We believe that when each employee realizes a good balance between work and private life, power is generated to create new value. Therefore we promote the Work-Life Balance Project, which attaches great importance to diverse values and lifestyles, with a view to fostering individual fulfillment and expanding our sound business activity, while achieving prosperity and realizing dreams.
The company-wide "Work-Life Balance Project Team" has a central role, with employees and the company continuously cooperating to deliberate, develop and promote work-life measures and policies.
(1) Creating more flexible and supportive work environments
We create more flexible and supportive work environments by helping employees eliminate problems and concerns so that they can engage in their work actively and comfortably.
(2) Awareness-raising
We promote awareness-raising activities (educational activities) through communication, training programs and the like, in order for employees to become more aware of Work-Life Balance and actually adopt the concept in their lives.
The "Kurumin" certification granted by the MHLW signifies a company that supports parenting of the next generation.
Sumitomo Corporation obtained the "Kurumin" certification, MHLW's recognition mark. The certification is granted to a company recognized by the MHLW when its planning, implementation and performance of supportive measures to parenting employees meet certain requirements as prescribed by Next Generation Nurturing Support Measures Promotion Law. We see this as the fruit of the WLB initiatives that we have conducted up to now.
Sumitomo Corporation Becomes a Supporter of the “Ikumen Project” launched by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
(Japanese Only)
The “Ikumen Project” is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to raise public awareness so that working men will actively participate in child rearing and take child-care leave.
[Sumitomo’s Declaration as an Ikumen Supporter]
Sumitomo Corporation believes that the enrichment of every aspect of the life of each employee, including their working lives, will give rise to new vitality and lead to the creation of new value.
We have only a limited period in our lives in which we can be involved in parenting. We can also learn a lot from raising children, both as parents and as human beings.
Sumitomo Corporation supports its “ikumen” employees, who give their best in both their work and family lives, seeking their own continuous growth and development.
Steps in the WLB Project to date
| Mar 2005 | A WLB initiative in human resources management presented to the Management Council. |
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| Apr 2005 | Company-wide Work-Life Balance Promotion Project Team established. |
| Jul 2005 | The CEO urged to solve the overtime issue immediately. (The Human Resources Dept. issued a notice to the effect that overtime was to be basically prohibited, even for managers, together with a simultaneous reduction in overtime were to be included in the appraisal list.) |
| Aug 2005 | Work-Life Balance Policy formulated. (Defining the WLB initiatives that contribute to "achieving prosperity and realizing dreams" as stated in the Management Principles.) |
| Jun 2006 | WLB booklet published and copies distributed to all employees. |
| Jul 2006 | The CEO took up the message of "paid leave utilization and reduction of overtime for sustainable corporate growth." |
| Apr 2007 | "Four Focuses in Quality Improvement: quality improvements in human resources and working styles" announced in the medium-term management plan(GG plan), positioning WLB in perspective. |
| Apr 2008 | Participation in "The Work-Life Balance Promotion Project" by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan). |
| Apr 2009 | “Development of human and organizational dynamism to enhance value-creation capability” announced in the medium-term management plan (FOCOS ’10) |
| May 2010 | Work-Life Balance Promotion Pamphlet published and copies distributed to all employees. |
