Diversity & Inclusion
We aim to utilize diverse talents
The Global HRM 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 national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability, the promotion of diversity & inclusion (D&I) and the development of global leaders, in order to accelerate our global human resource recruitment, promotion and development.We have declared the policy to inform people in and outside of the Group about it.
To realize diversity and inclusion, it is significant to not only support diversity but also ensure that the employees show collective strength for achieving the same goal in an organization where their diversity is accepted and utilized and all of them can work actively with a sense of satisfaction and show their abilities to the fullest. We are taking various initiatives for this purpose.
The initiatives described below are those we have implemented in Japan.
Our subsidiaries across the globe may implement other programs that are consistent with the concept of equal employment opportunity and applicable local laws.
Please see the following page for the HRM Policy.
Global Grade
System and SEG Global Executives
We have adopted the Global Grade System, which is a human resource development system that allows talented and qualified persons to seek career development beyond the borders of individual companies to engage in the management of Group companies in Japan and overseas or perform even higher duties. We give board members and equivalents from overseas subsidiaries, except for those of listed companies, the global leader (GL) grade, and recognize them as SEG Global Executives. At present 42 persons, most of whom are executives of overseas Group companies, are recognized as the SEG Global Executives. They are provided with a wide range of career opportunities to help them play more active roles as global leaders.
Distribution of Group Magazine
We distribute a monthly publication called "Sumitomo Electric Group TODAY" to our employees around the world. It is published in six languages. "Sumitomo Electric Group TODAY" aims to promote understanding and appreciation of Sumitomo's business spirit, the management philosophy and policies of the Sumitomo Electric Group, and our vision. It disseminates information such as interviews with global executives and business activities in various countries, and strives to foster information sharing and a sense of unity among global employees towards the realization of a "Glorious Excellent Company".
Recruitment of Diverse Human Resources
We believe that diversity is to accept a set of different values and unify them toward the same goal, transforming the differences into our strengths.
To support the development of our various business activities including those in new fields and global markets, we continue to actively recruit women, foreign students, mid-career employees and other diverse personnel.
Women's Empowerment
We strive for women’s empowerment with the recognition that it is one of the driving forces to promote diversity and inclusion
While paying attention to various aspects of diversity, we consider women's empowerment, which is one of the most familiar issues in the company, to be the first step toward promoting the establishment of an organization where employees with various attributes can feel rewarded and show their abilities to the fullest. With this recognition, we are working to take various measures, including the enhancement of organizational power and the creation of culture to develop human resources.
《 Support of Career Development 》
Women are more susceptible to life events and accordingly tend to have difficulty in imagining their career path. Therefore, we launched a training program for managers to understand the necessity and importance of developing female subordinates and manage female subordinates in a way to motivate them in 2016. We also initiated a“ mentoring program” for female managers and assistant managers elected from different divisions in fiscal 2021, which aims to support the autonomous career development of female employees and create an environment for human resource development that makes use of their individuality.
Evaluation by External Organizations
《 Certification with “L-boshi” 》
We were certified with“ L-boshi (3 stars)” in August 2016. L-boshi ('L Star': L stands for Lady, Labour and Laudable) is a certification granted by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan to companies that are outstanding in terms of encouraging women to play more active roles based on the Act of Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace.
《Selected as a Nadeshiko Brand 》
In recognition of its outstanding achievement in the encouragement of women to work actively, as well as the attractiveness of the brand that focuses on the medium to long term improvement of corporate value, Sumitomo Electric was selected as an FY2023 Nadeshiko Brand among listed companies by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and the Tokyo Stock Exchange in March 2024 for the fifth time following the first in 2017, the second in 2019, the third in 2021 and the forth in 2022.
Promotion of Employment of the Persons with Physical or Mental Disabilities
As part of our efforts to recruit diverse personnel, we have steadily worked to employ persons with physical or mental disabilities. With the aim of further promoting the employment of persons with disabilities and improving their employment rate, we established Sumiden Friend, Ltd. in July 2008, which was certified as a special subsidiary under the Act for Employment Promotion etc. of the Disabled in February 2009.
This company is engaged in greening activities, such as the rental and maintenance of foliage plants in our company and Group companies, and the job of stuffing bags with buffer materials for the packaging of our products. It is expanding its business scope, and is now involved in converting drawings into electronic data with the use of PCs, and shredding and recycling used paper.
* There is a corporate group application system, in which disabled employees of a special subsidiary are considered to be the parent company’s (or corporate group’s) employees when calculating the percentage of disabled employees.
