G/Governance
Corporate Governance
Basic stance
The purpose of the corporate governance of the Nidec Group is to become a conscientious and principled company that earns society’s trust and to increase our corporate value sustainably, based on the motto “High growth, high profit, and high share price.” To this end, we maintain and enhance our internal control, thereby running our business more healthily and efficiently. Furthermore, we disclose information appropriately to increase the transparency of the Company’s business operations. We are also committed to ensuring the independence and diversity of the Board of Directors by taking into account, among others, the balance of the knowledge, experience and qualifications of the Board of Directors as a whole and the number of its members, based on its diversity in gender, career history, age, etc. and on Nidec’s business scale.
In order to ensure the effectiveness of the Board of Directors’ Meeting, it is important to incorporate a new perspective with independence and objectivity from a third party. If a third party perspective is not introduced, there is a risk that the function of the Board of Directors’ Meeting will not improve or may even slow down. In addition, if the effectiveness of the Nomination Committee and Remuneration Committee is not improved and fairness, transparency and objectivity are not ensured, we recognize that this will have a significant impact on the loss of public trust due to legal and compliance violations, as well as on the improvement of corporate value and the sustainability of management.
Based on the understanding that corporate governance is one of the highest-priority issues for our sustainable growth and medium- to long-term improvement in corporate value, we will make efforts to enhance the relevant systems.
Message from the Chairman of the Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors, which is made up of members with expertise (high level of insight) and extensive experience in various fields, supervises business execution from a diverse range of perspectives and works to strengthen our decision-making functions.
In order to ensure the effectiveness of the Board of Directors’ Meeting, we conduct a survey of Board members every year and use the results of an objective effectiveness evaluation (objective evaluation and analysis) by a third party to identify issues and implement countermeasures. As a result of these efforts, in 2023, the Board of Directors’ Meeting received high evaluations from Board members and third parties regarding the composition, agenda, and operation of the Board of Directors’ Meeting, as well as the creation of opportunities to promote understanding of the business and discussion.
At the Board of Directors’ Meeting, all members, regardless of whether they are internal or external members of the Board of Directors, exchange frank and free opinions while respecting each other. As the chairperson, I will continue to make use of these diverse perspectives and manage the Board of Directors’ Meetings so that they become a forum for constructive debate. I will also work to improve the “deepening of discussions on medium- to long-term management strategies and issues” that has been pointed out by third parties, and strive to achieve a governance system with greater transparency and effectiveness and to improve corporate value.
Shigenobu Nagamori
Founder and Chairman of the Board
Target
Materiality
Systems and actions
History of Nidec’s corporate governance
Corporate governance structure
➊Board of Directors
The Board of Directors makes material management decisions and oversees the Group’s business operations as a whole. The Board of Directors includes highly independent Outside Members, to enhance the supervisory function of the company’s business operation and improve management transparency and objectivity. Pursuant to the resolution passed at the Shareholders’ Meeting in June 2024, the Board of Directors consists of 11 directors, 6 of whom are outside directors.
Attendance of the Board Directors to the meetings of the Board of Directors and individual committee meetings (FY2023)
Member | Number of times of attendance / the meeting held (attendance rate) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Meetings of the Board of Directors | Audit and Supervisory Committee | Nomination Committee | Remuneration Committee | Sustainability Committee | |
Shigenobu Nagamori | 26/26 (100.0%) | - | 3/3 (100.0%) | 1/1 (100.0%) | - |
Hiroshi Kobe | 20/21 (95.2%) | - | 3/3 (100.0%) | 0/0 | 3/3 (100.0%) |
Kazuya Murakami | 26/26 (100.0%) | 14/14 (100.0%) | - | - | - |
Hiroyuki Ochiai | 26/26 (100.0%) | 14/14 (100.0%) | - | - | 3/3 (100.0%) |
Shinichi Sato | 17/21 (81.0%) | - | - | 0/0 | 0/0 |
Yayoi Komatsu | 20/21 (95.2%) | - | 3/3 (100.0%) | - | - |
Takako Sakai*2 | 24/26 (100.0%) | 4/4 (100.0%) | 3/3 (100.0%) | 1/1 (100.0%) | 3/3 (100.0%) |
Aya Yamada | 24/26 (92.3%) | 14/14 (100.0%) | 3/3 (100.0%) | 0/0 | - |
Tamame Akamatsu | 15/21 (71.4%) | 9/10 (100.0%) | - | - | 3/3 (100.0%) |
Junko Watanabe | 11/13 (84.6%) | 5/5 (100.0%) | - | - | 2/2 (100.0%) |
- *1 The difference in the number times held is due to the difference in the timing of appointment.
