Unicharm Corp – Lobbying Governance & Transparency

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Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Limited	Unicharm Corp discloses that "all functions for liaison with other nations and industrial organizations on matters related to ISO product standards and environmental management including climate change have been integrated into the Global Quality Assurance Department," and it notes that the company "engage[s] in our activities on the basis of decision-making criteria that have been consolidated as elements of internal policy." This indicates there is at least some internal policy guidance and a designated department coordinating external engagement on environmental issues, suggesting an initial layer of governance over lobbying-related activities. The firm also states that it has "a public commitment … to conduct [its] engagement activities in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement," showing an intention to align advocacy with climate goals. However, the disclosure does not identify any individual or board-level body responsible for reviewing or overseeing lobbying alignment, provides no detail on how direct lobbying positions are approved, and gives no information about how it monitors, evaluates, or addresses the climate-policy stances of trade associations. We found no evidence of systematic reviews, escalation procedures, or public reporting on lobbying alignment. Thus, while the company signals some policy intent and departmental responsibility, its transparency on the mechanisms, oversight structures, and accountability for climate-related lobbying remains limited. View Sources	D

Overall Assessment

Analysis

Score

Limited

Unicharm Corp discloses that "all functions for liaison with other nations and industrial organizations on matters related to ISO product standards and environmental management including climate change have been integrated into the Global Quality Assurance Department," and it notes that the company "engage[s] in our activities on the basis of decision-making criteria that have been consolidated as elements of internal policy." This indicates there is at least some internal policy guidance and a designated department coordinating external engagement on environmental issues, suggesting an initial layer of governance over lobbying-related activities. The firm also states that it has "a public commitment … to conduct [its] engagement activities in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement," showing an intention to align advocacy with climate goals. However, the disclosure does not identify any individual or board-level body responsible for reviewing or overseeing lobbying alignment, provides no detail on how direct lobbying positions are approved, and gives no information about how it monitors, evaluates, or addresses the climate-policy stances of trade associations. We found no evidence of systematic reviews, escalation procedures, or public reporting on lobbying alignment. Thus, while the company signals some policy intent and departmental responsibility, its transparency on the mechanisms, oversight structures, and accountability for climate-related lobbying remains limited.

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Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Strong	Unicharm provides a high degree of transparency in its climate-related lobbying activities. The company clearly identifies the policy it engaged with, naming its proposals on the 'carbon offset level' and advocating for a 'zero-carbon labeling' scheme before the Ministry of Economy, Technology, and Industry (METI). It details its lobbying mechanisms, describing how personnel "participated in a METI study group" and "tendered proposals for easy-to-use labeling from a corporate perspective," and explicitly names METI as the target of these engagements. Unicharm also articulates clear outcomes sought, urging METI to "study the idea of zero-carbon labeling," integrate carbon offset and carbon footprint programs, and adopt easy-to-use labeling standards from a corporate viewpoint. This comprehensive disclosure of policies lobbied, lobbying mechanisms, and desired outcomes demonstrates a strong level of transparency.	B