Basic Concept
The Nisshinbo Group views diversity as a source of innovation and strives to enhance corporate value by leveraging its strengths in diversity of business, diversity of people, and diversity of values. The Group promotes reforms in the way everyone works so that the Nisshinbo Group can respect diversity and utilize the individuality and abilities of each employee to improve productivity, make work rewarding, and enable employees to continue to play an active role, which will in turn lead to a strong competitive edge.
Promotion System
Under a system in which the Director and the Chief of the Corporate Strategy Center of Nisshinbo Holdings, Inc. is in charge, the Nisshinbo Group promotes work style reforms to create a workplace where diverse human resources can work comfortably together in a way that suits each individual at the Human Resources Group of the Human Resources & Administration Service Department of the Corporate Strategy Center and the Diversity Development Department. In order to achieve the goal of creating a comfortable working environment for employees in the Sustainability Promotion Plan, the Group set targets and Key performance indicators (KPIs) and are implementing measures to achieve them.
Specific Initiatives of the Nisshinbo Group
In the "Fifth Sustainability Promotion Plan," the Nisshinbo Group has set the KPIs as follows: ① Rate of taking annual paid leave, 70％ or more, and ② Rate of male employees taking childcare leave, 30% or more of eligible male employees, and is working to achieve these targets through PDCA cycle.
As of December 31, 2023, Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. had ① 70.8% of its employees taking annual paid leave and ② 100% of its male employees taking childcare leave. Going forward, the Group will work to improve the achievement rate for each of these targets.
In FY2023, Nisshinbo Group publicized the systems related to men's childcare leave on its in-house portal site and interviewed men who had experience in childcare at Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. and Nisshinbo Mechatronics Inc. In the future, interviews will be conducted with men who have experience in childcare at other operating companies, and the content will be introduced on the in-house portal site.
Promoting Diverse Work Styles
Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. has established various systems to enable employees with diverse backgrounds to work productively and energetically, we also have a teleworking system, staggered work hours, flextime system, and hourly paid annual leave.
In addition, the following systems are in place to support work styles suited to different life stages.
Promoting Male Employees to Take Childcare Leave
In addition to conducting interviews with male employees who have taken childcare leave and publishing their experiences of taking childcare leave, Nisshinbo Group is working to create a corporate culture that encourages employees to take childcare leave regardless of gender by providing individual information on childcare leave and various in-house systems to male employees who are expecting a child.
In accordance with the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children, Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. formulated the General Business Owner Action Plan to create an environment in which employees can exercise their abilities and continue working while maintaining a good balance between work and private life and thus created an environment that facilitates male employees taking childcare leave. Similar efforts are being made at 23 Group companies in Japan.*
* Japan Radio Co., Ltd., JRC Tokki Co., Ltd., JRC Engineering Co., Ltd., Japan Radio Glass Co., Ltd., JRC System Service Co., Ltd., Nagano Japan Radio Co., Ltd., Nagano Japan Radio Manufacturing Co., Ltd., JRC Logistics Service Co., Ltd., Nagano Communications Sales Co., Ltd., NJ Components Co., Ltd., Ueda Japan Radio Co., Ltd., Asashina Nichimu Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc., Nisshinbo Micro Devices AT Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Micro Devices Fukuoka Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Brake Inc., Nisshinbo Mechatronics Inc., Nanbu Plastics Co., Ltd., Kyushu Nanbu Plastics Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Chemical Inc., Nisshinbo Textile Inc., Tokyo Shirts Co., Ltd., NISSHINTOA IWAO INC.
Assisting Workers in Balancing Work and Nursing Care
Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. and other group companies are promoting initiatives to support the balancing of work and nursing care, and the 10 group companies* disclose their efforts in the "Support for Balancing Work and Nursing Care" section.
* Nisshinbo Holdings Inc., Japan Radio Co., Ltd., JRC Tokki Co., Ltd., Nagano Japan Radio Co., Ltd., Nagano Japan Radio Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Ueda Japan Radio Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Brake Inc., Nisshinbo Mechatronics Inc., Nisshinbo Chemical Inc., Nisshinbo Textile Inc.