- *2 Changes in the Members of the Board of Directors (Audit and Supervisory Committee Members) at the Regular General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 20, 2023 are as follows: (1) Ms. Hiroe Toyoshima has been newly elected and appointed as a Member of the Board of Directors (Audit and Supervisory Committee Member). (2) Ms. Tamame Akamatsu retired from a Member of the Board of Directors(Audit and Supervisory Committee Member).
- *3 Mr. Kunio Umeda was newly elected as a director (Audit and Supervisory Committee Member) at the Regular General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 18, 2024. Therefore, his number of the times attended in this fiscal year is not recorded.
Themes of deliberations at the Board of Directors meetings
Example of topics for deliberations (FY2023)
Individual topics
- ・CAPEX for increasing production of large-scale precision reducers in Japan
- ・Conclusion of contract and establishment of joint venture with Embraer S.A.
- ・Utilization of the Shigenobu Nagamori Memorial Museum
M&A topics
- ・Nidec Machine Tool’s acquisition of Nidec OKK as a subsidiary
- ・TOB (Take-Over Bit) to make TAKISAWA a wholly owned
subsidiary of the company
Effectiveness evaluation of the Board of Directors
Annually, Nidec sends out questionnaires to all members of the Board of Directors, including Outside Members, on the effectiveness of the Board of Directors’ meetings, and the Board of Directors discusses, analyzes and assesses the results of the questionnaires. Based on the results of the questionnaires, Nidec formulates measures for constant improvement.
Questionnaire survey on the effectiveness of the Board of Directors (efforts and evaluation)
Efforts made in FY2023 to ensure effectiveness
- ・We will continue to hold preliminary briefing sessions for outside members of the Board of Directors, ensuring that they are fully provided with information on each matter and have opportunities to discuss it.
-
・We will implement the following initiatives with the aim of promoting non-executive directors’ understanding of the business and deepening communication.
- ─ Regular holding of informal meetings (at least four times a year: business briefings, direct visits or web-based tours of domestic and Group companies) and sharing of opinions from investors and other stakeholders
- ─ Continuation of the President and CEO and the head of the business division giving an overview of the business at the Audit Committee
- ─ Information dissemination, such as explaining the relationship between investment projects and medium- to long-term strategic goals at the Board of Directors’ Meeting
- ─ Timely distribution of news releases and other necessary information to outside members of the Board of Directors
- ─ Review of the timing of proposals and reports for regular matters (consideration of bringing forward, etc.), and equalization of the number of proposals per month
FY2023 evaluation results
- ①In general, the following points were evaluated.
- ・The Board of Directors’ Meeting is functioning well
- ・The composition of the Board of Directors’ Meeting (number of members, ratio of internal and external directors, etc.), frequency of meetings, number of items discussed, and meeting time are appropriate
- ・Communications regarding the convening of the Board of Directors’ Meeting are accurate and smooth, and the secretariat’s operations are effective
- ・There is an opportunity to request additional information to clarify any points of uncertainty regarding the agenda item under discussion
- ・There is open discussion (not formal, but free and constructive discussion and exchange of opinions) at the Board of Directors’ Meeting
- ②The effectiveness of the Board of Directors’ Meetings was also highly evaluated by a third party (external law firm) in terms of the composition and operation of the Board of Directors’ Meetings, and it was confirmed that a system had been established to ensure that the Board of Directors’ Meetings were conducted in a way that encouraged full and frank discussions, and that such discussions were in fact being held in a free and open manner, including by outside members of the Board of Directors. The overall supervisory function of the Board of Directors’ Meeting was also highly evaluated, and it was confirmed that the preliminary briefing sessions held before the Board of Directors’ Meeting also contribute greatly to improving the function of the Board of Directors’ Meeting. This third-party evaluation system was introduced in FY2021.
As issues to be addressed, it was pointed out that, as in the FY2022, there should be further discussion on medium- to longterm management strategies and issues (including analysis of the causes of failure to meet targets), and further improvements are considered necessary.
