TOKYO, March 23, 2017 -- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) announced today that the company was selected as the Nadeshiko* Brand, a designation granted to listed companies that are exceptional in promoting the success of women in the workplace for the third consecutive year by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE).

*Nadeshiko, a pink carnation with delicate frills, is used metaphorically to refer to an idealized Japanese woman.

Nadeshiko Brands have been selected and published jointly by METI and TSE since FY2012. This initiative aims to introduce certain listed companies that are outstanding in terms of encouraging the empowerment of women in the workplace as attractive stocks to investors who put emphasis on improving corporate value in the mid- and long-term. In the selection process, companies are first screened according to the scoring criteria for “conducting career support for women,” and “supporting women in balancing work and family.” METI and TSE then select one company per industry basically, based on candidate companies’ financial indices (last 3-year average ROE is either 8% or above, or higher than the median value of the industry).

The logo of the Nadeshiko Brand

Chugai aims to become a top Japanese pharmaceutical company that provides a continuous flow of innovative new medicines in Japan and overseas and places priority on the promotion of diversity and inclusion so that our diverse human assets may play active roles in creating new values. We believe that the Nadeshiko Brand designation for the third consecutive year was awarded in recognition of our continuous efforts.

With the fundamental principle that human assets constitute the core capital which generates corporate growth and development, Chugai will continue to develop a working environment and organizational culture to ensure that each employee can work enthusiastically and achieve success in the workplace.