Human Capital: Diversity
Promoting Women’s Workplace Participation
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Konica Minolta's Approach
Background and Issues
Gender equality and women’s empowerment are key issues for the global community, and they are also vital to achieving the SDGs. In Japan, however, despite the fact that both men and women are generally highly educated, the reality is that women still face barriers when it comes to leadership and participation across the board. Konica Minolta recognizes the urgent need to develop an environment that facilitates women’s success in its industry.
Vision
Konica Minolta views the diversity of its human resources as a source of new and never before seen innovative ideas and solutions. In this sense, diversity is the key to achieving a balance between "supporting people to achieve their own purpose" and "realizing a sustainable society" as stated in its management vision.
We believe that promoting the advancement of women will also foster the advancement of all social minorities, and we seek to further expand the arenas in which women can actively participate in the workforce.
Key Measures and KPIs
- Proactively recruit women
- Formulate and implement individual development plans and training for women leader candidates
| KPI | Results | Targets | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2025 | FY2029 | |
| Percentage of management positions held by women | 7.2% | 9.1% | 9.9% | 10% or more | 11% or more | 13％ or more | 18% or more |
| Percentage of women among new graduate recruits | 23% | 35% | 37% | Maintain 30% or more | ― | ||
Regular employees of Konica Minolta, Inc. as of the April 1 following the end of each fiscal year
Supporting Career Development for Women
Konica Minolta, Inc. has worked proactively to create an organizational culture in which women can thrive, provide education and training, and augment its systems, using the percentage of management positions held by women since fiscal 2010 as one of its indicators. Since fiscal 2017, we have positioned DEI as a management strategy and the head of each business division have been directly involved in individual development plans and focused on enhancing the pipeline of women leaders based on a strong desire to foster women in leadership positions. In addition to these initiatives, Konica Minolta identifies women with high potential and systematically nurture them so that they can exercise influence in the upper levels of management.
Strengthen Training of Manager Candidates
To reinforce the pipeline of women leaders, since fiscal 2021, we have provided training to women who are close to being appointed to management positions The training seeks to systematically develop their skills and leadership abilities in order to facilitate their promotion to this level.
Taking inventory of past experiences and identifying any shortcomings in experience and skill, we systematically assign duties and develop the competencies needed for career growth, including promotions to this level and above. We also conduct training for woman employees to address their need for additional experience and skills and equip them to better shape their own careers.
We have introduced a "sister program" wherein more experienced women who are already at this level provide person-to-person consultations for women newly appointed to these roles, to help alleviate their concerns and raise their motivation immediately after promotion.
In fiscal 2022, we trained a total of 29 people, including 15 women and 14 of their supervisors.
As a result of these efforts, the percentage of management positions management positions held by women has steadily increased each year. It reached 9.9%, nearly achieving our numerical target of 10% for fiscal 2022.
In fiscal 2018, Konica Minolta welcomed its first woman executive officer, and as of June 2023, one outside director and three corporate vice presidents were women, bringing the percentage of director and executive officer positions held by women to 10%.
Number and Percentage of Women Managers at Konica Minolta, Inc. (as of April of each year)
Promoting Work-Life Management
The development of Konica Minolta's work-life balance support program began in the 1990s to prevent women employees from leaving their jobs due to childbirth or childcare. We are now also promoting male employees’ participation in childcare and improving support for balancing work and nursing care, as well as changing systems and creating an environment that can flexibly adapt to the differing circumstances of each employee. As a result, the gap in the average number of years of continuous service between men and women at Konica Minolta, Inc. has been eliminated, and we have created an environment where everyone can balance work and life.
Furthermore, we provide a wide range of opportunities for women and their colleagues and supervisors to gain accurate knowledge and learn coping strategies for diseases such as premenstrual and menopausal syndromes that are particular to the life stages of women, so that women can work safely and with peace of mind.
Support for Women Balancing Childcare and Career Goals
The childcare leave system at Konica Minolta, Inc. has steadily taken root since its introduction in 1992, and the leave acquisition rate is now 100%. The rate of employees returning to work after childcare leave is also steady at 100%.
In response to the concern of daycare waiting lists, employees with infants are able to take childcare leave until the child reaches the age of 2 years and 3 months, so that even babies born in February or March have two opportunities to get into daycare in the usual registration month of April. Moreover, the company provides salary assistance during a childcare leave period that exceeds the term of childcare leave benefit payment.
In addition to the childcare leave system, which allows parents to take leave until the child reaches the age of two years and three months, men can take a total of up to five days of leave within one month before or after the expected date of birth as paid “maternity leave.”
As a result of strengthening awareness-raising activities for eligible employees and their supervisors and creating and distributing childcare leave handbooks that explain the system and procedures, the parental leave utilization rate by eligible men reached 64.8% in fiscal 2022.
In addition to these, after returning to work from childcare leave and until the child graduates from elementary school, employees of any gender can choose from a variety of work options including shortened working hours, working from home, and remote work regardless of gender. This allows them to continue building their career according to their family circumstances and their own approach.
