Japan
Sustainability Report 2023The Suzuki Group Code of Conduct, which applies to all those working in the Suzuki Group, addresses making a workplace that does not have any discrimination or harassment due to gender, age, nationality, race, religion, etc. A variety of human resources regardless of gender, age and nationality are active in various departments.
We will maintain and improve our working environment so that a wide variety of human resources can work actively.
| Unit | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employees | Male | 13,808 | 13,932 | 14,220 | 14,326 | 14,503 | |
| Female | 1,623 | 1,714 | 1,853 | 1,941 | 2,047 | ||
| Total | 15,431 | 15,646 | 16,073 | 16,267 | 16,550 | ||
| Employees with job titles | Male | 4,339 | 4,403 | 4,577 | 4,695 | 4,892 | |
| Female | 98 | 114 | 132 | 136 | 156 | ||
| Total | 4,437 | 4,517 | 4,709 | 4,831 | 5,048 | ||
| Managers | Male | 1,066 | 1,121 | 1,185 | 1,248 | 1,282 | |
| Female | 14 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 21 | ||
| Total | 1,080 | 1,139 | 1,203 | 1,268 | 1,303 | ||
| Percentage of employees with disabilities | % | 2.14 | 2.20 | 2.23 | 2.35 | 2.44 | |
| New recruits | Male | 445 | 569 | 651 | 451 | 567 | |
| Female | 118 | 139 | 168 | 144 | 152 | ||
| Total | 563 | 708 | 819 | 595 | 719 | ||
| College graduates | Male | 396 | 413 | 474 | 285 | 383 | |
| Female | 79 | 81 | 103 | 67 | 61 | ||
| Total | 475 | 494 | 577 | 352 | 444 | ||
| Turnover rate | % | 3.90 | 3.10 | 2.21 | 2.85 | 3.04 | |
| Paid leave utilization rate | % | 73.7 | 77.2 | 75.0 | 85.4 | 81.4 | |
Mid-career recruitment
To secure a diverse range of human resources, Suzuki has been focusing on mid-career recruitment in recent years in addition to new graduate recruitment. In FY2022, the Company hired 105 people (a 44% (43 person) increase over the previous year). In FY2023, Suzuki continues to rapidly bring on talent from outside the Company, with mid-career recruitment already reaching 84 people (as of the end of April). Furthermore, Suzuki has established a new employment format that is not limited to the existing personnel system for certain human resources who possess knowledge and experience that the Company does not have at all. This new employment format was implemented beginning in June 2023.
Recruitment of non-Japanese personnel
Suzuki is focusing on the recruitment of digital professionals to develop next-generation technology. Since 2018, Suzuki has directly hired graduates of the Indian Institutes of Technology (10 people as of April 2023). In the Indian market, where Suzuki is strong, the Company is working with Maruti Suzuki India to strengthen its competitiveness.
Re-employment
Employees 60 and over make up 5.9% of the workforce (as of March 2023). The Company has revised the re-employment system for managers so that these personnel can work vibrantly leveraging their past experience and knowledge, while maintaining their physical fitness and health. If job tasks remain at the same level after the age of 60 and above, remuneration has been improved to the same level as before the retirement age. In the future, Suzuki plans to expand this system to union members in order to encourage the success of experienced human resources regardless of post.
Women
Initiatives to promote participation by women
To further create workplaces where women can work successfully, Suzuki has increased the number of new female graduate recruits since 2015. Since 2020, the Company has also set a target to triple the number of female employees with job titles in 2025 compared with the number in FY2015, and it is working to increase the number of female employees with job titles who are candidates for manager roles. The number of female employees with job titles in FY2022 was 156, which was 2.9 times more than in FY2015.
Meanwhile, the number of female managers was 21 as of FY2022 (ratio of female managers: 1.6%). Suzuki is reviewing its personnel system to determine whether it is assigning work to all employees based on their competence, regardless of post, occupation, or gender, and compensating them for that work. From the perspective of impartiality, Suzuki believes that it is reasonable to expect the gender ratio to be almost equal in each type of post, such as general employee, officer, or manager. Based on this belief, Suzuki believes that the ratio of women to all employees (12.4% in FY2022) should be the future target for the ratio of female managers, which the Company should achieve. Suzuki will work on personnel system reforms, development of the environment and human resources development so that the ratio of female managers reaches 2.0% by FY2025.
