With many Japanese companies having finally recognized the importance of beefing up their corporate governance, Snow Brand Milk Products Co. is eager to show it is no exception to this trend.

Its operations having been bludgeoned by a series of scandals — including a massive food poisoning outbreak in 2000 and a recent false labeling episode involving a now-defunct meat subsidiary — Snow Brand has taken an unprecedented step in the Japanese corporate world in an effort to regain consumer confidence.

It has appointed a member of a consumer group as an outside director.