CSR activities in FY2018
Relationships with Shareholders/Investors
Accessible General Meeting of Shareholders
We try to make it as easy as possible for shareholders to attend the General Meeting of Shareholders, and take various other measures to ensure that shareholder voting is a smooth process.
■Earlier advance notice of the general meeting of shareholders
Three weeks'advance notice of the general meeting is provided (seven days earlier than the legally mandated deadline of two weeks before the meeting date).
■Website posting of general meeting notice
Our early disclosure efforts include providing notice of the General Meeting of Shareholders on our website one month before the meeting date. We also work to improve foreign shareholder convenience by providing an English translation (summarized) of the notice.
■Provision of detailed information in the general meeting notice
To assist shareholders'understanding, the officer appointmentrelated agenda items are accompanied by a list of candidates'names, photos of candidates, the attendance rate at the Board of Directors, years of service, and similar information.
■Selection of date of the general meeting of shareholders
To maximize shareholder attendance, traditionally busy dates are avoided, and account closing/auditing schedules are considered when setting the meeting date.
■Online voting
Advance voting is made possible both by post and online. For the convenience of institutional investors, NTN is also on the Electronic Voting Platform run by Investor Communications Japan (ICJ).
■Other
The Chairman’s explanation at the General Meeting of Shareholders is supplemented by summaries of business reports and financial results presented on a screen with visual aids such as graphs and photos.
Communicating with Investors
ESG meeting
On December 25, 2018, we held an ESG meeting at our Tokyo office for the first time. We explained about NTN’s ESG initiatives to the 15 institutional investor participants. In the meeting, in order for the investors to better understand our ESG initiatives, we used our integrated report “NTN Report 2018,” which was issued last year, for the explanation, and also had a dialog about our tasks and requests from investors.
The first “ESG meeting”
Information disclosure policy
We shall work to develop the Company and increase shareholder return, while at the same time communicating broadly with society, and advocating active information disclosure as one of its management policies. Moreover, we disclose information based on our Information Disclosure Policy and in compliance with various laws and regulations such as the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and the “Rules on Timely Disclosure of Corporate Information by Issuers of Listed Securities” stipulated by the Tokyo Stock Exchange. We also respect the “Corporate Governance Code” and disclose information in a fair manner according to the “Fair Disclosure Rules.” We strive to disclose, as actively and fairly as possible, information that we deem useful for investors even if that information does not apply to laws, regulations and other rules.
Management of material information
We appropriately manage information subject to insider trading regulations as well as conclusive financial information prior to disclosure, as material information. We also promptly disclose relevant material information if it is found that the Company’s executive or other employee has conveyed material undisclosed information to a business contact determined in the Fair Disclosure Rule. However, when a certain piece of information is determined to be material but deemed inappropriate for disclosure, then we will not disclose the information, placing the concerned business contact under confidentiality obligation and obligation to not purchase/sell the Company’s shares until such material information can be disclosed.
Status of inclusion in ESG indexes*1
We have been assessed as an active practitioner of ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) in the stock market, and our shares have been selected for inclusion in four ESG indexes for stock trading in consideration of environment, social, and governance factors, which Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) announced in July 2017 and September 2018. Our shares have also been selected for inclusion in multiple SRI (Socially Responsible Investing) funds and SRI indexes. We will continue to carry out proactive ESG initiatives and information disclosure.
ESG indexes that GPIF adopted
SRI funds and SRI indexes
＊1 Inclusion status as of the end of July 2019.
＊2 The inclusion of NTN Corporation 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 NTN Corporation 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.