The Hodogaya Chemical Group is steadily implementing the personnel planning linked to enhancement of corporate value as shown in the above diagram. Which is, the process of:
(1) Recruiting personnel who can learn, think, and act on their own:
(2) Placing and transferring the right person to the right place:
(3) Education and training that leads to ability and skills improvement and career development:
(4) Fairness and a sense of job satisfaction for the personnel:
To preserve the corporate value of the Hodogaya Chemical Group, the occurrence of human risks (violation of labor laws, harassment, outflow of personnel, individual troubles, etc.) is a serious obstacle to the continued and stable growth of the Hodogaya Chemical Group. Recognizing that there is a risk, we strive to appropriately and adequately manage human risk, prevent, avoid, and mitigate future losses.
The Hodogaya Chemical Group hires those who can strategically utilize their ability, skills, and experience for enhancing corporate value—in other words, those who are willing to grow, keen to take on new challenges, possess the spirit to make innovation happen, and can learn and act at the same time. We aggressively hire mid-career workers in addition to new graduates, with the former accounting for 35% (disaggregated data) of all new hires in FY2023.
For improving corporate value, the Hodogaya Chemical Group, practicing a “right people in the right place” attitude, ensures that each employee is assigned to a department where they can fully exercise their ability, skills, and experience, and gives consideration to their career direction, need for ability development, and other conditions when placing or transferring them.
For improving corporate value, the Hodogaya Chemical Group provides personnel with ability/skill improvement support as well as career development support, and offers various learning opportunities, including regular training programs at the workplace and training courses not directly related to the daily work, to cultivate a corporate culture that encourages personnel to learn.
| Programs | |
|---|---|
| Training on globalization | Regular language training and an overseas study program (English, Chinese, and Korean speaking countries) to prepare personnel for globalization |
| Training by job capacity | Training at promotion for managers to provide knowledge required for new posts |
| Training by grade | Educational training to improve abilities to perform duties, such as management training |
| Training by job description | Job-specific educational training (sales, development, manufacturing, etc.) to improve abilities to perform duties, such as engineering training |
| Basic training | Training on compliance, sustainability, diversity, etc., to provide basic knowledge required for all personnel at the Hodogaya Chemical Group and increase practical level abilities |
| Support for self enlightenment | A correspondence course and web-based e-learning program to support qualification/license acquisition and active learning |
The Hodogaya Chemical Group aims to conduct a fair and credible performance appraisal based on each employee’s ability, skills, and experience. We will consider introducing a new performance appraisal system as specified in the mid‑term management plan SPEED 25/30.
The Hodogaya Chemical Group recognizes that the purpose of promoting diversity is to promote innovation in a challenging competitive environment, flexibly reorganize businesses, and strengthen adaptability to changes in order to enhance corporate value. In particular, to promote the active participation of women, we conduct training for female employees to help them develop their aptitudes and abilities and become aware of their role as leaders, and we also conduct training for male employees to reform their awareness, thereby working to create an organizational culture where both men and women can play active roles without distinction. Regarding mid-career hires, we make appointments based on a comprehensive assessment of experience, abilities, and skills without any difference between Japanese and non-Japanese and new hires and mid-career hires. At the same time, we are working to create an environment in which personnel can maximize their individual talents and skills. The election of a female Outside Director was approved at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in June 2023, and in June 2024, we promoted a female Executive Officer from within the company. In addition, promoting diversity will increase the number of personnel with diverse personalities and values to help expand the diversity of the organization; hence, it is important to unify the organization and personnel. We believe that the Hodogaya Chemical Group’s PURPOSE (Management Philosophy) and VISION (Target Corporate Image) can fully unify the organization and personnel.
The Group expects both male and female personnel to actively participate in all positions including management and supervisory positions based on individual capabilities, skills and experience.
In FY2022-2025, we set the following targets:
(1) the percentage of female employment to be 20% or greater; and
(2) the percentage of female managers to be 13% or greater.
We have more female managers working as general managers of departments and heads of the administration department of our plants, and the number of female managers accounted for 11.3% of the total management personnel as of March 31, 2024.
Non-Japanese employees are active in the Hodogaya Chemical Group in Japan and overseas in areas including production, R&D, sales, and management. As of March 31, 2024, there were 291 non-Japanese employees (32%/consolidated) in the Group.
