Organization and systems

Each sustainability promotion measure is planned and proposed by the committees and divisions in charge in each area under the supervision of the Executive Officer in charge, the Representative Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer, CSO (Chief Strategy Officer), and is reflected in the business activities of the Group companies.
In addition, we regularly report on our activities at board meetings in order to formulate policies and goals, with important initiatives being discussed and approved before being implemented.

The Sustainability Committee, chaired by the Executive Officer and the Head of Risk Management, addresses issues such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures ("TCFD") and supply chain management that takes human rights and the environment into consideration.
The subcommittees have been established for each theme as a subordinate organization of this committee so that each subcommittee can tackle specific issues from a specialized perspective.
In addition, regular meetings with an outside committee member Hidemi Tomita (Managing Director, Institute for Sustainability Management), who has expertise in sustainability management, are held once a month to discuss specific issues with professional perspectives. The purpose of these meetings is to the policies and goals. receive opinions on issues and questions related to our sustainability promotion efforts and to enhance their effectiveness.
We will continue our efforts to promote sustainability by reinforcing an effective and efficient promotion system and utilizing internal and external knowledge. Additionally, the members of the committees and subcommittees shown in the figure below are made up of personnel from the departments in each area of expertise, and are responsible for planning, formulating, and executing their respective initiatives in response to the policies and goals.

Keiji Hayakawa

Executive Officer
Head of Risk Management
Deputy Head of Tenant Leasing Business

It has been 4 years since the sustainability committee was established.
Looking back over the past four years, the circumstances surrounding companies have been constantly changing, and the responsibility to address sustainability issues and promote initiatives to solve them has been increasing year by year. We have a saying at our company that goes "Rather than accept the seeming incompatibility of two options, figure out how to make them work together" (from the employee guidelines and code of conduct in the PPIH Group's collection of corporate philosophies, "The Source"), and this also applies when dealing with sustainability issues. I feel that how we balance this with corporate growth is truly a test of our "Harawata"*.

I believe that it is necessary not only to take steps required for sustainability in general, such as information disclosure based on the TCFD framework and human rights due diligence for the construction of a responsible supply chain, but also to promote initiatives that are "PPIH-like" and make use of the strengths of our business.
For example, we have been focusing on PB products, and one of our staff members thought that the syrup used to fill the fruit tins might be "too sweet for many people, resulting in it being thrown away," and instead decided to use the leftover fruit juice from the discarded fruit. Customers have responded well to the product, commenting on how they were also able to enjoy the fruit juice, while also reducing food loss. This product was even featured in media outlets, proving that it is beneficial all around.
Also, although it may be obvious, I have noticed that more employees are turning off the lights in stores and offices more frequently than before. In fact, there have even been a number of times where I haven't even noticed them being turned off.
As a result of these efforts, I feel that the momentum for these initiatives is spreading to various departments and layers within the company, and I believe that in the future, the accumulation of these actions and their spread to all employees will lead to even greater effects than before. We will continue to work hard to raise employee awareness and further promote sustainability initiatives throughout the organization.
Furthermore, as a retailer, we believe that one of our most important roles is to promote initiatives that will raise awareness of sustainable living among our customers and lead to action, with the aim of creating a more sustainable society. We may ask our customers for their cooperation in these efforts, and so we ask for your understanding in advance.

* "Harawata": In the PPIH Group, this refers to the idea of not giving up even if you fail, and rising up from adversity with an unyielding fighting spirit to try again.

The PPIH Group states in its Corporate Philosophy "The Source" that it is "a company that recognizes diversity". The Diversity Management Committee ("DM Committee"), established in 2020, aims to establish a corporate culture with these high ethical standards and common sense, and to ensure that the fundamental human rights and diversity of all stakeholders are respected. In addition to strongly
promoting the creation of an environment in which women can play an active role in various positions, including executive and managerial positions, we plan, draft, and implement measures to promote diversity management, including the promotion of the activities of LGBTQ+, senior, and non-Japanese employees and the employment of people with disabilities.
In January 2023, after discussion at a meeting of the Board of Directors, the PPIH Group Diversity Policy was established.
By addressing diversity management, we will strive to further enhance our corporate value as a global company with operations in numerous countries.

Hitomi Ninomiya

Director, Executive Officer
Head of Diversity Management
Head of Design　

PPIH Group stores serve over 600 million customers annually. One of the Group's strengths in satisfying customers with diverse values and remaining the store of choice is the diversity of its employees and has been kept to create an environment of mutual recognition.
More than half of our customers are women. In order to incorporate ideas from a woman's perspective into our store operations and management, we have implemented programs that lead to career development and success for women, and have worked to enhance our benefit programs related to women's health and childcare support to create a comfortable working environment.
However, our group is not limited to only women; and many people with diverse values, personalities, and backgrounds work in our group, including foreign nationals, seniors, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities. The company will continue to develop various systems and frameworks in order to create an environment in which all employees, including these individuals, can work to the best of their ability with peace of mind.

The logo was designed based on the concept of a colorfully shining diamond, with the idea that each and every employee is a diamond in the rough, and that the company should be a place where all employees can shine in their own way. By creating an icon to symbolize the promotion of diversity at PPIH, we aim to share and expand awareness of our vision within the company and make all employees aware of the importance of taking an interest in and proactively promoting diversity.

The DM Committee is chaired by the director in charge of diversity management and consists of multiple related departments working together in a cross-sectional manner. The DM Committee meets once a month to plan, formulate, and implement various measures to promote diversity. Important initiatives and policies are discussed and decided by the Board of Directors, and the DM Committee monitors the progress and reports to the Board.

The Compliance Committee, chaired by the director responsible for Legal and Compliance, is tasked with planning and verifying measures to prevent misconduct, as well as developing and assessing inspection and investigation procedures. Furthermore, the committee comprises 9 members, including directors, independent outside director (who serve as Audit and Supervisory Committee member) with legal qualifications, and executive officers. It is structured to facilitate advice from external legal counsel.
Additionally, to ensure the appropriateness of operations, the Committee manages matters regarding compliance and internal control, guarantees a strong sense of ethics in business activities, and strives to ensure the legal compliance and implementation of the corporate governance structure. Furthermore, responses to compliance risks are optimized by performing cross-organizational, Groupwide assessments and evaluations of these risks.