Prevention of Long Working Hours and Overwork
To prevent long working hours, the Nisshinbo Group manages the status of overtime work through the department in charge of personnel affairs and the Health Committee. In order to improve operational efficiency, the Group is reviewing operations to eliminate unnecessary work and leveling operations to avoid concentration of work on specific persons.
In addition, in accordance with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's Guidelines on Measures Employers Should Take to Ensure Proper Understanding of Working Hours, Nisshinbo strives to manage working hours properly by checking objective records, such as time cards, IC cards, and PC log data, to determine employee working hours.
Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. conducts periodic reviews of the labor management status at all group companies to support their efforts to comply with labor laws and to manage working hours appropriately.
Specific Activities of the Group Companies
Support for Balancing Childcare, Nursing Care, and Medical Treatment
Japan Radio Co., Ltd. has implemented a wide variety of support measures to help employees balance work with childcare, nursing care, and medical treatment.
As for work arrangements for pregnancy and childbirth, this spring the company institutionalized pregnancy protection leave, shorter working hours for pregnancy, leave for periodic medical checkups, and leave before and after childbirth, some of which exceed the statutory requirements. In addition, for childcare and nursing care, Japan Radio Co., Ltd. offers shorter working hours, childcare leave, childcare leave at birth, childcare time, child nursing leave, and nursing care leave and leave. In addition, the use of time-based annual leave, staggered work hours, flextime, and telework allow employees to work flexibly and without being restricted by time or location, making it easier to balance work with medical treatment.
An employee who used the childcare leave at birth system said that he and his wife supported each other during the difficult postpartum period, and his wife thanked him for his help. The work while on leave system is a very convenient system that allows employees to check the progress of their work and smoothly return to work.
The company will continue to develop these support measures to cope with various life events of our employees.
Father's Childcare Leave Program Initiatives
Ueda Japan Radio Co., Ltd. is registered by Nagano Prefecture as a Workplace Iki-Iki Advance Company (Advance Certification) Nagano Prefecture Childcare Support Company and has declared its efforts both internally and externally.
The company designates November 19 (Good Child-rearing Day) as a day for employees to leave the company all together every year and posts an article in the company newsletter encouraging active use of the father/childcare leave system with the human resources group serving as the consultation desk.
Furthermore, the company has established an action plan to become a company that contributes to the development of the next generation by creating an employment environment that allows employees to fully demonstrate their abilities while balancing work and child rearing. As a result, the percentage of male employees taking childcare leave in FY2023 was 80%. In addition, when returning to the workplace, upon request, employees on leave are able to meet with their department managers in advance to support a smooth return to work.
Renewed Cafeteria for Relaxing and Socializing
The company cafeteria, which has long been a favorite of Nisshinbo Micro Devices AT Co., Ltd. employees, was renewed in 2023 based on the concepts of ① a place where employees can relax and interact, ② a place to generate creative ideas, and ③ a place to improve work efficiency.
The renewal reflects the results of an employee survey regarding employee benefits, and is intended not only to improve employee refreshment, but also to increase engagement and corporate value. The renewal is planned in phases, and as the first phase of the renewal, a new café area and a guest room (eating area) for customers were completed in December 2023. The guest rooms are designed to provide a space for a relaxed dining experience, and are also equipped with an Internet environment and large monitors so that meetings can be held before or after the meal.
Toward Creating an Open Workplace
Nisshinbo Mechatronics Inc. operates an Organizational Culture Improvement Committee consisting of leaders and young employees at each workplace with the aim of creating an open workplace.
Based on the results of the Global Survey, the committee conducts interviews at each workplace, formulates and implements measures to resolve issues at each workplace and items to be addressed by each individual employee, and confirms progress. Through this process, the company promotes the revitalization of communication, information sharing, and the resolution of problems. At the same time, the president and general managers hold discussions on "what kind of company we want to be" in order to improve the workplace climate and have established action guidelines for managers.
Nisshinbo Mechatronics is working to realize a more open workplace based on both the various measures developed by the workplace committee members and the action guidelines established by the management level.
Promotion of Male Childcare Leave
In order to promote male employees to take childcare leave, Nanbu Plastics Co., Ltd. has developed training materials on its internal portal site and learning management system, making them accessible to all employees and making it mandatory for managers to take the training.
The training materials mainly included the following content.
