SHeStands | ABOUT US English

SHeStands, Inc. is a social enterprise dedicated to tackling gender gaps by empowering women and creating a society where everyone can unleash their true potential.

VISION

A world where everyone can unleash their true potential.

MISSION

To empower women to progress gender equality.

ECO -SYSTEM

SHeStands operates with a focus on social contribution. We aim to create a sustainable ecosystem by combining our profit center (SHeStands) and our planned non-profit center to promote social good and gender equality.

PURPOSE

To achieve gender equality in a fun and engaging way by collaborating with unique organizations and individuals, serving as a catalyst based in Japan

STORY

It’s not about who you are. Where you’re from, how you look, your race, faith, gender, age, or economic status. None of these define your true worth. Every person has unique, beautiful talents and an inherent value. To truly make a difference in our communities, environment, and the world, we need to create spaces where everyone can unleash their full potential.

SHeStands, Inc. began with a simple question from a woman juggling childcare and career: “There has got to be a better way”. Today, the environment in Japan often hinders individuals from realizing their true potential, making it hard for many to live with genuine purpose and fulfillment.

Our vision goes beyond gender—embracing true diversity. That’s why we use “SHe” (She: femininity + He: masculinity = Human). Yet, unconscious biases and fixed ideas still limit women’s potential significantly. We’re here to break those stereotypes and empower women. At SHeStands, we believe that when people stand up for each other, they create a positive ripple effect, enabling more people to unlock their potential.

SHeStands, Inc. is a dynamic social enterprise committed to achieving gender equality. We’re dedicated to building sustainable strategies for social good, contributing to both our environment and communities. We don’t see those with similar visions as competitors but as collaborators. Whether you’re a company, organization, country, or individual, our goal is to join forces, eliminate gender gaps, and make the world a better place. We’re not here to dominate—we’re here to make a difference.

Join us in standing together to create a brighter, more equitable world. Let’s unleash the full potential of humanity, together!

VALUE
８ values we embrace

Authenticity

We embrace our true selves and value our imperfections, continuously learning and growing humbly as individuals.

Respect

We treat everyone and everything with respect, striving to leave a better society and planet for future generations.

Dignity

We value dignity. It is the outcome and reflection of our discipline and the way we live our lives with respect for ourselves and others.

Fearlessness

We choose courage and curiosity over fear, always seeking hope and growth.

Love & Gratitude

These are our foundations. We are givers, with love and gratitude for the miracle of life.

Resilience

We accept and learn from all experiences, getting back up stronger and more flexible with each challenge.

Inclusivity

We welcome all genuine hearts, learning from diverse perspectives to create a better society together.

Kids at Heart♪

We maintain a playful spirit, never forgetting the joy and wonder of childhood, pursuing excitement with all our heart.

SHeStands LOGO
Our Brand Logo

Design Concept

Our logo is inspired by the symbol of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, featuring a circle in the grid design. It elegantly combines the shape of a fluttering butterfly wing with the “S” from “SHeStands,” creating a minimalistic and refined look. This design expresses softness and feminine grace while evoking the image of strong women rising up. A modern and sincere font was chosen to convey a sense of strength, using traditional Japanese colors to highlight the roots. The design embodies a natural, calm, and confident strength, with a message for women to embrace their true selves and thrive freely.

SERVICES

As a step towards addressing the gender gap, we offer support in promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Career Counseling/Coaching to encourage transformation at both the organizational and individual levels.

MEMBERS

Keiko Sato

CEO & Founder

Keiko Sato is a nationally certified career consultant and a graduate of the Mindfulness Instructor Training Course. She holds a degree in Comparative Culture from Sophia University. After working as a beauty consultant for a major Japanese cosmetics company, she gained marketing experience at a global sports apparel brand. Her roles ranged from brand marketing for women’s products to retail marketing for the launch of global flagship stores, managing numerous projects as a manager. In 2018, she was awarded the Diversity Award at the same company, recognizing her significant contributions as a working mother. As a mother of two, her personal experiences in pursuing a career ignited a passion to improve the working environment for women in Japan. This coincided with her deep involvement with an NYC-based non-profit organization supporting women’s employment. Inspired by the people and their work and insights gained there, she decided to take action herself. Establishing SHeStands was her first step in creating a sustainable system for social contribution.

