Women’s Empowerment Principles as an important guide to help us accelerate reaching our ambitious gender parity targets. The Principles closely align with our overarching vision of realizing a brighter, more sustainable world in which all individuals can live their lives to the fullest.

Click here for the video message from Hisayuki Idekoba.

^*1 Members of the Board of Directors are defined as Directors of the Board and Audit & Supervisory Board members. Senior executive positions are defined as Corporate Executive Officers and Corporate Professional Officers of Recruit Holdings and Media & Solutions Strategic Business Unit ("SBU"), and CEOs of the Company's major subsidiaries and heads of key functions in the HR Technology and Staffing SBU. Figures for managerial positions and employees are calculated from Recruit Holdings, SBU Headquarters, and primary operating companies of each SBU. Managerial positions mean all of those that have subordinates except for senior executive positions.

^*2 About the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs)
Established by UN Women and UN Global Compact, the WEPs are a set of principles offering guidance to business on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. It serves as a practical guide for companies to examine and analyze their current practices, standards and behaviors.
For more information, click here.

WEPs’ Seven Principles

• Principle 1: Establish high-level corporate leadership

• Principle 2: Treat all women and men fairly at work

• Principle 3: Ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all employees

• Principle 4: Promote education and training for the professional development of women

• Principle 5: Implement supply chain management and marketing practices that empower women

• Principle 6: Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy (awareness)

• Principle 7: Measure and publicly report on progress

^*3 About HeForShe
HeForShe is a movement for the realization of gender equality that UN Women has been promoting globally since 2014. It provides an opportunity for all people in the world, including men, to express their commitment and support for the realization of a gender-equal society.
For more information, click here.

Recruit Holdings CEO Signs Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)