Human Resources
Diversity-Related Targets for Main Companies in Japan
| KPI | Results | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
| Increase the ratio of female managers to over 10% by FYE 3/2027, compared with the FYE 3/2018 result of 2.6% | 3.1% | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| Increase the number of female managers (including assistant managers) to at least 420 by FYE 3/2027 (approximately triple the number as in FYE 3/2018) | 171 | 189 | 208 |
| Raise the ratio of employees with disabilities above Japan's legal requirement of 2.3% | 2.29% | 2.28% | 2.42% |
| KPI | Base Year | Target | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FYE 3/2024 | FYE 3/2027 | ||
| Increase the ratio of female managers to over 10% by FYE 3/2027, compared with the FYE 3/2018 result of 2.6% | FYE 3/2018 (2.6%) | - | 10% |
| Increase the number of female managers (including assistant managers) to at least 420 by FYE 3/2027 (approximately triple the number as in FYE 3/2018) | FYE 3/2018 | - | 420 |
| Raise the ratio of employees with disabilities above Japan's legal requirement of 2.3% | - | 2.3% | - |
| Renew certification for outstanding health and productivity management from the Japanese government | - | Renew Certification | - |
Principles of Human Resources Management
For the Meiji Group, enabling employees to demonstrate their abilities on the job and take personal responsibility for their work are core principles of organizational and personnel management. This approach allows employees to develop their skills by taking on more challenging tasks and contribute to the Group as a whole through their accomplishments.
The Group has established evaluation systems for both monitoring job performance and facilitating the development of employees. The evaluations are designed to give employees regular feedback on their performance and create opportunities for them to improve their skills. Employees are not only evaluated based on recent accomplishments but also on how those achievements fit in their overall career path, which helps them clarify future objectives, identify points for improvement, and set challenging goals.
Promote Diversity and Inclusion, and Provide Training to Employees
Evaluation and Development of Personnel
Meiji Holdings established the Group HR Strategy Department in 2021 with the goal of maximizing the potential of the Group's diverse employees. The new department will oversee group-wide training programs, recruitment, and appointments of key personnel while aiming to enhance employee engagement. Accordingly, it will play an important part in renewing the Group's corporate culture, realizing the Meiji Group Sustainability 2026 Vision, and enhancing corporate value.
Improving Employee Engagement
Today's labor market is increasingly competitive and diverse, with employers offering a widening range of work conditions. To ensure sustainable growth under such conditions, the Meiji Group's management recognizes the importance of having employees feel motivated and rewarded by their work, and committed to the goals of their respective companies and the Group as a whole. From that standpoint, management set the objective of improving employee engagement in the Group's three-year 2023 Medium-Term Business Plan launched in April 2021. Meetings are held for employees to discuss the Meiji Group's brand and measures to realize its new slogan. This promotes a workplace culture that encourages them to work towards the Group's growth as a team. An employee engagement survey will be conducted annually to assess the level of engagement and quickly identify issues that need improvement. Furthermore, the scores from the survey will be used as indicators in the performance-linked compensation plans for directors and executive officers.
Recognizing Employee-Led Initiatives for Improvements in the Workplace
KM Biologics recognizes exemplary employee-led initiatives in an awards ceremony held each year, and shares the winning initiatives with all of its members. The event has been motivating employees and providing a source of ideas for improving the company's competitiveness.
In 2020, an initiative from a team of part-time employees at the Kikuchi Factory was selected for the top award from among over 100 submissions from various company departments. The winning team had suggested effective ways to enhance certain job tasks and eliminate faulty operations by improving tools and equipment.
Top award-winning members of the Quality Control Dept. at the Kikuchi Factory
Promoting Diversity in the Workplace
The Meiji Group's international workforce is made up of people of all ages who have varying abilities and disabilities as well as different gender identities. Employees also have different job agreements and diverse family responsibilities. In consideration of this diversity, the Group's management has established programs and working conditions aimed at helping all employees apply their individual skills and reach their full potential.
