Diversity and Inclusion
Approaches and Policy
At Daiwa Securities Group, one of our Corporate Principles is "Placing importance on personnel," and we are actively working on "diversity and inclusion" as one of our material issues toward realizing our "Vision 2030". We have established the Diversity and Inclusion Promotion Committee and the Sustainability Promotion Committee (formerly SDGs Promotion Committee), both of which are chaired by President and CEO Akihiko Ogino and have a wide range of discussions.
Discussions at the Sustainability Promotion Committee are reported to the Executive Committee for deliberation and decision-making as appropriate. In order to monitor the degree of penetration and make improvements according to the progress of initiatives, evaluation items related to the promotion of diversity, such as on the creation of an environment in which diverse human resources can play an active role, are introduced into multifaceted manager evaluations. In addition, we are checking the numerical value for the "Diversity and Respect for Individuals" category, as a KPI, in engagement survey results.
Initiatives to promote the dissemination of systems and the understanding of the approach
Use of Group newsletters and Group satellite broadcasting
"Turn diversity into power! Diversity & Inclusion Lab" is a series of articles in our in-house newsletter, which introduces the Group's systems and initiatives for diversity and inclusion, as well as role models that are active in various careers. In addition, the Group facilitates the sharing of best practices in each department via Group satellite broadcasting.
Awareness raising activities for managers
The top management continuously communicate the initiatives and objectives of diversity and inclusion, including women's success, at meetings attended by all executives and managers, while training for managers, including all line section managers, is conducted to deepen understanding and instill the concept of a support system for a better work-life balance. In addition, a "multifaceted evaluation" is conducted for all management levels, including directors, department managers, and section managers, with the aim of improving their management skills and the productivity of the entire group by having subordinates evaluate their superiors' daily work activities and providing feedback to the managers. Efforts for diversity are also included as evaluation items, and the results are incorporated into manager evaluations.
Encouraging Women to Succeed
Daiwa Securities Group proactively appoints talented human resources regardless of gender. In particular, since the percentage of female employees is 40.7% (as of the end of FY2022 at the submitting company and all domestic consolidated subsidiaries), we regard the promotion of women's advancement as the most important issue in the promotion of diversity. In order to further incorporate more diverse perspectives into group management, four female executives were simultaneously appointed in 2009. Currently, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. has five female directors (35.7%), and the Group as a whole has 18 female executives as Directors, Corporate Executive Officers (Shikkoyaku), Executive Officers (Shikkoyakuin), and Audit & Supervisory Board Members.
Although the business characteristics and personnel composition of each company differ, in order to promote initiatives groupwide, a "Women's Advancement Meeting" has been held every quarter since FY2014, where human resource officers from each company gather to strengthen cooperation by sharing information on progress and best practices regarding the goals of each company, set in accordance with their respective situations. The increase in the number of role models at each company has made it easier for female employees to envision their career paths. In recent years, the number of female employees seeking career advancement by switching to career-track, broad regional career-track, and regional career-track positions has increased significantly. We have also implemented various systems and measures that are beyond the legal requirements to help women continue to work energetically even after going through life events such as marriage and childbirth.
Women from our Group have been introduced by Nikkei Inc. in its Nikkei Womenomics Project and by Nikkei Inc. and Nikkei Business Publications Inc. in their Nikkei Women's Empowerment Project. Please have a look. (Japanese only)
Commitment by Top Management
Daiwa Securities Group promotes diversity and inclusion initiatives within the company, while top management makes a commitment by endorsing social organizations and activities.
2015: The Chairman of the Board of Daiwa Securities Group Inc. showed his support for the Declaration on Action by the Group of Male Leaders Who Will Create "A Society in which Women Shine*" spearheaded by the Gender Equality Bureau of the Cabinet Office.
- *This is an initiative in which male leaders of leading companies that are actively engaged in promoting women's advancement share the Declaration of Action and expand the network of support in order for women to maximize their potential.
2019: Daiwa Securities Group Inc. supports activities of 30% Club Japan* and the Chairman of the Board and President and CEO started to participate as members.
- *An initiative aimed at increasing the proportion of women in the top management of Japanese companies, setting up the target of boosting the percentage of female members in the Board of Directors of TOPIX 100 companies to 30% by 2030.
