Event: 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference & First Green Industry and Sustainable Consumption Expo The 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference was held from October 16 to 18 at the Expo Park in Huangpu District, Shanghai. Jin Yanmin, Senior Vice President of Sony China, attended and delivered a speech.
Reflecting on her career, Jin noted that the societal perception of female managers has undergone a radical transformation over the past two to three decades. Previously, Asian managers were often viewed as "low-key and silent," with female managers branded as "expected to be modest and less expressive," particularly impacting Asian women who faced dual stereotypes for years.
Today, however, a substantial number of outstanding Asian female leaders who are skilled at advocating for their goals have emerged globally. This change reflects significant progress in the diversification process within society. She emphasized that in the current era, diversification and women's empowerment have transitioned from being an "optional topic" to an "essential topic," which is a crucial element for companies to achieve innovation and drive sustainable economic development.
Discussing Sony's practices, Jin highlighted that one of the company's four core values is "diversity," promoting the idea that every individual should leverage their unique strengths, regardless of gender, age, background, or ability differences. This cultural atmosphere provides strong support for the growth of female employees—evidenced by the recognition of female engineers from China in last year's global excellence awards, a result of the company's long-standing commitment to a multicultural environment.
She acknowledged that previously, female employees often hesitated when faced with challenging positions, but an inclusive corporate culture can effectively encourage women to overcome personal barriers, blending personal growth motivation with the gentle qualities of female leaders, showcasing modern female leadership that embodies both "ambition and warmth."
Regarding the specific pathways for promoting women's development, Jin described Sony’s "internal and external" strategy. Internally, this involves creating diverse interview panels during recruitment, ensuring gender equality in talent selection, and regularly disclosing the percentages of female employees and female managers to the market, forming a comprehensive support system for women's growth. Externally, Sony launched the "Women’s Power" initiative last year, focusing on the value of female consumers—data indicates that the female consumer market exceeds $30 trillion, and women control 75% of discretionary spending. Based on this, Sony is committed to creating women-friendly brands, ensuring that its products serve as tools for women to realize their creative dreams and helping external female groups unleash their potential.
Jin asserted that whether it is the growth of internal employees or the empowerment of external women, the core focus is on stimulating innovative vitality through diversification, allowing women's strengths to become a dual driving force for business success and social progress.