Strengthening Diversity Management
With the goal of fostering workplaces and organizations that encourage women to develop and expand their abilities, the Group has set up training programs for managers who supervise female employees and provides support to women in the workplace. Furthermore, female employees are offered career planning advice and training workshops covering workplace expectations and career goals.
Promoting the Success of Women in the Workplace
The Meiji Group has created a variety of systems that help both male and female employees balance their work and family responsibilities. Moreover, it recognizes that enabling women to succeed in all kinds of jobs can lead to greater competitiveness in the future. Therefore, the Group has been providing additional support for its female employees, such as career advancement workshops, job rotation programs, and systems designed to steadily promote women to leadership positions.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratio of female managers (%) | 2.1 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
| Number of female managers (including assistant managers) | 109 | 119 | 171 | 189 | 208 |
Career development workshops for female employees
As part of its efforts to promote diversity in the workplace, Meiji Seika Pharma regularly holds career development workshops to help its female employees plan for future success. Male employees have also participated to learn about issues affecting women in the workplace. As of March 31, 2021, a total of 109 women and 71 men have joined the workshops since they began in 2013.
In addition, the company's Pharmaceutical Sales Division has initiated a program aimed at raising job satisfaction among its many female medical representatives.
Supporting Employees with Disabilities
The Meiji Group employs people with disabilities at over 40 workplaces across Japan, and aims to maintain its ratio of employees with disabilities above the country's legal requirement of 2.3% for large companies. These workplaces have installed barrier-free restrooms and wheelchair ramps to create comfortable work environments for all employees.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratio of employees with disabilities (%) | 2.10 | 2.20 | 2.29 | 2.28 | 2.42 |
Maintaining accessible workplaces for all members
The Meiji Group has taken various measures to ensure that its workplaces are comfortable for employees with disabilities. For example, group companies have appointed counselors who specialize in assisting people with disabilities. Sign language classes are also offered at some workplaces. In addition, designated company cards are offered to employees who choose to inform their colleagues of a disability that could affect communication, such as deafness.
The Japanese government recognized Meiji as an outstanding employer of people with disabilities in 2018
Rehiring Employees after Retirement
The Group has put a program in place to rehire employees who wish to continue working after reaching the retirement age of 60. The program allows these employees to not only apply the skills they have acquired over many years but also to guide and mentor younger colleagues.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retirement-age employees requesting re-employment | 128 | 93 | 83 | 118 | 126 |
| Ratio of approved requests (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Strengthening International Bonds Group-Wide
To deepen ties between its numerous companies around the world, the Meiji Group organizes international training workshops and conferences for its diverse employees, of which about 30% work outside Japan. Newsletters issued in three languages (Japanese, English, and Chinese) are also distributed group-wide.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 588 | 567 | 561 | 571 | 627 |
| Spain | 354 | 288 | 281 | 277 | 272 |
| China | 1,118 | 953 | 1,094 | 1,092 | 1,071 |
| Indonesia | 792 | 648 | 648 | 730 | 781 |
| Singapore | 278 | 279 | 282 | 316 | 293 |
| Thailand | 404 | 394 | 394 | 407 | 430 |
| India | 1,579 | 1,626 | 1,840 | 1,847 | 2,004 |
| Total | 5,113 | 4,755 | 5,100 | 5,267 | 5,478 |
Supporting Sexual Minorities in the Workplace
In 2018, the Meiji Group initiated various measures to support its lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees. Specifically, issues related to sexual minorities were included in regular training sessions on human rights at some group companies, and seminars on LGBT inclusion in the workplace have been held for personnel in charge of employee recruitment. Furthermore, barrier-free and multipurpose restrooms have been designated as gender inclusive.
Strengthening Human Resource Development
We believe that respecting the diversity of organizations and individuals and maximizing the vitality and capabilities of each employee will contribute to the sustainable growth of the Meiji Group, and we are focusing on human resource development.