2021: We support the "Challenge Initiative for 30% of Executives to be Women by 2030 #HereWeGo203030" proposed by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren).
Targets Related to Initiatives for Empowering Women
Daiwa Securities Group has aimed to raise the ratio of women in director's positions to at least 30% by 2030, and we have set specific targets for the years through FY2025. In this manner, positive steps are being taken to provide an environment in which employees with diverse values can maximize their capabilities.
Targets for Years through FY2025 (Daiwa Securities)
- Women account for at least 25% of people managerial positions by FY2025, reaching 30% by 2029
- Continue hiring high quality employees, regardless of gender, and maintain a stable ratio of 50% of women among newly recruited graduates every fiscal year
- 50% of women among participants in training, which aims to provide participants with various skills and improve their expertise
- Continue to maintain a 100% rate of childcare leave use by male employees and a childcare leave duration of 14 days or more
Support for Female Employees' Career Development
Since female employees are relatively more susceptible to the impact of life events on their careers, we provide various career development support programs focused on female employees. First, we have encouraged female employees to apply for the career track change system to assume broader job functions and responsibilities so that they can develop their careers more autonomously. As a result, the number of female employees seeking career advancement has increased significantly, with a total of more than 1,680 employees switching to career-track, broad regional career-track, and regional career-track positions. The Professional Return Plan, which rehires employees who left the company for reasons such as childcare or nursing care, has a certain number of users on a continuous basis, while the number of female employees right before being promoted to managerial positions has increased significantly.
We also launched a career support training initiative for female employees (Daiwa Woman's Forum) in FY2014, and from 2018, we have expanded the scope of this training to include managers. These programs have helped female employees to autonomously envision their career paths and contributed to building networks among them.
Initiatives
Appointment of Female Executives and Women in Managerial Positions
Daiwa Securities Group has a total of 18 women in top managerial positions who work as directors, corporate executive officers, executive officers, and auditors. They include five female executives serving as directors and corporate executive officers at Daiwa Securities Group Inc. The number of women in managerial positions is increasing year by year, with the Group's total number standing at 817 as of the end of June 2023. The ratio of women in managerial positions has risen from 2.2% at the end of FY2004 to 16.9% on a group-wide basis (up from 2.3% to 20.8% at Daiwa Securities).
Formulation of an action plan based on the Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Engagement in Professional Life
Since each company in Daiwa Securities Group has its own business operations and personnel structure, each company formulates and publishes its own action plan.
To promote the initiative, we hold a "Women's Advancement Meeting" on a quarterly basis, where human resource executives from each group company gather to engage in discussion. We are further accelerating our efforts to provide an environment in which employees with diverse values can fulfill their full potential.
[A general business owner action plan was formulated and submitted on April 1, 2021]
Support for the Success of Senior Employees
As the careers of employees grow even longer, we aim to provide our employees, who have a wealth of experience, with the new skills they need to stay at the forefront of our times, and to create environments in which they can continue to thrive, thereby contributing to the sustained growth of our company.
Daiwa Securities Group has in place a Senior Advisor System that enables employees with a wealth of experience to play an active role in the workplace. Senior advisors are dispatched to locations of their choice and engage in community-based consulting and sales from a long-term perspective. In FY2017, we eliminated employment age limits for senior advisors, enabling them to continue working regardless of their age. For employees in other positions as well, we have raised the retirement age to 70, provided that certain conditions are met.
In addition, we have created a Senior Fellow System and have established a personnel system for senior employees with outstanding expertise and knowledge who have made remarkable achievements. We support both work and caregiving, and are creating an environment in which employees can thrive without worrying about their future lives.
We have also introduced long service leave for employees in their 20th year and 30th year at the Group. The leave is designed with gratitude to provide employees who have contributed greatly to the Group's development with an opportunity to refresh themselves and spend time with their parents, spouse, and other people around them who always support them.
Employment of People with Disabilities
As of FY2023, Daiwa Securities Group had more than 200 employees with disabilities handling a wide range of responsibilities in our head office, sales branches and contact centers. We started recruiting new graduates with disabilities as regular employees (general office staff) in FY2008, and in FY2011 broadened the scheme to career-track employees, regional career-track employees, and customer service employees. Once people with disabilities are hired, we provide support for their career advancement by, for example, creating opportunities for them to enter the career-track and regional career-track employment opportunities. To further strengthen our support to employees, we also introduced the Daiwa LEAP Plan in 2018. This provides comprehensive support including a leave program for outpatient treatment, subsidies for expenses incurred to start work, and the introduction of support tools according to the type of disability. The Plan is a measure for bringing out employees' talents while taking their respective circumstances into consideration, and developing a pleasant working environment.
