Japan
Sustainability Report 2023Safety and health
Basic Safety Concept
●Make safety the first priority. (Safety First)
The basis of corporate activities is “people.” The first priority must be always given to safety that protects “people.”
●All accidents are preventable.
Managers must lead the workplace, having the strong belief that “all accidents are preventable.”
●Safety is everyone’s responsibility.
While the Company conducts what it should do, every single person must take responsible actions to protect themselves.
Let’s make a culture where everyone follows the rules and mutually warns each other in the workplace.
Safety and health control system
The Central Safety and Health Committee which representatives from plants, offices and labor unions attend is held twice a year to determine basic policies related to corporate work safety, labor health and traffic safety.
In addition, the Central Safety and Health Committee conducts a central safety patrol once a year to raise safety awareness within the Company through cross-functional safety activities by inter-department crosschecks. A departmental health committee is established at each office and constantly conducts activities related to safety and health based on the policy of the Central Safety and Health Committee.
Initiatives for safety and health
Suzuki sets targets and priorities to ensure that employees may work safely, securely and in excellent health, as it pursues safety and health initiatives.
■ Initiatives in FY2022
| Target | Priorities | Specific measures | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupational Safety |
Zero serious or lost-time accidents Total number of occupational accidents of 30 or less |
Rigorous workplace safety management |
|
| Improve safety awareness and ensure safe behavior through repeated education and drills |
|
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| Prevent accidents by inexperienced workers (less than three months) and workers transferring between processes (less than one month) |
|
||
| Occupational Health |
Create a better workplace where employees can be physically and mentally healthy |
Management of chemical substances |
|
| Better working environment |
|
Risk assessment activities
Suzuki implements risk assessments mainly for prevention of risks as preemptive safety activities. Through these activities, we try to improve safety by identifying potential risks in operations and promoting countermeasures to prevent them. We introduced risk assessment for the close call cases in 2001 and have been working on risk assessment in regular operations since 2013. Moreover, risk assessments for chemical substances have been carried out since 2016. Risk assessment methods were reviewed in 2017, and based on the reviews, we reassess risk levels and work to advance various measures to reduce risks.
■ Incidence of occupational accidents
(Cases)
| FY2021 result | FY2020 result | FY2022 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Result | |||||
| Total number of occupational accidents |
62 | 75 | 30 or less | 57 | ||
| Serious and lost-time accidents |
Lost-time | 4 | 8 | 0 | 2 | |
| Serious | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| (Fatal on-site accidents)* |
0 | 0 | 0 | |||
* The number of worker fatalities was zero from FY2020 to FY2022.
■ Trends in occupational accident frequency rate
* Source: Survey on Industrial Accidents, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Health management
Health Declaration
Health Declaration
Guided by the catchphrase of “Happy customers are created by happy employees!” the Company will take on health initiatives as Team Suzuki to ensure that all employees who work at the Suzuki Group can implement the Mission Statement and work positively and energetically in excellent mental and physical health, and as a result, provide products that delight customers.
Representative Director
and President
Suzuki’s vision for health management
Promotion structure
Headed by the Representative Director and President, the Human Resources Department takes the lead in promoting employee health.
Accordingly, the department will proactively take opinions from experts, including health promoting industrial physicians, public health nurses, and nurses, and carry out activities through labor management cooperation.
In addition, the members of the Health Management Promotion Team have increased their understanding of health management by acquiring Health Management Advisor certification. They also carry out activities to promote Suzuki’s health management activities to a wide audience, both inside and outside the Company.
■ Organizational structure for promoting health and productivity management
■ Strategy map
- *1 A condition in which operational efficiency has been reduced due to some health problems
- *2 A condition in which business processes cannot be performed due to absence
- *3 A condition in which vitality (feelings of energization from work), enthusiasm (pride and work satisfaction), and immersion (enthusiasm about work) are fulfilled
■ KPIs for promoting health management
| Category | Measurement method | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2025 target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attendance ratio
➞Ratio of employees who are |
Ratio of employees who are able to complete their duties without time off due to poor mental health |
99.2％ | * | 100％ |
| Ratio of employees who are able to complete their duties without time off due to illnesses other than mental health conditions |
99.8％ | * | 100％ | |
| Presenteeism
➞A condition in which operational |
Average of employee survey results (employees’ demonstrated performance) using SPQ (Single-Item Presenteeism Question; University of Tokyo Working Group) ➞Larger scores indicate better conditions |
- | 71.0％ | 80％ |
| Work engagement
➞A condition in which vitality, |
Average of employee survey results using the short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (0: Never - 6: Always) ➞Larger scores indicate better conditions |
- | 2.71 | 3.5 |
* Data for FY2023 is not disclosed as the period is still under way.
