Initiatives to Ensure Respect for and Otherwise Promote Workforce Diversity

Sumitomo Rubber Industries is engaged in a variety of initiatives to become a company in which everyone can participate actively in their own way. These include efforts to facilitate employee understanding and awareness activities as well as the constant updating of programs and internal regulations.

We implement various initiatives to create a workplace in which LGBTQ+ and other sexual minorities can work with confidence and feel free to express their authentic selves. To this end, we have communicated top management’s commitment and policies to the workforce. Furthermore, our Code of Conduct’s “I-2: Respect for Personality & Individuality” has made it clear that sexual orientation and gender identity constitute an integral part of a unique personality worthy of respect. In recognition of these and other initiatives, in November 2023 we were chosen to receive a “Gold certification” under the PRIDE Index for the second consecutive year.

• Set up a cross-departmental project team tasked with promoting initiatives related to LGBTQ+, with project members appointed via in-house posting
• Provided all officers and managerial employees with education to help them gain deeper understanding of LGBTQ+
• Held seminars focused on facilitating a proper understanding of LGBTQ+, targeting non-managerial full-time employees who applied for in-house posting
• Prepared a video program in-house to facilitate understanding of LGBTQ+, making it accessible from various Company facilities via the intranet streaming
• Compiled and distributed an “LGBTQ+ Handbook,” which summarizes essential knowledge regarding and provides explanations on programs available to LGBTQ+
• Implemented e-learning aimed at helping all employees learn about and gain deeper understanding of LGBTQ+
• Participated in LGBTQ+ ally* projects sponsored by external organizations
• Created a PRIDE version of “Chabo,” a character designed to promote the in-house dissemination of information regarding D&I, to be featured in internal and external PR materials

*Ally: People who proactively support and advocate for LGBTQ+

We believe that gaining an accurate understanding of issues arising from unconscious biases provides a basis for the development of a diversity-oriented organization. With this in mind, since 2019, Sumitomo Rubber Industries promotes ongoing activities to facilitate understanding of this subject among employees and urge them to reflect upon their words and deeds. In 2022, we also updated our Code of Conduct by incorporating clauses addressing the problem of unconscious biases.

• Provided officers, managerial employees and non-managerial full-time employees with training focused on addressing countering unconscious biases
• Prepared commentary materials and videos designed to raise employee awareness of the unconscious bias problem and distributed them via the intranet

As part of the D&I project, we launched a project aimed at promoting the empowerment of foreign national employees. Based on results of questionnaires conducted in 2019 targeting these employees, we began providing Japanese language education while making English versions of in-house materials available to them. Moreover, an Employee Resource Group (ERG) was launched by foreign national employees in 2023. The ERG is currently serving as a place for these employees to share issues specific to them while developing suggestions regarding how the Company could make improvements.

Looking ahead, we will continue to conduct periodic questionnaires, promote measures to address issues and create an environment that is friendly to all employees.

In March 2022, we newly opened a webpage dedicated to the internal dissemination of information regarding D&I as part of our web-based in-house news outlet. Since then, we have proactively utilized this webpage to facilitate employee understanding of D&I. In addition, we created a dedicated portal of intranet content regarding D&I as well as workstyle reforms in October 2019. This portal helps us communicate the Company’s policies regarding these matters, relevant measures under way and the status of their outcomes in an organized manner, along with delivering messages featuring top management’s commitment.

In order to strengthen the dissemination of D&I-related information and encourage employees to utilize D&I-related human resources systems, in 2019, we made a chatbot function available to employees via the intranet to assist them when searching in-house information. In this way, we constantly strive to provide employees with easier access to information.

We have also created a cartoon character called “Chabo” to disseminate D&I-related information and promote the use of the chatbot among employees. Because the chatbot is expected to grow more efficient in the course of accommodating numerous inquiries from users, we are endeavoring to ensure that employees utilize the chatbot on an ongoing basis even as they develop affection for it.

In fiscal 2020, we also distributed a series of video-based D&I lecture programs navigated with the help of Chabo. As a result, we were chosen to receive the Most Excellent Award under the Internal Communication Character Grand Prix program as part of the 2021 In-House Newsletter Award. In fiscal 2021, we began disseminating more multilateral informational content via the use of Chabo. Today, Chabo is widely recognized among our workforce as a character advocating for D&I and otherwise delivering information from the Human Resources Department. Thus, Chabo is contributing to the enhancement of employee awareness of D&I and the dissemination of human resources system-related information.

*Sponsored by wis works, Inc.

In January 2020, we relaxed dress codes for office workers with the objective of ensuring respect for the individual personalities of employees and creating a workplace culture conducive to the creation of free ideas and autonomous thinking.

Currently, a number of employees are freely choosing whether they wear casual or formal outfits while giving due consideration to time, place and occasion. We also have heard from some employees that the relaxed dress codes help them keep their spirits up and achieve higher productivity.