We have vigorously increased recruitment opportunities by holding briefings about the company for new graduates, participating in career expos, and implementing job placement support programs for university students with disabilities.
Moreover, Daiwa Securities Group participates in the Accessibility Consortium of Enterprises (ACE), a general incorporated association, as a member. ACE was founded for the purpose of establishing a model for people with disabilities that contributes to corporate growth, and communicating information to society concerning human resources sought by businesses. As of June 2023, ACE has 37 corporate members, mostly large companies. Through the holding of seminars and workshops for human resources personnel and employees with disabilities, as well as issuance of educational brochures, ACE carries out awareness-raising activities for parties concerned, creates role models, and makes proposals to management and society. Our Group's "Daiwa LEAP Plan" initiative received a "Special Award" in the "Environment Creation Category" of the 2020 ACE Awards.
FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|
2.33% | 2.57% | 2.58% | 2.62% | 2.59% |
Promoting increased understanding toward the LGBTQ+ community and related issues
As an opportunity to deepen understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, every year we hold a Human Rights Awareness Workshop for all employees in each department and office, which includes video training and discussion to promote understanding of LGBTQ+ issues. In addition, LGBTQ+ themes are taken up in training for new and young employees, as well as in training for those who have been promoted.
We are aiming to create a work environment where individuals can work in a way that is more true to themselves, expanding personnel systems to accommodate partnerships, establishing the 'Daiwa ALLY Network', and providing both internal and external consultation services to create an environment where it is easy to seek advice. Additionally, we provide support tailored to the circumstances of each individual, such as allowing employees transitioning genders to take leave. Starting in 2024, we are sponsoring Tokyo Rainbow Pride and raising awareness of our initiatives both internally and externally.
Promoting Diverse Work Styles (Work-Life Balance)
Approaches and Policy
Daiwa Securities Group's management strategy states, "Daiwa Securities Group is working to create a working environment which flexibly responds to change and in which all employees can continue to work energetically" and "We are creating a workplace in which no one is left behind by achieving a high degree of work-life balance that enables diverse personnel to thrive". We are making efforts to promote diversity, inclusion and work-life balance, aiming to achieve work styles in which work and life are in harmony, and to enhance the work environment, in which both men and women can work using a variety of work styles.
Various systems
Childcare leave | Employees can take childcare leave until the day before their child's third birthday. |
Childcare support leave for male employees | From 2022, wages of up to 4 weeks are guaranteed, in addition to childcare leave at birth and childcare support leave, and in principle, the taking of leave of at least two consecutive weeks is being promoted as mandatory. An environment enabling men to actively participate in child rearing has been developed. |
Pre-childcare leave for male employees | Can be taken when the employee accompanies the spouse to a pregnancy checkup and participates in a parents' class, as well as for preparations for hospitalization, etc. before the birth. The leave is designed to nurture an awareness of participation in child rearing among male employees before the birth of a child. This system has been used by a total of roughly 80 employees. |
Short working hours system | A system that allows employees to leave the company up to 90 minutes early (in 10-minute units) until their children graduate from elementary school |
Exemption/restriction on overtime work | Exemption from overtime work is possible until the employee's children complete the third grade of elementary school. Overtime work can be limited until graduation from elementary school |
Sick/injured child care leave | Up to 5 days per child before elementary school, up to 10 days per year if the employee has 2 or more children (The leave can be taken in a unit of hour). |
Daycare subsidy | The Group subsidizes the cost of child care facilities or after-school care until the employee's children reach the third grade of elementary school |
Babysitter system | Employees can use a babysitting service contracted by the company at a special rate until their children complete the third grade of elementary school. This system has been used by a total of over 1,500 employees. |
Support desk for employees looking for nursery schools | Offers free-of-charge services that check information on nursery school facilities, the status of availability, and other such matters on behalf of employees, thereby assisting them to find nursery schools. This system has been used over 200 times in total. |
Job location change system | If an employee needs to relocate due to marriage, spouse job transfer, nursing care time care, etc., the Group will provide a work position at the new location. Since fiscal 2007, approximately 400 people have used this system |
Spouse work reassignment leave system | Employees can take up to 5 years of leave if their spouse is transferred overseas. This system has been used by a total of over 70 employees. |