■ Health indicators
| Category | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2025 target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of employees who received regular health checks | 100.0% | 100.0% | Continued 100% |
| Percentage of employees who underwent a thorough examination after a regular health check | 71.3% | 59% | 100% |
| Specific health check implementation rate | 99.4% | 99.5%*2 | 100% |
| Specific health guidance implementation rate | 53.1% | 57.8%*2 | 55%➞60% (Updated target because it was achieved in FY2022) |
| Stress check response rate | 95.2% | 93.0% | 95% or more |
| Smoking rate | 24.8% | 26.2% | 15% or less |
| Exercises regularly*1 (Exercises for at least 30 minutes per session at least twice a week, for one year or more) |
25.5% | 20.6% | 30% or more |
| Sufficiently rested through sleep*1 | 61.6% | 62.5% | 65% or more |
| Skips breakfast at least three times a week*1 | 17.4% | 18.6% | 10% or less |
| Drinks alcoholic beverages regularly*1 (Drinks approx. 180 ml or more per day) |
11.7% | 10.7% | 10% or less |
| Obesity ratio | 32.0% | 30.7% | 25% or less |
| Prevalence of employees showing irregularities in glucometabolic items | 14.7% | 14.2% | 12% or less |
| Prevalence of employees showing irregularities in lipid items | 29.3% | 27.5% | 25% or less |
| Prevalence of employees showing irregularities in blood pressure | 8.9% | 11.8% | 8% or less |
- *1 Calculated based on health-check questionnaire forms for regular health checks.
- *2 Disclosed based on figures aggregated as of the end of September 2023.
Specific initiatives for health management
●Initiatives for in-house dissemination
We made efforts to deepen in-house understanding of health management, related issues and efforts for those employees who wanted to know what health management is and how it relates to them. Through these efforts we significantly raised recognition of the issue from 12% (October 2022) to 74% (September 2023).
• Message sent out by the President
The President sent a message to all employees, prompting them to work in unity Company-wide under the health management slogan of “Happy customers are created by happy employees!”
• Regular communication of information
The Health Management Promotion Team publishes “Health Management News” monthly to provide employees with information on health management activities and as an effort to solicit ideas and opinions on these activities.
• Publicly seeking a character
We had employees design a mascot character to become the symbol of our health management promotion through a public campaign conducted jointly in-house by management and labor to find a name for the character.
Health management character
Captain Kenta
●Initiatives to enhance health literacy
• Informal discussion between management and employees
We regularly hold informal discussions on health management themes between members of management, including the President, and employees. Videos of the informal discussions are communicated through the Company, aiming to enhance employees’ health literacy.
The President and employees in an informal gathering
An Executive Vice President and employees in an informal gathering
• Communicating health information
The internal medical office monthly newsletter, “Hanaemi*” is produced under the concept of informing for a time when you need information, even if that time is not now.
“Hanaemi” contains close to home health information of a volume that makes it readable in about one minute.
- * Hanaemi is a yamato kotoba (Old Japanese) word that means a bright smile that blooms like a flower, or to smile like a blooming flower. The internal medical office named the character with the hope that “smiles can overflow among all of the people who work for Suzuki.”
• Internal medical office character
We had employees design a mascot character to become the symbol of the internal medical office to make the office feel like a place close to employees, and the character appeared in various situations.
Internal medical office character
Hanaemi
●Regular health checks and post-check treatments
Legally mandated regular health checkups are conducted with a target of 100% of employees undertaking them. For employees under the age of 40, we conduct health checks of all items, including a blood test and electrocardiogram. For employees aged 40 and over, we carry out complete physical checkups, with the Company bearing the expense.
The results of all health checkups are evaluated by industrial physicians, and those subject to reexamination are given a reexamination survey form, with the results checked and checkup recommended by the internal medical office. Those at high risk of contracting lifestyle-related diseases can receive consultations and guidance related to their individual issues from internal industrial physicians, public health nurses, and nurses.
●Special health checkups and health checkups for specific workers
From the viewpoint of preventing occupational diseases, we strive to reliably and effectively conduct health examinations for specific workers at risk of disease and special health checkups. We conduct twice-yearly surveys of target employees and cooperate with workplaces to check work status so that we can prevent omissions due to transfers or changes. Industrial physicians check the results of all health checkups, and based on their decision, post checkup follow-ups are provided by the internal medical office as needed.
●Prevent of health damage caused by working long hours
Employees who work more than 80 hours of overtime in one month are required to undergo an interview with an industrial physician, and undergo follow-up procedures if the industrial physician notifies the person’s head of department if their recommendation is to reduce overtime hours and encourage the employee to take paid leave. Since March 2023, we have started interviewing employees who work over 60 hours overtime in a month, and respond with interviews with an industrial physician or other measures if needed.
●Measures against lifestyle-related diseases
Based on an analysis of the results of in-house health checkups, there is a tendency for many employees to have pre-diabetes, so we are carrying out initiatives to promote vegetable intake.
