Corporate Governance

Basic View

Based on our Credo, The Analects and the Abacus, we strive to fulfill social responsibilities through our business activities, thereby earning a greater degree of trust from our shareholders and investors, and all other stakeholders, including clients, employees, and local communities. We also aim to manage the company in an expeditious, efficient, transparent, and lawful manner to achieve sustainable growth and increase corporate value over the medium to long term.

To achieve this, we have established a structure that enables the Board of Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board Members to appropriately supervise and audit the performance of duties, based on separation of the management strategy decision-making function from the execution of duties function. Concurrently, our basic policy on corporate governance is for our directors, executive officers, audit & supervisory board members, and employees to practice compliance management based on high ethical standards.

Structure

Corporate Governance Structure of Shimizu Corporation

Diagram of Corporate Governance Structure
Diagram of Corporate Governance Structure

Overview of the Corporate Governance Structure

We have adopted the structure of a company with an Audit & Supervisory Board. We have chosen this system based on the belief that we have established a system to supervise and oversee management from an objective and neutral perspective. This was achieved by limiting the number of directors and introducing an executive officer system to clearly separate the management strategy decision-making and oversight functions from the business execution function, by taking steps to encourage energetic debate at the Board of Directors, and by electing outside directors, other non-executive directors, and outside Audit & Supervisory Board members who maintain a high degree of independence. The concrete structure and implementation status are detailed below.

  • One-third or more of the Board of Directors elected are outside directors to strengthen management supervision function, and to promote more energetic debate by the Board of Directors.
  • Outside directors and other non-executive directors and outside Audit & Supervisory Board members use their extensive experience and sophisticated insight based on their individual career histories to oversee and supervise management and provide necessary advice as appropriate.
  • We established a structure mainly consisting of the head office administrative departments to provide timely information and other materials to assist outside directors and other non-executive directors in performing their management supervisory duties (including tours of offices, job sites, etc.).
  • The relevant divisions provide guidance on the Company in general, description of its businesses, and other relevant information to new outside directors and outside Audit & Supervisory Board members.
  • Audit & Supervisory Board members audit all duties performed by directors from a fair and impartial perspective.
  • The Audit & Supervisory Board Members Office was established as the dedicated organization to support Audit & Supervisory Board members. This office secures the necessary support staff to enable more effective audits by Audit & Supervisory Board members.
  • Audit & Supervisory Board members improve the effectiveness of management supervision by attending important meetings and obtaining sufficient information from officers and employees without delay.
  • When a Board of Directors meeting is held, the Board of Directors administrative office and other divisions provide explanations in advance to the outside directors, non-executive directors, and Audit & Supervisory Board members.
  • Outside directors and other non-executive directors regularly exchange opinions with the chairman and president. They also exchange opinions with outside Audit & Supervisory Board members.
  • Regular Outside Officers Meetings are held for outside directors and outside Audit & Supervisory Board members, and regular Outside Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board Members Meetings are held for outside directors and all Audit & Supervisory Board members to facilitate the exchange of opinions.

Main Governing Bodies Established by Shimizu (including discretionary committees and other meeting formats)

Board of Directors

In principle, the Board of Directors meets once a month and, as necessary, to decide matters stipulated by laws and regulations, the Articles of Incorporation, and the Board of Directors Regulations, as well as other important matters, and to supervise the execution of operations. The Articles of Incorporation specifies 12 as the maximum number of directors. These directors consist of executive directors who are highly knowledgeable in each area of our business and non-executive directors, some of whom are outside directors with extensive expertise and experience in their respective specialties. The Chairman and Representative Director serves as the chair of the Board of Directors.

[Names and Titles of Members] (11 as of June 27, 2025)

Chair Kazuyuki Inoue (Chairman of the Board and Representative Director)
Members Internal Directors Executive Tatsuya Shimmura, Kentaro Ikeda, Takeshi Sekiguchi, Yoshito Tsutsumi, Yoshiki Higashi
Non-executive Noriaki Shimizu
Outside Directors Tamotsu Iwamoto, Junichi Kawada, Mayumi Tamura, Yumiko Jozuka

(Main Agenda Items)
Election of directors; organizational reform; establishment, revision or repeal of company regulations; formulation and supervision of management policies and strategies; monitoring of progress and growth strategies of each business; risk management; sustainability matters such as climate change and human resources development; feedback on dialogue with investors; reduction of securities holdings; and revision of the standards for referral to the Board of Directors.

