Aflac 2015 Annual Report Download - page 9

Aflac Incorporated Year in Review 2015 | 7
Q
How has the evolution of the Aflac brand in the United States and in Japan
benefited your business?
A
Maintaining our powerful and respected brand is essential because it represents who we are –
the spirit of our people in Japan and the United States who represent the face of our products and who
build trust with businesses, policyholders, consumers, our field force and brokers. We’re pleased that the
Aflac brand is also both well known and well respected. Having a trusted and compassionate brand has
opened many doors for Aflac. Our brand represents who we are as
a company and reflects how our constituents see us, so we’re very protective of maintaining
our reputation.
Q
How do you view Aflac’s competition in Japan and the United States?
A
In Japan, Aflac has been the number one seller of cancer insurance since we entered
the Japan market in 1974 and the leading seller of medical insurance since we introduced
EVER, our base medical policy, in 2002. Over the last several years, competition has
intensified, which I think has actually broadened the market and made the universe of
potential customers bigger. In 2015, Aflac Japan remained the leading provider of cancer
and medical insurance policies in Japan, insuring one in four households, and that tells the big
story! In the United States, we are the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite,
and I think that speaks volumes too. While other companies are getting into the voluntary
space, I do want to point out one major difference between Aflac and all the other competing
U.S. companies: For Aflac, voluntary insurance sold at the worksite represents virtually all of our focus,
whereas our competitors tend to offer voluntary products as a peripheral line of business. We believe this
discipline and focus give us an edge that has contributed to our market-leading position.
Q
You have often said that people are Aflac’s greatest assets – and that having a diverse base of
employees is key to your success. How does diversity improve your success?
A
I don’t want to look around and see only a room full of 60-something men; I already have a good sense
of how much of that demographic thinks! I want to know how other people think, what motivates
them, and what life experiences they have had that have molded their frames of reference. Diversity is
essential to bring new and varied perspectives to the table. I am very proud of our workforce in the United
States – it is incredibly diverse. At Aflac Japan, we are making great strides on this front as well. In fact,
in November, we hosted our first ever women’s empowerment event, the Aflac Women in Leadership
global conference in Tokyo. This groundbreaking summit brought together for the first time the women
of Aflac Japan and female members of senior and executive management from Aflac U.S. to discuss the
changing tides of women in Japan and the importance of diversity in the workforce. In fact, Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe has introduced an initiative in Japan known as Womenomics. This exciting initiative underscores
what Aflac has done for years – celebrating and promoting women in the workforce. And in March 2016,
Japan Women’s Innovative Network (J-WIN) awarded Aflac Japan with a special 2016 J-WIN Diversity
Award for top management’s commitment to actively promoting women in leadership, engaging all levels of
the company in meaningful efforts toward this initiative, and initiating enhancements to the working style of
the business culture. As I often say, with change comes opportunity, and I am very much looking forward to
the opportunities I am sure will come to Aflac Japan as we continue to focus on diversity.