In FY2023, we held events at the head office and Osuka Plant to visualize the status of vegetable intake. The events are held on multiple occasions to ensure that vegetable intake becomes an established part of employees’ lives.
A vegetable intake promotional event conducted at the head office
A vegetable intake promotional event conducted at the Osuka Plant
●Initiatives to increase the rate of specific health guidance* given
We call on employees subject to specific health guidance to conduct preliminary interviews on the day of their specific health checks.
The health insurance association and the medical staff of each business office cooperate to ascertain which employees are subject to specific health guidance. For employees who could not receive guidance at the medical institution that conducted the health check, we have also created a system to enable them to receive specific health guidance at an internal medical office.
- * Based on the results of specific medical examinations, specialized staff (public health nurses and nurses, etc.) provide support to employees who are at a high risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases and are expected to see preventive effects by improving their lifestyle habits.
●Mental health measures
As a mental health initiative, we conduct rank-based training, self-care and line care and other training at the Training Center (Suzuki Juku). In addition, each office conducts its own self-care and line training. In FY2022, there were 4,972 participants in mental health training, which accounted for 93.7% of all those eligible.
As a consultation structure, in addition to the internal medical office and the Mental Health Consultation Room (where employees can receive free counseling from outside psychiatrists and clinical psychologists), we have also introduced an EAP service that provides consultations about work-related stress as well as for private life problems in an environment established not just for employees, but also their families.
●Initiatives to promote habitual exercise
Members of the Suzuki Hamamatsu Athletics Club came up with the idea for Suzuki Original Calisthenics and created simple, but highly effective exercises. As an activity to spread the Suzuki Original Calisthenics throughout the entire Company, athletes from the athletics club travel to various offices and provide instructions on gymnastics.
Moreover, in collaboration with Hamamatsu City, we have introduced into the Company a pedometer app provided by Hamamatsu City. The app enables daily visualization of efforts to stay healthy, showing a monthly tally of steps taken, calorie consumption management, rankings of step counts and more, and anybody can take part.
An event to promote habitual exercise held at Tooling Dept.
●Support for women’s health
We have established a health consultation service run by an obstetrician-gynecologist where women can seek health-related consultations or male employees can do so for their partners.
In addition, we also conduct training related to women’s health. By applying this training to all employees, we are promoting an understanding of women’s health issues among men, too.
●Health management initiatives for employees assigned overseas
We conduct in-house health checks and vaccinations for employees who are assigned overseas, both before their departure and after their return. Moreover, we encourage employees assigned overseas and others to check medical information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FORTH, the Quarantine Information Office, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, to understand the symptoms, treatment and prevention methods for diseases (including infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV) prevalent in the countries and regions to which they will be traveling. We also recommend various types of vaccinations at Company expense depending on the country or region to which the person will travel.
We have also created a system that allows employees assigned overseas to receive consultations and guidance from internal industrial physicians, public health nurses, and nurses via online conferencing. In addition, the Company subscribes to a medical assistance service that provides hospital appointments, medical interpretation and cashless services using overseas travel insurance in the event of injury or illness to employees assigned overseas and others.
●Initiatives to prevent secondhand smoking
We are subsidizing half of out patient fees up to ¥10,000 for employees who are taking up the challenge of quitting smoking through health insurance associations.
As an initiative to prevent secondhand smoking, we have prohibited all indoor smoking, set up smoking areas (outdoor), and prescribed smoking times.
For the good health of employees and their families, we offer Company-wide support for employees who want to stop smoking.
●Welfare system connected to health management
Under the cafeteria plan (selective welfare system), one of the in-house welfare systems, we have prepared many items to support health and for work and family balancing*, providing help for employees’ needs.
- * Includes purchase of childcare and family care services and suppliers, spouse health checkups, vaccination expenses and use of fitness or sports facilities.
JapanDomestic sales distributors
Sales distributors emphasize the maintenance and promotion of employees’ good health, and strive to create workplace environments that are easy to work in.
A total of 15 sales distributors have been recognized as 2023 outstanding health & productivity management organizations in the large enterprise category as part of the Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program* operated by the Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Nippon Kenko Kaigi.
- * Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program: A system to award companies, including large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises, that practice particularly outstanding health management based on initiatives that meet local health issues and health promotion efforts promoted by the Nippon Kenko Kaigi.
■ Suzuki sales distributors recognized as 2023 outstanding health & productivity management organizations in the large enterprise category
- Suzuki Motor Sales Hokkaido Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Syonan Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Ibaraki Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Tokai Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Gunma Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Kyoto Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Kanto Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Hiroshima Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Saitama Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Fukuoka Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Nishisaitama Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Saga Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Chiba Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Kumamoto Inc.
- Suzuki Motor Sales Keiyo Inc.