Rakuten Shugi (Rakuten Basic Principles)

The core values of the Rakuten Group, along with the values and principles understood and practiced by Rakuten employees, embody Rakuten Shugi. The two components it consists of are the Brand Concepts and Five Principles for Success.
Additionally, we include here the Rakuten Group Code of Ethics that we observe.

Brand Concepts

Brand Concepts represent values that we aim to realize through the businesses and other activities of Rakuten Group.

大義名分 -On a Mission: Empowerment-

We believe that the only way for a business to grow over the long term is to contribute to the world so significantly that people can't imagine life without it. Our contribution to the world is empowerment, and our mission is to build a fair society by empowering individuals and companies to be successful in business and in life. The more people we can empower, the more completely we will fulfill this mission.

品性高潔 -Behave Ethically: Integrity-

We believe that the means of pursuing a mission are as important as the ends. Rakuten Group is committed to conducting business with honesty, sincerity and dignity.

用意周到 -Prepare to Succeed: Professionalism-

Though we have an important mission, unless we succeed in business we won't be able to contribute to society. To help each of us succeed, Rakuten Group has established the Five Principles for Success. By taking the initiative to prepare thoroughly and execute effectively, and by practicing the Five Principles for Success, we ensure our success.

信念不抜 -Complete Commitment: Get Things Done-

We face intense competition. The importance of our mission requires us never to give up. When circumstances change, we adjust our plans so that we still accomplish our goals. Through a complete commitment to Get Things Done, we make continuous progress toward achieving that mission.

一致団結 -Solidarity: Succeed as a Team-

Members of Rakuten Group come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Only when we work together can this diversity become an important source of strength. The employees of Rakuten Group form one big team. Through consistent teamwork, each member of our diverse team will realize his or her full potential and our entire organization will succeed.

Five Principles for Success

Rakuten Group has an unswerving commitment to building an egalitarian society by empowering individuals and companies to be successful in business and in life. The Five Principles for Success are designed to keep each of us on track, to ensure we make continuous progress toward our ultimate goals.

Always Improve, Always Advance

There are only two kinds of people in the world:
Best Effort people are satisfied with the status quo; when they fail, they console themselves by saying "I did my best."
Get Things Done people are absolutely committed to reaching their goals.
With enough determination and effort—by being a Get Things Done person—you can achieve anything.

Passionately Professional

Rakuten is an organization composed of true professionals.
Real professionals in any field—whether in sports, the arts, science, business or anything else—only reach the top because they have the self-discipline to develop and improve themselves continuously.
Only by consistently working many times harder than our competitors can we consistently win.

Hypothesize → Practice → Validate → Shikumika

Success in business depends on making and executing concrete specific action plans.

Maximize Customer Satisfaction

Rakuten is first and foremost a service company. We're proud to serve our customers and we ceaselessly seek to improve their experience.

Speed!! Speed!! Speed!!

The internet makes the window of opportunity for every small business. Accomplish in one month what it takes other companies a year to do, because we can only win by being many times faster than our competitors.

The Rakuten Group Code of Ethics

In line with our vision as a Global Innovation Company and with our Brand Concepts as our guiding principles, we, as members of Rakuten Group, adhere to the highest ethical standards while maximizing Rakuten Group's value to shareholders and making positive contributions to society.

We obey laws and social norms

As members of Rakuten Group, we comply with all applicable laws and regulations (consumer protection, fair competition, environmental protection, work environment, crime prevention, tax and disclosure requirements, etc.), and are committed to maintaining high ethical standards. Consistent with the principle of “Integrity” in our Brand Concepts, we pledge to respond to any illegal actions in a serious and responsible manner.

We respect all people

We respect human rights of all and uphold individual dignity. We are committed to advancing the rights of all stakeholders, including the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and a fair and safe working environment. We strive for the promotion of a society free from discrimination, harassment, child labor, and forced labor.

We strive to maximize customer satisfaction

We always put ourselves in our customers' shoes and strive to exceed their expectations. Through delighting our customers, we seek to achieve our mission of “Empowerment” and contribute to society.

We act with fairness

We believe the fundamental value of the internet is fairness. In order to help both consumers and business owners maximize the opportunities afforded to them by the internet, we also strive to act with fairness in every aspect of our business activities. This means that we respect fair competition, and always seek to provide clear and accurate information to our users. We draw a line between public and private, avoid conflicts of interest, and refuse to tolerate bribery or corruption in any form.

We communicate closely with society at large, and use and manage information carefully

We work to increase transparency by actively communicating with our shareholders and society at large, as well as by disclosing company information in a timely and appropriate manner. At the same time, we are acutely aware of the value of the information we hold – both that of Rakuten Group and of our users – and are committed to using and managing such information appropriately and responsibly.

We firmly oppose the activities of criminal organizations

We firmly oppose those who threaten public safety and civil order. In pursuit of a just society and our company mission, we do not form any relationships with criminal organizations and staunchly reject all requests involving illegal or morally questionable activity.

We strive to contribute to a sustainable society

We strive to conduct our businesses responsibly, addressing any adverse impact on society, the environment, or the economy caused by our activities. Building on our core business, we will cooperate with customers, business partners, and other stakeholders to tackle challenges facing society and contribute to a sustainable future.

Revised on November 1, 2019