Past BCCJ D&I Events

The Digital Leap to Gender Equality

Aplil 10, 2023

This lunchtime event brought together prominent industry leaders, experts, and professionals from Japan and the UK to discuss the latest advancements and trends in the field of technology and IT, with a specific emphasis on gender equity, inclusivity, and the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the industry.

Purchasing Power With Purpose: How Supplier Diversity Works for Everyone

Aplil 4, 2023

From the largest global corporations to the smallest local businesses, supplier diversity benefits everyone and can help level the playing field for underrepresented groups. Join us for an informative, engaging evening in which we explored this vital supply chain characteristic to understand what Supplier Diversity (SD) is, why it is important to companies and how it strengthens their diversity and sustainability efforts. Hear about NGOs that support diverse business owners and companies seeking to work with diverse businesses. Broaden and deepen the conversation with your fellow ACCJ members, members of other chambers, and allied business organizations, as we take time to network over drinks and a buffet of delectable refreshments.

Joining Forces on International Women’s Day 2023 to #EmbraceEquity

March 8,2023

We invited Junko Kubokawa, Representative Director and President, Croda Japan KK, Natalia Sanz Laviña, CEO, YSLA Architects, Hiroko Suzuki, President & CEO, Kyowa Industrial Co., Anne-Line Rey, Sales Project Director, Head of Osaka Expo 2025, GL Events Japan KK, and Tomoyo Hiraoka, VP, Chief HR Officer, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, to share their insights on the topic, acknowledging the work already being done in organisations and communities to respond to workplace inequities, and addressing what the key roles are for individuals, corporates and governments in pushing the agenda forward and taking the strides needed to truly advance gender equity in the future.

Small acts, big impacts: Advancing gender equality through micro-actions

July 26, 2022

The systematised and institutionalised nature of gender inequality in Japan has been intensively addressed by scholars from governmental and cultural perspectives, implying the need for change at both a governmental and organisational level. On the evening of July 26, Sae Oshima will lead a workshop which aims to shed light on an alternative route to address these issues in Japanese society; at an individual level, through our moment-by-moment communicative behaviours in everyday workplace situations.

International Women’s Day 2022 #BreakTheBias

March 8 ,2022

After opening remarks from Helen Smith, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Tokyo, Bill Emmott, Chairman of the Japan Society in the UK, will lead the discussion to shed light on where we stand in this sea of bias – in the UK, Japan, and globally. Joined by Andrijana Cvetkovikj, North Asia Director at the Economist Corporate Network, and Yoko Makiguchi, CEO of Revolut Japan, the panel will acknowledge the work already being done in organisations and communities to respond to gender bias, and address what the key roles are for individuals, corporates and governments, in pushing the agenda forward and breaking these biases.

Black History Month

October 27,2021

People from African and Caribbean backgrounds have been a fundamental part of British history for centuries. Black History Month gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture.

This year, for the first time, the BCCJ is very pleased to mark Black History Month. At this special event on the evening of October 27, we look forward to co-hosting a rich conversation with members of the University of Oxford about the significance of Black people’s contributions to society and business in the UK and Japan, and why inclusion is key for successful organisations in 2021 and beyond.

Unconscious Bias – How it affects us more than we know

March 30, 2021

Unconscious bias can affect our decisions in all areas of life, but especially in the workplace. Influences such as our background, experiences and environmental conditions can all play a part in shaping our choices, whether we realise it or not.

But do you really understand the implications of “unconscious bias” and how it impacts your own day to day life, as well as working relationships with people around you? Are you aware of your own biases and the biases of those around you, and why they manifest themselves in the first place? These are some of the areas we will be digging in to, and by the end of the session, we hope that you are better positioned to recognise and counteract your biases.

International Women’s Day: Women in Trade

March 8, 2021

To mark International Women’s Day, on Monday 8th March from 1230-1330, the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan and the British Embassy Tokyo will host a discussion on the challenges facing women in business and trade, both in the UK and Japan. This discussion is especially pertinent given the UK and Japanese Governments’ recent renewed commitment to Women’s Economic Empowerment in a standalone chapter of the new Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which came into force earlier this year. The event will provide a forum to discuss current challenges; share best practice; and explore potential solutions for both the UK and Japan.

Post-event round-up: HERE

Let’s Talk about Mentorship – Women and Mentoring

April 17, 2020

Women leaders in British chambers of commerce in Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore and Japan shared their expertise on mentoring on April 17 in the first multination British chamber webinar. Some 80 members from across the region joined the event, which covered tips for mentors and mentees along every step of the mentorship process, from pairing and development of a mutually beneficial relationship to evaluation and feedback.