Furthermore, Suzuki considers the low ratio of women in the automobile industry to be an issue. Suzuki is striving to realize ease of work so that everyone, regardless of gender, age or disability, can work comfortably in all its workplaces, including production plants. To that end, the Company will take steps such as fundamentally improving work environments through production technology innovation.
| Gender wage gap for workers (%)* | ||
|---|---|---|
| All workers | Full-time workers | Part-time workers, temporary workers |
| 64.4 | 64.0 | 67.5 |
- * Data from Suzuki Motor Corporation, calculated based on the provisions of the Act on the Promotion of Women’s Active Engagement in Professional Life (Act No. 64 of 2015)
Action Plan based on the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace
1. Term of plan
From April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2025 (5 years)
2. Issues
- Low ratio of female managers
- Low rate of paid annual leave taken by all employees including managers
3. Target
- (1) Triple the number of female employees with job titles in 2025 compared to FY2015, before the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace was enforced (Increased by 2.9 times in FY2022)
- (2) Improve rate of paid annual leave taken by all employees, including managers, by 10% compared to FY2018 in 2025 (Achieved 10% improvement in FY2022)
4. Actions to take
Action 1: Reinforce awareness of existing measures to promote flexible work styles, and promote using them
◆ Education regarding work and family balancing (conducted at training by employment year / managerial hierarchy)
- From the first half of FY2020:
- Conduct training to promote understanding among employees with a job title
- Conduct explanations and promotions of the work and family balancing system for young employees
- From the first half of FY2021:
- Conduct explanations and promotions of the work and family balancing system to new employees
◆ Communicating information regarding work and family balancing
- From the first half of FY2020:
- Hold gatherings of employees taking childcare leave ahead of their reinstatement (twice a year)
- Explanations of the work and family balancing system, exchanges of opinion with employees who have taken childcare leave, exchanges of information among employees taking childcare leave, provision of information regarding postpartum care from an industrial doctor, individual consultations, etc.
- From the first half of FY2021:
- Set up an internal webpage regarding information on work and family balancing support
Action 2: Enhance awareness of promotion to take paid leave, and consider measures to promote taking leave
◆ Inform regarding the status of paid leave taken, and promote using paid leave
- From the second half of FY2020:
- Disclose the status of paid leave taken by each department on the internal website to promote taking leave
- From the first half of FY2021:
- Renew the attendance recording system so that employees themselves can easily ascertain the status of paid leave taken
Other initiatives besides the above include:
- Develop abilities for planned assignment in positions and job types where women are under-represented
- Strengthen systematic human resource development, including the acquisition of work experience and business knowledge necessary for women to become managers
- Initiatives to create workplace environments and culture where men and women are equal
Going forward, the Company will take various initiatives to become a company where female employees can demonstrate their abilities and work successfully.
Employment of people with disabilities
Suzuki strives to create a working environment where people with disabilities can continue to work at ease. We appoint a specialist in charge of employing people with disabilities, as well as a psychiatric social worker in the Human Resources Department to provide individual consultations periodically and also assign a vocational life consultant for persons with disabilities to each workplace to care for their problems.
●Business development of special subsidiary Suzuki Support
Suzuki Support Co., Ltd., a special subsidiary company established in February 2005, has been conducting business activities for 18 years. As of the end of July 2023, 82 employees with disabilities, including those with severe disabilities, are performing janitorial services at Suzuki’s head office, employee dormitories and related facilities and stationery management services, as well as farm work at Suzuki’s farm together with supervisors.
Their sincere and cheerful attitude toward work greatly encourages all the people in Suzuki.
Suzuki will, through Suzuki Support, continue to actively employ people with disabilities for them to feel happiness through working and to grow as people through social participation in line with the philosophy behind the establishment of Suzuki Support, which is to contribute to society.
[Summary of Suzuki Support]
- 1. Company name
- Suzuki Support Co., Ltd.
- 2. Capital
- ¥10 million
- 3. Capital investor
- Suzuki Motor Corporation
- 4. Location
- 300 Takatsuka-cho, Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
- 5. Establishment
- February 2005
- 6. Business category
- Janitorial services, stationery management, farming production
- 7. Representative
- Yusuke Kato
- 8. Number of employees
- 129 (incl. 82 employees with disabilities)
Efforts to create a positive working environment
We believe that it is necessary to create a working environment where employees who carry out business activities can maximize their motivations and abilities in a mentally and physically fulfilling condition and work actively. Various support systems are employed to adapt to diversifying working environments.
Moreover, by creating comfortable working environments, we are raising awareness of how this improves employees’ motivation to increase productivity.
Initiatives for shortening overtime working hours
Initiatives are taken to shorten working hours by introducing various systems as appropriate to prevent employees becoming ill due to long working hours.
- Strict management of overtime working hours based on total working hours
- Introduction of flexible time system to reduce late-night overtime
- Introduction of interval norms between working hours to ensure rest time within working hours
- Setting a day with no overtime work aimed for work and life balancing
Consultation service, etc.
As a consultation service that specializes in human resources matters including harassment in the workplace, and consultations relating to safety, health, and mental health, the Human Resources and Administration Consultation Service is open. In addition to the consultation service, an Improvement Proposal Box is located at cafeterias and offices, allowing every employee to easily make a proposal on work improvements or request a consultation. We have also set up the Mental Health Consultation Room with a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. An external counseling service (EAP: Employee Assistance Program) has also been introduced.
System for supporting work and family balancing
We are creating a working environment where employees with motivation and ability can continue working through a system that enables employees to choose from various working styles. We are enhancing awareness of work and family balancing in the entire workplace and promoting an employee-friendly working atmosphere.
