Sustainability
Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management
Fostering mutual respect and valuing people
Basic Approach
The Nitta Group has made “respect” one of the core values of its Group Mission, and it has included “Respecting and valuing all people leading to beneficial contributions to society and the global environment” in its Principles. In addition, our Code of Conduct and Practices Book incorporate the rules listed below, reflecting our commitment to ensure the Code is followed by actively spreading awareness.
Mutual Respect and a Comfortable Work Environment
-
We respect employee diversity, personhood, and individuality, and we strive to create a comfortable work environment that takes into account physical and mental health as well as safety.
- 4-1 We strive to create a workplace free of discrimination on the basis of nationality, ethnicity, gender, age, educational background, job title, or any other attribute, where employees recognize one another as partners and cooperate while making the most of their respective skills and motivations.
- 4-2 We respect each employee’s human rights, personhood, and individuality.
- 4-3 We strive to create a work environment conducive to peace of mind by aggressively eliminating all forms of harassment, including behavior that would make others uncomfortable, compromise their dignity, expose them to disadvantageous treatment, or make them feel threatened.
- 4-4 We do not permit political activity or the promotion of religion in the workplace.
- 4-5 We strive to create a healthy, safe, and comfortable work environment.
Co-existence with the International Community
-
In the global conduct of our business activities, we strive to contribute to the development of the economy and society in the countries and regions in which we do business by respecting human rights and international rules and taking into consideration the culture and customs of each country and region as well as stakeholder interest.
- 7-1 In conducting our global business activities, we respect international rules, culture, and customs and strive to build relationships with business partners that are characterized by mutual cooperation and trust.
- 7-2 We respect human rights and do not permit discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, or any other attribute.
- 7-3 We neither use unjust labor, including child labor or forced labor, nor permit our business partners to do so.
Human Resource Development Policy
Reflecting its belief that human resources are its greatest management resource, the Nitta Group trains human resources so that they can conduct themselves in a way that accords with the Group Mission’s Principles.
We believe that human resource development begins when an employee is hired, and, in keeping with the NITTA Group’s Code of Conduct and Practices Book, we hire optimal human resources that are deemed to possess the skills and abilities required by the company, without regard to their gender, nationality, or mode of hire (whether as a new graduate or mid-career hire). In this way, we realize employee diversity and foster the development of individual employees through appropriate and effective methods that empower them to make the most of a diverse range of skills and abilities.
Specifically, employees are trained in accordance with the Nitta Human Resource Development Program while respecting their individuality and autonomy in order to achieve the management targets established in medium- to long-term business plans. Employees with an appetite to learn more are given opportunities like working at an overseas facility or studying at an English-language school. We also offer group training and other programs to reliably assess individual employees’ aptitude and skills in an effort to improve the Nitta Group’s human capital and to prepare employees for promotion to supervisory positions.
Internal Environment Improvement Policy
In order for the company to continue to grow in a continually changing environment, it is important to foster a work environment in which employees can do their jobs in a healthy, energetic manner and with peace of mind.
To that end, we strive to realize three types of health (a healthy body, a healthy mind, and a healthy workplace) through efforts under the NITTA Health Management Declaration.
Specifically, we work to realize barrier-free facilities, provide support to employees with parenting or nursing care responsibilities, prevent overwork, address all forms of harassment, and maintain and improve physical and mental health.
Human Resource Development
We’ve established and continue to implement the Nitta Human Resource Development Program.
The Nitta Human Resource Development Program consists of two parts: a Career Development Program and a Training Tower Program.
- 1.Career Development Program
Employees take part in this self-development program proactively and autonomously.
It offers a variety of learning opportunities to all employees through correspondence learning, e-learning, and other formats.