Read event round-up HERE

Diversity in Rugby

March 26, 2019

“Rugby is a growing, thriving, global sport because it is inclusive and fosters diversity at all levels,” Rob Abernethy told attendees of the BCCJ’s “Diversity in Rugby” luncheon in Tokyo, on March 26. The executive director of Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2019 was speaking at the second event of the Rugby Alliance, a coalition of eight Japan-based foreign chambers of commerce that was set up last year to help the RWC Organising Committee deliver a legacy. As the longest global sporting event, at 44 days’ duration, and with 12 host cities spanning Hokkaido to Kyushu, a fundamental aspect of the legacy is the development of grassroots rugby across the country. Abernethy expressed hope of a positive reception because rugby “is a game for all shapes and sizes, genders, ages and abilities” thanks to its variety of formats, including tag, touch, wheelchair, sevens and fifteens.

Read full round-up HERE

BCCJ marks International Women’s Day 2019

March 10, 2019

The British Chamber of Commerce, in association with Barclays and SMBC hosted a special event to mark International Women’s Day 2019. Celebrated annually on March 8, International Women’s Day highlights the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity in the workplace. The 2019 International Women’s Day global theme was #BalanceforBetter. Across the world, companies and organisations are striving to achieve gender balance. Initiatives such as the 30% Club, He For She, and the W20 have begun to produce results in the public and private sectors. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender-balance in wealth, even gender-balanced sports coverage . . .

Read full round-up HERE

Women in Leadership: Accessing Senior Roles as a Woman

September 20, 2018

On September 14, Helen Woods, managing director of international services provider Equiom Solutions, held an interactive roundtable with BCCJ members on the topic of “Women in Leadership.” Visiting Tokyo on a tour of the firm’s Asia offices, Woods drew on her 25-year background in the tax planning industry and experience of managing Equiom’s global team of tax professionals to start a conversation on career development, management skills and work-life balance for women.

Read full round-up HERE

Lessons on mentoring from women across Asia

April 24, 2020

Women leaders in British chambers of commerce in Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore and Japan shared their expertise on mentoring on April 17 in the first multination British chamber webinar. Some 80 members from across the region joined the event, which covered tips for mentors and mentees along every step of the mentorship process, from pairing and development of a mutually beneficial relationship to evaluation and feedback.

Read full round-up HERE

W20 co-chair addresses BCCJ members

April 12, 2019

The co-chair of the W20 engagement group, which proposes women-related policy recommendations to the G20, has called on BCCJ members to be pioneers for female empowerment through individual actions. Speaking at a BCCJ workshop about the W20 summit held in Tokyo on March 23–24, Haruno Yoshida presented digitalisation as a “gamechanger” for advancing gender equality globally. As the summit brought together 1,000 female leaders from across the globe, she said it builds momentum on female labour participation among the 2.3 billion women living in the G20 group of nations.

Read full round-up HERE

Japan and Scotland: D&I lessons

July 27, 2918

The Scottish and Japanese governments share a solution to the ageing population in their respective countries: boost the participation of their working age citizens through diversity and inclusion (D&I), to drive sustainable economic growth. And corporations in both countries have lauded the potential of D&I to spark creativity, innovation, productivity and, ultimately, business success. Yet, implementation of D&I initiatives has been slow, and the results mixed. The BCCJ invited representatives of three D&I success stories to speak to members on 3rd July at its luncheon, “21st Century Solutions: D&I in 2018.” The speakers were Mayor of Yokohama Fumiko Hayashi, whose policies eliminated nursery waiting lists in the city; Kaori Sasaki, founder of the International Conference for Women in Business, Japan’s largest women’s conference; and Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs in the Scottish government, which enjoys a 50:50 gender-balanced cabinet.

Read full round-up HERE

Womenomics at a Crossroads

September 14, 2015

The BCCJ is fully committed to supporting diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace. On Sep 10, as part of our D&I programme of events we hosted “Womenomics at a Crossroads”. BCCJ members and invited guests heard from BBC World News Reporter, Mariko Oi, who was the first Japanese national to report for the BBC, and Professor Danielle George, Engineering professor and Associate Dean at the University of Manchester, who last year became only the sixth woman to present the Royal Institute’s Christmas Lectures in its 180-year history. The session was moderated by Suzanne Price, Representative Director of Price Global, a consultancy firm that designs, facilitates and implements diversity and inclusion training initiatives in multi-national companies.

Read full round-up HERE

What women really want from womenomics

September 19, 2014

Over 60 people attended the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) event, “What do we really want? Women and Womenomics”, at the BT Japan offices in Ark Hills this morning. The event, run in support of the Ministry of Foreign Affair’s “Shine Weeks” initiative, and supported by the British Embassy Tokyo, brought together a panel of three female executives and a variety of BCCJ member organisations, as well as 18 students and interns from the British School in Tokyo, the Tomodachi Programme, Waseda University, the University of Oxford, the University of Leeds, the EU delegation to Japan, Refugees International Japan, and others. The Shine Weeks initiative, backed by the Government of Japan, Keidanren, The Nikkei, The Japan Institute of International Affairs and the Japan Center for Economic Research, is aimed at exploring how increasing female participation in the workforce will boost economic growth.

Read full round-up HERE