Dentsu Japan Network Appoints Executive Officer Yuko Kitakaze as Its First Chief Diversity Officer (CDO), a Position Newly Created to Strengthen the Promotion of DE&I
Feb 1, 2022
- Management
- Sustainability
Dentsu Japan Network (President & CEO: Norihiro Kuretani; Head Office: Tokyo), which oversees and supports the Dentsu Group’s business in Japan, today announced the creation of a new Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) position to strengthen the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). Yuko Kitakaze, an Executive Officer of Dentsu Japan Network, has been appointed as its first CDO.
The Dentsu Group has specified “Social impact & ESG” as one of the four pillars of its Medium-term Management Plan which has fiscal 2024 as its final year, and a “diverse and inclusive workforce” is listed as a priority item in that pillar. In addition, Dentsu Japan Network, which consists of approximately 130 companies and is responsible for the Group’s business in Japan, is focusing on support in the sustainability field including DE&I initiatives as it evolves into an “Integrated Growth Partner” that is committed to the sustainable growth of client companies and society.
The creation of the new Dentsu Japan Network CDO position aims to accelerate the evolution of businesses that leverage the diversity of employees while promptly implementing symbolic initiatives in the DE&I field, which is a good example for society. Going forward, the CDO will not only work with businesses in Japan, but will also collaborate with Dentsu International, which is responsible for the Dentsu Group’s business outside of Japan, to promote DE&I from a global perspective in the Group, client companies, and society, and thereby contribute to improving the corporate value of the Group.
Comment by Yuko Kitakaze, Executive Officer / Chief Diversity Officer
“The Dentsu Group does not tolerate any discrimination or prejudice, takes responsibility for DE&I, pursues diverse perspectives, celebrates differences, and builds a culture in which everyone can demonstrate their true self. We have also implemented unconscious bias training and programs such as DE&I seminars that were developed independently. In the future we will further promote specific initiatives, turn employee diversity into a positive force, evolve our business, and contribute to the transformation of society.”
Brief biography
Yuko Kitakaze joined Dentsu Inc. after graduating from the Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Letters, University of Tokyo, in 1992. In 2008, she established “Mamalab,” the company’s first such lab. She then worked as a strategic planner for planning and implementation of client companies’ various initiatives related to marketing and new business development. After that, she led the company’s creative division, followed by an appointment of her current position of Dentsu Japan Network at the start of 2022. Her aim is the realization of a flat and open world where everyone can work comfortably. She is a Forbes JAPAN Web official columnist and a Pink Ribbon intermediate advisor.
Work published (all in Japanese)
| Series: | The “Turning Point” of Breast Cancer https://forbesjapan.com/series/breastcancer |
| Books: | Moms Who Use the Internet and Those Who Do Not (2001, SoftBank Publishing Inc.) Lohas/book (planned and produced) (2005, Kirakusha Inc.) How to Make the Air You Want to Buy (co-authored) (2007, Diamond Inc.) |
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Contact:
Jumpei Kojima
Chief Director
Corporate Communications Office
Dentsu Japan Network
Telephone: +81 (3) 6217-6602
E-mail: group-cc@dentsu-group.com
