Sustainability

Diversity and Inclusion

The Teijin Group promotes "empowering our people" as part of its corporate philosophy. Guided by this notion, the Group aims to realize the following three goals as part of its efforts toward human capital development.

  • ・Provide a workplace for self-realization where employees can exert their capabilities and individuality
  • ・Tackle creation and innovation along with employees
  • ・Aim to become a group of people adorned with diverse personalities and appeal

A company cannot grow without taking on the challenges of creation and innovation. The Group believes that "empowering our people" through the three aforementioned goals will enhance corporate value. In light of this, we are carrying out various measures that emphasize i. the promotion of diversity, ii. creation of an independent career, iii. corporate culture reforms, and iv. productivity improvement, as well as the improvement of employee engagement, which will serve as a foundation of all human resource measures.

Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion

To promote our business activities globally, it is essential to make full use of the abilities of diverse human resources who differ in race, religion, gender, cultural background, or other attributes. To invigorate the Teijin Group's organization and accelerate innovation, we will further promote diverse workstyles, the advancement of women, and diverse human resources. Through these efforts, we aim to be an organization that can leverage the capabilities of human resources with various values and experience to the greatest extent possible, and that can spur diverse collaborations.


Main Actions

Main Actions for Diversity and Inclusion

The Teijin Group has maintained the belief that making full use of the abilities of diverse human resources helps enhance its creativity and promote innovation. Since establishing the Diversity Office in 2000, we have been actively engaging in such efforts as recruiting global personnel and promoting the advancement of women.

In light of the globalization of our businesses, we are currently expanding these efforts on a worldwide basis. Under our Medium-Term Management Plan 2020-2022, we have created regional strategies that address the issues in each region of operation and established Groupwide D&I key performance indicators (KPIs). The achievements we have made thus far are as follows.

Also, under the Reforms for Profitability Improvement initiative, announced in February 2023, we reestablished KPIs for FY2023 and onward in tandem with the reforms to our management structure. At the same time, we added a KPI for employee satisfaction (engagement).


KPIs
Targets and Results under Medium-Term Management Plan 2020-2022

October
2019*6
April
2020*6
April
2021*6
April
2022*6
April
2023*6
Milestones
April 2023*6
Diversity of executives*1 Female executives 3 4 4 5 5*8 6 or more
Non-Japanese executives 3 5 5 4 3*8 6 or more
Key goals for women’s advancements*2 Japan*3 Managers (or higher) 117 127 143 162 172 174
U.S. Senior managers*4 2 2 2 3 3 4
EU Global core talent*5 0 1 1 3 3 3
China Senior managers*4 - 4*7 4 7 7 9
ASEAN Senior managers*4 - 5*7 5 7 10 5 or more
  1. *1Board of Directors, statutory auditors, Group executive officers, and Group corporate officers.
  2. *2Key goals are set based on regional situations (Targets in China and ASEAN were set in September 2020).
  3. *3Major subsidiaries in Japan: Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., Infocom Corporation
  4. *4President or those who report directly to the president in a Group company.
  5. *5Female senior managers selected and certified as executive candidates.
  6. *6As of October 1 and April 1, respectively.
  7. *7As of August 1, 2020, the most recent data at the time when KPIs were established.
  8. *8Due to revision of the corporate officer system in April 2023, numbers listed in this table are those as of the end of March 2023.

KPIs for FY2023 and Beyond

We are proceeding with a broad range of initiatives aimed at promoting an active role for personnel with diverse attributes, backgrounds, and values and also raising the ratio of women in managerial positions, which will help bridge the wage gap between male and female employees. By doing so, we are working to create an invigorated organization that further encourages the pursuit of innovation. We have also adopted D&I and the level of employee satisfaction (engagement) as indicators in our officer compensation system and are working to enhance our level of effectiveness in achieving our targets.

Milestones
April 2026
Targets
April 2031
Female officers
20%
30%
Non-Japanese officers
10%
30%
Level of employee satisfaction
Annual improvement of 1%
(Reference: Score of 64 in FY2022)

Corporate culture transformation

Power of Culture Project

During the three-year period starting from FY2020, the Teijin Group implemented the Power of Culture Project, which aims to foster a corporate culture that encourages the pursuit of innovation and value creation, with the goal of maximizing the potential of its diverse pool of human resources. This project started in FY2020 and initially focused on the executive level, helping them incorporate organizational development methods focused on leadership and promote organizational culture reforms by first changing their own behavior.

In FY2021 and FY2022, the project was expanded to the managerial level on a global basis. As a result of doing so, scores improved by 1% for each of the two questions in the engagement survey implemented in FY2022 pertaining to psychological safety ("Respect for Opinions-Supervisor" and "Voice My Opinion").

