Human Resource Management

Materiality
Related ESG :
S
Human capital: Human resource management
Quality Education Gender Equality Decent Work and Economic Growth

Management Approach

Policy and approach

The Toyobo group aims to realize its corporate philosophy framework, "TOYOBO PVVs," and to become an organization that continues to transform itself to create new value.

We put into operation the new human resource system in July 2022. implements specific policies such as promoting and supporting capacity building, treating and evaluating in accordance with job responsibilities, enhancing management skills, and encouraging the active participation of diverse professional human resources, so that each of our employees can feel growth, pride, and satisfaction.

Structure

The Executive Officer in charge of the HR Division is responsible for the group's human resources management. Our operating departments responsible for human resources and labor affairs create regular opportunities for discussion and information sharing with the departments responsible for human resources at each business site and affiliated company, which leads to the formulation and execution of human resources management plans. Regarding key issues in the annual management plan, reports are made to the relevant executive officer each quarter and the issues are also deliberated on by the Sustainability Committee. Important measures are also discussed by the Board of Corporate Executive Officers and Controlling Supervisors and Board of Directors.

Targets and KPIs

< Targets >

The Toyobo group will build an organizational structure for the entire group that enables employees to work easily and feel satisfaction with their work, that ensures fairness and integrity, and that is considerate of diversity and human rights.

< KPIs and Results >

Initiatives KPIs Targets Results (FY2022)
  • Nurture human resources (build careers, develop capabilities)
  • Promote work-life balance
  • Ensure equality in recruitment and treatment of employees
  • Maintain people-friendly work environments (promote health)
1.
Training core overseas personnel in Japan
1.
15 employees per year*
1.
Canceled because of COVID-19
2.
Training investment per employee (Time spent on education)
2.
¥50,000 per year*, 21hrs
2.
¥50,000, 17.67hrs
3.
Ratio of annual paid leave taken
3.
75%*
3.
72.3%
4.
Reduction of overtime work hours
(No. of people over 360 hours per year / No.of target persons)
4.
Reduction of 20% (2.0%)*
4.
3.8%
5.
Improvement of employee's “degree of affirmation for work style” based on engagement surveys
(1) Increase of positive response ratio on "no difficulty in daily work"
(2) Increase of positive response ratio on "respect the diverse views and ideas of each person"
5.
(1) Increase of positive response rate
(2) Increase of positive response rate
5.
(1) 33%
(2) 42%
  • Targets for FY2026

Initiatives for preventing harassment

The Toyobo group strives to maintain harassment-free workplace environments and we are focusing on anti-harassment measures based on an approach that providing work incentives and raising job satisfaction leads to the securement and cultivation of excellent human resources. As a preventative measure, we are implementing management training to deepen understanding within the organization, and as a response measure, we carry out thorough internal reporting through compliance consultation centers and a Complaint Handling Committee, which includes labor union representatives, so that we can detect and solve issues at an early stage.

Human resources development

Approach to human resources development

Toyobo group considers human resources to be our most important asset. We support the growth of each and every one of our employees, while respecting their diversity. We believe that the continuation and development of the Group as a whole can be achieved by building an environment in which our employees can flourish both inside and outside the company and realize their own potential.

Toyobo carries out human resource development based on a training program categorized by job level, type and objective, from the newly employed to top management. Over our long history, we have fostered an approach of valuing “people”—our most important asset—and this is shared throughout the group.

Based on this idea, under the Executive Officer in charge of the HR Division and is responsible for the execution of human resources management, in September, 2021, we established a group specializing in human resource development and actively support training for employee skill development.

Education & Training System

Education & Training System

Education & Training-Related Results
Results (FY2022)
Training hours per employee 17.67hrs
Training investment per employee ¥50,000
Total training attendees 2,519
Total training hours 40,565hrs
Implementation status of training in career and skills 46.5%

Initiatives

Nurturing the next generation of management

For Toyobo group's initiative to train the next generation of management, the group plans to provide chosen personnel with internal and external management executive development training. In order to further broaden their experience, we will also give them the opportunity to undertake business operation and management duties to hone their management skills, which will help us achieve our succession plan.

The group is operating the Human Resource Meeting to discuss measures to cultivate the next generation of management from fiscal 2022. The meeting will be divided into the Company-Wide Human Resource Meeting, which mainly discusses the succession of management positions, and the Department Human Resource Meeting, which mainly discusses the succession of positions with high levels of operational expertise, and topics will include the selection and rotation of human resources and support for the training of successor candidates. We will be able to find and develop human resources and increase their effectiveness through coordination between these two meetings.

At the same time, we are promoting diversity and inclusion in order to increase our medium to long term capabilities. Besides promoting the participation and advancement of women, we are actively taking on mid-career hires and staff from overseas so that we can bring in more knowledge and experience.

Furthermore, we conduct company-wide training for all managers to ensure the thorough awareness of safety and disaster prevention, occupational safety, quality, our corporate philosophy framework TOYOBO PVVs, and compliance.