Birth gift of 2 million yen from the third child | The Group pays 2 million yen as congratulations for the birth of the third and subsequent children |
Nursing care leave | Employees can take up to four periods of nursing care leave within 3 years (1095 days) for each family member requiring care |
Nursing care time | Employees can take up to 2 hours per day of family care time within 3 years from the start of use |
Nursing care-support leave | Employees can take leave to take care of family members who need nursing care, to accompany them to a hospital, etc. or to carry out procedures on behalf of family members. Up to 5 days per year can be taken (10 days for 2 or more family members, in a unit of hour). A cumulative total of more than 2,000 people have made use of this benefit. |
Nursing Care Travel Home Expense Allowance | The Group subsidizes travel expenses incurred when employees return to their parents' home to provide nursing care. A cumulative total of more than 230 people have made use of this benefit. |
Life Support Paid Leave | Employees can take paid vacation when it is required for injury/illness, nursing care preparation, fertility treatment, or nursing a child (up to 50 days) |
Diversity and Inclusion phone line | The Diversity and Inclusion phone line provides various types of advice to employees regarding balancing work and child care/ nursing care, career planning, etc. |
Professional Return Plan (re-hiring of sales staff) |
A system to re-employ employees who have retired due to marriage, childbirth, or nursing care, etc. with the same treatment as when they retired. A cumulative total of more than 80 people have made use of system. |
Expanded leave system | The Group has defined marriage preparation vacation; kids' ceremony vacation (for children's entrance ceremonies, etc.); family day vacation (to deepen family friendships); parents' longevity vacation (to coincide with longevity celebrations for own or spouse's parents); and volunteer vacation, and encourages employees to take paid vacation |
Telecommuting system | This has been instituted in every department, including Sales, as a means of promoting employee autonomy and improving organizational productivity. |
Flex time system | Depending on the nature of its operations, a unit can choose flextime (with a required core time) or super flextime (no required core time) to improve organizational productivity. |
Daiwa ELLE Plan | Regarding health issues for women who are active at various life stages, the Group provides comprehensive support including measures for the menopause; ELLE vacations (for poor physical condition during menstruation/menopause and fertility treatment); improvement of awareness such as e-learning training for managers; subsidies for specific fertility treatments; and a work-at-home system to balance work and fertility treatment |
The Group believes that it is important not only to have a system in place, but also to create a supportive environment. We conduct training on the work-life balance support system for balancing work with child care and nursing care responsibilities to deepen mutual understanding between employees who use the system and those in the same workplace.
In addition, we conduct a survey for all employees about the various systems. We survey the recognition, degree of use, and issues of our systems, while soliciting opinions and requests from employees, to promote further understanding and enhance penetration of the systems. Based on employee feedback, we also review the design and operation of these systems.
Various initiatives
Guidelines for balancing work and child care
The Group has established guidelines for balancing work and child care for all employees and department managers so that employees can take child care leave and return to work smoothly. These guidelines encourage appropriate consideration to make it easy for employees to use the system according to their physical condition and individual circumstances. They also promote understanding among other employees, and describe how to distribute work according to the situation and how to provide training as a role model. They go on to describe how to give fair and impartial evaluations and feedback to employees with various circumstances, such as those who will use the system and those who have returned to work. Through training and other measures managers can remain informed and educated.
In addition, the Group has distributed a list of the various work-life balance systems to managers as "Work-life balance systems for balancing work and child care/nursing care that managers need to know about."
Expanded support for balancing work and nursing care
The Group is helping employees balance their work and nursing care in various ways. To further improve the environment in which employees with abundant experience and a high degree of specialization can continue to work actively without feeling anxious about future nursing care, the Group established a nursing care leave system that exceeds the legal requirements (up to 1095 days, can be acquired in four periods) and introduced a work-from-home system for all departments including sales departments. Further, following consultations with employees who are providing nursing care and their families, the Group introduced a Nursing Care Concierge Service that can provide various solutions. Moreover, in conjunction with "Nursing Care Day" on November 11th, the Group held study sessions at all branches entitled "Responding to an Aging Society and Balancing Work and Family Care," to raise employee awareness and foster a corporate culture that makes it easy to use the systems.
