Dentsu Inc and the other companies in dentsu Japan aspires to enrich its advertising and business communications activities from a human rights perspective. It regularly conducts dentsu Japan-wide employee training programs designed to provide employees with a sound understanding of human rights that they can then apply to their work.
We also consider that the thorough prevention of harassment and protection of human rights of its employees and suppliers are important themes to address to ensure employees can fully exercise their capabilities.
ESG Targets in the Group Medium-term Management Plan
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Better Engagement Leads
to More Diverse,
Equal, Inclusive StaffFemale leaders* to reach
45％
by 2030
| * | “Leaders” are defined as directors and executives of the companies across the Group, and the 45% target is set with a 5% flexibility to support diverse perceptions surrounding gender identity and incorporate regionality. |
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Respecting Diversity
As Dentsu Inc. expands its communications domain, we are recruiting a wide range of talent, regardless of nationality, educational background, gender, and age. In this way, we are creating an environment in which everyone can demonstrate their abilities.
At dentsu Japan’s approximately 60 directly invested subsidiaries, a Group-wide body has been set up to promote the participation of all talent, and coordinate activities at each company to share best practices and other information across a wide range of industries within the Group.
To promote women’s success, Dentsu Inc. is enhancing career support measures, training and benefit programs, while also revising its personnel system.
At our offices in Tokyo and other locations, Dentsu Inc. is introducing barrier-free environments to create an environment in which people with disabilities can work unhindered and to the best of their ability. The Company is also working to foster an inclusive culture through personnel exchanges with Dentsu Solari Inc., which is a subsidiary of Dentsu Group Inc. and creates attractive work for people with disabilities.
Further, Dentsu Inc. is creating work environments in which individuality is respected without discrimination. At the same time, the Company is continuing to promote understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, as it reforms internal systems.
In 2019, Dentsu Inc. introduced a personnel policy that treats same-sex partners as spouses, and revised our paid leave policies, including for marriage, mourning, childcare, and nursing care, as well as work hours-related systems.
Effective January 2024, the personnel system treating same-sex partners as spouses was further expanded. Employees with same-sex partners are covered by the same system as those in opposite-sex marriages with respect to various benefits, assignments, insurance, and congratulatory and condolence payments.
In recognition of these activities, in FY2023 Dentsu Inc. received the Gold award in the PRIDE Index, which evaluates efforts to address LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace. The index was developed by the voluntary organization, work with Pride.
Dentsu Inc. also received the Gold award in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2022.
Respect for Human Rights
Human Rights Awareness Activities through Training Programs, etc.
Recognizing respect for human rights as the Group’s cornerstone, dentsu compiled the globally shared Dentsu Group Human Rights Policy, globally shared and designed to promote its part as an honest and sustainable business.
Read the full text of the ”Dentsu Group Human Rights Policy”
dentsu Japan, a business unit of Dentsu Group Inc., systematically conducts human rights awareness training at Group companies it oversees in Japan. Hierarchy-based trainings are arranged for new employees, mid-career hires, and new managers; position-based trainings are provided at sales and creative departments; while human rights-related trainings are provided periodically for all employees.
In addition, a biannual dentsu Japan Human Rights Education Conference, which includes a human rights lecture presented by external specialists from under-represented group, academics, global institutes and legal, is held for Group human rights education managers and integrators. Guidelines regarding appropriate conduct to show respect for human rights in the workplace are available at all times via a dedicated webpage on dentsu Japan’s intranet. The page includes a collection of past advertisements including expressions or ideas related human rights issues, as well as information concerning human rights.
To raise day-to-day employee awareness regarding human rights, dentsu Japan issues an internal email newsletter twice a month introducing current topics related to human rights.
In addition, it has set up an internal consultation service to deal with any kind issue in business as it relates to human rights. This is to ensure that its global message is consistently appropriate.
Further, it helps facilitate human rights-related seminars held by the Japan Advertising Agencies Association, and strives to increase human rights awareness throughout the advertising industry.
Human Rights Slogans and Posters
Since 1988, dentsu Japan has held an annual, in-house competition, for dentsu Japan employees and their families, calling for human rights slogans. The entries submitted are usually freestyle short messages, more like advertising copy than slogan. There was a total of 5,120 entries (4,409 entries in the employee category and 711 in the family category) in the fiscal 2023 (January 1–December 31, 2023) competition. ※Total number of companies dentsu Japan
Our art directors create human rights posters, based on the best human rights slogans submitted by Dentsu Group employees.
Although the competition started as an in-house initiative, now local government bodies and corporations make requests to use the slogans and the posters are used for human rights events across Japan.
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2023 (The 36th Edition)
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Investigating curiously can be discrimination
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Not knowing means we can find something to learn.
Theme: For promoting a multicultural society
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2022 (The 35th Edition)
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There would remain some discrimination forever if we just hope it goes away in time.