Initiatives for FY2024
-
・The following initiatives will be implemented with the aim of promoting a better understanding of the business through the provision of appropriate information to non-executive directors, and leading to more fulfilling deliberations at Board of Directors’ Meetings.
- ─ A yearly schedule of preliminary briefing sessions will be created to create opportunities for regular information provision, and the themes of informal meetings will be reviewed each year, with regular meetings to be held at least four times a year
- ─ The “main questions and opinions that should be shared” raised at preliminary briefing sessions are introduced at the Board of Directors’ Meeting by the person in charge of the deliberation agenda or report
- ─ Important matters discussed at the Audit, etc. Committee are shared with outside members of the Board of Directors other than the Committee members, and minutes are also distributed to other committees (e.g. the Sustainability Committee)
- ・The Board of Directors’ Meeting materials should include an analysis of the expected risks and countermeasures, particularly the factors and countermeasures for the negative aspects.
- ・The “Formulation of the Annual Business Plan” and “Formulation of the Medium-Term Management Plan” should be discussed regularly, and a forum for discussion of the content of the plans and management strategies should be established.
Skills matrix
Professional skills and experience required of members of the Board of Directors *Maximum of three | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Business strategy |
Technology and R&D |
Inter- nationality, global experience |
Human resources develop- ment |
Environment and society |
Legal affairs, compliance |
Finance and accounting |
Governance, risk management |
Shigenobu Nagamori | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Mitsuya Kishida | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Hiroshi Kobe | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Kazuya Murakami | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Hiroyuki Ochiai | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Shinichi Sato | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Yayoi Komatsu | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Takako Sakai | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Aya Yamada | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Hiroe Toyoshima | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | |||||
Kunio Umeda | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ |
➋Audit and Supervisory Committee
The Audit and Supervisory Committee audits the execution of duties by the Board of Directors’ members, and receives audit reports from the Accounting Auditor.
Composition of members and the chairperson
Total committee members |
Full-time members | Internal Members of the Board of Directors |
Outside Members of the Board of Directors |
Chairperson | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composition | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | Internal member of the Board of Directors |
Cooperation between the Audit and Supervisory Committee and accounting auditors
In addition to quarterly meetings, the Audit and Supervisory Committee and the accounting auditors meet about two or three times a year whenever necessary. In these meetings, they exchange information and opinions on audit results, audit systems, audit plans, audit implementation status and the like.
Cooperation between the Audit and Supervisory Committee and the internal audit department
The Corporate Administration & Internal Audit Department, Nidec’s internal audit department, regularly hold meetings with the Audit and Supervisory Committee to report on the results of the Nidec Group’s internal audits. In addition, the Audit and Supervisory Committee exchanges opinions and shares information with the Corporate Administration & Internal Audit Department as necessary, and requests the Corporate Administration & Internal Audit Department to conduct on-site audits.
➌Nomination Committee
The committee is headed by Takako Sakai, an outside member of the Board of Directors, and consists of two internal members and three outside members of the Board of Directors. The committee deliberates on matters such as the policy and criteria for the selection of directors and executive officers, as well as succession plans and ideas for the selection of candidates for the positions of directors, president and executive vice presidents.
➍Remuneration Committee
The committee is headed by Aya Yamada, outside member of the Board of Directors, and consists of two internal members and three outside members of the Board of Directors. The committee deliberates on matters such as the formulation of remuneration decision policies related to executive remuneration, and the design of remuneration systems (establishment of performance targets, the rationality of performance-linked remuneration, the appropriateness of remuneration structure, and individual remuneration amounts based on remuneration systems).
Policies on remuneration for Members of the Board of Directors
1. Basic policy
The remuneration for Nidec’s directors is determined based on the following policy, to enhance the company’s global competitiveness and secure the sustainable growth of its businesses.
- Increase motivation toward improving corporate value;
- Contribute to securing talented managerial human resources; and
- Ensure that the level of the remuneration is appropriate for the scale and area of Nidec’s businesses.