Payment of a “Next-Generation Fostering Allowance”
Konica Minolta, Inc. established a “next-generation fostering allowance” in fiscal 2012, replacing its family allowance and housing allowance. This provides monetary benefits to employees raising children under the age of 18 to support employees in the child-rearing generation. Employees are eligible to receive subsidies for some of the fees for nursery school and daycare center use through the "Cafeteria Plan System." Furthermore, in fiscal 2008, the Company expanded the eligibility for using accumulated paid leave to include reasons such as infant care, or staying home with a child when school is canceled.
*Accumulated paid leave: A leave system that enables employees to accumulate unused annual paid leave that can be used with pay under certain conditions. (A maximum of 40 days of leave can be accumulated.)
See Social Data (Excel) in ESG Data page for details on use of each system.
Networking and Awareness-Raising Activities
Creating a Network for Mutual Assistance
Konica Minolta promotes networking beyond organizational boundaries. Voluntary initiatives such as company childcare communities and career workshops help promote the active participation of women.
Network for Women in STEM
At Konica Minolta, Inc., more women are being hired as engineers, and women are being assigned to workplaces in which there used to be only men. As the environment changes, there are still workplaces in which there are very few women serving as engineers. For this reason, Konica Minolta established the Network for Women in STEM so that these women don’t have to keep their worries to themselves but can connect with a wide group of colleagues, including people with the same concerns, people who have overcome these concerns, and people who can approach concerns from a completely different perspective. Men and other leaders in occupations other than engineering also participate as supporting members. In addition to online workshops on themes such as balancing home life, child-rearing and career, Konica Minolta has created an environment in which members can talk to others on the team at any time using chat and other systems.
Programs linked to International Women’s Day
Since March 2018,every year Konica Minolta has held programs linked to International Women’s Day, March 8.
| Date Held | Theme | No. of Participants |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Connect | 300 (held in Japan) |
| 2019 | Respect–Understand and acknowledge each other’s differences | 1,000 (held in Japan) |
| 2022 | BREAK THE BIAS | 350 (held in each region) |
March 2023 - EMBRACE EQUITY
Under the EMBRACE EQUITY theme, programs were held globally and in each region under this common theme. The global program was entitled “Women's Power to Change the Global Economy” and featured guest speakers, with 480 people from 22 countries participating. In addition, a program was held in Japan with a guest speaker who discussed “How to Turn Differences into Strengths” with 200 people attending.
Group Company Initiatives
Initiatives at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
We have maintained the “Step Forward” activities of the Women's Business Resource Group (BRG) for many years to promote higher retention and opportunities for women. The program consists of monthly lectures on topics such as the growth mindset, personal branding, and navigating career success, with a total of about 4,100 employees participating in 2021.
Initiatives at Konica Minolta Japan, Inc.
Konica Minolta Japan, Inc. established the Diversity Promotion Office in fiscal 2018 and launched full-scale initiatives. Every year since fiscal 2018, we have sent women to outside training programs to support their career development. In fiscal 2022, the Diversity Promotion Office held discussions with division heads about DEI promotion, and first promoted the understanding of human resources with the aim of developing younger people and women in the workforce. In fiscal 2023, we incorporated the expertise of Konica Minolta, Inc. and implemented specific measures.
| KPI | Results | Targets | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2025 | |
| Percentage of Women Managers | 5.8% | 6.4% | 7% | 8% | 11% |
* Regular employees of Konica Minolta Japan, Inc. as of the April 1 following the end of each fiscal year
Formulate and Implement Action Plan based on Japan’s Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace
In Japan, we have formulated an action plan based on the Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace to encourage more women to take on leadership positions and broaden their participation, and we are pursuing initiatives to achieve this goal.
Group companies that have formulated action plans and disclosed information:
Konica Minolta, Inc.
Konica Minolta Japan, Inc.
Konica Minolta Mechatronics Co., Ltd.
Kinko’s Japan Co., Ltd.
Konica Minolta Supplies Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Konica Minolta Planetarium Co., Ltd.
Konica Minolta With You, Inc.
Konica Minolta Information System Co., Ltd.
Konica Minolta, Inc. - 4th Phase of Action Plan for Fiscal 2022-2023
| (a) Plan duration | April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024 |
|---|---|
| (b) Numerical targets | 10% or more women managers (section manager or above) Percentage taking annual paid leave: 75% |
| (c) Description of Initiative | 1. Selective training of manager candidates 2. Early promotion through enhanced training of young employees 3. Promote systematic use of paid leave |
| (d) Timing of initiatives | Implemented as needed |
Percentage of women managers at Konica Minolta and its consolidated subsidiaries in Japan (as of the end of each fiscal year)
External Evaluation
Konica Minolta and its Group companies in Japan have been recognized by Japan’s Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare with Kurumin Mark Certification as companies that provide support to employees rearing children, and with "Eruboshi" Mark Certification as companies with outstanding records of promoting the advancement of women in the workplace.
Konica Minolta, Inc.
Konica Minolta Japan, Inc.
Konica Minolta Information System Co., Ltd.
