Harnessing a Diverse Range of Human Resources
Promotion of diversity and inclusion
As part of Aisin’s corporate principles of “To our colleagues, growth and happiness“ and “To our customers, inspiration and trust,“ we strive to be a company where a diverse range of employees, regardless of religion, nationality, race, gender, sexuality, age, disability status, employment status, length of time at the company, academic record or role can be respected as individuals, work autonomously, enjoy job satisfaction and bring their unique professional skills and characteristics to the table. Based on this principle, our promotion decisions for management and other core roles have always been based on fair and impartial evaluation of the candidates‘ abilities. As a result, a wide range of backgrounds are represented, with women and mid-career employees in management roles and local employees working as officers (hired from department head positions) at our overseas companies. We will continue to set targets and create suitable environments to further advance our diversity and inclusion initiatives, which will enable us to create more new value in future.
Diversity and inclusion (D&I) Road Map
Vision and initiatives for promoting more active roles for female employees
We aim to be a company where each female employee can thrive, achieve her full potential and be active in the workplace.
To enable our female employees to be true to themselves and shine at work, we carry out initiatives to provide career support and help women to balance their work and home lives.
We have created an organizational framework with female representatives in each division to find out what women at each of our sites need. These representatives work together with our top management to create measures that support our female employees‘ vision for their careers and accommodate life events. Specific measures include our Ikubosu Training, in which management learn to support a work-life balance among their team members while improving productivity, our Career Mentor System and opportunities for networking between female employees.
We were selected as a Nadeshiko Brand under the Nadeshiko Brand system operated jointly by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange to recognize companies with excellent support for women in the workplace. We received a particularly high rating for our incorporation of initiatives for women in the workplace into our management strategies, our building of a framework to promote these initiatives and the changes in the actions and awareness of our employees.
Career support for female employees
Data on women in the workplace
Number and ratio of female employees*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Number and ratio of female managers*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Number of women hired*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Targets for women in the workplace*
- *1 Aisin only
- *2 Directors, Corporate Officers and Auditor & Supervisory Board Members.
- *2 Employees joining the company in April 2021.
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Certification and awards for women in the workplace
Main awards and certification
| FY2003 | Awarded Minister Prize for Equal Employment/Work-Life Balance in the category of Enterprises Promoting Equal Employment by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. |
|---|---|
| FY2003 |
Awarded as an Aichi Prefecture Family Friendly Company  |
| FY2007 | Certified under the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children  |
| FY2013 | Award for Support of Child and Youth Development and Childcare |
| FY2015 |
Aichi Ikumen & Iku Boss Company award  |
| FY2015 | Aichi Ikumen & Iku Boss Company award |
| FY2019 |
2-star certification (out of 3 stars) for Eruboshi, a system that recognizes action taken under the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace 
|
| FY2019 |
Semi-Nadeshiko certification under the Nadeshiko Brand system 
|
| FY2020 |
Nadeshiko certification under the Nadeshiko Brand system 
|
Links
| The Database on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare |
 |
|---|---|
| Aichi Prefecture Family Friendly Company award, fiscal 2015 |
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| Aichi Ikumen & Iku Boss Company award | https://famifure.pref.aichi.jp/company/example/detail087.html |
| Aichi Womanomics | https://www.pref.aichi.jp/site/womenomics/ |
| Action Plan based on the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace | Action Plan based on the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace（pdf） |
Creating a workplace in which globally-minded employees can thrive
To expand our business globally, it is essential to develop globally-minded employees. AISIN Group provides active support for our diverse employees who hope to work on the global stage, including various training systems for candidates for manager and officer positions at overseas sites, young key employees at overseas companies, Japanese staff who can work in international roles and skilled local employees of overseas companies.
Data on globally-minded employees
Number and ratio of non-Japanese employees*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Officer development for local employees
Of the over 120,000 employees at Aisin, around 41% work in various overseas locations around the world.
To develop local officers, we hold top management training for managers and officers at overseas sites and have established a training plan (Succession Plan) at each site to carry out systematic training initiatives.
The ratio of local employees (department heads) promoted to officer positions at our overseas companies has increased over the last five years, and we will continue to systematically train and promote local employees at our overseas sites, including group company sites.
Creating a workplace in which people with disabilities can thrive
Aisin is working to develop a working environment in which people with disabilities can thrive, and increase the number of employment opportunities available to people with disabilities. Our initiatives are based on nationwide efforts to normalize workplaces that welcome employees who have disabilities.