In order to acquire personnel with diverse values and specialized expertise, we actively strive to hire mid‑career professionals.
Our (non‑consolidated) ratio of mid‑career hires in FY2023 was 35%, with these professionals contributing to manufacturing, R&D, sales, management and other areas.
Our target for employment rate of workers with disabilities is 2.3%, and in order to achieve this goal, we select candidates through recruitment activities by visiting schools in the vicinity of the offices, exchanging information with Hello Work (public employment security office) and private support institutions, and receiving referrals from staffing firms. We then establish probationary periods and conduct internship programs at the offices. As of March 31, 2024, employment rate of workers with disabilities reached 2.6%, thereby achieving the target for employment rate.
The Hodogaya Chemical Group has in place the Reemployment Program for retired personnel—under it, a senior employee system for those considering re-employment is available. Also, senior personnel can continue to work on a contractual basis even after the age of 65, so long as their departments need them and they themselves are willing and able. Many middle-aged and older personnel play important roles in different fields by fully utilizing their accumulated knowledge and skills as well as the professional networks they have built.
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees (persons) | 739 | 789 | 834 | 890 | 922 |
| Percentage of female managers (%) | 10.8 | 11.2 | 10.8 | 11.0 | 11.3 |
| Percentage of female employees (%) | 18.4 | 18.6 | 18.0 | 19.5 | 20.5 |
| Percentage of non-Japanese employees (%) | 21 | 23 | 26 | 31 | 32 |
| Percentage of mid‑career hires (%) | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 35 |
| Percentageof disability employment (%) | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
The Hodogaya Chemical Group recognizes initiatives to improve the health of executives as a management issue. The President is the Group’s Health Management Supervisor, and the executive officer in charge of the Personnel Department is the Health Management Supervisor Representative. By strategically practicing health management, including guidance and education for health promotion, and collaborating with the Hodogaya Chemical Health Insurance Society and industrial physicians, we were certified as a “Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization 2024” in FY2023 (for the fourth consecutive year).
We work to achieve 100% consultation rates for health checkups, a 99% or higher consultation rate for stress checkups, and we have our industrial physicians share the health conditions of personnel with the Company in order to improve health conditions or prevent them from deteriorating. The Group further conducts health enhancement training and health events for all personnel and provides health literacy information to partner companies with the aim of deepening their understanding of health management.
We will continue to prioritize the physical and mental health of our executives.
The Hodogaya Chemical Group considers the physical and mental health of its employees a top priority. As a way to increase engagement, we consider initiatives to improve health as a management issue. Therefore, we actively promote health management. The President is the Group’s Health Management Supervisor and the executive officer in charge of the Personnel Department is the Health Management Supervisor Representative. They work with the Hodogaya Chemical Health Insurance Society to actively contribute to instruction and education to promote health.
With an aim to achieve“ further growth of the Hodogaya Chemical Group” and“ improvement of job satisfaction of employees” at the same time, we respect the diverse lifestyles and work to create a motivating workplace environment. To this end, we implement various programs and policies to enable employees to achieve a highly productive work style and successfully combine work and daily living (work-life balance).
In FY2022, we made remote work permanent due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and even if employees come to work, we aim to create a more comfortable work environment by encouraging necktie-free business casual year-round.
In addition, we are actively working on work-life balance initiatives, such as increasing the percentage of personnel taking paid holidays and the percentage of male personnel taking childcare leave, a 5-day consecutive refreshment leave system separate from annual paid leave, establishing telework regulations, and expanding the flex-time system. In order to achieve a balance between work and life, all executives are doing their best to demonstrate their abilities and skills at the maximum level. We will continue to strive to enable all executives to maximize their abilities and skills by balancing work and life.
As initiatives to reduce work hours, we set “no overtime days” on Wednesdays and Fridays every week and instruct employees to leave work on time. In addition, the Head Office promotes to leave the office by 9 p.m., and although it is not an official rule, we aim to ensure a 12-hour interval between shifts.
The flextime working system has also been expanded starting to include some of the administrative departments at the Head Office. It was proven to be effective in reducing overtime labor and improving work efficiency, and we are considering expanding the system to other departments in the future.