Management training
→ Leadership, training of subordinates, feedback Business skills training
→ Logical thinking, accounting, computer skills Communication training
→ Reporting, notifying, and consulting; communication skills; presentation skills Global training
→ Global consciousness, language study, international outlook Work-life balance training
→ Mindfulness, dealing with stress, financial planning - 2.Training Tower Program This program offers employees a variety of skill development opportunities to further their careers. Training consists of level-specific and theme-based group training. (See figure below.)
Fostering a Dynamic Work Environment
Reflecting our belief that human resources are our greatest management resource, we aim to train human resources who can flexibly respond to change and to foster a work environment where employees can take joy and pride in their work.
We’re making it easier for employees to do their jobs by establishing programs that allow them to take leave for parenting, family care, birthdays, and refreshment purposes.
In addition, we’re realizing barrier-free factories in an effort to create an environment where disabled and abled-bodied employees can work pleasantly side by side.
Creating a Comfortable Work Environment Where Safety Is Top Priority
We earned certification for our occupational health and safety management system (OHSAS 18001) in January 2004 and transitioned to ISO 45001 in January 2020. To achieve a safe, comfortable work environment, we aim to realize hazard-free workplaces through all-hands initiatives, including conducting a risk assessment for each worksite, establishing goals, and undertaking a variety of activities, while making ongoing improvements. In 2007, we installed AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) at our head office, branches, and plants and offered lessons on how to use them.
Promoting Diversity
To implement new businesses, accelerate new-product development, and globalize our operations, we consider it essential to broaden employee diversity.
In keeping with that belief, we hire and promote optimal human resources with the skills and abilities needed by the company, without regard to gender, nationality, mode of hire, disability, or any other attribute.
As part of that approach, we continue to make use of mid-career hiring.
Percentage of Mid-career Hires As Required by the Act on Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies
| FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | |
| Mid-career hires as a percentage of all full-time employees | 37% | 31% | 34% |
Announced June 12, 2023
Active Participation by Women
To open up greater opportunities to female employees, we’ve formulated a general employer action plan in accordance with the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace and the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children. The plan can be found on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s gender equality and work-life balance website.
As of April 1, 2022, Nitta had 261 female employees, or 22.9% of the total number of employees. Counting only clerical positions, there were 132 female employees, or 76.7% of the total. As part of our efforts to increase opportunities for women to play an active role, we changed rules that restricted employees to specialist (expert) staff positions when promoted from clerical to managerial positions. The new rules allow employees to be promoted from clerical to managerial and planning positions. In fact one female employee was promoted from a clerical position to a managerial position this year.
We have 15 female managers, including one at the senior department manager level, one at the department manager level, one at the deputy department manager level, and 12 managers. To continue increasing the number of female candidates for promotion to management and planning positions, we plan to improve the rate of paid leaves taken, offer shortened or staggered working hours during their childrearing phase, and otherwise improve the work environment to facilitate work by women, while also enhancing our education system.
Childcare Leave Utilization Rate
| FY | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women（%） | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Men（%） | 0% | 0% | 12% | 34.6% | 33.3% |
Active Participation by Foreign Nationals
Although hiring of foreign nationals is accelerating due to concerns about a shortage of Japanese workers and increased appreciation of the concept of diversity, we opened our doors to employees regardless of nationality prior to the proliferation of concerns about labor shortages due to Japan’s declining birthrate. This is not because we predicted that we would face a shortage of Japanese workers in the future. Neither is it because we had a particular need for foreign workers at the time. It’s simply because we did not use nationality as a criterion when hiring people.
While not present in large numbers, employees of foreign nationality are a natural and integral part of the company.
As with gender and age, we do not make any distinction or discriminate on the basis of nationality. That’s because nationality confers no inherent advantage or disadvantage. All employees are required to work in an equally effective manner as they fulfill their responsibilities, and all are evaluated under the same standards.
As Nitta aims for further globalization, the need for foreign human resources may increase in the future, but our stance on recruitment will remain unchanged. We recruit talented individuals regardless of nationality. This is our basic policy for promoting active participation by foreign nationals.