As the importance of diversity promotion increases, we launched a diversity promotion project in fiscal 2014, and by fiscal 2015 had identified new issues and decided on measures, and introduced measures to enhance our systems and support career development. Specifically, we have established a childcare support system that allows employees to work reduced hours until their youngest child reaches the third grade of elementary school, in order to ensure flexible working hours so that employees can balance work and childcare after returning from childcare leave. In addition, we are conducting ongoing career interviews and questionnaire surveys to confirm the needs of female employees, and considering necessary measures, so that all female employees can fully demonstrate their abilities and play an active role.

Furthermore, in terms of human resource utilization, we are promoting the right people to the right positions regardless of gender, age, or nationality, and are working to expand the job opportunities for female employees, using the ratio of female managers as one indicator. Specifically, we have been actively promoting the assignment of female employees to on-site operational and technical positions, as well as sales, where there have been few female employees until now. We will continue to work to promote the active participation of women based on our plan, by hiring talented women and creating an environment where women can demonstrate their abilities and play an active role.

In 2021, we are promoting an action plan based on the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace, which aims to achieve the following.

 

(Plan period: April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026)

  • Maintain a female ratio of 40% or more among recruits (generalist employees).
  • We will support the career development of employees and promote the use of various systems for female employees.
  • We will maintain an average length of service for women of at least 13 years.
  • Double the percentage of women in managerial positions (executives) from the current level (when the action plan was formulated on April 1, 2021) (benchmark 2.4% (6 women)).