Program for Proposing New Ideas

Since 2017, we have been offering the "idea proposal program," an in-house program where employees can freely submit ideas, with the aim of creating new businesses. In FY2020, we introduced IdeaScale,* a platform for interactive information and opinion exchanges, thereby not only enabling any employees to submit ideas in a very simple manner but also allowing them to engage in the exchange of ideas and other interactions. More than 2,300 Company employees across the globe have registered with this platform and are interacting with one another.

One program offered on the IdeaScale platform is "new business proposal." Under this program, examinations are held on commercializing thoroughly reviewed ideas for new businesses, and a budget for doing so is also provided. In FY2022, we received 183 proposals for new businesses, one of which cleared the final review. We are now moving forward with examinations on how to turn this proposal into an actual business.

  • *IdeaScale is a platform that was introduced for the purposes of invigorating interaction and proposal-making within the Group and of creating ideas for new businesses. Any Group employee is able to openly register an ID with IdeaScale, through which they can propose ideas for new businesses and exchange opinions and information regarding themes that interest them.

Designing the Future Award

As a framework for encouraging the act of pursuing new challenges itself, we held the Designing the Future Award in FY2021 and FY2022. Applicable to all Group employees on a global basis, this award recognizes outstanding initiatives in the areas of D&I, innovation, and sustainability that have had a significant positive impact on the Group and the society of the future through the pursuit of innovation. In FY2022, there were 20 applications to the award program, with a total of three applicants receiving awards: one award for innovation creation and two encouragement wards. In light of the results of this award program, we will consider the ideal vision for new award systems in the future that can respond to diverse value systems.

We are committed to building a corporate culture that promotes collaboration among organizations and innovation creation while also sharing these values within the Group and globally.

Improvement of employee engagement

Workplace environments, the status of the organization, and human resource initiatives are some of the factors that have a major impact on employee engagement. Corporate organizations with a high level of employee engagement have the resiliency to overcome challenges and a strong ability to attain their goals.

Accordingly, in FY2021 we commenced a global engagement survey targeting roughly 19,500 employees around the globe in an effort to ascertain employee awareness of the Company and relevant organizations and employee willingness to contribute to performance. In addition, the engagement survey helps us visualize the organizational status and issues facing each employee rank, based on which we are able to implement improvement measures, focused particularly on the smallest of organizations (sections and departments).

To respond to the Companywide engagement score of 64 that we received in the FY2021 survey, we implemented specific improvement measures, which resulted in an improved score for certain departments in the FY2022 survey. However, the Companywide engagement score for FY2022 was on a par with that of FY2021, as engagement scores declined in certain organizations due to various factors.

Moving forward, we will seek to improve our overall employee engagement by continuing to promote our conventional initiatives and sharing best practices across the Company, aiming specifically for an annual improvement of 1% in the scores of all business units and functional organizations.

Accelerating female career development

The Teijin Group first created a specialized organization to promote the empowerment of women in 2000. Since then, we have created systems and conducted training and education to achieve four objectives: Expand the population of female employees, promote a good work-life balance, foster a corporate climate of D&I, and support the career continuation and enhancement of women.

Since 2002, we have set goals for number of female managers in Japan and the heads of each business and function (officers) have set KPI for individual businesses and functions and supported the development and careers of female employees. In addition, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) reports on the status of D&I to the Board of Directors.

Further, Empowerment of Women's Advancement training (half-year training that includes group training, action learning, and presentations) is continuously conducted for selected employees of major Group companies in Japan, who are one step away from a management position. In FY2022, which is the twelfth time this program has been conducted, 20 employees participated, bringing the total number of participants to 246. Among them, there are who are currently enrolled in a select program for core human resources and those who have been promoted to management positions where they are exhibiting leadership at their workplaces.

Changes in number and ratio of newly recruited career-oriented female university graduates

Changes in number and ratio of newly recruited career-oriented female university graduates
  • *Figures are totaled based on number of employees recruited as of April of each fiscal year.
  • *Major subsidiaries in Japan: Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., Infocom Corporation

Changes in number of female employees in managerial positions

Changes in number of female employees in managerial positions
  • *Data as of March 31 of each fiscal year
  • *Major subsidiaries in Japan: Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., Infocom Corporation
  • *Percentage of female employees in managerial positions of the total number of managerial positions in the companies.

Gender wage gap

In FY2022, the gender wage gap at four major subsidiaries in Japan*was 61.3%保証対象指標 (70.7%保証対象指標 for regular employees, 37.7%保証対象指標 for temporary employees). Although the Teijin Group does not differentiate wages between men and women in the same rank or position, under our employee management classifications based on the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace, gender wage gap exist for the following reasons:


    - Regular employees: The main reasons for wage differences between regular male and female employees are the fact that there is a higher percentage of men in high-paying positions and a larger number of benefits provided to men, including overtime pay and single and family allowances. Also, male employees are less likely to take time off or work shorter hours in order to raise children.

