Recruit Holdings Redefines Commitment to Sustainability

May 17, 2021 | Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.

Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE 6098) ("Recruit Holdings") announced today that the Board of Directors resolved its commitment to environmental, social and governance ("ESG") matters as a corporate strategy for Recruit Holdings and its subsidiaries ("the Company," "Recruit Group," "we" or "us"). The Company believes that making a positive impact on society is critical to achieving sustainable growth, and will further focus on sustainability to realize its mission: "Opportunities for Life. Faster, simpler and closer to you."

"The world is currently facing widening social and economic disparity due to the spread of Covid-19. By integrating a transformative approach to sustainability into the heart of our corporate activities, along with a sound governance foundation, we can achieve growth for all of our stakeholders." said Ayano Senaha, Chief Operating Officer ("COO"), Managing Corporate Executive Officer and Director of the Board, designated as a responsible person for ESG of Recruit Group. The Company has set specific targets and initiatives for its ESG strategy.

Commitment to the Environment

To support the longevity of our planet, Recruit Group is committed to protecting the health of our environment. In an effort to serve as a responsible corporate citizen, the Company will focus on reducing greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions to address climate change. By FY2021, the Company aims to achieve carbon neutrality in GHG emissions through its business activities. By FY2030, the Company aims to achieve carbon neutrality in GHG emissions, through its business activities and its entire value chain^*1.

Commitment to Society

Having a job is one of the most important facets of life for many people. As such, we believe it is critical to make a positive impact on this throughout our business activities.

According to the OECD, approximately 40% of people are assumed to fall into poverty by losing income for three months^*2. We look to contribute to eliminating poverty and economic vulnerability by reducing the time it takes job seekers to get hired - aspirationally, finding a job should be as quick and easy as pushing a button. Specifically, the Company targets reducing the time it takes to get hired by half by FY2030 compared to that of FY2021^*3.

There also exist barriers for job seekers in the labor market from underrepresented or vulnerable groups. These barriers are difficult to remove through improving matching efficiency alone. For this reason, the Company is also committed to help approximately 30 million people facing barriers get hired from FY2021 to FY2030^*4 by using technology and partnership to promote inclusive hiring.

Commitment to Our People

From the foundation, a diverse employee base has been the source of our value creation. Betting on passion and ideas fueled by their curiosity is our competitive advantage. Therefore, we will further invest in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The Company will specifically accelerate its initiatives for gender diversity by setting group-wide targets. As such, the Company is committed to achieve an approximately 50% representation of women in senior executive roles, in managerial positions, and of total employees within the Company by FY2030^*5.

Commitment to Governance

The Company focuses further on enhancing diversity in the Board of Directors members of Recruit Holdings^*6, to raise the quality of decision-making and further ensure transparency and soundness in its governance structure. The focus is on diversity in skills, professional experience and background.

Specifically, Recruit Holdings aims to propose candidates for election to its Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to achieve an approximately 50% representation of women out of the total number of Directors of the Board and Audit & Supervisory Board members by FY2030.

In addition to the above, the Company positions data security and privacy, corporate ethics and compliance, human rights, and employee engagement as material foundations for its corporate activities and will prioritize related initiatives.

The progress of these ESG targets will be monitored by the Board of Directors. The Company will advance related initiatives based on dialogue with various stakeholders and through advisory bodies to the Board of Directors such as the Sustainability Committee.

Please refer to the website below for more details regarding our ESG commitment and initiatives.
https://recruit-holdings.com/en/sustainability/

*1 GHG emissions through business activities are the sum of direct emissions from the use of fuels in the owned or controlled sources ("Scope 1") and indirect emissions from the use of purchased electricity, heat, or steam in the owned or controlled sources ("Scope 2"). GHG emissions through the value chain are indirect emissions other than Scope 1 and 2, occurring in the value chain. Carbon neutrality includes reducing the GHG emissions as well as offsetting residual emissions.
*2 The figure is based on those in 28 countries sourced by OECD's report "How's Life? 2020."
*3 Average estimated duration it takes for people who get hired through Indeed online job-search platform after they started to apply to a job on the platform, calculated by available data.
*4 Initiatives aim to support racial and ethnic minority groups, people without higher education, people facing barriers due to age bias, and people with disabilities. The Company may also aim to reduce other various barriers, including newly emerging issues in the labor market by FY2030. The initiative as of today includes help through the Indeed online job-search platform, and through partnerships such as Goodwill Industries International and Shaw Trust with whom Indeed collaborates.
*5 Representation of women as of April 1, 2021: 10.0% for senior executive roles, 41.5% for managerial positions, and 51.5% for employees. 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.
*6 The Board of Directors members are defined as Directors of the Board and Audit & Supervisory Board members, and its women ratio is 20% as of May 17, 2021.
*7 In this press release, the term "FY" refers to Recruit Holdings' fiscal year, and reference to "FY" is to 12-month periods commencing in each case on April 1 of the year indicated and ending on March 31 of the following year.

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