Developing global human resources

The Toyobo group implements “Short-term Overseas Business Training” in which around 10 employees in two separate groups from Japan are sent overseas for training each year (first and second half of the year). This motivates younger and mid-career employees to participate in Toyobo's global business, and also represents a major opportunity for them to further their careers.

In addition, local candidates for management from overseas offices are selected to undergo training in Japan twice each year. This aims to enhance their understanding of Toyobo and deepen interaction with employees who work in Japan.

Both programs were cancelled in FY2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the "Short-term Overseas Business Training" will resume in the second half of FY2023, and the training for local candidates for management from overseas offices is scheduled to resume in FY2024.

Employee engagement

We need to align the vectors of organizational goals and personal growth, given that we position companies and employees as being equal. To this end, we started surveys on organizational climate and job satisfaction targeting all officers and employees in 2021.

These surveys will keep us periodically appraised of employee engagement, and create an environment in which they can proactively work with a sense of pride and fulfillment.

Engagement Survey Results

Increase in employee work satisfaction based on engagement survey

(Year)

2021 2022
(1)
Percentage of positive responses to “No difficulty in performing daily work”
33% 38%
(2)
Percentage of positive responses to "Respects each individual's diverse opinions and ideas"
42% 50%

Work-life balance

Approach to work-life balance

Toyobo group is engaged in work style reform so that our employees can work with renewed efficiency and achieve a good balance between work and personal life. We also provide support such as the Childcare Shortened Work Hour Program, Nursing Care and flextime system, and telecommuting. Building an environment that enables more flexible work styles tailored to each employee's life stage provides an opportunity to enhance creativity. Letting each individual do their best with confidence, pride, peace of mind, and a forward-looking mindset helps to build a stronger foundation for the company.

The TOYOBO Group Charter of Corporate Behavior declares, “We will respect employee diversity and support work practices that allow employees to demonstrate their individual skills. Moreover, we will provide workplaces that are conducive to productive work while taking health and safety into consideration.”

Initiatives

Toyobo has introduced schemes that go above and beyond the legal requirements, including the Childcare Shortened Work Hour Program and Nursing Care Leave, and we also provide a flextime system. Since fiscal 2020, five days of paid leave has been offered as Childcare Leave. In conjunction with this change in the system, we are encouraging men to take childcare leave. Men employees who have a child are notified of the system individually and are recommended to take this leave by their immediate supervisor. We will continue these promotion efforts until it becomes normal for men employees to take childcare leave.

We introduced a 15-Minute Shortened Work Hour Program at head and branch offices in FY2018, and at the Research Center in FY2019.

We are also increasing the number of days of leave at other offices and we are creating opportunities for employees to spend quality personal time together with family and friends, such as holding a No Overtime Day at least once a month. In fiscal 2020, we introduced a Teleworking scheme at head and branch offices, and have expanded to also include other offices in fiscal 2021.

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Scheme Usage

(FY)

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Women taking childcare leave 19 24 27 30 32
Ratio of women taking childcare leave (%) 100 100 100 100 100
Men taking childcare leave 1 1 50 69 58
Ratio of men taking childcare leave (%) 1 1 46 80 64
Employees taking childcare shortened work hour program 66 75 64 70 67
Annual paid leave utilization ratio (%) 66 68 73 64 72
Childcare Leave Utilization

Childcare Leave Utilization

Main Support Systems
Main System Details
Systems supporting diverse work styles Teleworking Scheme Employees can work outside the office, in principle at their home. Can be used in conjunction with Half-Day Annual Leave, Childcare and Nursing Care Shortened Work Hour Programs, and the Flextime system.
Flextime System Managed in one-month installments with core time set from 11:00 to 14:00. Introduced in 1990.
Half-Day Annual Leave Annual paid leave can be taken in half-day installments. Introduced in 1990.
Volunteer Leave Applies to employees participating in the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers initiative. In principle, leave can be up to two years and four months.
Systems supporting work-life balance Childcare Leave Can be taken up to the day the child turns two.
* Salary is paid from the first day for a period of up to five consecutive days
Childcare Shortened Work Hour Program One workday can be shortened in 15-minute installments up to two hours. However, the period from 10:00 to 16:00 has to be worked (including designated breaks).
(Can be used up to the child finishes the third grade of elementary school)
Nursing Care Leave Can be taken up to three times per case (same illness of the same family member) for a maximum of 366 days (which can be taken in installments).
Nursing Care Shortened Work Hour Program Designated work hours for a single day can be shortened by up to two hours for up to two times per case (same illness of the same family member).
No Overtime Day Once a month, employees are able to spend quality personal time together with family and friends as an opportunity to improve motivation and enhance creativity.
Childcare Facilities In April 2018, a nursery was established inside the Research Center.
Babysitters When an employee is on a business trip, the company will pay the cost of a babysitter (but only in cases where another appropriate care provider is not available). In principle, to be taken in three-hour installments for children in the sixth grade of elementary school or below.