What are the most significant cases or transactions that you have been involved in over the past year?

Unilever is a consumer goods manufacturer whose purpose is “Make sustainable living commonplace”. In 2021, Unilever Japan switched to a new sustainability-oriented contract for all the customers who purchase our products. We worked together with our business partners to plan, negotiate, and execute a contract with a new structure that provides incentives for efforts to reduce the environmental impact. Thanks to the understanding and cooperation of our customers, this transition to the new system has led to a reduction in the number of trucks and CO2 emissions. In addition to our success in achieving the company’s purpose, METI also hounored us with the grand prize for the Supply Chain Innovation Award 2023 for our innovative activity.

Based on your experience, what is the key to collaborating successfully with business partners?

Initially, it is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic objectives at every tier—the global group’s goals, each category’s goals, and the individual country’s goals. Subsequently, Legal team must prepare the commitments required to actualise these strategies. Proactivity is key; instead of awaiting contacts from business partners, Legal should initiate contact with the leaders of each business division, thereby fostering a proactive and collaborative dynamic.

Apart from legal matters, has the team worked on other company initiatives you would like to highlight?

We believe that the legal team can embody the company’s values. Therefore, we are actively involved in sustainability-related measures that are necessary to realise our purpose of “Making sustainable living commonplace”. For example, we face the problem of plastic disposal due to the nature of our business. In order to realise a society in which plastic is recycled as a resource, we are continuously involved the activities to address the plastic problem such as establishing business coalitions, lobbying and other public relations activities in cooperation with the Communication Team.

How do you motivate and manage the other members of your legal team well?
At Unilever, each member of the legal team must be a “business leader who knows the law very well,” not just a legal specialist. Therefore, each team member must first be motivated to become a ‘business leader’. I believe that providing opportunities to broaden their business acumen and skill set is crucial for fostering a comprehensive understanding of the business landscape and strategic direction.

Also, creating an environment that values creative thinking is important. I believe that the journey to a goal need not be linear or singular. I encourage open exchanges of ideas and reassure team members that even the most unconventional thoughts can be a seed for the best solution. Safeguarding the team’s psychological safety is the cornerstone of fostering a culture where every member feels empowered to contribute their own perspective.