P.67 Chairman and Outside Directors Roundtable (3)

Chairman and Outside Directors Roundtable Corporate Governance

Value the Role as News Reporter

Yagi: At the same time, I think it should further strengthen the role of a news reporter. The medium-term business plan states that the company intends to reduce the proportion of its broadcasting business. However, given the importance of the business, I hope the company will continue to firmly fulfill its role as a news organization. Sasaki: I agree. Our root is reporting, and we always aim to serve many people through television and media. One of our missions is to protect people’s lives and property. Now, wars are happening, and we’re in a state of chaos after chaos. It looks like the ideas that democracy and humanism are important and imperialism is not good are breaking down. TBS promotes other businesses as part of an expansion strategy, but I feel more strongly than ever that it is important for the company to act as a news organization at its core.

Women’s empowerment starts with customizing work styles

Sasaki: Ms. Makino, what are your thoughts on “how women work,” one of the biggest issues at the TBS Group, which currently has about 8,000 people? The percentage of female line managers at TBS Holdings and TBS Television has exceeded 20% and is increasing compared to before. Makino: I think there’s still a long way to go. In overseas media companies, about 30 to 50% of managers are women. At the UK’s ITV, 57% of ITV studio staff are women, so I feel you should aim for that level. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about creating a compa- ny where women can work and feel at ease. That eventually leads to a company where men, especially young men, can also work and feel at ease. So it is important to increase the number and ratio of female managers. However, if you continue the way you have been doing, you will be far from reaching 50%. You need to think about how to make it easier for women to work, with a radical, out-of-the-box approach. The biggest obstacles are working hours and harassment. What matters is psychological safety. If a supervisor asks, “What do you want to do right now?” and customizes the work style to suit the employee, things will gradually start to change in about six months. Women, in particular, tend to think that they have to take care of both work and private life, but that they are not needed or have no value. It is important to create an environment where women can work without feeling that way, recognize that they can work as they do now, and think about and organize how they work. Sasaki: You mentioned, “customize.” That means it is import- ant to simulate individually and design a work style that suits each employee, doesn’t it? We didn’t do that. Makino: It’s the same for male employees. Male employees also take childcare leave, become ill, and need to take care of the daily needs of their elderly parents. From a diversity perspective, managers should hold one-on-one meetings with subordinates to ask about their current situation and offer support. Sasaki: While women account for about 20% of managers, 30% of executive officers are women. What are your thoughts on this situation? Makino: The female executives are very talented, and they are working really hard. It is a good thing that they play role models for women working in the frontline. When I was in my 20s and 30s, I quit my job because I couldn’t find a female role model and couldn’t see a future. So, it is really great that you have more women on the Board and in executive positions. Sasaki: Has the Board changed because more female directors were appointed? Yagi: Definitely. Having more female directors improved the Board’s diversity. However, diversity shouldn’t be viewed only in terms of the number of women. For example, as the proportion of outside directors in- creased, it has created an environment where we don’t feel like we are a minority. I’m an amateur in both news and entertain- ment, but when I come up with some idea, I feel like I can give my opinion. The point is that people from diverse backgrounds are increasing to 30% or 40%, no longer a minority. It’s mean - ingful that so many different people are working. I feel that TBS has a firm grasp of the benefits of this. The reform will progress if the other 80% of managers genuinely listen to the opinions of the 20% of female managers. I think it is stepping forward in a good direction. 67