The oldest companies in the world are the brands and companies which remain operating (either in whole or in part) since inception, excluding associations and educational, government, or religious organizations.
According to a report published by the Bank of Korea in 2008 that looked at 41 countries, there were 5,586 companies older than 200 years. Of these, 3,146 (56%) are in Japan, 837 (15%) in Germany, 222 (4%) in the Netherlands, and 196 (3%) in France. Of the companies with more than 100 years of history, most of them (89%) employ fewer than 300 people.
A nationwide survey conducted in 2019 identified more than 33,000 Japanese companies with histories of 100 years or more. These long-standing firms are known as shinise. They are governed by a management philosophy that prioritizes long-term continuity and generational succession over short-term profits.