    - Temporary employees: This category comprises part-time female employees and male employees who are employed on an ongoing basis in accordance with our post-retirement re-employment system. Employees re-employed through this system are paid based on their rank at the time of retirement, whereas part-time workers are paid on an hourly basis, thus creating a wage difference.

We are making ongoing efforts to bridge this gap, including expanding the population of female employees, swiftly developing female managers, expanding promotions by determining KPIs, promoting the acquisition of childcare leave by male employees, and eliminating the idea of gender-based roles.

  • *Major subsidiaries in Japan: Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., Infocom Corporation

Gender wage gap in FY2022

Gender wage gap
Employees include regular employees and temporary employees Regular employees Temporary employees
Teijin Limited 76.4% 79.2% 58.6%
Teijin Pharma Limited 45.8% 65.9% 29.5%
Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd. 55.6% 57.4% 42.5%
Infocom Corporation 73.9% 76.4% 48.1%
Four major subsidiaries in Japan 61.3%保証対象指標 70.7%保証対象指標 37.7%保証対象指標
  1. *Target period: FY2022 (April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023)
  2. *Wage: The total amount of base salary, bonuses, and various allowances (excluding commuting allowance) is calculated, including overtime pay but excluding retirement benefits.
  3. *Temporary employees: Part-time employees, fixed-term employees, etc (excluding dispatch employees)
  4. *Overseas assignees are excluded from the calculation as their wages are effectively covered by the host country.

Career building support for employees

Compared to other jobs, women working in positions such as sales, research and development, and engineering find it difficult to consult and collaborate with other women both inside and outside of their respective departments. In FY2022, we commenced one-on-one meetings with female employees, particularly with those working in offices with very few other women, where we directly interviewed them regarding their working environment, our various human resource systems, and their career outlook, thereby gaining an understanding of their opinions. We also sought to leverage what we learned in these meetings in efforts to enhance motivation and promote the active role of female employees in the future. Furthermore, to ensure that female employees can work with greater peace of mind, we commenced a project to make sanitary napkins available free of charge in women's restrooms.

Continuing on from FY2021, we once again participated in the "Riko-challe," sponsored by the Cabinet Office. By entrusting our group of young science and engineering employees with everything from planning to operations, we were able to build an expansive network.

Some employees must unavoidably interrupt their careers when a spouse is transferred overseas. We established a leave program for employees accompanying a spouse to an overseas assignment that permits leaves of up to three years so that these employees can continue their careers. While on leave, some employees study a language or engage in other self-development and enhance their work skills and then return to work. To date, 22 employees have made use of this program.

Re-employment systems

Teijin Limited and Teijin Pharma Limited have established the Hello-Again system for employees who left the companies for reasons including marriage, pregnancy, child-rearing, nursing care, or work transfer of their spouses. Employees in this situation who wish to return to the Teijin Group due to the reason for leaving no longer applying will be rehired as regular employees on the condition that it is not more than 10 years since they left and if the need exists. Up to the end of FY2022, 15 employees who had left the companies had been rehired through the Hello-Again system.

We have also established a system by which employees at all domestic Group companies may continue to work after retirement. In FY2022, a total of 54 employees continued to work after retirement at 49 Group companies.

Employment of people with disabilities

As of April 1, 2023 at 30 Group companies (consolidated) subject to a legal requirement to employ people with disabilities in Japan, the total number of employees with disabilities* was 276, more than the 268 specified by the related laws and regulation. Meanwhile, 16 individual companies failed to meet the legal requirement for employment of people with disabilities. In FY2023, we will share successful cases of promoting the active role of employees with disabilities in each company and seek to enhance the awareness of relevant personnel in an attempt to employ more people than the recruitment number required by laws and regulation.

In February 2019, Teijin Limited established the special subsidiary Teijin Soleil Co., Ltd., with the objective of creating workplaces in which people with disabilities can experience the satisfaction and enjoyment of working. Teijin Soleil offers a diverse range of workplaces and work duties mainly in agricultural work (cultivation and sale of produce and flowers) and office support (administrative assistance). In April 2021, we launched a new office support team in the Iwakuni district. In addition, we established a support team and started a cleaning business in the Hino district as well in June 2021. In FY2022, we received orders for cleaning work in the Iwakuni district and set our sights on expanding the cleaning business in the Hino district. In addition, we have continued working to expand the range pf work duties and work sites in each region.

