AKEBONO REPORT 2018

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Strengthen Ties with Stakeholders–1As a part of its training programs, Akebono has prepared globally unified educational materials for training new recruits at all group business locations. Akebono has issued the Akebono Starter Book, a standard educational package that features the Company’s corporate history since its founding, characteristics of its operations in each region and explanations of APS (Akebono Production System or Akebono Philosophy and Spirit), its corporate culture and philosophy as well as corporate brand management activities. The book is being used in training programs. By learning through this book, all associates are equally informed of the basic knowledge and concepts necessary to act as Akebono business persons. Moreover, with the addition of programs that reflect local concerns, we are developing human resource educational programs optimized for each region and location.Basic Themes of Diversity ManagementAn organization capable of maximizing the abilities of each associateAKEBONO REPORT 2018 24Promotion of diversityPromotion of work-life balanceBasic Human Resources PolicyTo provide opportunities to all associates and to support them so that they can share the Company’s successes.Akebono believes that the most important factor that guides a company to success is human talent (our associates). Guided by that belief, we set forth our basic human resource policy that “each associate must be given the opportunity to exert their abilities and be continuously supported to share their success with the Company.” We are striving to build our long-term global personnel policy as well as to facilitate associates’ ability to establish their individuality and foster mutual respect and trust.Global Human Resource Nurturing and Personnel SystemWe strive to ensure that our associates are assigned optimal positions and work locations based on their competencies, regardless of their nationality. To this end, our human resource recruitment, nurturing and administration systems are premised on abundant respect for human rights as well as associates’ individuality, privacy rights and diverse value systems. In particular, we are developing our associates’ communication skills, flexibility in dealing with diverse cultures and their linguistic abilities. Up to now, we have had different training programs and personnel systems by location, so we are working to enhance our associates’ ability to operate in global business settings, since they have had few opportunities to engage in duties with peers from other countries with different cultures and native tongues.Moreover, we are working on human rights education and enlightenment with high regard for human rights to achieve an organization with abundant diversity and creativity.Promoting DiversityAkebono aims to strengthen its corporate capabilities in a way that reflects the high respect it has for the values of each associate and their diversity. The Company cherishes associates’ individual aspirations regarding work and life so that each can develop their creativity in the course of their duties, which, in turn, will help bring about a more vibrant company overall. Akebono is promoting diversity because it recognizes that as it expands globally, it is becoming increasingly important to establish a corporate structure that helps each associate realize their full potential regardless of their value system or cultural background. To further promote diversity, the Company is promoting recruitment activities that target people of all nationalities.Akebono is promoting diversity management centered on three key initiatives, namely, diversity promotion, career support, and work-life balance promotion. Akebono will work to double the number of female managers from 2014 levels by 2020 through further diversity promotion efforts going forward.Career supportHuman Resources and Diversity