External Evaluations and Awards
Below is a summary of the external evaluations and awards that have recognized Benesse's efforts in various areas.
Incorporating and Evaluating the SRI Index
Benesse Holdings, Inc. has been listed for all ESG indices selected by the GPIF (Government Pension Investment Fund).
-
FTSE4Good Index Series
(Benesse Holdings)
The index was created by FTSE Russell and is one of the typical ESG indices used by investors to select companies that meet the Environment, Society and Governance (ESG) evaluation standard from all companies around the world.
-
FTSE Blossom Japan Index
(Benesse Holdings)
The index, created by FTSE Russell, is used to select Japanese companies having excellent ESG performance and is one of the ESG investment indices employed by the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).
-
MSCI Japan ESG Select Leaders Index
(Benesse Holdings)
The index, which was developed by MSCI, is used to select companies that excel in ESG (environment, social and governance) matters and is one of the ESG investment indices employed by the GPIF.
※THE INCLUSION OF BENESSE HOLDINGS, INC. IN ANY MSCI INDEX, AND THE USE OF MSCI LOGOS, TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS OR INDEX NAMES HEREIN, DO NOT CONSTITUTE A SPONSORSHIP, ENDORSEMENT OR PROMOTION OF BENESSE HOLDINGS, INC. BY MSCI OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES. THE MSCI INDEXES ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF MSCI. MSCI AND THE MSCI INDEX NAMES AND LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS OR SERVICE MARKS OF MSCI OR ITS AFFILIATES. -
MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN)
(Benesse Holdings)
This is an index to select companies from among those in the MSCI Japan IMI Top 500 Index (top 500 stocks in terms of market capitalization) that excel in gender diversity in their respective industries. It is one of the ESG investment indices employed by the GPIF.
※THE INCLUSION OF BENESSE HOLDINGS, INC. IN ANY MSCI INDEX, AND THE USE OF MSCI LOGOS, TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS OR INDEX NAMES HEREIN, DO NOT CONSTITUTE A SPONSORSHIP, ENDORSEMENT OR PROMOTION OF BENESSE HOLDINGS, INC. BY MSCI OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES. THE MSCI INDEXES ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF MSCI. MSCI AND THE MSCI INDEX NAMES AND LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS OR SERVICE MARKS OF MSCI OR ITS AFFILIATES. -
S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index
(Benesse Holdings)
This is the green equity index developed jointly by Japan Exchange Group and S&P Dow Jones Indices. It is one of the ESG investment indices employed by the GPIF.
This index, consisting of TOPIX members, reflects the environmental impact of its members by considering their carbon efficiency (carbon emissions relative to revenue) and publicly disclosed environmental information. -
SOMPO Sustainability Index
(Benesse Holdings)
Selected for ten consecutive years as a stock that makes up the SOMPO Sustainability Index, which is independently managed by SOMPO Asset Management. This index is used in SOMPO Asset Management's sustainable investment.
Sustainable investment is a responsible investment product for pension funds and institutional investors that SOMPO Asset Management started in August 2012. They invest in a wide range of companies with high ratings in ESGs (environmental, social, and corporate governance).
External Evaluation Regarding Sustainability and ESG
-
ISS ESG Corporate Rating
(Benesse Holdings)
This is a sustainability ranking evaluation based on ISS ESG—one of the typical ESG evaluation institutions of ISS-oekmon. Company initiatives of are evaluated from environmental, societal, and governance perspectives, and companies receiving a high evaluation in each industry will receive Prime certification. We were evaluated as a leading company in sustainability in the education industry.
-
CDP A LIST/SUPPLIER ENGAGEMENT LEADER
(Benesse Holdings)
CDP, based in the UK, is an international NGO involved in environmental matters, for example, climate change. It requests large companies and cities to disclose how they are dealing with climate change or water management and then conducts research and evaluation. In CDP’s climate change survey, we were selected as an A-list company for three consecutive years for excelling in implementing greenhouse gas emission reduction activities and climate change mitigation.
We were also given the highest rank (A) for two consecutive years in CDP’s supplier engagement evaluation and were one of 396 companies that received the highest rank for actions to mitigate climate change.
* After disclosure, we raised the goals of scopes 1 and 2, and reconsidered the performance of scope 3. The number of post-reconsiderations is shown here. -
Science Based Targets (SBT)
（Benesse Corporation）
This is an initiative promoted by CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the World Resources Institute. With respect to the Paris Agreement’s target of keeping the global average temperature increase well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, we were certified as a company that has established reduction targets based on scientific findings.
Our reduction targets are shown here
-
Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program (White 500)
（Benesse Holdings/Benesse Corporation）
This is a system to recognize corporations implementing outstanding health management based on the health improvement initiative promoted by Nippon Kenko Kaigi and initiatives to address local health issues conducted jointly by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and Nippon Kenko Kaigi. Benesse Holdings and Benesse Corporation were certified as a White 500 companies among the top 500 corporations, as well as among 1801 Large-scale Corporate Sector corporations in Excellent Health Management Corporation 2021.
Furthermore, within Benesse group, Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, Inc., has been certified as a large-scale corporation in the Excellent Health Management category, and Benesse Business Mate has been certified as a small-to-medium-sized corporation in the same category.
-
Eruboshi Certification
(Benesse Corporation)
This is a system operated by the Ministry of Health and Labor to certify companies that meet certain standards and excel in promoting the participation of women based on the Law for Promotion of Women’s Activities. Benesse Corporation achieved the highest rank (3) from April 2016.