In promoting these initiatives, each department is able to manage overtime labor with the implementation of the attendance management system.
In 2020, we established “Work from Home Regulations” to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic; these were revised to the permanent “Telework Regulations” on the occasion of the relocation of the head office in May 2022. Under the revised regulations, up-to-four-days-a-week telework, including working from home or in a shared office is allowed—the aim is to (1) improve employees’ workstyles and engagement by helping them achieve a work-life balance, (2) make them use their time effectively to improve productivity at the workplace, and (3) ensure business operations remain unaffected in the event of large-scale earthquakes, water and wind-related hazards, infectious diseases, and other disasters.
Annual paid holidays can also be used on a half-day basis and an hourly basis. The rate of usage of paid holidays is 74% or greater and all Group personnel took five days or more of holiday. Going forward, we will continue to review various systems to achieve further improvements.
Annual paid holidays that were not used can be accumulated as “Separately accumulated annual leave” up to a maximum of 5 days/year. Separately accumulated annual leave may be used for purposes such as nursing care and volunteer activities in addition to personal injuries.
Refreshment leave is a system in which personnel are eligible to take five consecutive business days off in addition to the annual paid holidays. This leave is aimed to freshen up the mind and body, and by combining it with Saturdays and Sundays, personnel can enjoy a longer vacation.
personnel are required to use a certain number of annual paid holidays prior to taking the refreshment leave in order to achieve a good balance between annual paid holidays and refreshment leaves.
The Group implements various programs to support childcare, including short working hours during pregnancy and childraising period, long-term childcare leave, and nursing leave when to care for a sick child. For better understanding and use of such programs, we also conduct briefings to publicize the corporate programs, financial aids, and necessary procedures related to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare that are available. personnel are also entitled to a congratulatory leave upon childbirth by their spouse.
Twelve male personnel with a spouse who gave birth (109% usage rate) in FY2023 took childcare leave.
The Group also implements nursing care programs including long-term and short-term nursing care leaves.
In FY2018, we introduced a reemployment applicants registration system named Come-back Entry Program for personnel who terminated their employment voluntarily due to reasons such as childcare and nursing care.
This system allows employees to use the Shinkansen and charged limited express trains for commuting, aiming to alleviate the commuting time of long-distance commuters, allow effective utilization of their time, and offer more choices of where to live. There are certain requirements such as commuting time and commuting distance to be eligible, but the system is utilized as one measure to enhance work-life balance.
| Programs | |
|---|---|
| Long-term childcare leave | Until a child turns one year old, in principle, but extendable until the child turns two under special circumstances |
| Long-term nursing care leave | Up to 180 days per family member requiring care |
| Childbirth leave | Six weeks before childbirth/eight weeks after childbirth |
| Spousal maternity | Three days in case of spousal maternity |
| Short working hours | Up to 180 days until a child reaches the 3rd grade (childcare) or within three years (nursing care) |
| Nursing leave | Five days/year (a max. of ten days) per child until he/she reaches the 3rd grade |
| Short-term nursing care leave | Five days/year per family member requiring care |
| Separately accumulated annual leave | Annual paid leave that expired at the end of the previous fiscal year is accumulated separately up to 5 days per year and apply it to time off for such uses as personal illness/injury, nursing care, and voluntary services |
| Half-day leave | Paid leave on a half-day basis (four times/month, up to 24 times/year [a max of 12 days]) |
| An hourly leave | Paid leave on an hourly basis (up to five days/year) |
| Telework | Telecommuting, shared office work up to 4 days a week |
| Flextime | Trials are underway to increase the number of applicable departments. |
| “Come-back” entry | Reemployment Applicants Registration System for persons who resigned for unavoidable reasons such as childcare and nursing care. |
| FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of usage of childcare leave(%) | Male | 24 | 14 | 56 | 83 | 109 |
| Female | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | ー* | |
| Average monthly overtime per employee(hours) | 12.0 | 10.3 | 11.6 | 11.3 | 10.0 | |
| Percentage of usage of paid holidays (Hodogaya non-consolidated)(%) | 68 | 65 | 69 | 71 | 74 | |
| Percentage of usage of refreshment leave (Hodogaya non-consolidated)(%) | 94 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 96 | |
* Regarding the percentage of usage of long‑term childcare leave (female), there were no eligible employees in FY2023.