  • *Number of employees with disabilities does not refer to the headcount, but to number of persons with disabilities calculated taking into consideration the type of disability and the working hours. These form the basis for calculating the employment rate of persons with disabilities as per the employment quota system for persons with disabilities.

Expanding diversity awareness

To strongly promote our business activities globally, it is essential to make full use of the abilities of diverse human resources who differ in nationality, race, gender, sense of values, ideas and experience. The Teijin Group upholds "Empowering Our People" as part of its corporate philosophy, and accordingly has put in place a work environment in which every Group member can fully harness their individuality and attractiveness to make the most of their abilities.

We promote D&I as a management strategy, and management uses various opportunities to disseminate our D&I objectives and policies to employees.

We have also issued a pamphlet entitled "together" to raise awareness of diversity every year since 2002. Starting with the 2020 version, in addition to the Japanese version, an English version is prepared so that it can be distributed to all Group employees. In the latest 2023 issue, we included a special feature on the opening page with a dialogue between the CEO and a female outside director based on the theme of "Why Is D&I Important for Teijin?--Reconsidering the significance of utilizing diverse personnel." Through a message from the CEO, the latest issue helped reiterate the idea that promoting D&I is essential for building a resilient organization and realizing our long-term vision.

We have incorporated LGBTQ issues in diversity courses conducted as a part of new employee training and new manager training since FY2015 to raise understanding., and from FY2019, training on LGBTQ issues was conducted in conjunction with Teijin Group Corporate Ethics Month training. In addition, we conducted training and e-learning for human resources and general affairs personnel who serve as contacts for LGBTQ related employee consultations using virtual reality.

Since FY2017, interested employees have participated in the Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade, one of Japan's largest LGBTQ event. From July 2020, we have revised the human resources and salary systems at Teijin Limited and Teijin Pharma Limited, ensuring that same-sex partners of LGBTQ parties concerned are treated in the same way as spouses for various allowances and benefits. In FY2022, we showed videos and invited speakers to give lectures to help facilitate a better understanding of the LGBTQ community. Following on from last year, in recognition of these efforts, we received the gold certification at work with Pride in 2022 as well. We also received the Best Workplace Award, the highest award, in D&I Award 2022.

We will continue our efforts to create an environment of acceptance regarding sexual orientation, sexual identity, sexual expression, and so on in the future.

Human Resource System and Global Human Resource Recruitment

One of our key actions for Diversity and Inclusion is to advocate changes in the human resource system, and we are restructuring the human resource setup to support global strategy.

Global management of human resources

Since April 2020, we have been appointing local personnel directors in Europe, the Americas, APAC, and China in order to enact a global response to human resource-related issues. We have also been implementing various other efforts in these regions, including talent management, D&I promotion, and locally shared human resource development.

In FY2019, we launched the Overseas Practical Training Program, which aims to enable young employees to gain practical experience at overseas Group companies, hone their international awareness, and build interpersonal networks. In FY2022, a total of seven people participated in this program, including not only employees dispatched from Japan to overseas locations but also employees dispatched from Germany to Japan.

Recruitment of global human resources in Japan

In FY2022, we held seminars about the Company for university students in which many students of foreign nationality participated as part of our efforts to secure global personnel. Although we did not hire any students of foreign nationality among the new-graduate hires at the start of FY2023, we did welcome three students with experience living overseas.

Human Resource Development and Global Talent Management

One of our key actions for Diversity and Inclusion is to advocate global talent management, and we are strengthening the nurturing of the next generation of global leaders.

Teijin Group basic human resources policy

In 2003, we established the Teijin Group basic human resources policy.

Teijin Group Basic Human Resources Policy

Goals of human resources management

  • Fulfill the corporate philosophy of “Empowering Our People”
  • Realize continuous improvements in employees' productivity and enhance their quality of life

Basic Policies

  1. 1.Strive to maintain good employment relationships with employees
  2. 2.In the treatment of employees, emphasize factors relating to the employees' duties, achievements and capabilities while pursuing transparency, fairness and understanding
  3. 3.Endeavor to assign the right persons to the right positions, taking into consideration work requirements and human resource conditions
  4. 4.Actively support the development of employees’ capabilities
  5. 5.Respect diversity

Teijin Group personnel strategies

The medium-term management plan from FY2020 to FY2022 positions the promotion of D&I as a priority measure for the creation of innovation. We are promoting the diversification of workstyles, the empowerment of women, and the diversification of human resources more than ever and accelerating the revitalization of organizations and creation of innovation.