- ① Details of the maternity leave system, including the difference between postnatal paternity leave and childcare leave, and how to take leave in installments.
- ② The benefits of taking childcare leave are not only for the employee and family but also for the company, which can be expected to improve the organizational structure and culture, increase employee motivation, and promote the active participation of women.
- ③ Prohibition of harassment or disadvantageous treatment of employees taking maternity leave.
- ④ Simulations related to salary and childcare leave benefits to alleviate financial concerns.
Since the training materials were rolled out internally in October 2023, four male employees have taken childcare leave in the six months since. Changes were also seen in the way the system was utilized with employees taking postnatal paternity leave and childcare leave in installments to balance work and childcare and taking leave for periods ranging from a few weeks to a few months.
Establishment of Childcare and Nursing Care Consultation Service
Kyushu Nanbu Plastics Co., Ltd. provides support to help employees balance work and family life in order to respond flexibly to the changing needs of society. In recent years, the lifestyles and values of working people have become more diverse, and within this diversity, the needs for important life issues of childcare and nursing care have also changed.
Through its consultation services for childcare and nursing care, the company supports employees in flexibly adjusting their work styles to suit their own circumstances. In particular, when a new member of the family is born, the company provides information on childcare leave and return-to-work support systems, as well as support for the necessary procedures. The company also provide an environment in which employees can feel comfortable discussing issues and concerns related to nursing care by listening to them in a friendly manner.
Support for Balancing Care and Treatment
Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. has a system in place for employees who agree to share information among relevant parties so that they can continue working without missing opportunities for care and treatment because of their work. In order to ensure that employees do not miss opportunities for care and treatment because of their work, and that they can be active and fulfilled at work while providing nursing care or medical treatment, Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. shares the medical condition and treatment/caregiving schedule with the employee in question, and the range of work responsibilities is determined in consideration of the employee's physical condition and treatment, while confirming the opinions of the attending physician and occupational physician. The company also shares information with colleagues in the workplace who support the person in question to the extent necessary to gain their understanding.
Many employees have difficulty coming to work on all working days due to their own physical strength, hospital schedules, or nursing care schedules, and the company helps them balance their work with nursing care and treatment by taking time off and teleworking.
Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. is constantly improving our workplace environment to make it easier for individual employees to achieve results according to each person's situation.
Creating an Open Organizational Culture
As part of organizational climate reform, the Performance Chemicals Division of Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. conducts various activities, such as holding opinion-exchange meetings, sanshin (three-number) and greeting campaigns, communication e-mails and short speeches, and recreation. For example, at opinion exchange meetings, Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. identifies problems in operations, concerns about the workplace atmosphere, and other issues of concern to section employees, and implements measures for improvement.
Call someone by adding Mr. / Ms. and greeting campaign is designed to create an atmosphere of respect for others,
while communication e-mails, short speeches, and recreation are conducted to learn about each other's personalities
and to facilitate communication, thereby promoting friendship.
The effects of these initiatives have shown improvement results through questionnaires and other means.
For FY2024 , Nisshinbo Chemical Inc. has formulated a declaration with the goal of "creating an organizational climate in which all employees can work with pride and vigor, think independently, and boldly take on new challenges." This is a declaration that all employees in the division will participate in thinking for themselves and taking on challenges and will further promote the creation of an atmosphere in the workplace that supports such challenges.
The company will proactively take on the challenge of reforming its organizational climate by fostering and establishing a culture of self-initiated change in the workplace environment.
Introduced a Free-address System for Offices
Because of the aging of its leased building, the head office of Nisshinbo Urban Development Co., Ltd. moved to a new building in August 2023, and in conjunction with this move, introduced a free address system.
In the new office, the company created an environment where employees can naturally interact with each other by setting up a refreshment area and consolidating common equipment, stationery, and dust boxes, thereby promoting communication across departmental boundaries. Positive comments from employees include, "I am able to communicate with a variety of people, which has improved my work efficiency," "I have a different seat (different view) each day, which is a nice change of pace," and "I can no longer keep documents on my desk, which in turn reduces waste by proceeding with work using the minimum amount of necessary materials."
Nisshinbo Urban Development Co., Ltd. will continue to promote work style reforms to increase employee comfort and satisfaction, which will lead to improved work efficiency and maximized results.