A special subsidiary called Aisin Well Smile Co., Ltd. was established in October 2019, and began operations in April 2020. In addition to putting in place working conditions that are better suited to the needs of people with disabilities and creating and building on employment opportunities, we are providing operational support for employees with disabilities in each of our group companies. Looking ahead, AISIN Group members will continue to further promote collaborative activities such as AISIN Group job fairs and seminars for human resources personnel, work to improve workplace environments and expand the range of areas in which people with disabilities can thrive.
Data on employees with disabilities
Number and ratio of employees with disabilities*
*Figures are for June 1 of each year. (Former Aisin Seiki only)
Accessibility at Aisin
Aisin Seiki has a extensive range of accessibility features. Each area of our premises is designed to be accessible to people such as those with disabilities. Here are some examples:
- There are elevators in both our head office and our plants.
- The elevator buttons are in a location that is easy for wheelchair users to reach, as are mirrors and Braille signs.
- Toilets are equipped with a hand rail.
- Parking for people with disabilities is provided near each building.
- Braille blocks are located in corridors between offices and roads around company buildings.
AISIN Group has continuously held joint interview sessions for people with disabilities since 2017. Our fourth joint interview was held in August 2019, and was attended by representatives from 19 group companies.
A special subsidiary called Aisin Well Smile Co., Ltd. was established in October 2019 and began operations in April 2020. In addition to putting in place working conditions that are better suited to the needs of people with special needs and creating and building on employment opportunities, we are providing operational support for employment of people with disabilities in each of our companies.
Establishment of an environment where our employees can work as long as they want
Aisin establishes systems for the re-employment of workers after retirement, including programs for limited hours or days of work, in response to various requests from retirees. We reemploy all interested personnel, complying with all relevant laws and regulations.
Four group companies hold seminars for Employees in their 50s, providing advice on points such as our re-employment system, health and the pension and retirement allowance system to help them plan the continuation of their career and their lifestyle after they reach retirement age.
We are also working to increase motivation for re-employed individuals through initiatives such as establishing technical legacy coaching sessions to pass on their advanced skills as part of efforts to further expand the re-employment of retirees.
Data on elderly employees
Number and ratio of re-employed retirees*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Activities to promote understanding of LGBTQ equality and other diversity
Aisin holds training for all managers to promote understanding of LGBTQ equality and other diversity. We also use case studies at workplace meetings to foster understanding among all employees.
In future, we will build a framework to remove barriers for a diverse range of employees in addition to our initiatives to promote understanding.
Job satisfaction reform as a management issue
Aisin recognizes that to remain truly competitive and ensure our survival as a company, we need to address not only our employees‘ workload but their experience of work as a whole. To accomplish this, we believe that we need to ensure that each and every employee has a fulfilling work life and create value that only Aisin can provide. As a measure to strengthen the foundation of our management and support sustainable growth, we are working to make work more fulfilling for our over 120,000 employees around the world, including those at our affiliated companies. In addition to supporting the growth of each and every employee, this improves our value as a company.
We are also visualizing employee engagement (fulfillment, adaptation, etc.), with a common survey carried out at our 12 core companies since fiscal year 2022. In future, we will broaden the scope of this work to include other group companies.
Creating a workplace with vitality
From fiscal year 2020, Aisin has adopted a flex time system with no core time, introduced teleworking so that employees can work from anywhere at any time, set up satellite offices to encourage new ideas that are not bound by culture or customs, and allowed casual attire. To facilitate effective use of time through our reforms of our working practices, we are rolling out new working cultures such as support for self-learning.
We are also strengthening our company framework through Aisin Active Team Building Activities (ATBA), a team-building activity that fosters the communication and trust relationship required for a high-performing team, based on our mindset that every workplace and employee is the star.
ATBA activities: Building workplaces full of vitality, the AISIN way
We are working to improve productivity and job satisfaction through the introduction of team-building activities called ATBA and relationship-centered management reforms to build the psychological safety that is needed for an innovative workplace culture and create a reinforcing engine of success.
As part of this activity, we asked all personnel, including management, to share their ideal image of a team they would appreciate, and assessed the current situation based on how time is spent and the results of our employee awareness survey. Through ongoing discussions about what we need to be doing, what our personnel want to do and the gap between the reality and the ideal situation, we have acted on a variety of ideas to make our operations more efficient and improve job satisfaction.
These activities have led to an increase in communication with supervisors and colleagues, and there has been an ongoing improvement in critical areas such as job satisfaction (engagement) in the results of the employee awareness survey we conduct each year.
In future, we will roll out these activities in our group companies so that the whole group can work together to create workplaces full of vitality.