Penetration of diversity and workstyle reforms

Anticipating an improved quality of life for each and every employee, create systems that supports a wide variety of workstyle choices and life plans

Promoting the success of human resources regardless of gender or nationality

Create human resource systems that enable flexible personnel appointment/relocation across countries, companies and organizations to meet the wishes of all employees

Promoting the design of systems to support diverse workstyles in step with the times

Create a training/education system enabling career development to meet all employees’ needs

Leadership development programs (core human resource cultivation)

Based on the results of the discussions we held as part of the Power of Culture Project, we established new leadership development programs in FY2020. The new programs incorporate strategic assignments, external personnel evaluations, and mentoring as well as KPIs on female employee and employee of foreign nationality participation.

In FY2022, 11 core personnel undertook mentor training provided by the corporate officers. As mentors, these officers helped their mentees plan their career and develop a management mindset through the provision of multifaceted advice based on their own experience and insight.

Increase number of selected excellent overseas human resources for core human resource development programs

The following programs are implemented with a view to developing core human resources who will forge the future of the Teijin Group. Since FY2021, we have been reviewing our core human resource development program, and in STRETCHⅠ and STRETCHⅡ we have introduced a system so that personnel from all countries, regardless of their country of origin, receive the same training with English as the common language.

1) STRETCHⅠand STRETCHⅡ

The Strategic Executive Team Challenge (STRETCH) Ⅰ and STRETCH Ⅱ are Groupwide core human resource development programs used to develop human resources who can work actively on the global stage. The programs target employees at all Group companies including those overseas. In FY2022, five employees participated in selection training for STRETCH I, a program for positions close to department manager, and 21 employees participated in STRETCH II, a program for positions close to section manager.

2) JuMP

JuMP stands for Junior Management Program, a three-year program for select trainees aimed at developing core human resources candidates. In FY2022, we changed to a system where we alternate between holding a course in Japan and a course overseas each year. Also, training is now conducted in a hybrid format that combines both online and in-person participation.

In FY2022, there were 29 new persons selected for the course in Japan and 26 persons selected for the second year. There were 15 persons selected for the second year for the overseas course.

Groupwide leadership training program, EaGLES

EaGLES

“EaGLES“ is the name of the Teijin Group's shared leadership training program launched in FY2011.

EaGLES training is as an opportunity for all employees in managerial positions in the Teijin Group to acquire leadership experience and learn the Teijin Group's values, management policies and history. As such, all employees in Japan and overseas requiring these skills and knowledge are sequentially completing this training program every year.

EaGLES consists of three steps: (1) e-learning (available in Japanese, English, Chinese and Thai), (2) group training in five world regions (Japan, the EU, the United States, China and Thailand) and (3) measuring learning outcomes. For group training overseas, we hold informal gatherings with regional representatives of Teijin Limited which serve as valuable opportunities to interact.

In FY2022, a total of 142 people took the course: 83 in Japan, 15 in the EU, 20 in the United States, and 24 in China.

Human resource development and training

The Teijin Group promotes and encourages self-development based on the independent study of each and every employee and coordinates on-the-job training, a job rotation/appointment system and other training programs as part of a systematic approach to developing Group human resources.

Basic Approach to Human Resource Development and Training

A fundamental part of human resource development is to promote and encourage self-development based on the independent study of each and every employee.

  1. 1.On-the-job training
    A means for leaders to promote the self-development/study of each team member through individual training and guidance in the course of daily work. This supports the growth of each employee based on the sense of fulfillment/achievement attained through having a sense of urgency in relation to work and through the process of completing work.
  2. 2.Job rotation/appointment
    An opportunity for each individual to develop/extend capabilities and a means to encourage further self-development/study. Leaders should have a good understanding of the strengths and personalities of team members and work to implement appropriate job rotation/appointments based on self-applications and other information.
  3. 3.Training
    This refers to off-the-job training, which is a means to provide employees with content based on requirements for present and future execution of duties and management needs, and an opportunity to provide each individual with an opportunity for self-development/study. Leaders should proactively send team members to training in order to encourage wider outlooks and mutual development with other employees inside and outside the Group.
  4. 4.Career development and 360-degree evaluation
    Company employees and supervisors have self-application system and supervisors conduct career development of employees once a year. Further, in order to encourage employees' own awareness, a 360-degree evaluation is conducted targeting all management employees.
    The results of the personnel evaluation are conveyed as feedback by supervisors to the concerned personnel, and guidance and advice that will lead to the growth of employees is provided. If one is not satisfied with the results of the personnel evaluation, one can use the self-application system by which one can directly report independently to the Human Resources Department.

Job rotation / transfer system

The Teijin Group has set a range of measures to ensure that employees are appointed to positions based on their desires and suitability for positions with consideration to Groupwide human resources needs.

In relation to personnel transfers, we have established an annual personnel plan at all Group companies, aiming to realize objectivity and transparency in relation to transfers. Group companies in Japan also have a self-application system that respects each employee's desire regarding transfers and new appointments. Additionally, in as early as 1988, we introduced an in-house staff recruitment system, the Job Challenge System, that was pioneering for Japanese companies at the time. In FY2022, 22 people were transferred using this system.

