D&I

Harnessing Diversity as a Strength to Navigate Unpredictable Times

Hiring people from diverse backgrounds and harnessing that diversity is becoming increasingly important for companies. At the NKC Group, we are committed to diversity and inclusion (D&I), aiming to build an organization where everyone, regardless of age, gender, nationality, or disability, can fully demonstrate their individuality and abilities. In 2022, we launched D&I Lab., a cross-departmental project that explores diversity management from employees’ perspectives. With the principles of 5W1H and PDCA in mind, we are fostering an environment where every individual feels a sense of purpose and ownership in their work.

*5W1H: Clarifying for whom, when, and what to do
PDCA: How to promote, develop, and sustain continuous improvement

Basic Policy

The NKC Group actively recruits people with diverse attributes, not only in terms of gender and gender identity, age, race and nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs, and values, but also in career background, experience, work style, and latent abilities or characteristics. We aim to build an organization where each individual can thrive in the way that allows them to perform at their highest potential: without adhering to uniform role models, and by welcoming new styles of contribution and success.

Key Initiatives

1. Active recruitment and promotion of women, foreign nationals, and persons with disabilities

   By promoting diversity among organizational members and those involved in policy decision-making, we aim to drive breakthroughs in business processes and workplace improvement. This will make it possible to create new value through the genuine utilization of diverse talent and the collaboration among people with different backgrounds.

2. Work style reforms through reduced overtime, promotion of paid leave and paternity leave, and use of remote work

   By reducing overtime and encouraging the use of paid leave, we aim to shorten total annual working hours, eliminate work dependence on individuals, and improve operational efficiency. Furthermore, by establishing a hybrid work style that incorporates remote work, we seek to mitigate business stagnation risks arising from pandemics, natural disasters, or employee illness, while creating an environment where employees can continue working with peace of mind.

3. Support for balancing career development with parenting, caregiving, medical treatment, learning, or side work

   To prevent career stagnation or resignation due to personal circumstances, we are developing systems and support structures that enable long-term growth and engagement. These include promoting new challenges through internal job postings and approval of side jobs.

4. Promoting understanding of D&I and eliminating harassment

   It is essential that each employee understands the importance of Diversity & Inclusion as a management strategy and engages in small, daily efforts to advance it. The greatest obstacle to such efforts is the various forms of harassment that stem from ignorance and prejudice. Through training programs and internal communication, we aim to deepen every employee’s understanding of D&I and eradicate harassment from the workplace.

Past Awards and Recognition

Recipient of the Gender Equality Excellence Award

The Company received the Gender Equality Excellence Award at the 7th Osaka Prefectural Gender Equality Business Awards.
This award is presented to companies that have achieved outstanding results under the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace and serve as exemplary models for other organizations.
The following initiatives were recognized as key factors in our selection:

• Focusing not only on improving childcare leave acquisition rates but also on enhancing the duration and quality of leave.
• Conducting employee training (e-learning) to deepen understanding of childcare leave systems, not just among those taking leave but throughout the entire company.
• Continuing an intermittent working hours system, which allows flexible scheduling through the use of flextime, even after the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby enabling employees to adjust their working hours according to personal circumstances.

Recipient of the Grand Prize at the Osaka City Women’s Empowerment Leading Company Mayor’s Awards

The Company received the Grand Prize at the fiscal 2024 Osaka City Women’s Empowerment Leading Company Mayor’s Awards.
This award recognizes organizations certified as Osaka City Women’s Empowerment Leading Companies for actively promoting workplace environments where women can thrive, with special commendation given to those demonstrating outstanding initiatives.
The following initiatives were recognized as reasons for the award:

• Creating a recruitment brochure specifically for women and actively hiring female employees.
• Promoting the conversion of non-regular employees to regular employment, thereby fostering talent development and career growth.
• Ensuring thorough communication of company policies and systems regarding paternity leave to all employees.
• Providing e-learning training on childcare leave for supervisors and colleagues, enabling the organization as a whole to better understand and support such initiatives.

Recognized as an Outstanding Employer of Persons with Disabilities

The Company was honored as an Outstanding Employer of Persons with Disabilities at the fiscal 2024 Commendation Ceremony for Senior and Disabled Employment organized by the Osaka Labour Bureau and the Osaka Employment Development Association.
This award recognizes organizations and individuals who have made exceptional efforts to promote the employment and job stability of persons with disabilities through active and sustained hiring.
The Company was commended for its long-standing commitment to employing persons with disabilities, maintaining a rate well above the legally mandated employment ratio, and achieving a high employee retention rate.

Examples of D&I Activities