Audit & Supervisory Board

The Audit & Supervisory Board meets once a month as a rule, and additionally as necessary. It makes decisions on audit policy, audit plans, auditing methods, and other important audit matters, and deliberates on necessary matters concerning audits. The Articles of Incorporation sets the number of Audit & Supervisory Board members at a maximum of five, including three outside Audit & Supervisory Board members. The chair of the Audit & Supervisory Board is an Audit & Supervisory Board member chosen through discussion by the Audit & Supervisory Board.

[Names and Titles of Members] (five as of June 27, 2025)

Chair Hiroshi Kobayashi (standing)
Members Audit & Supervisory Board Member (standing) Tomohiko Hirayama
Audit & Supervisory Board Member (part-time) Kaoru Ishikawa, Toshie Ikenaga, Ko Shikata (all outside Audit & Supervisory Board members)

Nomination & Compensation Committee

We have established a Nomination & Compensation Committee to ensure fairness and transparency in the selection and dismissal of directors, Audit & Supervisory Board members and executive officers, as well as evaluation and compensation of directors and executive officers. The scope of responsibilities of the Committee is defined in the Rules of the Nomination and Compensation Committee and other related regulations. The members of this committee consist of five non-executive directors (four outside directors and one non-executive internal director) and one executive director. The committee is chaired by a non-executive director elected every year from among the members.

[Names and Titles of Members] (six as of June 27, 2025)

Chair Noriaki Shimizu (non-executive internal director)
Members Outside Directors Tamotsu Iwamoto, Junichi Kawada, Mayumi Tamura, Yumiko Jozuka
Internal Director Tatsuya Shimmura (President and Representative Director)

(Main Agenda Items)
Creation of personnel appointments for and individual evaluations of directors and executive officers, total amount and individual bonuses for officers, individual monthly compensation for the next fiscal year, succession plans, and review of related regulations.

Risk Management Committee

Our Risk Management Committee ascertains and analyzes risks that would have a serious impact on our corporate group, which consists of Shimizu and its subsidiaries. It also determines key items of risk management, and follows up and reports to the Board of Directors. The President and Representative Director serves as the chair of the committee and one standing Audit & Supervisory Board member also attends committee meetings. The roles, authority, and other matters of the Risk Management Committee are defined in the Risk Management Regulations.

[Names and Titles of Members] (15 as of June 27, 2025)

Chair Tatsuya Shimmura (President and Representative Director)
Members Kentaro Ikeda, Takeshi Sekiguchi, Yoshito Tsutsumi, Masanobu Onishi, Takao Haneda, Yoshiki Higashi, Hideo Yokoyama, Tomoaki Harada, Michiho Yamaguchi, Nobuyoshi Kikuchi, Taizo Tsukada, Deputy Manager of DX Management Office, General Manager of Audit Dept., Tomohiko Hirayama (standing Audit & Supervisory Board Member)

Committee on Corporate Ethics

Shimizu has established the Committee on Corporate Ethics to decide company-wide measures for thoroughly promoting corporate ethics and compliance, implement and follow up on those measures, centralize information on serious misconduct cases, and review and direct preventive measures and recurrence prevention measures. The President and Representative Director serves as the chair of the committee. One full-time Audit & Supervisory Board member and one outside expert (an attorney) also attend committee meetings.

[Names and Titles of Members] (19 as of June 27, 2025)

Chair Tatsuya Shimmura (President and Representative Director)
Members Kentaro Ikeda, Takeshi Sekiguchi, Yoshito Tsutsumi, Masanobu Onishi, Takao Haneda, Yoshiki Higashi, Hideo Yokoyama, Hitoshi Fujita, Michiho Yamaguchi, Nobuyoshi Kikuchi, General Manager of Legal Affairs Dept., General Manager of Human Resources Dept., General Manager of General Affairs Dept. and Manager of Corporate Ethics Help-Line Office, Manager of Group Companies Strategy Office, General Manager of Audit Dept., Senior General Manager of Business Development & Marketing Headquarters, Hiroshi Kobayashi (standing Audit & Supervisory Board Member), outside experts (attorneys)

Executive Officers Council

We have established an Executive Officers Council to communicate important matters and policies decided by the Board of Directors to executive officers and provide instructions to them. The President and Representative Director serves as the chair of this council and members consist of executive directors (other than the chair) and executive officers. Two full-time Audit & Supervisory Board members also attend council meetings.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors evaluates the overall effectiveness of the Board of Directors once a year.
A summary of the evaluation method and results for fiscal 2024 are provided below:

Evaluation Method

All directors and Audit & Supervisory Board members complete a survey (including anonymous entries and open answers). A self-analysis is performed through discussion by all directors and all Audit & Supervisory Board members at Board of Directors meetings, based on an analysis by a third party (attorney).

