We ensure fair and equitable hiring by strictly prohibiting unfair discrimination and involving certified human rights advocates in the selection process. We set ambitious diversity goals and embed mandatory onboarding programs that reinforce its strategic value, ensuring inclusion is integral to our corporate culture from day one.
We recognize that the participation of women in management is extremely important to improving corporate value. First, to identify the current challenges our company faces, we formed units consisting solely of females in departments with few female employees.
We promoted the identification of issues evident from their perspective and the exchange of opinions.
As our employees discuss how to solve these challenges via such discussions, we have been able to create an environment that is more amenable to female employees to work, such as with the adoption of a staggered working hours system. This system also helps male employees participate in childcare, and has therefore had a positive impact on both male and female employees.
In regard to developing female leaders, we have been conducting career training programs at least once a year, and more of our female employees have been joining than ever before. Moreover, we expanded the system to include affiliated companies starting in FY2023, making this an initiative for the entire Oiles Group. Furthermore, roundtable discussions involving female managers and female employees were held to encourage interaction between the two groups, providing female employees with an opportunity to heighten their interest in management duties.
In regard to recruitment, we aim for about 30% of our new graduate hires to be female employees and are actively involved in efforts to achieve this target, such as increasing the frequency of information sessions for female students.
As these activities continued, our company received Eruboshi certification from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in FY2023 for our initiatives promoting the advancement of women. As part of our efforts outside the company, we have held science events for elementary school children (called “Oiles Workshops”) from FY2022, in order to help increase the number of female students studying science. We promote these events across a wide area and even held them at our Shiga Plant in August 2024.