Ideal Human Resources Sought by the Meiji Group
As a fundamental objective of human resources development, the Meiji Group aims to equip its employees with specialized abilities and organizational skills, and foster creativity and innovation in the workplace. Accordingly, the Group has created a variety of training programs for developing its human resources, from newly recruited graduates through to mid-career employees and senior managers.
Meiji Group Human Resources Development Policy
The Meiji Group has created a basic policy concerning skills development, and the company provides a skills development structure to foster human resources.
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To achieve the Long-term Vision laid out in the Meiji Group 2026 Vision, we will:
- Develop personnel who have the proactive mindset, as well as the expertise, creativity, and practical skills, needed to take on and achieve ambitious targets
- Spur group expansion by growing individuals and developing independent-minded personnel who raise groupwide capabilities
- Develop personnel who fully understand the Group Philosophy and put the meiji way into practice at an advanced level
Skills Development Structure
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education and training expense per employee (Yen) | 36,000 | 32,000 | 21,000 | 34,000 | 16,000 |
| Education and training time per employee (hours) | - | - | - | - | 0.27 |
Rank-specific training, business skills training at each career stage
Systematic training for Meiji Group employees starts with new-employee training, where employees learn the basic knowledge, behavior, and attitudes they need for work at Meiji. Next, employees receive training in logical thinking, follow-through, team-leadership skills, and the qualities and capabilities of a business leader. Managers receive training at each relevant stage, helping them reflect on their management style and strengthening their ability to foster their subordinates. Training for upper management is designed to enhance management skills to make the workplace more dynamic and to cultivate an awareness of self-reform as participants seek to become management leaders.
Training program for the development of personnel capable of working globally
We provide a wide variety of training programs to develop personnel capable of working globally.
- Self-development language courses
- Language training in English- and Chinese-speaking countries for effective language-learning and understanding of different cultures
- Programs sending selected personnel to business language schools to acquire practical language skills
- Programs to instill perseverance, understanding of diversity, and mental toughness by sending personnel overseas to gain first-hand experience in business customs under challenging conditions
Meiji Seika has been conducting training since 2017, for fostering a global mindset to embrace diverse cultures and acquiring leadership and management skills as global leaders, and more than 430 people have participated so far.
Manager development
Directors, Audit & Supervisory Board members, and executive officers receive opportunities to better understand their roles and duties. This training includes legal responsibilities, corporate governance, compliance, and risk management. If necessary, these individuals are provided with information about Meiji Group businesses, organizations, financial status, and so on.
Outside directors and outside Audit & Supervisory Board members are given information about Meiji Group management strategy and the nature and status of the company's businesses. These individuals are provided opportunities to observe factories, research centers, and other facilities.
Newly appointed executives receive necessary training from external organizations.
Grooming future leaders
The Meiji Group offers a broad range of training programs for its young members to equip them with the leadership qualities and management skills needed by the leaders of tomorrow. Training focuses on developing strategic thinking, reasoning, decision-making, and communication skills. They are also given educational and training opportunities outside the Group, such as at business schools and cross-industry events, to help them develop a wider range of skills and perspectives.
Providing opportunities for self-development
Aspiring employees can apply to various self-development programs offered by the Meiji Group, including college and distance learning courses.
Facilitating career planning through self-assessments
The Group has established a self-assessment system for employees to plan their careers in consultation with their supervisors. The self-assessment reports create opportunities for employees to reconsider their work practices and career paths, and also provide useful information for management to develop necessary training programs and help employees thrive in the workplace.
Employee-Friendly Workplaces
Promoting Health Management
Committed to the Health of Employees
In 2018, the Meiji Group made an official commitment to help employees effectively manage their health and to promote wellbeing in the workplace. This commitment provides the basic principles of the Group's health management systems.
Meiji Group Commitment to the Health of Employees
The Meiji Group recognizes the fundamental importance of good physical and mental health for its employees to lead productive lives and reach their full potential. Therefore, the Group is committed to the following three activities.
