Initiatives for Human Resources
Marubeni believes that the most important asset in a company is people. Therefore, the basic approach regarding our human resources system is to create a workplace where employees can fully demonstrate their skills and capabilities, and to develop an environment where each employee can maximize his/her value.
Priority Activities in Fiscal 2010
- Promote human resources strategies led by top management
- Further promote work-life balance
Fiscal 2010 in Review
- In fiscal 2010, the "HR Strategy Committee," chaired by the CEO, was launched to promote HR Strategies as an important pillar of the SG-12. The Committee has met five times as of the end of March 2011.
- During the year, our WLB measures were also revised substantially to maximize each employee's mid- and long-term contribution to the Company.
TOPIC
More Robust Human Resources Strategy in the SG-12
In the SG-12 medium-term management plan, Marubeni Group is committed to the promotion of a top management-led human resources strategy. Reflecting this emphasis on strengthening human resources, and to better deal with the changing business environment and diversified business models, we have established an "HR Strategy Committee," chaired by the CEO (President), and appointed HR officers in each business division, corporate staff division, and overseas region. We have been working to strengthen human resources across the Group.
Specifically, Marubeni's fundamental policy is to adopt a three-pronged approach to HR that emphasizes Experience through practice, together with Assessment and Incentives, and finally Training.
Where experience is concerned, we have focused on young career-track employees, and have made overseas work experience in their twenties a requirement. Career-track employees will be assigned to an overseas position within their first 7 years. We will step up our efforts to develop global human resources by providing them with frontline experience.
Enhancement of Work-Life Balance Initiatives
In fiscal 2010, Marubeni made sweeping revisions to its initiatives for achieving a better work-life balance. We consider this an important measure for realizing a stronger Marubeni and the sustainable growth envisioned in SG-12.
In making the revisions, the purpose of promoting a work-life balance was defined as "the Company and employees create a working environment tailored to employees' career and life stages, so as to maximize the medium- to long-term contribution of every employee to the Company." Relevant measures were organized into the following two programs.
- Life Event Support Program
This program aims to support employees in their career and personal lives during childrearing, nursing care, and other life events.
- Meri-Hari Work Promotion Program
This program encourages employees to reduce work outside of normal business hours and to take time-off so that they can efficiently produce high-quality performance in the best possible condition.
Visiting Moms and Dads at Work-Marubeni Kids Project
Taking a group photo of all participants
On August 6, 2010, 31 children of Marubeni employees visited the Tokyo Head Office as part of the Marubeni Kids Project. The children leaned about their parents' work through a presentation on the Company, an office tour, a cross-cultural seminar by international employees, a video conference with an overseas office, and a visit to their parents' desks.
The Human Resources and Corporate Communication Departments played a central role to make this project happen and provide an opportunity for employees' children to gain a better understanding of the Company and their parents' work. Judging by the comments such as "It was nice to see how cool my dad is at work" and “My mom takes care of lots of stuff!" the children thoroughly enjoyed the project.
Special webpage for the Marubeni Kids Project (Japanese only): http://www.marubeni.co.jp/kids/marukids/
SG-12 Human Resources Strategy
Marubeni is implementing a threepronged HR strategy (experience, assessment/incentives, and training) under the SG-12. Details of specific measures under the strategy are described as follows:
Measures regarding Experience
For career-track employees, each division has defined its qualification needs and development policy for each job class, and will accordingly implement a job transfer and rotation plan. Under this system, HR strengthening efforts can be made in a more planned manner, addressing operational needs on the ground.
Particular emphasis is placed on building experience for young careertrack employees. In addition to making overseas assignments a requirement, we strongly encourage them to gain on-the-job experience outside of the existing department, for example, through temporary posting to subsidiaries or different departments within Marubeni. These measures will broaden their horizons and develop professionals who can deal with changing business environment and increasingly globalized and diversified business models.
Marubeni is also working to nurture strong leaders to take on the role of management in the future. To this end, candidates for management at department or business division level are selectively given management experience in different environments at other departments within head office, or at operating companies inside and outside Japan.
Non-career employees, key players of back office operations, will have opportunities to improve their knowledge and skills, which will lead to stabilization and improvement of overall divisional operations and development of younger non-career employees.