-
Digital Transformation Stocks, Digital Transformation Certification
(Benesse Holdings)
With digital technology as its focus, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Inc., select companies implementing Digital Transformation (DX) to revolutionize their business models and so promote new growth and boost competitiveness. Among 461 entries, we were selected as a DX Stock.
Benesse Holdings has established a new organization reporting directly to the CEO called Digital Innovation Partners (DIP) from spring 2021. It is tackling two areas: promoting DX to match business phases and improving DX capabilities in organizations. In promoting DX to match business phases, it dispatches highly skilled personnel from its consulting department to each business, and implements projects to achieve the priority measures for each business in cooperation with the field.We were also certified as a DX business operator under the DX Certification System established by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
For more information, see “Human Resource Development” on the Sustainability site.
-
Monisu Certification
(Benesse Business Mate)
This is a system in which the Minister of Health and Labor certifies small- and medium-sized businesses that excel in their implementation of initiatives to promote the employment of workers such as those with disabilities and to ensure their job security. Benesse Business Mate was evaluated on its workplace development to expand the employment of people with disabilities, revolutionizing its working practices, creating a friendly working environment, and providing a motivating and supportive system for each employee. It was certified in November 2021.
-
Active Enterprise in Supporting Disabled Persons
(Benesse Business Mate)
The Japan Association of Employers of Persons with Disabilities was established by the Ministry of Health and Labor and has been conducting exemplary initiatives such as reviewing employment management and forms of employment that take into account the characteristics of disabilities and increasing the number of employees with disabilities. It certifies companies with such employees as “companies with active employees with disabilities”. As of April 1, 2020, 58 companies nationwide have received the certification.
-
Product Safety Awards(PS Awards)
(Benesse Corporation)
The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry publicly solicits corporate applications for all kinds of organizations, retailers, importers, and manufacturers working actively on product safety. The Ministry gives the PS Awards only after rigorous screening. Benesse Corporation received the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry Award in the retailer division, major companies, at the 2021 PS Awards.
-
Cyber Index Corporate Research Rating
(Benesse Holdings)The Information Technology Federation of Japan, one of the largest federations of IT bodies in Japan, awarded us one star as an outstanding and exemplary company in the Information Technology Federation of Japan Cyber Index Company Survey 2021, which took in companies comprising the Nikkei 500 Index. The survey comprehensively analyzes the companies’ cyber security efforts on the basis of information disclosed in reports such as the Annual Securities Report and the Corporate Governance Report as well as the responses to questionnaires on cyber security and personal information protection. In fiscal 2021, the first year of the survey, all 42 selected companies received one star.
Information Technology Federation of Japan News Release
Third-party Certification of Management Systems
-
ISMS certification
This is an evaluation system (ISMS conformity assessment system) established by the JIPDEC. To certify a company, a designated assessment body examines the company’s information security management systems for compliance with the ISMS certification standards, which are equivalent to international standards.
After ISO27001 (ISMS) certification was acquired by Benesse Corporation School Headquarters and Benesse BASE COM in May 2015, the same certification was also acquired by Benesse Holdings, Benesse Corporation (excluding some offices), and Benesse InfoShell in March 2016.
(May 5, 2015: Initial registration)
(May 5, 2024: Expiry date) -
Environmental Management System (ISO 14001)
(Benesse Corporation)
This is an international standard for environmental management systems. It provides a framework for organizations to protect the environment and respond to changing environmental conditions while balancing socioeconomic needs. Benesse Corporation has been certified since 2004 and is updating its certification for the fiscal year ending March 2020.
The CO2 emissions results for fiscal 2019 have received third-party verification from the Japan Quality Assurance Organization. -
PrivacyMark symbol
(Benesse Corporation)
This is a system that evaluates businesses and other organizations that have established a system to take appropriate measures to protect personal information in conformance with Japanese Industrial Standard JIS Q 15001, “Personal Information Protection Management System – Requirements.” It grants them the Privacy Mark to indicate conformance and allows them to use the mark for their business activities.
After being assessed by JIPDEC, in November 2016 Benesse was registered as a business approved to display the PrivacyMark symbol.
(November 2, 2016: Initial registration)
(November 1, 2022: Expiry date)
Website
-
Gomez ESG Site Ranking
(Benesse Holdings)
A ranking assessment is conducted by Broadband Security, Inc., to evaluate the ease of use and completeness of information on the websites (ESG websites) of listed companies. This indicates the usability of Web-based public relations resources for various stakeholders including shareholders and investors.
Benesse Holdings, Inc., has been selected as an outstanding company in the Gomez ESG Site Ranking 2021.
The survey items are divided into the five categories of "website usability," "ESG common," "E (environment)," "S (society)," and "G (governance)," and are designed to incorporate the perspectives of not only shareholders and investors, who are the main users, but also a wide range of stakeholders. -
Sustainability Site Award
(Benesse Holdings)A comprehensive survey and rating of listed companies’ sustainability websites is conducted by the Association for Sustainability Communication. The websites of all listed companies in Japan and major companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange are assessed with respect to information quality according to eight important disclosure criteria, and awards are given to the top 1% of the total for overall excellence. Benesse Holdings, Inc., received the Silver (Excellence) Award in the Sustainability Site Award 2022.