2. Composition of the remuneration
- Outside Members of the Board of Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit and Supervisory Committee)
Fixed remuneration - Members of the Board of Directors (excluding those who are Outside Members of the Board of Directors and members of the Audit and Supervisory Committee)
Fixed remuneration : Variable remuneration (bonuses) : Performance-linked share-based remuneration = 3:1.5:1
Remuneration type | Description | Payment method |
---|---|---|
Fixed remuneration |
|
Monthly in cash |
Variable remuneration (bonuses) |
|
Monthly in cash |
Performance-linked share-based remuneration |
|
After three fiscal years (shares and money) |
Reflecting ESG targets in performance-linked compensation for directors
From 2024, a performance-linked coefficient will be incorporated into the performance-linked share-based remuneration for directors (excluding the Founder and Chairman of the Board, outside members of the Board of Directors, and directors who are members of the Audit, etc. Committee) in accordance with the degree of achievement of performance targets in a single fiscal year, etc. The degree of achievement of ESG targets will be determined based on the ESG rating or score of the Company by MSCI, FTSE, and CDP, and will be reflected in the performance-linked coefficient.
3. Procedure to decide the remuneration amounts
The amounts of fixed and variable remunerations for individual directors (excluding members of the Board of Directors who are members of the Audit and Supervisory Committee) are determined by the Board of Directors based on reports submitted by the Remuneration Committee, which is a voluntary advisory body, in accordance with the criteria specified by this policy. Similarly, the details of the performance-linked share-based remuneration are determined by the Board of Directors based on reports submitted by the Remuneration Committee.
Total amount of remuneration by category of directors and by type of remuneration, and the number of eligible directors
Category | Total amount of remuneration (million yen) |
Total amount by type of remuneration (million yen) | Number of eligible persons |
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fixed remuneration |
Variable remuneration |
Performance-linked remuneration |
Retirement benefits |
|||
Members of the Board of Directors (excluding those who are members of the Audit and Supervisory Committee and outside members of the Board of Directors) | 139 | 139 | - | - | - | 2 |
Audit and Supervisory Committee members (excluding outside members of the Board of Directors) | 38 | 38 | - | - | - | 2 |
Outside directors | 56 | 56 | - | - | - | 7 |
*The introduction of the performance-linked share-based remuneration system was resolved at the 45th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 20, 2018. The amounts of expenses recorded for the fiscal year under review according to the Japanese standard are provided above. Outside members of the Board of Directors are not covered by the system.
4. Forfeiture, etc. of remuneration (clawback/malus)
The amounts of fixed and variable remunerations may be Outside Members of the Board of Directors 2 3 reduced if the recipient has caused serious damage to the company by obtaining the consent of the recipient. Based on the performance-linked share-based compensation plan, if any individual to be issued shares Chairperson Internal Member of the Board of Directors should, on or after the day when his/her right to receive compensation is finalized, commit an illegal action such as a material violation of his/her duties or internal rules/ regulations, the company may request that the individual pay restitution.
❺Sustainability Committee
The Sustainability Committee is headed by Takako Sakai, Outside Member of the Board of Directors and consists of two internal members and three outside members of the Board of Directors. It oversees business operations related to sustainability and reports to the Board of Directors. The Sustainability Committee meets once every quarter.
❻Various committees
Name | Description |
---|---|
Information Security Committee | The Information Security Committee is placed under the Board of Directors to formulate basic policies concerning information security, as well as to monitor the status of implementation of various information security measures and provide instructions. |
Compliance Committee | The Compliance Committee is placed under the Board of Directors to discuss and decide basic compliance policies and measures, as well as to monitor the status of implementation of various compliance measures and provide instructions for improvement. The Compliance Committee meets once every three months. |
Risk Management Committee | The CSR Committee is placed under the Board of Directors and is headed by Akinobu Samura, Senior Vice President (chief financial officer) in charge of CSR, who has been appointed by the Board of Directors as the chairperson. The chairperson and the committee members appointed at each site discuss and make decisions on CSR activity policies and annual plans and other important matters. Matters decided at the CSR Committee meetings are reported, or discussed if necessary, at the Board of Directors’ meeting, and are put into action by the Investor Relations & CSR Promotion Department, which serves as the dedicated secretariat, in cooperation with business sites inside and outside of Japan. |
❼Monthly Executive Meeting
The Monthly Executive Meeting is a meeting where the CEO and all the other executives gather to discuss high-priority issues to ensure that all executives share the same level of understanding on the Nidec Group’s direction.
