Initiatives and External Evaluation
Participation in Initiatives
United Nations Global Compact Initiatives
A voluntary initiative under which companies and organizations commit themselves to participating in building a global framework for achieving sustainable growth. It involves taking action as a good corporate citizen by responsibly exercising creative leadership. The initiative revolves around ten principles in four areas: human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.
In 2005, Hakuhodo was the first in the advertising industry to commit to the compact, and in 2014 we signed the compact as Hakuhodo DY Holdings. Drawing on its experience as the leader of the SDGs Task Force of the United Nations Global Compact Network Japan, the Group is actively pursuing the organization’s objectives.
SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative)
Established in 2015, SBTi is an international collaborative initiative operated by CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute, and the World Wide Fund for Nature. It conducts verification and certification based on scientific evidence to determine whether corporate targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions align with the goal of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
We committed to this initiative in 2023, and are working toward the goal of obtaining SBT certification in fiscal 2026.
Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)
The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are 7 principles of action jointly developed by the UN Global Compact Office and UN Women for companies that work voluntarily on the empowerment of women. These principles are expected to be used as an international framework for promoting women’s economic empowerment, encouraging companies to make voluntary efforts to accelerate their business activities and growth with gender equality and women's empowerment at the core of their corporate management.
In 2024, Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc. endorsed and signed the WEPs.
External Evaluation
FTSE
A set of global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment indices developed by FTSE Russell, a subsidiary of London Stock Exchange Group. Hakuhodo DY Holdings is one of the companies making up the indices.
An index developed by FTSE Russell to assess Japanese companies with outstanding ESG performance. It is one of the ESG investment benchmarks used by the Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund. Hakuhodo DY Holdings is one of the companies making up the index.
Another index developed by FTSE Russell. It is designed to measure the performance of Japanese companies demonstrating relative ESG excellence in each sector. Hakuhodo DY Holdings is one of the companies making up the index.
CDP
The Hakuhodo DY Group have received the top third "B" score *2 (management level) *2, indicating that the company was rated as "Recognize and act on environmental risks and impacts of the company" in terms of its climate change response strategies and disclosure of information on greenhouse gas emissions, in the 2024 environmental survey conducted by CDP*1, a non-profit organization in the United Kingdom.
*1 CDP is a not-for-profit charity that collaborates with institutional investors to encourage companies to disclose information on their strategies for combating climate change and on their emissions of greenhouse gases.*2 CDP is using an eight-level scale evaluation (A, A-, B, B-, C, C-, D, and D-).
Response to CDP Climate Change 2023 Questionnaire (in Japanese)
EcoVadis
In the 2023 Sustainability Assessments of EcoVadis*2, a French research institute, the YOMIKO Group and the Hakuhodo Group were awarded Silver and Bronze, respectively.
*2 EcoVadis: A French research institute that provides platforms for examining policies, initiatives, and results related to corporate sustainabilityPRIDE Index
work with Pride*3, a Japanese general incorporated association, awarded Gold to the Hakuhodo and Hakuhodo DY Media Partners in its PRIDE Index 2024, a workplace rating on LGBTQ+ awareness.
*3 work with Pride: A general incorporated association that supports the promotion and consolidation of diversity management regarding LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexual minorities) in business and other entities.