Furthermore, from January 2018, we introduced the "FA (Free Agent) System" to release employees to the business unit they wish to be transferred to in order to match their abilities, experience and so on, and made the selection of transfer destination possible. In FY2022, seven people used this system.

We also implement systematic transfers of core human resources selected for STRETCH from among Group companies worldwide, with the transfers extending beyond business departments and country borders.

At Group companies in Japan, we also review the appointment status of contract employees and temporary staff every year. In FY2022, reviews were conducted at 27 Group companies in Japan.

The Teijin Group training and job rotation / transfer system

The Teijin Group training and job rotation / transfer system
  1. *1Succession plan: A plan to foster successors to important posts from the viewpoint of business continuity.
  2. *2Strategic Executive Team Challenge (STRETCH): A Group core human resource development system for leaders.
  3. *3Junior Management Program (JuMP): A leadership training program for mid-level employees aimed at developing executive talent.
  4. *4Specialty Development Program (SDP): An educational program designed to enable career-oriented employees to gain specialized knowledge relating to marketing, engineering or clerical work.
  5. *5Job Challenge System: An in-house staff recruitment system. Any employee can file an application for a position without permission from the division manager, and the manager cannot overrule decisions.

Workstyle Reform and Work-Life Balance

One of the our actions for Diversity and Inclusion is to advocate workstyle reform, and we are committed to promoting appropriate management of working hours and to designing flexible human resources and employee-treatment systems to support diverse human resources and workstyles.

Workstyle Reform

The Teijin Group embraces telework as an effective means of realizing new workstyles that respond to the new normal era in which coming to the office is not a prerequisite.

In FY2021, we reduced the use of paper by over 50% through our paperless activities. Building on that achievement, in FY2022, we set up a platform for integrating data on the use of multifunction devices and created the BI (Business Intelligence) system that visualizes the status of printing out documents based on such data in an effort to prevent a return to old business practices after the COVID-19 pandemic resided. By doing so, we gained a more detailed understanding of the situation regarding paper usage, making it possible to implement more specific measures at a greater speed. Also, to move forward with the digitalization of paper-based contracts, we established guidance for using electronic contract systems and rolled them out on a Companywide basis.

Status of the work-from-home system

In FY2019, Teijin Limited and Teijin Pharma Limited introduced telework programs that allow employees to work outside the office even in the absence of a reason such as childcare or family care.

Since FY2020, we have been expanding these telework programs as a temporary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections. In FY2022, we continued to implement such measures as (1) elimination of the limit of 70 hours of telework per month, (2) payment of telework duty allowances, (3) allowing newly hired recent college graduate employees and temp workers to use the telework program, and (4) use of empty rooms in company housing as satellite offices.

Furthermore, in May 2023, after the COVID-19 pandemic had essentially concluded, we removed the limit on teleworking hours for employees dealing with situations such as raising children or providing nursing care.

Looking ahead, we will effectively combine the telework system with actual face-to-face communication in the workplace to enhance the productivity of the organization while increasing workstyle flexibility. By doing so, we will work to ensure that all employees can demonstrate their capabilities to the greatest extent possible.

Promoting Work-Life Balance

In order to strengthen the promotion of work-life balance, Teijin Limited introduced a system in October 2014 under which the spouses of employees who are transferred overseas for work may also take leave from work to be with their spouses. They may take leave for three years. As of the end of March, 2023, 22 employees had used the system and 13 employees had returned to work.

Childcare Work-Life Balance Handbook for Everyone

In April 2018, the Childcare Work-Life Balance Handbook for Everyone was created not only for female employees with a baby, but also for their supporting partners, superiors at the workplace, team members, and everyone to promote a better understanding of the demands of working while raising children, so that supportive workplace environments can be created.

In FY2022, we held seminars on how both male and female employees can help promote women's health and how to balance work with cancer treatments. We encouraged not only relevant employees and their supervisors but also their families to participate.

Furthermore, there is a shortage of nursery schools mainly in urban areas, and there are cases where employees cannot return to work as scheduled after childcare leave, as nursery schools have not yet been determined. Since 2017, we have been providing support for activities related to children's enrollment in nursery schools during the period of childcare leave. In FY2021, we introduced the "Childcare Future Concierge " and promoted its online usage increasing convenience and leading to a smoother return to work.

In addition, in October 2020, we introduced a shortened working hour system for treatment of illnesses and other matters, to support a balance between work and treatment for employees with cancer and other conditions and employees undergoing infertility treatment.