❽Executive Management Meeting
The Executive Management Meeting is held twice a month and, as the decision-making body for the execution of business, it deliberates on matters to be discussed at the Board of Directors’ Meeting and important management issues in advance.
Support systems for Outside Members of the Board of Directors
The General Affairs Department, which acts as the secretariat for the Board of Directors, supports the Outside Members of the Board of Directors. The General Affairs Department provides the outside directors with the company’s information in a timely manner, and corresponds to their inquiries through day-to-day communication. With regard to the meetings of the Board of Directors, the General Affairs Department provides all members of the Board of Directors with materials related to the proposals for the meetings and accounting information, at the latest one day before the day of the meeting. In addition, assistance is provided by the Corporate Administration & Internal Audit Department, Nidec’s internal audit department, to Outside Members of the Board of Directors who are Audit and Supervisory Committee Members. When a meeting of the Audit and Supervisory Committee is held, meeting notices are sent out to all the Audit and Supervisory Committee Members by three days prior to the day of the meeting, while documents related to the proposals to be deliberated in the meeting of the Audit and Supervisory Committee are sent to the members, at the latest one day before the meeting. After a meeting of the Audit and Supervisory Committee, meeting minutes are sent to all Audit and Supervisory Committee Members. Furthermore, for Outside Members of the Board of Directors who are Audit and Supervisory Committee Members, various information is reported and provided as necessary by fulltime Audit and Supervisory Committee Members and Nidec’s executive officers.
Outside members of the Board of Directors who are not members of the Audit and Supervisory Committee have informal meetings with the Audit and Supervisory Committee members, where various information is provided by Nidec’s executive officers. They also conduct on-site inspections of the business sites and group company in Japan, in person or online.
Internal control
Basic stance
The Nidec Group commits itself to enhancing its management soundness and transparency by establishing a compliance system generally required of a listed company in Japan, and clarifying its risk management responsibilities. Specifically, through the auditing activities of the Corporate Administration & Internal Audit Department, the Group aims to maintain and improve the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting required by Article 24-4-4, Paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. In addition, the Legal & Compliance Department, the Risk Management Committee, and the Information Security Committee are organized under the Board of Directors, under which the Legal & Compliance Office, the Risk Management Office, and the Information System Department, are placed as the secretariat respectively, working to create a corporate culture and enhance management systems for internal control.
Target
Materiality
Actions
Nidec Group companies’ corporate governance
Nidec Group companies act based on the Nidec Corporation’s business philosophies and policies, and are part of the Nidec Corporation’s internal control system. Nidec Corporation dispatches and seconds its executives and employees to its consolidated subsidiaries. The companies respectively consider the opinions of experts and others, and discuss sufficiently before making executive decisions based on each company’s situation, to secure its independency.
Cross-shareholding
Policy for cross-shareholding
Nidec holds shares in the companies that Nidec has relationships with in terms of trading and cooperation in its business and other areas, when it judges that such shareholding contributes to the company’s corporate value expansion through stabilization of its business from a medium-to-long-term perspective by maintaining and strengthening its relationship with those companies. Nidec assesses its cross-held shares individually at the Board of Directors meeting every year, on not only qualitative aspects such as the purpose of the shareholding, but also on quantitative aspects such as the benefits that can accrue through the shareholding from the perspective of economic rationality. According to the results of the assessment, Nidec intends to reduce the number of shares it holds if the cross-held shares are not expected to bring significant benefits.
Criteria for exercising voting rights for cross-shareholding
With regard to the exercise of voting rights in relation to cross-shareholdings, Nidec makes comprehensive decisions to vote for or against individual proposals to serve the investees’ sustainable growth from the perspective of whether appropriate governance and compliance structures are in place at investee companies.
(Basic views on exercising voting rights)
With regard to the individual proposals submitted to the shareholders’ meetings of the companies Nidec invests in, Nidec decides to vote for or against after confirming the following points: whether the proposals suit the purposes of the shareholding which are to maintain and strengthen the trade and cooperation relationships through medium-to-long- term investment; and particularly, whether there are any circumstances that might lead to undermining of the shareholders’ value due to the restructuring of organizations, including asset transfer and mergers. Nidec opposes all proposals that are considered to violate the law or constitute antisocial behavior, in all circumstances.