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
My choice is the gender being natural for me, not the sex assigned at birth.
Theme: For promoting the human rights of sexual minorities
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2021 (The 34th Edition)
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Asking where someone lives is enough to hurt some people
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Watching, listening, conversing, writing, walking, running, jumping, swimming, eating, sleeping, relaxing …
Nobody is good at doing everything. We all have strengths and weaknesses.Theme: Respecting the human rights of people with disabilities
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2020 (The 33rd Edition)
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It takes time to change society,
but not to change yourself.Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Husband: Having a child changed my wife completely.
Wife: Having a child didn’t change my husband at all.Theme: Realizing gender equality
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2019 (The 32nd Program)
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“Is his lineage no problem?”
“Are you no problem asking such a question?”Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
The more you understand new cultures,
the wider your world would become.Theme: For building multicultural society.
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2018 (The 31st Program)
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It is up to us to prevent discrimination that is being shared through Telephone Games.
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Please do not hate to love someone.
Theme: Respecting the human rights of sexual minorities.
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2017 (The 30th Program)
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Whether I become a friend with her depends just on me
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
The most remarkable growth that the childcare leave brought to my husband is about his way of thinking.
Theme: Towards the establishment of a gender equal society
There are many restaurants where I can't make a reservation with using a wheelchair.
Theme: Eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2016 (The 29th Program)
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Some mothers know their kids will be bullied even before they’re born.
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Why am I taking childcare leave? It’s what responsible fathers do, that’s why.
Theme: Towards the establishment of a gender equal society
Japan is the country of harmony, yet some people are still considered outsiders
Theme: Eliminating discrimination against people of foreign descent
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2015 (The 28th Program)
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That’s not concern, Dad. It’s discrimination.
Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Being nosy might just save a child.
Theme: Protecting children’s rights
I get that you couldn’t love someone of the same sex.
I can’t love someone of the opposite sex. But it’s still the same thing: Love.Theme: Protecting LGBTQ rights
- Dentsu Japan Human Rights Posters Produced in 2014 (The 27th Program)
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It's not that we don’t exist.
It’s just that we can’t tell you who we are.Theme: For combatting discrimination of people of buraku ancestry
Correct your prevailing perceptions about the "use of women"
Theme: Towards the establishment of a gender equal society
Childhood is more than preparation for adulthood. It’s real. It counts.
Theme: Protecting children’s rights
Human Rights Art Project
The Human Rights Art Project has transformed the Dentsu Group’s previous human rights poster production activities into a more open activity involving a broader sphere of society. Students at art universities collaborate in the production of posters by providing designs to accompany the human rights slogans.
Since fiscal 2007, we have been collaborating with other enterprises to produce posters using the best of the suggested slogans. Currently, we are working on posters with Joshibi University of Art and Design, Osaka University of Arts, and Kyoto University of the Arts.
Students work with Dentsu creative staff from the initial idea stage to produce the posters. In fiscal 2021, 24 students participated and, to date, some 1,100 students have taken part in the project. Due to the impact of COVID-19, we have also begun incorporating coursework held remotely.
The poster initiative enables dentsu to contribute to human rights awareness using communications skills it has honed through advertising work.
Human Rights Art Project Posters produced in fiscal 2023
Responsible Media and Advertising Activities
Through the dentsu Japan Employee Creative Operational Code, Dentsu Inc. is aware of the significant social impact of its creative output and processes. Recognizing the weight of its social responsibility, the Company is constantly striving to improve not only its creativity, but also its creative business ethics.
Further, in establishing the dentsu Japan Publicity Operations Guidelines among other measures, Dentsu Inc. supports the sound development of activities aimed at disseminating information through newspapers, magazines, television, radio, internet media, social media, and other forms of media, including corporate media.
Anti-harassment Activities
To supplement its Compliance Line—an internal system for the reporting of internal violations—Dentsu Inc. integrated a number of harassment consultation functions under its Harassment Counseling Section in fiscal 2012.
To establish and maintain a comfortable working environment and ensure respect for the human rights of its employees, Dentsu’s Harassment Consultation Section maintains contact points at Dentsu and its branch offices, as well as at select external locations.
The consultation services handle issues ranging from harassment to internal human relations, breaches of etiquette, and troublesome behavior. Further, Dentsu works closely with the harassment consultation offices at all Dentsu Group companies, as it strives to prevent harassment throughout the Group.
Meanwhile, Dentsu provides personalized training programs based on surveys regarding harassment awareness. At the same time, it conducts employee education activities aimed at preventing harassment, including power harassment and sexual harassment.
In addition to its handbook, Basic Knowledge Regarding Hidden Harassment, the Company provides instructions tailored to suit all target groups, and issues alerts via internal bulletin boards and human resources management directors at each of its offices.
