Personnel Training & Education and Creating a Pool of Core Human Resources

Setting Up an Education System

Underpinning Unitika’s education system is the concept that raising the skills standards of all our employees leads to strengthening the organization’s foundations. We consider on-the-job training (OJT), based on the career paths of employees, as the core of human resource development. Accordingly, we have established a system that more efficiently provides follow-ups for early-career employees, as well as education and support for managers. In the off-the-job training (OFF-JT) that complements OJT, we are enhancing level-specific education, function-specific education, and the Global Human Resources Education Program.

* Education investment/person = Total education investment / (Employees at all domestic Group companies + Employees posted overseas)

Personnel Training & Education (Japanese)

Creating a Pool of Core Human Resources

We are working on creating a pool of core human resources who will become next-generation leaders that will raise Unitika’s corporate value. This includes establishing, training and educating a pool of human resources in specific levels and areas, conducting regular evaluations, formulating individual training and education plans, and aiming for a 100% implementation of annual reviews of assignments. We will set up three pools of human resources: management personnel as candidates for future management, production executive personnel as candidates for middle-ranking executives at production sites, and digital transformation (DX) personnel to promote reforms and innovations using digital technologies. We will then select personnel with the potential required in each of these pools of human resources, and train and educate them so we can create a pool of highly-engaged personnel. The management personnel pool will include the top management from domestic and overseas sites. We will select personnel based on their competence corresponding to their job responsibilities, and not be constrained by seniority and past evaluations. We will also provide opportunities for employees to attend external business schools to acquire practical business skills, and report regularly to the Representative Director and President, Chief Executive Officer on the status of appointments, transfers, and training etc. to share annual review information. We will also link the management personnel pool to the succession plan for future CEOs.

For the production executives personnel pool, we will select top-performing production site employees who have completed the on-site training for young technicians that is implemented over three years after joining the company, and also outstanding candidates for the training and education we have carried out so far to improve technical skills. In addition to OFF-JT and OJT that emphasize the technologies to solve on-site issues using QC methods and technical proficiency, we will implement programs that focus on the “people” skills required by leaders who will eventually become production executives. In the DX personnel pool, we will train and educate personnel who will reform and innovate Unitika Group’s organizational culture and help us to achieve sophisticated digital transformation, as well as expand the base of IT personnel and the active participation of female employees. Using an online learning platform for continual reskilling, we will start by supporting employees’ efforts to independently study about digital technologies, and ultimately create a pool of digital transformation (DX) personnel by training and educating and then selecting leaders who will drive forward work improvements and innovation and that can solve company-wide issues.

Create and Maintain an Organizational Culture & Environment

Revitalize the Organization Using CFT

In order to expand the base in IT education and cultivate a culture where diverse personnel respect each other and grow together, we will use the activities of cross-functional teams (CFTs) to break down the vertical organization structure and provide employees with a workplace that can clearly and extensively view company-wide issues. We will set applicable knowledge levels each with four levels of attainment targets for applying what students have learnt from the training and education of personnel. Level 0: Knowledge input, Level 1: From knowledge to application, Level 2: From application to making work improvements, Level 3: From work improvements to innovations. The highest Level 3 will be a program for the training and education of next-generation leaders in project teams who have the skills and capabilities to solve issues.

Personnel Evaluation System and Rotation

We have developed a range of training and education programs to enable employees to work on their personal growth while developing their careers and improving their abilities, with a high degree of motivation and an ambitious mindset. By systematically and continuously implementing these programs, we are aiming to enhance our corporate competitiveness. Unitika’s personnel evaluation system is designed to provide a more accurate understanding of the roles employees expect to fulfill and clarify the targets for developing skills and capabilities, and to provide more impartial evaluations of the individuals producing the results needed to fill those roles. Employees are given yearly performance evaluations that rate them based on their competency, ability, role improvement, attainment of results, and job execution processes. They are also given twice-yearly performance evaluations in accordance with the Company’s target management system. These evaluations are linked to pay raises, promotions and bonuses. We will use reliable feedback from superiors about the evaluation results to help employees develop their skills and capabilities going forward. We are also implementing a personnel rotation system to enable the career development of each employee, to create synergy among organizations, and to lead to better business opportunities and corporate performance. We are working to make the system more effective while also taking into consideration various factors such as the allocation preferences they have personally applied for.

Employees’ Health

Unitika Health Management Declaration

In July 2022 we established the Unitika Health Management Declaration, and we are implementing Health and productivity management®*1 under the direction of the Representative Director and President, Chief Executive Officer. In recognition of Unitika Group’s ongoing efforts to promote measures for mental health and lifestyle-related diseases, part*2 of the Unitika Group received certification as an Excellent Health and Productivity Management Organization in March 2023. We will continue to work with companies, industrial doctors, health management staff, health insurance societies and other organizations to further enhance the health management of employees, including raising the rate of participation in the specific health guidance program and lowering the rate of smoking. We are working to acquire White 500 certification by 2030, which lists the top 500 companies based on the results of health management surveys among the certified companies in the large-scale company division of the Excellent Health and Productivity Management Organization certification system.

*1. Health and productivity management® is a registered trademark of the NPO Kenkokeiei.
*2. Unitika Ltd., Nippon Ester Co., Ltd.; Unitika Trading Co., Ltd.; Unitika Textiles Ltd.;
      Unitika Glass Fiber Co., Ltd.; Unitika Garment Technology Co., Ltd.

Mental Health Initiatives

Based on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Guidelines for Maintaining and Improving Workers’ Mental Health,” we conduct mental health training both at the time new recruits join the company and when employees are promoted. We are actively working to promote the mental health of our employees. We are also conducting stress checks every year, and implementing stress relief measures for those with a check result of high stress levels, as a primary preventive measure for mental health care.

Return Support Guidelines

We have established “Return Support Guidelines” to allow those who were away for an extended period of time to return to work smoothly.

Lifestyle Disease Countermeasures

We conduct blood tests and electrocardiograms, outside of what is required by law, at the once-a-year regular health checkups for employees aged under 35 years. We are also encouraging employees to take an interest in managing their health, before they become middle-aged and older.

Infectious Disease Prevention Measures

We administer influenza vaccinations to employees at each production site, and take measures to prevent employees from developing influenza and having it progress into a serious case. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we strengthened our efforts to provide a safe and secure workplace and to ensure the continuation of business activities, such as implementing telework and taking measures to prevent the spread of infections.