Logo

Society

Comfortable Working Environment: Allowing Individuals to Flourish and Achieve a Good Life-work Balance

Comfortable Working Environment: Allowing Individuals to Flourish and Achieve a Good Life-work Balance

Allowing Individuals to Flourish

  • In promoting lifelong CDP to allow individuals to grow, the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group will expand support systems that are tailored to each individual’s career phase and changes in life circumstances, thereby creating an environment in which diverse individuals can play an active role and continue to grow. This in turn will lead to diversity as a company and sustainable corporate growth through innovation. By respecting diverse values, recognizing the value in each other’s differences, and promoting the creation of an organization and environment in which each employee can maximize their abilities, we will work together to achieve individual and corporate growth.

  • Allowing individuals to flourish is the key to corporate growth

    Allowing individuals to flourish is the key to corporate growth
三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Active Participation of Women

About 70% of Group employees are females.
The active participation of females is essential both for future corporate growth (bringing strategy to life, promoting innovation) and in terms of the changing demographics. We will continue to press ahead with efforts to foster a corporate climate and individual awareness, in addition to enhancing systems and support measures, to create an environment in which women in all stages of life can reach their potentials while finding job satisfaction and working comfortably.

Hiring of new graduates

  • Hiring criteria have been established based on respect for diverse values. As a result, each year, females account for about half or more of all new graduate employees hired as career-track employees.

  • Number of new graduate employees hired as career-track employees
    *Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

      FY2019 FY2020 FY2021 FY2022 FY2023
    Female 20 15 16 15 10
    Male 14 17 12 9 10
    Total 34 32 28 24 20

    *As of April of each year

Average years of service and management-position appointments

  • The creation of an environment where employees can actively participate regardless of gender has led to a yearly increase in the proportion of women in management positions. As the foundation for promoting the active participation of women, we have been enhancing our childcare-related benefits alongside the development of an environment that enables females to continue working after childbirth, and we have many females with children in management positions. As a result of these efforts, the average years of service of females has increased year by year.

  • Average years of service*Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

      FY2019 FY2020 FY2021 FY2022 FY2023
    Female 21.1 21.2 21.4 22.0 22.1
    Male 21.2 21.2 22.6 22.3 23.0

    Number of employees* Group total

      Females Total Share of females
    Stage A (general manager) 74 448 16.5%
    Stage B (managers equivalent to section managers) 1,044 3,202 32.6%
    Total 1,118 3,650 30.6%

    *As of April 1, 2023

Officer appointment

  • In April 2014, a female was appointed officer for the first time. Since then, the Group has continued to appoint females as officers from within and outside the Group. At present, there are six female officers on the board.

  • Number of females serving as officers (FY2023)

      Directors Executive officers President and Representative Directors
    Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. 3
    (including 1 internal director)
    - -
    Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. - 2 -
    Group companies - - 1

Key external assessments on the active participation of females

◆ Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Diversity Management Selection 100 (2015)

◆ Japan Productivity Center: Working Women Empowerment Award, Award of Excellence (2016)

Cabinet Office: Leading Companies Where Women Shine 2018, Minister of State for Special Missions (equal gender participation) Award

◆ “Eruboshi” certification 2nd stage (2016)

◆ “Eruboshi” certification 3rd stage (2023)

Interviews with female executives and female employees active in the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group

INTERVIEW: Diverse individuality is the driving force that touches people‘s hearts
Ninako Komiya
  • Ninako Komiya
  • President,
  • Sendai Mitsukoshi Ltd.