Period covered April 2024 to March 2025
Dates performed Board of Directors meetings on March 7, March 26, and April 25, 2025
Main items evaluated Board of Directors composition/operations, management strategy/management supervision function, corporate ethics/risk management, response to sustainability issues, process of determining nomination/compensation, human resources development, communication between outside directors and management, dialogue with shareholders/investors, etc.

Summary of Evaluation Results

Conclusion: The Shimizu Board of Directors evaluated and determined the Board of Directors as a whole to be operating effectively.

Status of response to issues indicated in the last evaluation of effectiveness in FY2023 (covering April 2023 to March 2024)

The Board of Directors has made consistent efforts to resolve issues and make improvements as follows. The Board of Directors will continue to strive for further improvement.

  1. Monitoring and supervision of the progress of the Mid-Term Business Plan by the Board of Directors

    Strengthen monitoring of how the Mid-Term Business Plan and the annual Operation Plan are linked, how it is adopted across the Company and its progress

    Holding explanatory meetings/group meetings for better understanding and achievement of the Mid-Term Business Plan. Opinions of the participants shared at the Board of Directors. Implement follow-up measures to ensure better understanding of the Mid-Term Business Plan and better incorporation into the annual Operation Plan.
  2. The Board of Directors to check that management resources are appropriately distributed

    Further discussions on business portfolio taking into account medium to long-term growth

    Gather all Directors at offsite meetings, and hold discussions on precedents of business  portfolio optimization. Have in-depth discussions on growth strategies for each line of business at the Board of Directors.
  3. Sharing the deliberation status, etc. of the Nomination and Compensation Committee at the Board of Directors

    The Board of Directors to check the deliberation process of the Nomination and Compensation Committee in addition to its result

    The deliberation process and discussion details of the Nomination and Compensation Committee, outline of succession planning and other implementation matters to be shared at the Board of Directors.
  4. Expanded disclosure of non-financial information

    Expanded information disclosure related to risk management and sustainability

    Review risk management process and items, continue discussions on disclosure details for better disclosure. Early information disclosure based on the TCFD and TNFD recommendations.
Major issues identified in the effectiveness evaluation.
  1. Hold in-depth discussions on business portfolio optimization to enhance corporate value

    Hold more in-depth discussions on growth strategies for each line of business considering the cost of capital at the Board of Directors, clearly define roles of each line of business in a company-wide scheme to enhance corporate value

  2. Further improve internal control and risk management systems in order to realize teachings of our Credo, the Analects and the Abacus, in our operation

    Establishing a reporting system where details of risky projects are more promptly reported. Creating a more systematic reporting system where the progress and completion of the responses can be shared.

  3. Enhance the communication between our senior management and Outside Directors/Outside Auditors

    Provide more opportunities for our senior management and Outside Directors/Outside Auditors to talk to each other in person outside the Board of Directors meeting.

Future initiatives

Based on the results of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Board of Directors, we aim to enhance the effectiveness of the Board of Directors and further expand and reinforce corporate governance through the PDCA cycle to improve on issues.

Election of Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members

Election of Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members

as of June 27, 2025

Criteria for Assessing Independence of Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members

Support Structure for Outside Directors and Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Members

We have established a system to provide information to facilitate supervision of management by outside directors and other non-executive directors in performing their duties. The administration departments in the head office play the main role in providing this information in a timely manner. The Corporate Auditor’s Office was established as a dedicated organization to support Audit & Supervisory Board members. A sufficient number of staff members have been secured to assist outside Audit & Supervisory Board members. When a Board of Directors meeting is held, materials are distributed in advance and the Board of Directors administrative office and other divisions provide explanations in advance to the outside directors and the outside Audit & Supervisory Board members.

Directors, Audit & Supervisory Board Members, and Executive Officers

Officer Compensation

Policy on Determining Officer Compensation

The remuneration of each Director of the Company, which consists of a fixed-amount monthly salary that is the base salary and performance-based compensation that comprises bonuses and compensation exclusively for purchasing shares of the Company, is decided through deliberations of the Nomination and Compensation Committee, which is made up of a majority of Outside Directors and is chaired by a Non-executive Director, and which was established to evaluate the performance of Directors and decide on their remuneration in a fair and transparent manner, based on a resolution passed at the Board of Directors.
Non-Executive Directors including Outside Directors and Audit & Supervisory Board Members are paid only fixed-amount monthly salary for the purpose of enhancing their supervisory function of management.

We, at a Board of Directors’ Meeting held on February 24, 2021, resolved regulations for executives' remuneration that set forth the policy for determining the remuneration of each Director. Its outline is provided below.