<Experience Building Measures>
- Division-Based Development Policy
Each department creates its development policy, including qualification needs, required experience, skills and training, and implements its job transfer/rotation plan and training scheme accordingly.
- Individual Career Record
All career-related information, including detailed job descriptions in previous and existing divisions, of each employee is maintained electronically in the "Individual Career Record."
- Career Development Program
Based on assessments from two programs, Talent Review (a multisource evaluation scheme for identifying strengths and weakness) and Career Plan Sheet, an Action Plan Sheet on job rotation and training is created for each employee by their manager or division head. This data is maintained as part of the Individual Career Record to provide a useful reference when implementing companywide personnel redeployments (divisional and interdivisional) and developing plans for training.
Assessment/Incentives
From fiscal 2011, employees' pay levels will be determined by individual performance, rather than by the previous criteria of roles and responsibilities. This adjustment of the compensation scheme is aimed at ensuring dynamic personnel transfer and rotation and thereby facilitating the measures regarding experience, a key pillar of the SG-12 Human Resources Strategy.
At the same time, we will also revise the assessment system to recognize highly competent employees with a consistent record of excellent performance and to encourage employees to take on new challenges.
Training
Marubeni has revised its company-wide and division-based training scheme to better meet operational needs on the ground. Under the new training scheme, greater focus is placed on division- based training designed by each division. Meanwhile, the company-wide training has been reorganized to center on job grade-based training and training for selected employees. The training of young career-track employees and future leaders, a key target of the measures regarding experience, has been particularly reinforced.
Company-wide training is designed to facilitate the development of basic skills and the capabilities needed for overseas assignments, while divisionbased training supports them in acquiring technical knowledge, skills and know-how. In addition, instructor training and other programs for supervisors and senior staff have been offered since fiscal 2010 on an ongoing basis to improve coaching skills.
To produce future leaders, a Next- Gen Management School has been established for a select group. The school has 2 courses: the Master Course for systematically and intensively developing the mindset, knowledge, and skills required for management roles; and the Executive Course focusing on making proposals on companywide issues.
For non-career employees, new job grade-based training programs have also be launched to help them upgrade their knowledge and skills and empower them to handle increasingly sophisticated administrative tasks.
Communication between Management and Employees
At Marubeni, communication between executives and employees is strongly encouraged as a means of sharing the company's "Management Philosophy" and policies. During employee training sessions, such as job grade training and training for new managers, time is set aside for the participants to meet and talk with the President and other executives. Executives are also involved in division-based training programs and, in fiscal 2010, joined about 60 training sessions, where they offered advice and exchanged views with employees.
Utilization and Promotion of Diverse Human Resources
Aiming to be "a strong company group made up of diverse individuals," Marubeni established a dedicated team within the Human Resources Department and has since been promoting diversity management.
In addition to developing a work environment where employees can play an active part regardless of their gender, nationality, age, career or ability, Marubeni is also engaged in "developing a corporate culture and sense of values that makes the most of diverse individual strengths."
Fair Recruiting Activities
The first moment of contact between Marubeni and its employees is during recruitment. Marubeni's basic recruitment policy is to select applicants based on their capability and competence based on a fair recruitment process in which no form of discrimination is tolerated.
For example, we use an "open entry" system that offers equal opportunity regardless of citizenship, legal residence, gender, physical handicap, or university of graduation.
Moreover, the job application form does not ask for details such as place of legal residence, religion, family situation, or any other information not required for us to determine an applicant's capability and competence. During interviews, we respect each applicant's basic human rights by avoiding inappropriate questions and select mployees based only on capability and competence.
We always welcome applicants who wish to visit with our employees to get a better understanding of how Marubeni operates. To provide such opportunities equitably for prospective employees, including applicants whose university has no alumni at our Company, the Human Resources Department set up a telephone service prospective candidates can call.