To preserve the corporate value of the Hodogaya Chemical Group, the occurrence of human risks (violation of labor laws, harassment, outflow of personnel, individual troubles, etc.) is a serious obstacle to the continued and stable growth of the Hodogaya Chemical Group. Recognizing that there is a risk, we strive to appropriately and adequately manage human risk, prevent, avoid, and mitigate future losses.
Hodogaya Chemical Co., Ltd. and the Hodogaya Labor Union (hereinafter, the company and the union) have maintained a healthy relationship of mutual trust since reentering a labor agreement in 2001.
According to the labor agreement, the company will acknowledge and respect union members’ fundamental labor rights (right to negotiate as a group, etc.), and the union will acknowledge and respect the company’s management authority.
Based on the union shop system, the labor union participation rate is 100%, save for management and employees excluded according to the agreement.
The company and the union meet monthly for a regular meeting, where the company explains and discusses the Group’s business conditions, changes to policy, and amount of off-hour work. Every March and April, discussions between the company and union are held almost every week on amendments to the labor agreement requested by the union.
In FY2023, we discussed the wages based on current business conditions, the advancement of the mid-term management plan SPEED 25/30, and the optimization of work hours, in addition to the regular items on the agenda.
Topics such as office work environments and the management of work hours are also addressed during monthly discussions between the company and the union.
| Index | Target range | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of people in union*1(persons)) | Hodogaya only | 298 | 309 | 310 | 336 | 340 |
| Union membership rate*2(%) | Hodogaya only | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
*1 The number for each fiscal year on March 31
*2 Number of people in the union divided by the number of eligible people (excludes management and people exempt from the agreement)
The Hodogaya Chemical Group ended its measures on May 8, 2023, with COVID-19 being legally repositioned as one of the five infectious diseases.
We will be prepared for future pandemics, and we are aware that taking the necessary measures to prevent the spread of infection not only helps us fulfill our supply responsibilities as a manufacturer but also helps prevent the spread of infection across society as a whole.
Shinichi Sato
Director and Managing Executive Officer
In June 2024, Japan’s ranked 38th in world competitiveness according to IMD (International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland), down 3 places from the previous year. The Hodogaya Chemical Group believes that people are the drivers of value creation, and that demonstrating the power of human resources leads to improved competitiveness and mid- to long-term enhancement of corporate value. At the same time, we deeply recognize that demonstrating the power of human resources can solve social issues and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society. We will work to achieve the Mid-term Management Plan SPEED 25/30 by expanding human capital.
From the standpoint of maximizing the use of human resources, who are the driving forces behind value creation, we believe it is important to enhance human capital in order to increase corporate value over the medium to long term. Specifically, the Hodogaya Chemical Group is steadily implementing the personnel planning linked to enhancement of corporate value as shown in the following diagram to promote the hiring and development of personnel who can learn, think and act on their own with a desire to grow, take on challenges, and innovate. We have set the goal of improving engagement, also shown in the diagram that follows. Our strategic goal in the SPEED 25/30 is to ensure that all officers and personnel are provided with a greater sense of fulfillment in their work.
As mentioned above, the Hodogaya Chemical Group has set enhancement of engagement that: all executives and personnel can feel job satisfaction as a strategic goal and are planning measures to tackle it. Amid major global structural changes, however, it is possible that values regarding human resources will change. By keeping our antennas high to collect information, we can grasp changes in human resource management trends in a timely manner, and respond to changes based on the Hodogaya Chemical Group’s PURPOSE (Management Philosophy) and VISION (Target Corporate Image).
The Human Resources department is the driving force behind these measures. They carefully grasp the operational issues of each department and company of the Hodogaya Chemical Group, the characteristics of the organization, and the engagement status of officers and personnel. We recognize that it is necessary to provide solutions and support for solving problems in the field. As the Human Resources department, we will work together with each department and company to meet these expectations.
Manufacturing Department,
Koriyama Plant
S.H
In July 2023, my second daughter was born, and I took 3 months of childcare leave. When my first daughter was born by emergency C-section, my wife struggled to even move for a while due to postoperative pain, and considering that we didn’t have any relatives nearby to rely on, as well as taking care of our energetic first daughter, I decided to take 3 months off.