- Measures shall be taken to encourage employees to responsibly manage their own health as well as the health of their family members.
- Programs shall be put in place to support the efforts of employees to manage their health and to enhance their ability to do so.
- Steps shall be taken to ensure that workplaces provide comfortable and safe working environments for all of their members.
Health Management Committee
In addition to its commitment to the health of employees, the Meiji Group established a special committee tasked with promoting health management in 2018. Comprised of senior managers of group companies and a representative from the Group's health insurance association, the committee formulates health management initiatives and sets related goals.
Health management challenges and goals
We have set priority goals for health management and are helping to promote understanding and change awareness of employees' health management.
| Item | Target |
|---|---|
| Fitness Habits, Incentive Sports | Improve the percentage of employees who participate and achieve the walking campaign |
| Smoking cessation promotion | Separation of smoking areas at the workplace Support for employees undergoing smoking cessation Step-by-step prohibit smoking during work hours |
| Employees with the Risk of Lifestyle-related Disease | Coverage* of employees undergoing second periodic health examinations is 100% |
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employees with the Risk of Lifestyle-related Disease |
Percentage of employees undergoing periodic health examinations (%) | 99.6 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | |
| Percentage of employees who maintains desirable weight (BMI18.5~25) | 67.1 | 66.8 | 66.0 | 65.1 | 65.5 | ||
| Stress Check | Participation rate (%) | 92.7 | 94.6 | 93.8 | 93.5 | 93.4 | |
| Fitness Habits | Walking Campaign | Participation Rate (%) | 47.5 | 49.5 | 54.9 | 58.6 | 59.8 |
| Achievement Rate (%) | 28.3 | 29.4 | 30.8 | 32.6 | 37.0 | ||
| Percentage of employees who exercise for half an hour or more at least twice a week (%) | 22.1 | 22.2 | 21.2 | 24.4 | 26.7 | ||
| Quit-smoking Program | Number of Participants | - | - | - | 39 | 9 | |
Shifting to smoke-free workplaces
The Meiji Group's workplaces have been steadily placing prohibitions on smoking and second-hand smoke in order to maintain healthier and more comfortable working environments. Workplaces have set up completely separate smoking areas, banned smoking onsite during work hours, and are providing support to employees who are trying to quit smoking.
Recognized for outstanding health and productivity management
In 2021, Meiji Holdings, Meiji, and Meiji Seika Pharma were recognized for their outstanding health and productivity management for the fifth consecutive year through a certification program operated by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The program evaluates companies based on their employee health activities, such as provision of regular checkups, healthcare guidance, counselling, and fitness programs. KM Biologics was also certified for the first time in the same year.
Workstyle Reform
We believe it is our corporate responsibility to create a safe and healthy environment at the workplace. To achieve this, we are creating a positive and comfortable work environment to promote a good work-life balance.
Providing Flexible Work Arrangements
The Meiji Group has introduced telecommuting and flextime systems for employees who need more flexible work arrangements. It also allows employees to continue fulfilling their work responsibilities when dealing with major life events. For example, employees can opt to work shorter work hours following a childbirth, and male employees are encouraged to take paternity leave.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees taking childcare leave | Female | 178 | 222 | 248 | 335 | 330 |
| Male | 24 | 30 | 40 | 68 | 90 | |
| Number of employees opting for shortened work hours for childcare | Female | 200 | 229 | 262 | 385 | 402 |
| Male | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 7 | |
| Percentage of employees returning to work within six months after the end of childcare leave (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Percentage of employees who continue working after taking childcare leave | 100 | 100 | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Number of employees taking nursing-care leave | 6 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 13 | |
Reducing excessive work hours
The Meiji Group has been taking steps to reduce long work hours by improving operational efficiency and more strictly managing overtime. For example, "no overtime" days are now held once per week, and work hours are more closely monitored to ensure they remain within reasonable limits. In addition, specific job duties have been revised to improve efficiency, and meetings have been streamlined.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly hours of overtime per employee | 12.5 | 12.8 | 13 | 12.7 | 10.1 |
Encouraging employees to take paid holidays
The Meiji Group has initiated measures to encourage its employees to take all of their annual paid holidays, including vacations of five consecutive days. Company presidents also call on employees to take consecutive days off, and campaigns are held to emphasize the importance of time off. In addition, employees are periodically requested to select dates for holidays, and those who have not are reminded to do so.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of annual paid vacation days taken by employees (%) | 56.8 | 63.8 | 67.0 | 71.5 | 67.3 |
Occupational Health and Safety
Based on the Meiji Group Policy on Occupational Health and Safety, group companies give top priority to safety in the workplace and take steps to help their employees maintain good health.
