Human Resources Development
Basic Concept
Human Resource Development Policy
The Sumitomo Electric Group emphasizes respect for human resources in business management in accordance with the Sumitomo Spirit. We instituted the Sumitomo Electric Group Global Human Resource Management Policy (Global HRM Policy) in September 2011. This policy specifies the Group’s commitment to the creation of an environment that helps employees realize growth and self-actualization through work, the provision of various career opportunities regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability, promotion of diversity and the inclusion and development of global leaders, in order to accelerate our global human resource recruitment and promotion. We have declared the policy to inform people in and outside of the Group about such commitment and it serves as our basic policy in human resource development.
Structures and Systems for Human Resources Development
SEI University
The Sumitomo Electric Group defines needed personnel as those who honor the Sumitomo Spirit, understand the Sumitomo Electric Group Corporate Principles, possess high levels of skill and knowledge rooted firmly in the basics and can play active roles in the global community. As an initiative for human resource development, we provide training to develop abilities, skills and knowledge for executing the business strategies of our Group, as well as training to encourage employees to work toward the management vision with a sense of unity sharing philosophy, values and culture. The human resource development system composed of those training programs is collectively called SEI University. While “individual employees’ strong motivation for self-development” and “on-the-job coaching and close communication between superiors and subordinates” are foundations for human resource development, SEI University strongly supports them to realize the growth of individual employees and achieve the corporate goals at the same time. Our Group values this as an important approach to human resource development.
Our conventional training and education system was further developed to launch SEI University in 2005. The two pillars of SEI University are Group-wide training, in which the Corporate Staff Group plans and implements programs for all divisions and divisional training, in which each division individually plans and implements programs tailored to its business. We are gradually expanding the scope to include employees in Group companies in Japan and overseas, in addition to Sumitomo Electric. In 2007, we established the Technical Training Center within SEI University specializing in developing human resources for manufacturing, who are the source of the competitiveness of our Group as a manufacturer. The center plans and implements various training programs ranging from basic training on manufacturing to professional education.
Principal Training Programs
SEI University provides more than 300 training programs (commonly developed across the Group), including position-based compulsory programs for all group employees ranging from executives to new employees, in the three areas of human skills, problem-solving skills and technical skills. Our Group companies and divisions also organize their original training programs in the field of technical skills to have the trainees acquire the unique knowledge and skills especially required in the respective workplaces.
The following five subjects constitute the compulsory basic training, which is provided for all employees as part of various training programs:
(1)Sumitomo Spirit, Corporate Principles, and CSR
(2)Management policies and visions
(3)Compliance
(4)SEQCDD*
(5)Diversity
In particular, the Sumitomo Spirit is positioned as the basis for employees to perform their duties. We give them opportunities to learn about it in the training programs for new employees and various position-based training programs. In addition, we always explain the relations of the Sumitomo Spirit to compliance and human rights in the relevant training programs. Furthermore, the president asks all employees to perform their duties in accordance with the Sumitomo Spirit via a video once in six months and the video is also translated into multiple languages and distributed to Group companies in Japan and overseas. For the employees to be assigned overseas, a training program to ensure that they can convey the Sumitomo Spirit in their own words in their new workplaces is organized before the transfer. We are also cultivating internal lecturers to enable the Sumitomo Spirit to be learned periodically in Group companies in Japan and abroad.
*SEQCDD stands for safety, environment, quality, cost, delivery and development, which are fundamental components in the business activities of the Sumitomo Electric Group.
Global Common Knowledge (GCK)
In the rapidly changing business environment, while it is getting increasingly important to improve the competence of employees, the items to be thoroughly learned by employees for the strengthening of corporate governance have also been diversified. Based on this situation, we have organized and integrated the training programs and know-how that have been cultivated since the establishment of the SEI University to present them in a systematic manner as Global Common Knowledge and skills (GCK). This initiative aims to clarify the content that should be thoroughly learned on a global scale and also provide an indicator for our Group companies in Japan and overseas to further improve their understanding of the training programs to be introduced in response to their respective challenges and set priorities for the programs. With the GCK at center, we are enhancing e-learning programs, contributing to increased opportunities to provide education at a global scale.
Promotion of Dialogue on Career
In order for each of the employees to grow, they have to design their career visions based on their own values and ways of life and strive to realize the visions. They can improve their abilities by actively engaging in self-development and using the abilities developed through on-the-job training to do more challenging jobs. The Sumitomo Electric Group, which aims to establish a win-win relationship where the improvement of necessary skills by the employees through their jobs also results in the growth and development of the Group, supports employees for the purpose. While organizing training sessions on how to proceed with dialogues on career for superiors, we also provide employees in their fifth year, newly promoted managers and employees who have reached a milestone in their careers, such as age 45 or 55, with training to consider their future career according to their respective positions and ages. If they wish, they can receive career counseling from in-house career consultants after the training.
DX Talent
We position DX promotion as a company-wide initiative for business reform and improvement, and the human resources necessary to promote it are defined as “core DX talent *1” and “data analysts *2,” expanding the training menu to enhance development of such human resources.
*1 Core DX talent are human resources who can solve issues for the division through efforts using digital technology
*2 Data analysts are human resources who know how to visualize and analyze data and can apply them under guidance
Addressing Globalization across the Group
To promote human resources development across the Sumitomo Electric Group, we provide employees of our Group companies in Japan with opportunities to attend training sessions organized by Sumitomo Electric. The number of the participants from our Group companies in Japan in the training for new employees, mid-career employees and newly promoted personnel is increasing year by year.
When it is difficult for a Group company to run training programs, internal lecturers are delegated from Sumitomo Electric to provide necessary training and other services.
Meanwhile, for Group companies overseas, to promote human resource development that meets local demand, we periodically discuss the planning and operation of various training programs (mainly for non-managerial employees) at HR manager meetings held in each country. In addition, we engage in discussions with personnel in charge of human resources and human resource development in Japan and overseas on issues related to the Group’s human resource development and training sessions shared globally.
We also organize the following training programs for executives and managers commonly in Japan and overseas.
Overview of Global Common Training Programs
Executive training program
Target：Executive
A hands-on program that involves teamwork to tackle actual management issues
We foster executives not only by offering action learning opportunities but also by helping them understand the Sumitomo Spirit and acquire management knowledge and by organizing leadership workshops. This program is held once a year and attended by about 35 employees each time.
Global Leadership Development Program (GLP)
Target：General Manager
Designed to instill the history of Sumitomo and the Sumitomo Spirit, develop leadership ability, and form a global network, this program fosters human resources who can show leadership in a global business environment through online training and group in-person training.
SEG Management Program based on the Sumitomo Spirit (MPSS)
Target:Manager
Designed to diffuse the Sumitomo Spirit and improve management skills, this program provides the sessions in cities in Germany, the United States, Singapore, China (Shanghai and Shenzhen), Mexico and Japan.
Please see the CSR Book 2024 for the record of the training sessions.
Cultivation of Manufacturing Personnel
Basic Concept
Training programs aimed at developing manufacturing personnel are conducted mainly at the Technical Training Center, which was established in October 2008 in the Itami Works.
Guided by the basic concept that “manufacturing is human resources development,” we promote the cultivation of manufacturing personnel through the three main initiatives ① key personnel training; ② technical and skill training; and ③ basic training on manufacturing so that we can inherit the good technologies and skills cultivated by the Sumitomo Electric Group and enhance its manufacturing capabilities.