To ensure that fair recruiting activities are conducted across the entire Marubeni Group, we have prepared the "Marubeni Recruiting Manual" and strive to ensure that our policies are thoroughly understood across our Group companies.
| Fiscal 2009 | Fiscal 2010 | Fiscal 2011 | |
| Career employees | 130 | 109 | 103 |
| Non-career employees | 30 | 20 | 20 |
| Male | Female | Total | |
| Career employees | 2,882 | 201 | 3,083 |
| Non-career employees | 1 | 713 | 714 |
| Other | 184 | 39 | 223 |
| Total | 3,067 | 953 | 4,020 |
| Average age | 42.2 | 40.8 |
| Fiscal 2008 | Fiscal 2009 | Fiscal 2010 | |
| 153 | 181 | 201 | |
| (New graduated employees) | (24) | (30) | (24) |
Utilization of Senior Employees
In accordance with the revised Elderly Employment Stabilization Act, Marubeni has adopted a continued employment system for employees aged 60 and above. In principle, it covers all employees who wish to continue working following retirement. In addition, through the Senior Career Matching System, we aim to increase the job mobility of senior employees and ensure that the right person is assigned to the right position, so that competent personnel can be utilized effectively.
As of the end of March, 2011, the number of employees hired under the continued employment system was 67.
Promotion of the Employment of Disabled Persons
In order to promote the employment of people with disabilities, Marubeni established the Marubeni Office Support Corporation, which has been certified as a special-purpose subsidiary* by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. The Company currently has nine employees with disabilities.
Going forward, we will strive to provide more job opportunities for persons with disabilities to help them further integrate into society while pursuing independent lives.
* Special-purpose subsidiary:
a subsidiary that specifically employs people with disabilities and has been certified by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare as satisfying the conditions specified in the Act on Employment Promotion etc. of Persons with Disabilities. The workers with disabilities employed by such a subsidiary are permitted to be included in the calculation of the employment ratio of disabled persons for the parent company.
| Fiscal 2008 | Fiscal 2009 | Fiscal 2010 |
| 1.98% | 1.92% | 2.03% |
Further Promotion of Work-Life Balance
Marubeni promotes work-life balance based on the recognition that simultaneously increasing employees' satisfaction with their working environment and their enthusiasm for their work leads to enhanced competitiveness over the medium- and long-term.
In fiscal 2010, we strengthened our measures to promote work-life balance in line with the SG-12.
<Key Initiatives Introduced in 2010>
- Support Payments for Child Daycare When Returning to Work
The shortage of daycare services is worsening in Japan with waiting lists to enter public childcare centers getting longer all the time. Marubeni provides support for employees who wish to return to work after parental leave but cannot get a place at a public childcare center by covering part of the costs of private care. While the employees bear the first 100,000 yen of monthly fees (for care of up to 10 hours a day), the Company will covers any excess up to 200,000 yen per month for a period of up to 6 months.
- Childrearing/Nursing Care Flex Time
This system allows employees to start work up to an hour earlier or later than normal (in increments of 15 minutes).
- Paternity Leave
To encourage more male employees to take parental leave, working fathers at Marubeni can take paid holidays of up to 10 consecutive days within eight weeks after the birth of their child.
"Kurumin" certification mark
Marubeni obtained the mark, which recognizes companies that are actively promoting childcare support, in 2008 from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Initiatives to Reduce Overtime
To reduce high levels of overtime, Marubeni has set up an internal task force, sent out awareness-raising letters, offered medical care to frequent overtime workers by occupational physicians, provided individual guidance to departments that show a pattern of excessive overtime, and taken other necessary measures.
In line with the 2010 revision of our WLB measures, we have stepped up our efforts and launched a "Program for Efficient and Productive Working Practices." Specific easures taken to facilitate the cutting back of overtime and encourage employees to take more paid holidays include the launch of the "Campaign to Eliminate Long Overtime Hours" targeting departments with high levels of overtime and the revision of the Special Leave System.
Initiatives for Health Management
Marubeni is committed to the comprehensive health management of its employees and seeks to achieve this with the help of occupational physicians. In addition to the annual regular physical examination given to all employees, those employees who are transferring or returning from overseas and their accompanying family members are also required to have checkups before leaving and upon their return.