These days, I am considered to be a “cosmetics expert” within the company. However, when I was assigned to stock cosmetics at Isetan Shinjuku in 1998 as the first female buyer, I had no knowledge of cosmetics at all. I hurriedly studied beauty magazines, and on my days off, and I visited department stores and specialty stores in Japan and overseas, deepening my understanding of cosmetics through my purchasing experiences. Later, I acquired the ability to think about product development based on how customers feel when using cosmetics. In 2008, we launched the BEAUTY APOTHECARY at the Isetan Shinjuku Main Store based on the concept of “a personal beauty pharmacy that supports women’s health, whether their condition is good or not so good.” Initiatives such as this have allowed us to gain recognition for what we want to achieve for our customers and for society. I am happy that this store has remained a customer favorite for 15 years. There is no better opportunity to absorb and grow so much than in a field in which you have no experience, where you can proudly say, “Please teach me all you know.” One of the best things about our company is that we have the opportunity to grow based on future possibilities.
In April 2022, I became president of Sendai Mitsukoshi Ltd. Although I was at a loss at first because there are few female executives in Sendai, the hub of the Tohoku region, most executives are interested in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and they gave me the opportunity to talk about my experiences. After speaking at a lecture, I was asked to speak at other events, and many of the women who attended requested to hear me speak individually. I have realized that maintaining a tangible presence makes it easier for people to get a sense of what I do. This year, an increasing number of women at Sendai Mitsukoshi are preparing for their internal promotion exams. I hope that more people will go on to become familiar presences who female employees can look up to and imagine how they might be after they are promoted.
In my third year with the company, I had to work shortened hours for six months to care for my father. Also, I took three weeks off work to care for my mother when I was a sales manager at the Mitsukoshi Ginza store. Today, more and more people, regardless of gender, are working under a variety of time constraints, and those around them need to understand their situation. However, at the same time, these employees have to produce results and be evaluated within the limited time they have. I am now using my experience to give advice to junior colleagues who find themselves in a similar situation. I came to realize that words born from experience can touch people’s hearts, both when I was a buyer in the past and now as the president of Sendai Mitsukoshi.
I believe that the individuality of each employee, who has undergone a variety of experiences, will provide the power to touch the hearts of not only our employees but also all those who support the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group.

INTERVIEW: My wish to become a supportive parent who cherishes the feeling of gratitude
Emiri Yahiro
  • Emiri Yahiro,
  • Merchandise Manager,
  • Sales Department 1,
  • Sales Management Division,

Isetan Mitsukoshi Nihombashi Main Store, Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. After maternity and childcare leave, I returned to work in 2023, taking advantage of the system of shortened working hours for childcare. Currently, I am in charge of planning for the food floor at the Nihombashi Main Store, and am involved in such things as the formulation of medium- to long-term plans and media production. I consider it an immense joy to be able to work surrounded by delicious food every day. From the time I joined the company, I was surrounded by many senior colleagues who were actively working while raising children. As such, I had an image of what it would be like after returning to work, so I was not worried about coming back. Now, I am working within the limited time I have, and I attach great importance to expressing my gratitude to the people around me.
My husband also works in the same company, and when our child was born, he took childcare leave for fathers after childbirth. Mothers tend to take the lead in childcare when their children are newborns; however, I think it was great that we were able to create our own childcare style together from the beginning through trial and error. Even before I joined the company, I loved Isetan Mitsukoshi, as it is a great place for people of all generations, and I hope that it will continue to be here when my daughter grows up and my grandchildren after that. For that reason, I would like to continue to work in a job that allows me to be involved in the store. I am grateful that I am now able to work as I am, with the support of those around me. Various life events can happen to anyone, not only childcare but also nursing care, illness, and so on. I think it is important to have the option for flexible work styles that allow people to continue with their careers in such eventualities, and to have a culture of mutual support. I hope that when my children grow up, I will be the one to support them.

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Support System for Balancing Work and Personal Life

The Isetan Mitsukoshi Group has established a system that goes beyond the legal requirements to support employees working while pregnant or raising children, regardless of gender, and has created a variety of systems and environments to ensure that employees can continue to work with a sense of fulfillment.

