Corporate Governance
Policy for Constructive Dialogue with Shareholders
Policy
For sustainable growth and to help improve corporate value over a medium- to long-term perspective, Canon Inc. has constructive dialogue with shareholders through an Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, corporate strategy conferences, financial results conferences, and interviews with major institutional investors.
Structure to Promote Dialogue
Investor Relations (IR), Shareholder Relations (SR), sustainability, and legal divisions, are responsible for working together and promoting dialogue. The Executive Vice President & CFO oversees the entire structure to promote dialogue.
For analysts and institutional investors, the CEO hosts an annual corporate strategy conference, and the CFO hosts quarterly financial results conferences. In addition, we continue to provide prompt and accurate disclosure of business conditions by posting materials on Canon Inc.’s website. Furthermore, we established an English IR website for overseas investors, disclosing the same information at the same time as in Japan.
Additionally, Canon Inc. provides opportunities to meet with executive officers, Outside Directors, Audit & Supervisory Board Members etc., as necessary, to engage in dialogue with analysts and institutional investors in Japan and overseas.
As for the opinions or demands that are obtained through dialogue with shareholders, accordingly, the department in charge reports to the CFO and the CFO reports important ones to the CEO or the Board of Directors.
Policy for Constructive Dialogue with Shareholders
Based on the policy described above in the section for Principle 5.1 Policy for Constructive Dialogue with Shareholders, the Company actively provides opportunities for dialogue and information provision with shareholders and investors by engaging in dialogue throughout the year mainly with major institutional investors (Active and Passive), as described in III.2 "IR Activities" of this report. The IR Promotion Division, which is in charge of IR, the Corporate Governance Center, which is in charge of SR, the Executive Officer in charge of these two divisions, the sustainability division and the human resource management division engage in dialogue with shareholders and investors according to themes. The dialogue covers a wide range of topics, including business performance and business policies, governance, and sustainability, depending on the time of year and the wishes of investors. The Company increased opportunities to meet with institutional investors, particularly in Japan, to strengthen its shareholders relation, and made efforts to explain the Company's views on its governance and executive structure in a more thorough manner than before, as well as to listened closely to expectations and opinions of investors regarding the Company, as well as their views on the exercise of voting rights, and engaged in a frank exchange of views. The Company also conducts direct dialogues with investors at the management level, and last year the CFO and outside directors held individual meetings. The issues pointed out through dialogues are shared with each director and used as a reference for management discussions at the Company in an effort to further enhance corporate value.