Management system
Each company of the Meiji Group has a designated health and safety committee that sets annual targets, monitors progress using plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycles, and promotes initiatives tailored to specific workplaces.
ISO 45001 certified factories and companies
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Food Segment
- 18 factories and three group companies in Japan
- One group company in China
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Pharmaceuticals Segment
- One factory in Japan
- One group company in India
- See List of Certification Status of ISO14001 and ISO45001 for more information.
Measures for maintaining safe workplaces
The Meiji Group strives to eliminate workplace accidents by reducing operational and equipment-related risks in cooperation with its contract manufacturers. Safety audits and inspections are routinely carried out at all factories and laboratories to identify and eliminate risks and regulatory violations that could potentially cause accidents. If a workplace accident occurs, procedures are taken to determine the cause, check equipment safety and make adjustments if necessary, and implement additional measures to prevent a recurrence.
| FYE 3/2017 | FYE 3/2018 | FYE 3/2019 | FYE 3/2020 | FYE 3/2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost-time injury frequency rate (LTIFR)1 | - | - | - | 1.12 | 1.01 | |
| Japan | 0.47 | 0.69 | 0.71 | 0.87 | 0.86 | |
| Overseas | - | - | - | 1.72 | 1.43 | |
| Average value of Japanese manufacturing industry3 | 1.15 | 1.02 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.21 | |
| Lost-time injury severity rate2 | - | - | - | 0.0523 | 0.0194 | |
| Japan | 0.0117 | 0.0328 | 0.0494 | 0.0525 | 0.0214 | |
| Overseas | - | - | - | 0.0518 | 0.0025 | |
| Average value of Japanese manufacturing industry3 | 0.07 | 0.08 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.07 | |
| Number of work-related fatalities | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | |
| Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Overseas | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | |
Workplace-specific health and safety training programs
The Meiji Group's main companies provide occupational health and safety training tailored to their specific workplaces. They also share information on safety with a view to prevent the occurrence of similar kinds of accidents.
At Meiji, employees are trained with a health and safety handbook covering relevant laws and regulations as well as measures for preventing accidents that have occurred in the past. To ensure that such accidents are not forgotten, past cases and lessons learned are described on display panels in the company's training center.
At Meiji Seika Pharma, each workplace conducts its own safety inspections and undergoes safety checks by teams from other workplaces as well as by independent consulting firms. The results are shared company-wide and integrated into training programs.
KM Biologics focuses on reducing operational and equipment-related risks in order to eliminate workplace accidents. At each of its factories, examples of previous accidents are explained in health and safety training to prepare employees for preventing such accidents from recurring in the future
Maintaining positive relations between management and labor
All regular employees of Meiji, Meiji Seika Pharma, and KM Biologics are members of a labor union affiliated with each respective company. Excluding managers, 100% of employees belong to the unions, which negotiate on their behalf. Recognizing the importance of maintaining a positive and productive relationship with labor, the Group's management regularly meets with the union leaders to negotiate wages and benefits, and to resolve any issues that arise in the workplace, including those concerning health and safety.