Childcare-related benefits

The return-to-work rate after childbirth is approximately 90% for employees who have taken maternity leave or childcare leave. As of August 2023, approximately 450 employees are using our system for work during childcare to balance family life and work. In addition, we are expanding other work arrangements to support early return to full-time work, such as the temporary extension of working hours during childcare system , a full-time fixed early-morning-shift system, and the shifting of work schedule during childcare system. In addition, we established the Consultation Desk for Childcare-related Benefits within the Human Resources Management Department, which provides information and other support to employees on childcare leave. We also hold seminars for employees on childcare leave before returning to the workplace, and after they return to work, we offer e-learning for employees returning from childcare leave on the theme of balancing childcare with their careers. Moreover, we are also focusing on other less tangible aspects that include e-learning for employees who are returning to full-time work.

Number of employees using childcare-related benefits

    FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 FY2021 FY2022

Number of employees taking childcare leave

Female 127 126 120 103 124
Male 19 14 13 17 34
Total 146 140 133 120 158
Percentage of employees taking childcare leave Female 99.4% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Male 2108% 23.3% 21.7% 30.9% 87.2%
Number of employees working shorter hours for childbirth or childcare Female 457 475 473 471 455
Male 0 1 0 0 0
Total 457 476 473 471 455
Number of employees returning to work after childcare leave 103 111 116 89 101

*In FY2022, the percentage of male employees taking childcare leave, including leave for childcare purposes, was 97.4%.

Number of employees using childcare-related benefits

  • Childcare support system

    Childcare support system
  • Childcare-related benefits

    System name Content
    Maternity leave Can be taken 8 weeks before and 8 weeks after childbirth
    Childcare leave Available until the end of the month in which the child reaches 4 years of age (can be taken up to a maximum of 3 years, with the cut-off point being in the third year at the end of the same month in which leave was initially taken, e.g. if the period of leave starts on December 14, 2023, leave can be taken until the last day of December 2026)
    Shortened working hours for childcare A system to shorten working hours to allow for childcare. Available until the child enters the third grade of elementary school (total of work during childcare and childcare leave is up to 10 years. However, it can be extended until the end of September of the first year of elementary school)
    *The temporary extension of working hours during childcare system was introduced in FY2014 (up to 10 days per month, allowing temporary full-time work)
    *The shifting of work schedule during childcare system was introduced in FY2018 (up to 10 days per month can be worked by sliding the time schedule)
    Full-time fixed early-morning-shift system Available until the child enters the fourth grade of elementary school (total of fixed early morning shifts, work during childcare, and childcare leave is up to 11 years. However, it can be extended until the end of September of the child’s second year of elementary school)
    Leave for sick/injured childcare Five days per year can be used for the care of one child and 10 days per year can be used for the care of two or more children until they reach school age
    Can be taken in increments of hours, half days, or full days

Encouraging Male Employees to Take Childcare Leave

  • With the goal of creating a work environment in which all employees, regardless of gender, can balance childcare and work according to their wishes, we have set a target of having 100% of male employees take childcare leave*, and are promoting efforts to achieve this goal. Along with establishing the Consultation Desk for Childcare-related Benefits, other systems we have set up in addition to the statutory childcare leave system include special provisions for childcare leave, a system to encourage male employees to take childcare. Since FY2022, male employees who have informed the company about their spouse’s pregnancy or childbirth are contacted individually by human resources, who provide them with information about childcare leave and confirm their intentions in this regard.

    *Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. (non-consolidated) FY2024/Group as a whole: FY2030

  • Number of male employees who have used systems
    *Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

    System name/content FY2022
    Number of male employees whose spouses have given birth 39
    Childcare leave Statutory system 2
    Childcare leave at birth Statutory system 1
    Special provisions for childcare leave Our original system. If the child is before one year of age and the childcare leave period is less than 4 weeks (including holidays for each employee), the leave is not considered a leave of absence, and up to 5 days of paid leave per child is granted. 31
    Leave for childcare purposes (using accumulated paid leave) 4
    Total number of employees taking leave 38
    Percentage of employees taking leave 97.4%

INTERVIEW: New perspectives gained from taking childcare leave at the birth of my child as a start to my child rearing journey

Toshihiko Yahiro
  • Toshihiko Yahiro
  • Group Merchandising Division
  • Merchandising Group Ⅱ
  • Sales Headquarters
  • Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