Reducing actual working hours

For some time now, Group companies in Japan have been utilizing a system that requires applying for overtime in advance and actively promoting no-overtime days.

In FY2022, the four major subsidiaries* in Japan reported an average overtime of 14.1 hours per month (an increase of 0.5 hours compared to FY2021). The utilization of annual paid holidays was 82% (an increase of 6 percentage points compared to FY2021). In FY2023, we will strive to improve results as compared to the previous fiscal year, with the aim of further reducing actual working hours.

In order to realize appropriate working hours, we are using IT tools and external consultants to conduct survey on work and work visualization and exerting all efforts to comprehensively revise tasks (IT utilization, standardization of operations, making meetings efficient, etc.). As a specific measure we are prioritizing the development of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) to promote the reduction of working hours and the optimization and equalization of labor loads by automating and improving the efficiency of operations.

The Teijin Group in Japan has set the goal of "overall actual working hours of 2,000 or less for all employees and 10 days or more of annual paid leave." At present, this is yet to be achieved, but we are committed to achieving this goal while building a new way of working in anticipation of a post-corona era.

  • *Major subsidiaries in Japan: Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., Infocom Corporation

Promoting childcare leave for employees

At Group companies in Japan, we believe that making it easier for employees to take childcare leave helps enhance job satisfaction and productivity and are thus promoting a variety of measures therein. In addition to preparing a support manual to promote supervisors' understanding and smooth communications with female employees during pregnancy or before/after maternity leave, in order to promote childcare leave for male employees, activities that raise awareness of the importance of promoting childcare leave, among other matters, have been incorporated into action plans based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children (Amended Next-Generation Act).

In October 2022, we expanded the number of accumulated annual leave days with pay from 10 days to 55 days so that more paid leave can be taken to raise children and further encourage male employees to take childcare leave. This move was made in tandem with the revisions to the Child Care and Family Care Leave Act and in an effort to alleviate livelihood-related concerns. Additionally, as part of our efforts to raise employee awareness, we disseminated a message by the CEO regarding his personal experience with raising children and his belief that spending time with family during difficult periods in childrearing ultimately has a positive impact on work.

In FY2022, a total of 203 employees took childcare leave (including employees who took annual paid leave for the purpose of raising children) at the four major companies in Japan. Of these, the number of male employees who took childcare leave was 88, thereby further narrowing the gender gap for employees taking childcare leave. We will continue to conduct awareness-raising activities so that employees can start planning to take childcare leave before they have children. At the same time, we will work to develop a fulfilling workplace environment that is conducive for male employees to take long-term childcare leave.

Also, the rate of male employees taken childcare leave in FY2022 was 73%. This rate was calculated using methods stipulated under Article 71-4(i) Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act on Childcare Leave, Caregiver Leave, and Other Measures for the Welfare of Workers Caring for Children or Other Family Members.

Trends in number of employees taking childcare leave

Trends in number of employees taking childcare leave
  • *Major subsidiaries in Japan: Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited, Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd., Infocom Corporation
  • *Includes employees who took holidays for childcare

Balancing work and nursing care

Information posted on the intranet

In the future, as the baby boomer generation reaches the late elderly age, there will be an increase in number of employees who will need to balance work and nursing care. As a countermeasure, we have launched the "Wakaru Kaigo Biz ," a service that allows employees who are providing nursing care as well as those who may be have to provide it in the future to look up any information they need at any time.

In addition, we have commenced support for the introduction of care managers to long-distance caregivers providing care for relatives who are far away.

Nursing care is something that can become necessary suddenly. In the future, we are committed to supporting the balance between nursing care and work by developing measures that focus on preparations for nursing care, and on information provision that ensures immediate access to necessary information when faced with a need for nursing care, as well as on support for long-distance caregivers.

Nursing care leave system

Our nursing care leave system operating at three of the four major subsidiaries in Japan allows each applicant to take up to 730 days of nursing care leave per reason (also obtainable in portions). This far exceeds the total of 93 days of leave specified under the Child Care and Family Care Leave Law. In addition, the systems for nursing care reduced working hours, flexible work start/finish time, etc. can be used for as long as an employee is providing nursing care.

In FY2022, there were five employees taking nursing care leave (of whom, three were new) and three employees on shorter working hours for nursing care (of whom, one was new), for the four major subsidiaries combined.

The baby boomer generation will be reaching late elderly age in the future, and an increase among the current generation of workers who are providing nursing care while working is expected. We will continue to hold seminars to raise awareness and strive to foster a corporate culture with a good work-life balance.

  • *Includes employees who took holidays for nursing care

Volunteer leave system

With a view to encouraging volunteer activities, the Teijin Group has introduced a paid Volunteer Leave System at Teijin Limited and Teijin Pharma Limited. As of March 31, 2023, there were 24 employees using the Volunteer Leave System.