●Short hours system (childcare and family-care shortening hours)
We have adopted a system to shorten daily working hours based on application by employees raising children in the sixth grade or younger, or employees with family members in need of nursing care. In FY2022, 323 employees used this system. The employees applying for this system are exempt from work beyond prescribed working hours in principle.
●Leave of absence system (childcare and family-care leave)
Many employees, both men and women, who need to concentrate on childcare or nursing care use the leave of absence system. In FY2022, 299 employees used this system. When taking a leave of absence to care for family members, employees are allowed to take family-care leave for up to 365 days in total per subject family member.
From April 2022, to create an atmosphere in which it is easier for men to take part in child-raising, the newly established birth leave for childcare of up to five days can be taken upon the birth of a child, in addition to the existing two days of spouse child birth leave.
●Life Support Leave
Separately from paid leave, we have introduced the Life Support Leave system, which allows employees to take leave for injury or illness, nursing care of parents or children, infertility treatment, and bone marrow donation.
●Acquired 2022 Kurumin accreditation
In accordance with the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children, Suzuki has been certified by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (Kurumin certification) as a company that supports child raising and satisfies certification requirements such as formulating and implementing a general business owner action plan regarding balancing work and child raising for workers.
| Unit | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare | Number of employees using the reduced work hour system for childcare |
Man | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 11 | |
| Female | 229 | 251 | 278 | 289 | 312 | |||
| Total | 232 | 256 | 285 | 298 | 323 | |||
| Number of employees using the childcare leave system |
Man | 13 | 23 | 63 | 90 | 213 | ||
| Female | 91 | 94 | 80 | 96 | 86 | |||
| Total | 104 | 117 | 143 | 186 | 299 | |||
| Male rate of taking childcare leave | % | - | - | - | 17.7 | 43.5 | ||
| Reinstatement rate of employees using the childcare leave system |
Man | % | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 99.1 | |
| Female | % | 95.9 | 97.8 | 96.6 | 98.7 | 96.8 | ||
| Total | % | 96.3 | 98.1 | 97.4 | 99.3 | 98.0 | ||
| Family-care | Number of employees using the reduced work hour system for family-care |
Man | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Female | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | |||
| Total | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | |||
| Number of employees using the family-care leave system |
Man | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Female | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | |||
| Reinstatement rate of employees using the family-care leave system |
Man | % | 25.0 | - | 66.67 | 33.3 | 66.6 | |
| Female | % | 100.0 | 100.0 | 50.0 | 33.3 | − | ||
| Total | % | 50.0 | 100.0 | 60.0 | 33.3 | 66.6 | ||
●Information sharing seminar for parents
Suzuki has restarted an information sharing seminar for parents, which had been cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. The seminar is intended for employees taking childcare leave and their spouses. It is held to create a system that allows employees to return to the workplace smoothly without feeling anxious, and to easily seek consultation after they are reinstated by sharing the experiences of employees who have returned to work from childcare leave and exchanging information among employees. The seminar is also held to give married couples a deeper understanding of childcare in dual-income households.
Suzuki’s industrial physician for obstetrics-gynecology provides workshops on postnatal health, childcare, breastfeeding and weaning at the information sharing seminar. These workshops have proven highly popular among participating employees.
At the information sharing seminar for parents
●Online consultation service for pediatrics and obstetrics-gynecology
Since April 2023, Suzuki has introduced a service that allows users to easily consult specialists on issues related to pregnancy, infertility, childbirth, childcare, and women’s health online from their smartphones anytime, anywhere. With this service, Suzuki aims to create an environment in which employees and their families in Japan, as well as personnel stationed overseas and their accompanying family members, can find solutions to issues and work with even greater peace of mind.
TOPICSSuzuki introduces Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics Online
From April 2023, Suzuki has introduced the Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics Online service provided by Kids Public Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), in order to facilitate the creation of an environment in which employees can work with peace of mind.
The Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics Online service allows people to consult with obstetricians-gynecologists, midwives, and pediatricians online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from anywhere in the world. Introducing this service will enable employees and their families to easily consult with specialists on childbirth and childcare, and children’s health issues, as well as infertility treatment and health issues specific to women. With this service, Suzuki will create an environment in which employees can work with peace of mind.
Under the health management slogan of “Happy customers are created by happy employees!” all Suzuki employees practice teamwork and make a concerted effort to implement health management as Team Suzuki. Thanks to these efforts, the Company has been certified as a Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. In addition, Suzuki has received the Kurumin certification of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare by introducing various support programs such as a work-from-home system so that it can address employees’ diverse work styles.
Suzuki will continue working to create a workplace environment in which employees can work energetically, while transforming their awareness of workstyles.
■ Overview of Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics Online
| Eligible users | Suzuki’s employees and their family members |
|---|---|
| Consultation topics | Issues related to women’s health (childbirth, infertility treatment, menstrual irregularities, menopausal symptoms, etc.) and issues related to children’s health and childcare |
| Consultation methods | Text messaging, video call, LINE (text messaging, voice call, video call) |
| Service provider |
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