With the birth of my first child, I took childcare leave for fathers after childbirth (childcare leave at birth) for approximately 4 weeks from October 2022. I had long thought that I would like to take childcare leave if we had a child. Also, since my wife works for the company in the same position, we had discussed the possibility of sharing childcare and household chores as evenly as possible and cooperating with each other. I was a little concerned about when to take leave, but as I looked into it, I learned that the company was establishing a system of childcare leave for fathers after childbirth, and that it would be introduced just around the time the baby was due. I also learned about the heavy burden that women bear after childbirth. I decided to take the leave at this time because I wanted to face the joys and anxieties of parenthood together. Although mandatory childcare leave for men had been gaining much attention in society, as I proceeded to gather information, I found many negative stories on the Internet, and frankly, I was uneasy about it. However, when I discussed the issue with my boss, he said, “If such a system were available when I was younger, I would have wanted to take leave myself! I’ll introduce you to someone who has taken male maternity leave, so why don’t you talk to him about it?” This greatly eased my anxiety. The reaction when I told the people around me, including business partners, about my decision to take the leave also gave me a boost. Although they varied in gender and age, they all responded favorably, and I was impressed by the fact that they shared their own experiences and thoughts on raising children with me. It was also a time when I got a sense of the history of childcare leave and parents’ involvement in childcare in Japan, and how it has changed over the years.
During leave, soon after the baby was born, I spent time with my wife and newborn child and did as much as I could in terms of childcare and housework, except for what was physically impossible. I tried to be ready to be called upon whenever my wife needed help, and as long as my wife was awake, I too would stay up for as long as my strength would allow. Although it was not rational in some ways, I felt guilty that my wife was the only one who was losing sleep because she had to feed the baby every three hours, and I wanted to share in the hardship as much as I could. On the other hand, I remember that my wife’s constant words of encouragement were a great source of support for me. These were the days when I keenly realized the importance of expressing our gratitude to each other in words. I feel that taking childcare leave has increased my perspective on society and given me a new outlook and axis for decision-making in my current work. My wife has returned to work on a shorter working hour basis, but we do not have a clear division of roles regarding childcare and housework. Rather, whoever is able to do it at the time does what he or she can do. As our children grow up, there will be times in the future when both of us will want to shift up a gear in terms of our work. We would like to choose the best form for our family by discussing things with each other while respecting each other’s feelings, rather than simply placing the burden on one of us.

Support for balancing nursing care and work

  • To support employees who work while caring for family members, we have established a system that allows them to continue working in their jobs by taking leave within a certain period of time and shortening their working hours beyond what is stipulated by law. We have also made it possible for employees to take accumulated paid leave* to care for family members, thereby expanding their options.

    *A system that allows a certain number of days of annual paid leave that employees could not be taken by the expiration date to be accumulated for future use

  • Number of employees using care-related systems
    *Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. employees/mate employees

    System name Content FY2022
    Nursing care and nursing care preparatory leave system Up to 1 year per eligible family member. May be taken in installments. 9
    Nursing care and nursing care preparatory work system Up to 3 years per eligible family member. May be taken in installments. 4
    Leave to care for family members Five days per year can be used for the care of one eligible family member and 10 days per year can be used for the care of two or more eligible family members
    Can be taken in increments of hours, half days, or full days
    10

Support for side jobs and second jobs

We launched this system in April 2020 not only to enable employees to gain skills and experience that are difficult to obtain within the Group, but also to promote employee autonomy and independence. We post compliance rules at all times to ensure that employees do not suffer health problems due to long working hours or overwork, as well as to make sure that they do not violate their duty of devotion to their duties or confidentiality. In FY2022, a total of 153 people made use of this system at Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. and Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

Other systems to support diverse work styles

The Isetan Mitsukoshi Group has established systems to support the life-work balance of individuals.

Re-employment

A system in which employees who leave the company for such reasons as marriage, childbirth, childcare, nursing care, or a spouse’s transfer are eligible to be rehired within 12 years of their resignation, with priority given to those in the same employment status they held at the time of their resignation.