Determining the Status of Groupwide Labor Management

The Teijin Group carries out regular surveys on labor management at Group companies. We identify management issues in our Group personnel management system and implement effective measures as required, particularly from the viewpoint of labor CSR. Survey forms are sent to 49 Group companies in Japan and 25 overseas, every year. From the survey, we obtain data on basic labor CSR indicators. After amendments to labor-related laws or if otherwise needed, the Teijin Group reviews the labor management status, employment rules and personnel systems of all Group companies in Japan.

Since labor laws and regulations differ from country to country, with regard to overseas Group companies, we conduct surveys of basic items, and also implement additional surveys on the human resource system and salary systems, as necessary.

Survey items (Group companies in Japan)

Basic labor CSR indicators - Conducted annually

  1. (1) Number of employees (by position/gender)
  2. (2) Average years at company and average age (by position/gender)
  3. (3) Number of newly recruited employees (by position/gender/career stage (new versus mid-career)/type of work (administrative versus technical)
  4. (4) Number of retired employees (by position/gender/reason)
  5. (5) Data on re-employment after age-limit retirement (by position/gender)
  6. (6) Number of executives by gender (by gender/Japanese nationality)
  7. (7) Number of fixed-term employees (by gender/Japanese nationality/fixed term/OB/part time)
  8. (8) Use of childcare leave/number of days (average and maximum)/childcare short-time work system (by gender)
  9. (9) Use of nursing care leave/nursing care short-time work system (by gender)
  10. (10) Number of employees taking leave for volunteer activities (by gender)
  11. (11) Number of employees taking nursing care leave (by gender)
  12. (12) Use of reemployment system for retirees due to family circumstances (by gender)
  13. (13) Number of employees using teleworking program (by gender)
  14. (14) Number of foreign workers (by position/nationality/gender/job title/date of hire)
  15. (15) Number of foreign trainees (technical interns) accepted
  16. (16) Number of employees seconded overseas (Japanese employees seconded to overseas companies)
  17. (17) Number of employees posted away from their family (domestically and overseas)
  18. (18) Gender wage gap (regular, non-regular/by gender/reasons for gap)
  19. (19) Status of responding to Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace (submission of action plans/disclosure of items)

Status of labor management - Conducted when required
[Legal compliance]

  1. (1) Employment of the elderly
  2. (2) Work hours
  3. (3) Temporary/Contract workers
  4. (4) Maternity protection and childcare
  5. (5) Care and nursing
  6. (6) Equal-opportunity employment

[Labor affairs measures]

  1. (1) Work-life balance (e.g., overtime hours/annual paid holidays/flextime system)
  2. (2) Retirement allowance system
  3. (3) Progress in promoting diversity
  4. (4) Recruitment and education
  5. (5) Health and welfare system (dormitories/other issues)
  6. (6) Other issues (e.g., existing issues for which demand for support exists)
Survey items (overseas Group companies)

Survey of the following basic labor CSR indicators (by position/gender)

  1. (1) Number of employees
  2. (2) Average years at company and average age
  3. (3) Number of new recruits
  4. (4) Number of employees who retired

Maintaining Sound Industrial Relationships

The Teijin Group sees the labor union as an important stakeholder, and we are working to maintain and improve our good relationship with the union. As fundamental concepts in industrial relations, we emphasize “mutual understanding and thorough prior consultation.”

In regards to labor-management meetings, Teijin Limited adheres to a comprehensive collective bargaining agreement by which meetings will be called upon request from either the company or union side.

At Group companies in Japan, all employees except directors and managers belong to the labor union. At the Group Labor-Management Council, which brings management and main union officials together, and also at Labor-Management Committee meetings (held as required), members exchange opinions on businesses as a whole and hold discussions with the aim of improving workplace environments.

In addition, when we revise working conditions during the spring season, we hold discussions on a broad range of issues pertaining to human resources, including not only increasing base pay and other compensation but also the ideal direction of our human resource management systems and efforts to secure personnel, develop their capabilities, and enhance their motivation.

Labor unions and work councils (joint labor-management councils) have been established in overseas Group companies, and consultations are held between the company and representatives of the employees to achieve a better work environment and working conditions.

Preamble of Labor Agreement between Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited and Teijin’s Labor Union (largest labor union of Teijin Group)

Teijin Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited and Teijin’s labor union mutually respect the position of one another, and work together towards establishing industrial peace through the sound development of business and consideration of union member’s welfare. With this in mind, the Teijin Labor Agreement was concluded, and both sides are committed to observing it in good faith.

  • *The labor agreement with Teijin's Labor Union is applicable to all full-time and fixed-term employees, except managers.