Jonathan Malveaux

Advisor

Grand Alliance CEO ・ Ambassador and advisor to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Born in New York, USA. Graduated from Harvard University and Columbia University Law School and Business School. Started his career in the financial industry as a lawyer at the major U.S. law firm Latham & Watkins, then expanded his activities to the investment banking sector at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank. In 1993, he joined Oshima Patent Office in Tokyo, and later worked as the first American employee in the Patent Licensing Department at Panasonic’s Osaka headquarters. He has also co-founded and operated DESAVO and ALTO USA, which have clients such as Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Google, Apple, and Uniqlo, and is active as the CEO of Grand Alliance. With 30 years of experience across various industries and regions, he has handled transactions totaling approximately 13 trillion yen. Through these experiences, he has built a global network to realize unique perspectives and ideas. Additionally, he was appointed as an ambassador and advisor to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government by Governor Yuriko Koike and serves as a board member of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. supporting higher education for Hispanic Americans.

Tatsuo Sato

Advisor

Tatsuo Sato is the former President of Kadokawa Group Holdings (now KADOKAWA). He currently serves as an outside director of Koei Tecmo Holdings Co., Ltd., an advisor for KADOKAWA, and a director of the Kadokawa Culture Promotion Foundation. He has authored several books, including a comprehensive history of KADOKAWA’s media mix and a personal narrative about his business journey.
Author of:
『KADOKAWA のメディアミックス全史――サブカルチャーの創造と発展』(2021)
『怠惰な俺が謎のJCと出会って副業を株式上場させちゃった話』（2022）

Honoka Hirano
Content Creator & Marketing

Honoka Hirano graduated from Waseda University’s School of International Liberal Studies and holds a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies. She conducted extensive research on gender studies during her university and graduate studies. Her English thesis topics included “Sexual Harassment of Office Ladies (OL) in Japanese Offices” and “The Influence of Japanese Children’s Programs on Gender Perceptions.” Honoka is actively engaged in promoting gender equality awareness in Japan and globally, using social media to challenge and change negative perceptions of feminism. Through her academic work, she seeks to understand the roots of the gender gap in Japanese society and explore future solutions.

PARTNERS

Miharu Sugimoto
Training Specialist

Miharu Sugimoto is the CEO of At Once Co., Ltd. and a director of the Unconscious Bias Research Institute. With over 20 years of experience as a specialist in human resource development, she has supported numerous companies across Japan through coaching and training in business skills, harassment prevention, leadership, unconscious bias, communication skills, women’s empowerment, and career development. Focused on creating a more inclusive work environment, Miharu emphasizes women’s career training and advancement. She has also authored and supervised the PHP communication seminar, “Step-Up Course for Women to Shine ‘As Themselves'”.

Akito Jiju
Corporate Strategy・Branding

Akito Jiju is the CEO of Spline Co., Ltd., and an Associate Professor at Nagaoka University of Technology (an SDGs Goal 9 certified hub school). He graduated from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Akito began his career as a production engineer at IHI Corporation and later gained extensive experience in consulting at Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting. He then served as Executive Vice President of AeroEdge Co., Ltd., where he led both manufacturing and business operations, pioneering new ventures combining manufacturing with services and digital technologies. Currently, as the CEO of Spline Co., Ltd., Akito is dedicated to corporate transformation and creating social value. He also serves as an Associate Professor at Nagaoka University of Technology and participates in investment and management roles in several venture companies.

Emi Iizuka

Mindfulness ＆ Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner

Based in Mallorca, Spain, Emi Iizuka has been teaching mindfulness for nearly 10 years. She is a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, offering a safe and powerful trauma therapy grounded in neurophysiology. Emi believes that deeply understanding oneself involves listening to the body’s voice. She offers courses such as “Mindfulness for Mental Health” and the “Mindfulness Advisor Course (3 months).” Additionally, she provides coaching for those who truly wish to transform and live authentically, working actively in both Spain and Japan.

*Somatic Experiencing® is a therapeutic approach that releases trauma, chronic stress responses, and conditioned thinking, empowering individuals to live a more flexible, peaceful, and authentic life.