In September 2022, the Sumitomo Bakelite Group declared that it would be promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). In line with the DE&I policy, we are working toward the realization of a company where diverse human resources can demonstrate their individuality and abilities, where fair opportunities are provided to each individual in accordance with his/her circumstances, and where they can actively work with mutual understanding and respect.

With the first step of promoting the active participation of women, we will make our company a place where diverse human resources, such as employees with limited employment due to nursing care or disabilities, foreign nationals with different cultural backgrounds, and LGBTQ people, can play an active role.

As we embrace DE&I, employees with diverse perspectives can work as a team by combining their different views and maximizing their unique strengths to encourage innovation.

The DE&I Promotion Office was established as a specialized department within the Personnel Division. Representatives from each business site in Japan and from Group companies also belong to the department to promote DE&I throughout Sumitomo Bakelite Group.

Important items are reported at the Sustainability Promotion Committee under the supervision of the Board of Directors.

We are aiming to achieve the following targets to enable female employees to balance their life events and careers

(1) Continue working consistently and in the long term
(2) Perform at high levels
(3) Aim for higher positions

By March 2023, the number of female managers in the company grew to 37, which brought the percentage of female managers to 3.74%. The action plan developed in April 2020 addresses the issue of the low ratio of female career-track employees by setting and working toward the target for the “ratio of female career-track recruits of 20% or more each year.”
Of newly graduated recruits of the head office in fiscal 2023, the ratio of women was 26% (7 women among a total of 27 newly graduated career track recruits).

Our company considers the employment of people with disabilities, as stipulated by law, to be an integral part of corporate social responsibility. While giving the necessary consideration to enabling those with disabilities to carry out their work, we endeavor to offer workplaces that are as safe and secure for those with disabilities as they are for others, and that allow employees to continuously hone and cultivate their skills.

We are also making continuous efforts to employ new graduates with disabilities by, for example, accepting students with disabilities for internships so as to provide them with opportunities that suit their conditions and work-style needs.

In fiscal 2023, we formed a working group as a part of women’s empowerment, and held round-table discussion sessions at all of our business sites across Japan, targeting female employees. These discussion sessions encouraged female employees to exchange their thoughts and opinions and build a relationship in which they can consult each other, while we implemented highly effective measures to promote active participation of women, such as management system revisions and enhancement of educational activities.

[Activities of Sign Language Groups]

The Sign Language Group was established in April 2022.
Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees at the head office serve as instructors, teaching participants fingerpelling, sign language words, and how to express sentences. We will continue our activities to promote understanding of deaf people, improve sign language skills, and deepen exchanges between employees across departments.

The head office, Kanuma Plant and Shizuoka Plant offer internships for high school students with disabilities.

The program provides students with hands-on experience with our company operations, including Excel exercises and hands-on training at production sites.

We will continue to provide opportunities to ensure that employment options are not limited by disabilities.

Sign Language Study Meetings

[Support for balancing work and sports for people with disabilities]

Ryuta Nakano is in charge of packing products at the Kanuma Plant, and his solid work has earned him the trust of his colleagues.

A versatile athlete, Nakano competed in national athletics competitions in high school, finishing second in the relay race and second in the 100 meter race.

After graduating from high school, his high physical ability earned him a place on the disabled soccer team, and he has become so good that he is called up every year to represent Tochigi Prefecture.

Nakano’s team was the runner-up to the powerhouse Tokyo team in the 22nd National Disability Sports Tournament in 2022.

He is the oldest keeper in the team and the mood-maker in the workplace.

Sumitomo Bakelite will continue to support Nakano.

Ryuta Nakano

Appearance

Communication Space