Mental Health Support Measures
As part of the measures for supporting the advancement of its employees' mental health, Marubeni has introduced various training programs based on the advice from occupational physicians. Specific examples include: organizing lectures on mental health during various education and training sessions; the implementation of the self-care training program for all employees and care training program for managers via the e-Learning platform; the introduction of a stress-check program and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP); and the distribution of the "Mental Health Manual."
We also offer a stress-check program on our website that lets employees check their stress level and learn about stress management. Furthermore, as part of the EAP, we provide a counseling service in which external counselors provide psychological care to individuals in the form of advice on a range of issues, from workrelated problems to private concerns. The service is available to permanent employees, temporary employees, and their family members. In addition to these programs, we have full-time health care staff on-site and specialist doctors offer psychiatric services at our in-house clinic twice a week.
Support and Benefits for Overseas Assignees and their Families
Marubeni has set up training and support programs for employees who are transferring overseas (and their family members) to help make the transition easier.
In fiscal 2010, Marubeni engaged the services of an NPO supporting longdistance nursing care to provide further support for overseas assignees.
- Residential
Help renting out their empty home in Japan
- Child Education
General advice on education, Information on correspondence education, information on boarding schools for children remaining in Japan
- Health
Mental health counseling (including for any family members remaining in Japan), Medical consulting, including pediatric care, Emergency medical support overseas, Forwarding of medicines
- Other
Various forwarding services (food, rice, books, newspapers, etc.)
Self-Development Support System
Marubeni launched the Self-Development Support Program in 2005 to improve support for employees wishing to engage in personal development.
1) Support for obtaining qualifications:
The Company covers expenses for applicable qualifications.*
2) Support for correspondence learning:
The Company covers expenses for applicable correspondence learning courses.
3) Self-development study leave:
The Company offers leave from work and partially covers expenses for individual study at applicable business schools, law schools, and other schools, both in and outside of Japan.
*Applicable qualifications include small and medium enterprise management consultant, certified public accountant, licensed tax accountant, patent attorney, public consultant on social and labor insurance, bar examination, judicial scrivener, administrative scrivener, and real estate transaction specialist.
Communication between Management and Workers
Relationship with Labor Union
The Marubeni Employee Union was established in 1949. As of March 31, 2011, it has about 2,200 members, or about 56% of our entire organization. The Company and the labor union share common goals, namely to improve the prosperity of the Company and the socioeconomic status of the employees. We respect each other's positions and engage in sincere dialogue in order to build good labor-management relations. In addition, the Company and the labor union actively promote joint activities for the introduction and implementation of systems and measures related to the development of the working environment. The joint initiatives undertaken in fiscal 2010 included joint discussions regarding the SG-12 Human Resources Strategy as well as the activities of the "Work-Life Balance Promotion Committee," the "Diversity Management Committee," the "Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of the Performance Evaluation System," and the "Subcommittee on Overseas Issues regarding the Working Environment."
From the Marubeni Employee Union
A wide range of union activities aimed at creating an even more attractive employer.
Shigeyoshi Nozaki Chairman, Marubeni Employee Union
Toward its mid- to long-term goal of realizing "an attractive company where each and every worker can freely exercise their abilities to the fullest with a sense of security," the Marubeni Employee Union continued to implement various activities in fiscal 2010 under the 2010 slogans of: "Join & Change," and "Create a Better Union to Create a Better Company."
Historically, our union’s activities focused primarily on labor negotiations regarding employee compensation, including wage and benefits. In recent years, we have been engaged in a broader range of activities, such as working to improve the workplace environment, conducting follow-up reviews of program implementation, and presenting proposals to management.
Key activities in fiscal 2010 include the SG-12 explanatory meeting that aimed to help union members gain full understanding of this 3-year management plan, which was launched this year. The union also collected opinions from frontline employees and put together a proposal to the management regarding the HR system, information management system, and workplace environment. We then held discussions with management about those issues based on the proposals submitted.
In the fall of 2010, the union and the Marubeni Employees Club jointly held the Marubeni Sport Festival for the first time in 21 years. Thanks to the active participation of 700 people, including the President and other executives and employees of Marubeni and their families, the event proved a great success.
Going forward, the Marubeni Employee Union will continue to implement a range of activities to make Marubeni an even better place to work, while maintaining an appropriate relationship between the Company and the union.