Policy on Base Salary

Of the remuneration, etc. of Directors of the Company, the fixed-amount monthly salary that is the base salary is a maximum total of 90 million yen a month (including a maximum of 10 million yen for Outside Directors) pursuant to a resolution passed at the 117th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 2019. As of the closing of the 117th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, the number of Directors was 12 (including 3 Outside Directors).
Remuneration for Audit & Supervisory Board Members is a maximum total of 13 million yen a month pursuant to a resolution passed at the 89th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 1991 and is decided through discussions at Audit & Supervisory Board. As of the closing of the 89th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, the number of Audit & Supervisory Board Members was 4.

Policy on Performance-based Compensation

Of the remuneration, etc. of Directors of the Company, bonuses that are performance-based compensation is a maximum total of 500 million yen a year based on a resolution at the 118th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on June 26, 2020, and the Nomination and Compensation Committee deliberates on whether or not a bonus shall be paid and on what amount shall be paid.
The bonus amount is calculated according to the following method based on consolidated net income, the final results of the Group’s business activities for a business year. The “performance coefficient” used to calculate the bonus amount has been updated at the Board of Directors’ Meeting held on January 31, 2025 considering a proposal for deliberation presented by the Nomination and Compensation Committee to make it more clearly defined and provide management more incentives. The new coefficient is applied from the fiscal year starting on April 1, 2025.

(Method of calculating individual performance-based compensation [bonuses])
Consolidated performance*1 x Performance coefficient*2 x Positional index*3 x Individual evaluation coefficient*4 = Individual bonus*5

  1.    *1. Consolidated net income for the current fiscal year (Net income attributable to shareholders of the Company)
  2.    *2. The Nomination and Compensation Committee determines the earnings coefficient using ordinary income which represents the result of basic business development of the Company and an achievement rate against the targets set for the fiscal year of awards profitability of the construction business, a leading indicator of the business results for coming fiscal years, as main evaluation items. Other items are selected from non-financial KPIs from the Mid-Term Business Plan and added by the Nomination and Compensation Committee based on priority in terms of enhancing mid-to-long term corporate value and objectivity of evaluation. The Nomination and Compensation Committee then considers whether or not there is any material violation of laws and decides the earnings coefficient based on the evaluation value derived by weighted average of each item.
  3.    *3. An index determined for each Director’s position
  4.    *4. The Nomination and Compensation Committee determines individual evaluation indices based on the results of evaluations of the level of achievement of targets set for each director based on interviews with Executive Directors at the beginning and end of the fiscal year. (Evaluation indices range from 65% to 135%)
    The multifaceted evaluations cover the short-term performance of each director in addition to their level of contribution to achieving the targets of the Mid-Term Business Plan, their efforts to strengthen the management base, their contributions to sustainability, and their performance as directorships.
    Notably, only the non-executive directors of the Nomination and Compensation Committee Members make decisions regarding executive director evaluations.
  5.    *5. To encourage the further sharing of values with shareholders and increase corporate value over the medium to long term, an amount corresponding to 20% of the bonus as performance-based compensation, shall be deemed to be compensation for purchasing the Company’s shares, and each Director shall contribute this remuneration to the Executives’ Shareholding Association, which shall acquire the Company’s shares. The Company’s shares that are acquired in this way shall continue to be held for the duration of the Director’s tenure and for a fixed period of time after resignation.

Matters concerning Delegation of Decisions on Compensation, etc.

We have established a Nomination & Compensation Committee which consists of a majority of outside directors and is chaired by a non-executive director, to ensure fair and transparent evaluation and compensation of directors and officers through deliberation by the committee based on the resolution of the Board of Directors.
The Nomination & Compensation Committee reviewed compensation for last fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 and discussed the base monthly salary and the amount to be paid as bonuses for each director according to the evaluation of the performance of each director, based on the Rules on Officer Compensation. The committee determined the compensation to be in line with policy determined by the Board of Directors.

Director and Audit & Supervisory Board Member Compensation

Director and Audit & Supervisory Board Member Compensation

FY2024

Securities Holdings

Policies related to securities holdings

When there is a necessity from the viewpoint of business development, the Corporation holds shares of clients and business partners to “strengthen and maintain relationships.” Holding of major securities is determined by the Board of Directors, taking comprehensive consideration of benefits to the Corporation, acquisition cost, risk of share price changes and other factors. The Board of Directors examines the necessity of securities holdings for individual stocks each year, taking into consideration its economic rationality, including cost, risk, and sales benefits, and for shares that have decreased in significance of shareholding, we divest them while confirming relationships with business partners. Furthermore, even in cases where the significance of holding and economic rationality are recognized, we are proceeding with negotiations for sale while taking into account relationships with business partners and market conditions, in order to achieve the target for reducing securities holdings.