Enforcement of leaving the office before 7 p.m.
Since 2007, led by our policy of creating an environment in which employees can work efficiently within time constraints, the Group has encouraged employees to leave the office before 7 p.m. and has set the goal of achieving a 100% implementation rate in all divisions. Furthermore, the Group has developed guidelines for work and meetings where multiple departments collaborate. The Human Resources Division regularly confirms if employees are leaving the company by 7:00 p.m., and the Diversity and Inclusion Promotion Committee has established a system for verifying the implementation status of this initiative.
Since 2015, the Group has been expanding investment in human resource development by capitalizing on the results of productivity improvements. In addition, in 2017 and 2018, the Group provided a "special allowance for work-life balance and work style reform," and in 2019 provided a "special allowance for productivity improvement." Lump sum payments, funded by the results of productivity improvement, were paid to employees separately from their bonuses.
Further, the Group operates an "hourly leave system" that allows employees to take annual leave in units of one hour, which enables flexible work styles. The Group has also set up the "flextime system" according to the business situation of each department.
Promotion of taking annual leave
The Group promotes "taking planned annual leave" for the purpose of improving productivity and work efficiency by refreshing the mind and body and bringing out new vitality. As part of its efforts, the Group introduced a System Usage Calendar and various initiatives, such as Kids' Ceremony Leave, Family Day Leave, Parents' Longevity Celebration Leave, Long Service Gratitude Leave, Expecting Mother Escort Leave, Volunteer Leave, and Marriage Preparations Leave. Employees are made aware of the objectives and importance of the different kinds of leave through training, in-house broadcast, and the like.
The Group introduced a "System Usage Calendar" that allows all employees in a department to share their plans for using annual leave, continuous leave, and the systems for balancing work with child care (short working hours system, etc.). It is extremely effective in promoting the use of annual leave for all employees, and has become a system that allows each workplace to use the leave systems smoothly.
Daiwa WLB* Station
A work-life balance promotion site exclusively for employees, which introduces the child care and nursing care systems and features content on the subjects of self-improvement and health. It can be viewed from home while on leave, and the bulletin board is used as a communication tool for employees.
- *WLB: the abbreviation for Work-Life Balance
Legal Compliance
To protect and preserve each employee's rights, the Group regularly monitors the status of compliance with the Minimum Wage Act, the Labor Standards Act "36 Agreement", and other relevant laws and regulations.
"Daiwakko" Daiwa Child Care Club
In 2021, we created "Daiwakko," the Daiwa child care club, to provide both work and child care support to expecting mothers and mothers taking care of children, assisting them to improve their skills and shape their careers so that they can feel secure and motivated as they continue to work while expecting children and providing child care. It is hosted on a dedicated site within Daiwa WLB Station and offers ways for colleagues to connect and introduces various ways of using Daiwa's systems.
External Ratings for Initiatives
Various recognition programs
Since April 2005, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. has formulated an action plan based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children, and has been working to create a workplace environment where employees can work comfortably while balancing their work and family life.
In recognition of this initiative, as of June 9, 2008, the Daiwa Securities Group Inc. received the "Child Care Support Authorized Company Mark" (known as "Kurumin") from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as a "company actively working on support for the development of the next generation" based on the Act for Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation.
Furthermore, on March 11, 2016, Daiwa Securities received the "Platinum Kurumin Certification" as an excellent "parenting support company" that is working at a higher standard than companies that acquired "Kurumin."
Selected for "Nadeshiko Brand" jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange!
Daiwa Securities Group Inc. has been selected as a "Nadeshiko Brand" by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Tokyo Stock Exchange for eight consecutive years from fiscal 2014 as a listed company that excels in promoting women's advancement.
The Group was commended for setting clear goals regarding the promotion of women's advancement and work-life balance and promoting an environment where personnel with diverse values can maximize their abilities.
Received the symbol mark (known as "Tomonin") from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for promoting the development of a "work environment that ensures a balance of work and nursing care"!
The Group is continuously working to create a workplace environment that makes it easy to use the work-life balance support systems so that employees can continue to work while balancing work and nursing care.
The Group received the symbol mark (known as "Tomonin") from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for promoting the development of a "work environment that ensures a balance of work and nursing care"