Promotion of work-life balance
Shorter working hours and more paid leave taken
We comply with the Labor Standards Act and follow legal procedures in case of excess working hours above legal limits. In order to protect employee's health and safety,we have close communication with Aisin labor union.
In addition, as part of the job satisfaction reform, we promote acquisition of paid leave, and promoting work-life balance together with Aisin labor union by setting target values for working hours.
For indirect departments, we conduct man-hour surveys and promote activities to improve productivity.
Target for paid leave taken
- 【Zero cutting of annual paid vacations】
-
This initiative aims to ensure planned use of annual paid leave and to prevent loss of paid vacations that employees were entitled to take but failed to take in time. Targets for paid vacations to be taken differ between individual employees (ranging between zero and 20 days).
- 【Minimum 14 days】
-
This initiative aims for all union members to take at least 14 annual paid vacations per year.
Monthly average overtime worked (Aisin Seiki)*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Annual paid leave taken (Aisin Seiki)*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Average length of service*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Work-life balance support system
In addition to schemes stipulated by law, we are also advancing work style reforms that will enable employees to create career paths without excessive stress or strain.
Examples at Aisin Seiki
| Teleworking | Allows employees on staff sites to work from home for part or the whole of a day. |
|---|---|
| Short working hour system for child care |
Allows employees who have a child aged 11 or younger to work reduced hours in accordance with the age of the child. |
| Short working hour system for family care |
Allows employees who have a family member requiring care to work reduced hours. |
| Parental leave | Allows employees to take a leave of absence for a requested period until the child reaches the age of two. |
| Family-care leave | Allows employees to take a leave of absence for a requested period to care for a family member. Maximum three years in total per family member. |
| Short-term familycare leave | Allows employees to take leave of 10 days a year for one person requiring nursing care or leave of 20 days if there are two or more persons requiring nursing care. |
| Anshin (secured) holidays | Employees can carry over up to 20 days of unused annual paid leave to cover personal illness, nursing care, childbirth or child care. |
| Special leave for fathers (to attend their wife‘s birth and/or take care of their children) |
Allows fathers of children below two years of age to take five days of leave per child to attend their wife‘s birth and/or take care of their children. |
| Family allowances | AISIN Group pays allowances for children and family members requiring nursing care, disability assistance or other support. |
Support systems for employees giving birth and raising children
| Family Planning Support System | Employees can work shorter hours or take leave while receiving fertility treatment. |
|---|---|
| Maternity Protection Regulations | We take measures for pregnant employees to reduce commuting difficulties and offer additional breaks during pregnancy and allow them to work shorter hours or take leave. |
| Pregnancy and Maternity Leave System | This can be used for six weeks before birth and eight weeks after. |
| Parental Leave System | This can be used until the day before the eldest child turns two. |
| Short Working Hour System for Child Care | This can be used in 15-minute increments within specified hours at any point between birth and age 11. (Up to 488 hours per year can be used until age eight and 244 hours per year can be used for ages nine to 11.) The time at which the hours are used can be set each day. |
| Reduction or Elimination of Overtime and Working on Weekends and Holidays/Elimination of Night Work |
ー |
| Leave for Parents Caring for a Sick Child | This is provided based on the number of children until the children start elementary school. (Up to five days per year are provided for one child and 10 days per year are provided for two or more children.) |
Support systems for family care
| Reduction of Overtime and Elimination of Night Work | ー |
|---|---|
| Family Care Leave System | This is provided for up to three years per person requiring care. |
| Short Working Hour System for Family Care | This can be used in 15-minute increments within specified hours by employees caring for a family member. (Up to 488 hours per year can be used.) |
| Short-term Family-care Leave | Up to 10 days per year are provided for one person requiring care and 20 days per year are provided for two or more. |
| Cafeteria Plan | This service can be used as needed by each employee. Employees can choose from a range of welfare options including subsidies for caregiving services, care facility subsidies and subsidies for purchasing and renting caregiving items. |
Number of employees who used childcare or family care leave*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
Number of employees who used short working hours for childcare*
*Former Aisin Seiki only
"Working toward a workplace where 100% of fathers take paternity leave"
To enable fathers to take a more active role in raising their children, we are building a system and work culture that makes it easier to take paternity leave. Fathers are allowed to take five days of special leave per year after the birth of their child(ren).
Wages
Regardless of job type or qualification, we pay employees more than the minimum wage stipulated by law, and if the minimum wage rises, we will revise it. We respect the principle of “equal pay for equal work” and manage the treatment of non-regular employees so that there is no unreasonable disparity with regular employees.