Status of divestment of securities holdings

The Corporation has been conducting negotiations with business partners toward achieving the targets for reducing securities holdings set at the Board of Directors meeting held on November 12, 2024 (to 20% or less of consolidated net assets by the end of March 2026, and to 10% or less by the end of March 2027). Due in part to rising share prices, the ratio of securities holdings balance to consolidated net assets as of March 31, 2026 was 24.4%, a slight decrease from the end of the previous fiscal year. However, excluding the shares for which agreement on sale has been reached with business partners, the ratio would be 9.1%.
The Corporation sold shares of 39 listed companies during fiscal 2025 (including shares of which part of the holdings were sold). The proceeds were ¥109.1 billion. From fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2025, the total number of listed companies of which the Corporation sold its holdings was 120 (including shares of which part of the holdings were sold). The proceeds were ¥317.8 billion. As a result, the number of listed companies the Corporation held shares in decreased from 187 as of the end of March 2018 to 93 as of the end of March 2026.
Furthermore, as the business environment surrounding the Corporation, including the situation in the Middle East, is becoming increasingly uncertain, the sale of some shares will be carried out in fiscal 2027 and fiscal 2028 following consultations with the relevant business partners.

Reduction in Number of Stocks Held

Criteria for Exercising Voting Rights Pertaining to Securities Holdings

We exercise voting rights on securities holdings after comprehensively examining the contents of proposals, referring to the Policy on securities holdings above, and judging whether to vote for or against each proposal from the perspective of whether the corporate value of the Company and business partners may increase.

Policy in Case the Cross-shareholder has Expressed their Intention to Sell the Shares

In case the cross-shareholder has expressed their intention to sell the Company’s shares, we will not act to prevent the sale by, for example, suggesting that we will reduce transactions with the company concerned.

Internal Control System Establishment

We have established a Basic Policy on Establishing a System of Internal Controls based on the Companies Act.

Internal Control System Status

We have established a system of internal controls and the Board of Directors makes decisions on the Basic Policy on Establishing a System of Internal Controls to ensure proper operation of the company.
An overview of the operational status of internal control systems in fiscal 2024 is provided below.

Compliance System
  1. We provide ongoing education and training to officers and employees to ensure strict compliance.
  2. We have established three whistleblowing hotlines, the Corporate Ethics Help-Line Office, the Harassment Contact Point, and the External Contact Point, based on the internal whistleblowing system and familiarized employees with them. The operating status is reported to the Corporate Ethics Committee, the Risk Management Committee, the Audit & Supervisory Board, and the Board of Directors.
  3. The Corporate Ethics Committee meets twice a year. It rolls out measures aimed at strict compliance with corporate ethics and laws and regulations to the entire company and follows up on implementation.
Risk Management System
  1. The Risk Management Committee meets twice a year. It identifies and analyzes risks that would have a serious impact on the corporate group, which consists of Shimizu and its subsidiaries, and determines the key items of risk management. It follows up on implementation and reports to the Board of Directors.
  2. To confirm communication lines and the initial response to large earthquakes, we hold regular earthquake disaster drills (twice a year) and ask business partners and local residents and others to participate.
  3. For overseas safety risks, we collect information on hazards based on the Outline of Countermeasures for Overseas Emergency. As necessary, we also strengthen the security structure, issue warnings to relevant people, and limit overseas travel.
  4. To firmly establish information security measures and make sure that everyone understands them, we provide ongoing education and training to officers and employees, share information with relevant divisions, and respond swiftly when a problem occurs.
Systems to Ensure Proper Operation of the Shimizu Group
  1. Shimizu holds two meetings a year to share information between the President of Shimizu and the presidents of group subsidiaries. We manage important items related to operational execution at subsidiaries through the Subsidiary Management Regulations.
  2. The Audit Department performs internal audits of subsidiaries based on the audit plan. Proper operational execution by subsidiaries is also monitored by dispatching auditors and other means.
System for Ensuring Effectiveness of Audits by Auditors
  1. The Audit & Supervisory Board Members Office is an organization dedicated to assisting the Audit & Supervisory Board. It is staffed with three full-time employees.
  2. An Audit & Supervisory Board member designated by the Audit & Supervisory Board attends important meetings such as the Chief Executives' Meeting, the Division Directors' Meeting, Risk Management Committee meetings, and Corporate Ethics Committee meetings.

Risk Management

Compliance