I am very grateful to my supervisor who readily agreed and to my colleagues who supported me. I feel that the understanding of men taking childcare leave has deepened to the point where it’s already becoming the norm, which greatly contributed to my ability to take it without hesitation.
My wife thanked me, saying, “I’m really grateful that you took childcare leave.” In the future, I will support those taking childcare leave as someone who can provide support.
General Affairs Department
K.O
Using the head office relocation in 2022 as an opportunity, Hodogaya Chemical is implementing various measures to improve the feeling of motivation and ease of work. Among a host of initiatives, we consolidated all departments (including officers) to a single floor, introduced an office system where employees are free to change desks at all work stations, eliminated fixed-line phones, and made telework a regular practice. This approach to workplaces and work styles directly enables those in their child-rearing years and female employees to play an active role. With this in mind, we believe a bright and open atmosphere is also very important. The new head office features minimal walls and pillars, large open spaces and a lounge area, and a system that allows personnel to connect with anyone at any time. However, there are still many issues to consider, such as better communication and the appropriate scale for each area. I want to continue helping to improve engagement from a woman’s perspective.
Nanyo Plant
T.F
It felt like the month went by very quickly, but I was able to take advantage of our childcare leave program. The reason I utilized the childcare leave was because I wanted to increase the amount of time I spend with my wife and child and I wanted to try helping with the housework and childrearing that I usually leave to my wife.
I was glad that I used this program since it let me have more freedom in my schedule, allowed me to prepare meals and baby food (which were two things I had not been able to do well), and made it easier for me to tend to the baby in the middle of the night.
I am not sure that I was of much help, but I think it lessened the mental and physical burdens on my wife. I hope that our society will become better at accepting and accommodating both men and women who are working while taking care of household chores and childrearing.
Deputy General Manager of Intellectual Property Dept. Research & Development Department
J.C
My job is patent practice. It requires highly specialized knowledge and a strong sense of responsibility. In doing my job, I am required to master the legal knowledge on intellectual properties inside and outside of Japan and technical knowledge on areas in charge. In such environment, the responsibilities and pressure of being a female manager of a foreign nationality are not small, but I try to handle the domestic and international patent practices by utilizing the unique sense I have as a woman and language skills I have as a foreigner in the practical management of intellectual propertyrelated activities.
Also, my husband and I are a working couple with elementary school kids, so there are many challenges in balancing my career and housework. However, I think I am able to work full-time by using the various programs that support childcare and thanks to the support of my colleagues.
I wish to continue contributing to the development of the Company on my own without being conscious about gender or nationality.
HODOGAYA (SHANGHAI) TRADING CO., LTD.
T.K
I spent one year from April 2015, my fifth year with the Company, in Shanghai to participate in the overseas language training (trainee program), and now I am based in Shanghai engaging mainly in sales operations of our dyestuff products within China. Three and a half years have already gone by since I began living in Shanghai.
Back then, I was bewildered by my first experience living abroad, and I had to study Chinese almost from zero. But thanks to all the support, the environment to focus on studying the language was already there, and I was able to dive straight into my Chinese studies, which I feel became the foundation of the greater ability I have now.
China is growing with such speed that I am often perplexed by the speed of things changing. But with the support of my colleagues and local staff, I am able to do my job in a foreign country.
I am truly grateful for this valuable opportunity to gain work experience abroad while I am still young. Meeting such people whom I could rarely meet in Japan is a real pleasure of working abroad, so I will continue to work hard on what I can do where I am.
Head of Administration
Department, Nanyo Plant
N.M
At the plant I work, the majority of employees are male. In such an environment, I sometimes feel the pressure of being a female manager, but in carrying out my job, I always try to think what I need to do and what I am expected to do while using my sensibilities as a woman. My husband and I are a working couple, so it was difficult to balance my career and housework when the children were young. I couldn’t have continued working without the support of my family.
The Company has many programs for female employees to actively participate, and I think they could be improved with ideas from a female perspective, which should lead to improving the quality of our business. Looking forward, I hope that there will be more opportunities for female employees to participate actively, with the recognition that male and female are working partners.