Continued employment within the Group
  • A system that allows employees to transfer to a Group company in the area to which they wish to relocate due to life events such as marriage, childbirth, childcare, nursing care, or a spouse’s job transfer.

  • Number of employees using continued employment within the Group
    *Group total

      FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 FY2021 FY2022
    Number of users 3 11 5 6 3
Accumulated paid leave

A system that allows employees to accumulate up to 230 days of unused annual paid leave that would otherwise be legally forfeited as part of our efforts to create a more comfortable work environment. In principle, employees can take leave at the time of their choice, as long as it is for a pre-determined reason and within a predetermined number of days.

Employees using accumulated paid leave
*Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. and Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

  FY2020 FY2021 FY2022
  Total number of applicants Number of days of leave applied for Total number of applicants Number of days of leave applied for Total number of applicants Number of days of leave applied for
Care of a family member 252 628 190 710 309 924
Childcare 90 376 121 561 150 556
Personal development 1 1 1 1 1 1
Volunteer work 0 0 17 19 3 4
Disaster leave (extended disaster leave) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nursing care 93 126 206 270 194 432
Weddings and funerals 37 37 48 50 65 70
Child’s school events 131 133 166 170 238 239
Infertility treatment 1 3 0 0 0 0
Shortened working hours

This new system was established in FY2022 to allow employees to shorten their working hours within a certain period of time in order to help them balance their work with their personal life circumstances. Eligible reasons for taking leave include such things as nursing care, a side job or second job, medical treatment for personal injury or illness, study, and the acquisition of qualifications. The system allows employees to work shorter hours per day or fewer days per week.

Leave of absence due to a spouse’s transfer

In FY2023, we introduced a system that allows employees to take a leave of absence to live with their spouse in an area where they need to relocate due to the spouse’s job transfer or other reasons. This enables employees to continue their careers while focusing on their daily lives for a certain period of time without having to leave the company. In FY2023, 4 employees took advantage of this system (Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd., as of September 1, 2023)

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Ratio of employees with disabilities

  • The Isetan Mitsukoshi Group will continue to adhere to its principle of employing people with disabilities, in the hope of ensuring that people with disabilities are given opportunities to demonstrate their abilities in their professional lives as members of the social economy. Ratio of employees with disabilities

  • Ratio of employees with disabilities
    *Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. and major Group companies in the Tokyo metropolitan area

      Ratio of employment
    Actual results for FY2022
    *As of June 1, 2023
    2.83%
    Target for FY2030 3.50%

Registered as a Tokyo Metropolitan Government Barrier-Free Heart Support Company

In order to build social momentum for nurturing people with barrier-free hearts, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government designates companies that work to raise awareness among employees as Barrier-Free Heart Support Companies. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. was registered in FY2018.

Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL

Serving customers in a department store involves a great deal of incidental tasks. These tasks include making gift-wrapping bags, assembling boxes, affixing ribbon stickers, and putting store stamps on slips, all of which take up a great deal of the time that stylists (sales staff) would otherwise have to devote to customer service. In response, we established Isetan SOLEIL Co., Ltd. (currently Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL Co., Ltd.)* in 2004 as a special subsidiary to handle these operations. Many of those who work at Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL are people with intellectual disabilities who have outstanding concentration skills and the ability to accomplish basic, repetitive tasks. Currently, the company employs 89 people with disabilities, including 75 people with severe intellectual disabilities who would otherwise find it difficult to work for a company. They have become an important sales support force, saving the equivalent of approximately 5,000 hours of work per month at storefronts.

  • By making use of the exceptional abilities of people with disabilities and work-sharing tasks directly related to our core business, we are improving our business performance while at the same time also bringing fulfillment to people with disabilities, helping them develop a sense of belonging as members of the company.

    *Isetan SOLEIL Co., Ltd. became Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL Co., Ltd. in March 2011 following the merger of Mitsukoshi and Isetan.

  • Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL’s team of workers

    Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL’s team of workers

Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL’s work environment and the utilization of human resources as instructors

Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL Co., Ltd. (hereafter, “SOLEIL”) was certified by the Tokyo Foundation for Employment Services in 2022 as an organization entrusted with the Commissioned Training Program for Persons with Disabilities*1. SOLEIL entered the Practical Ability Acquisition Training Course, which is intended to help people who aim to work in companies acquire practical knowledge and skills in a short period of time, and accepted 20 people by October 2023.
SOLEIL’s main line of business is performing incidental tasks in department store sales, such as making gift ribbons and stickers for Mitsukoshi and Isetan stores. In doing so, it utilizes the unique skills of people with severe intellectual disabilities, who are good at delicate manual work, as a corporate asset. In training, too, it offers a curriculum that allows its trainees to work on the same tasks as employees. SOLEIL’s creations need to be of a high standard commensurate with department store quality, requiring meticulous skills and a high level of concentration. Trainees are required to go through the same process and the same level of difficulty as our employees. During the approximately two-week training period, the company conducts interviews twice to provide feedback from the perspective of the workplace, and also provides detailed written feedback after the training is completed to ensure that the training is more practical.

  • This initiative is also a very valuable opportunity for the staff (instructors) who support and guide employees with disabilities in the execution of their work to brush up their teaching skills, such as how to communicate and convey work processes tailored to the characteristics of individual disabilities, and how to develop tailor-made jigs*2 to improve work accuracy. In addition, as one of the few companies that can provide a training curriculum that focuses on manual labor, which is becoming rare these days, it makes a significant contribution to this project, which aims to provide a variety of vocational training.

    *1 The Tokyo Foundation for Employment Services provides a variety of job training for people with disabilities in cooperation with the Employment Security Office.
    *2 Aids used in the work process. The development and use of jigs tailored to the characteristics of individual disabilities allows anyone to create products of an equally high standard.

  • Work guidance being given

    Work guidance being given

Excellent Company Award for Employment of People with Disabilities

This award is a unique system established by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to honor companies in Tokyo that have achieved the legally mandated employment ratio of persons with disabilities by proactively developing the skills and improving the treatment of persons with disabilities. The award is intended to promote an environment in which people with disabilities can play an active role in the workplace, and to raise awareness of the employment of people with disabilities.

  • In October 2017, Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL Co., Ltd. received the Excellent Company Award for Employment of People with Disabilities presented by the Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The company received this award in recognition of its distinctive and outstanding efforts in the employment of people with disabilities, and was commended by the Governor of Tokyo.

  • Excellent Company Award for Employment of People with Disabilities

INTERVIEW: Using creative ideas and consideration to create a rewarding workplace where people with disabilities can take on challenges

Wataru Miyairi
  • Wataru Miyairi,
  • President and Representative Director,
  • Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL Co., Ltd.

Many of those who work at Isetan Mitsukoshi SOLEIL have severe intellectual disabilities. However, despite this, they have outstanding concentration skills and the ability to accomplish basic, repetitive tasks. These employees are often not much different from able-bodied employees and are tasked with the processing and production of gift ribbons and wrapping materials that are presented to our customers. Their ultimate goal is not to become specialists who master a single task. They are trying to be all-rounders who can handle all of the more than 100 set jobs and tasks. They rotate to a different job every day, and once they have learned one job, they are ready to take on the next challenge, always striving to reach new goals. Although manuals exist for each operation, every worker has his or her own way of learning the process. Therefore, they create their own original “work notebooks,” which they use as their own personal textbooks to check the procedures and proceed with the work. The pages that increase each time they take on a new task are evidence of their efforts. I am very proud and happy to see them discussing their progress with their coworkers, chatting about how may tasks they have mastered.

Initiatives by Iwataya Mitsukoshi and Aise

  • Aisei Co., Ltd. was established in 1991 by Shigeto Shinpei , who was running the Aiseikai Social Welfare Corporation, a vocational training facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Osaki Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, and Kenichi Nakamuta, then president of Iwataya Ltd. (now Iwataya Mitsukoshi Ltd.), with the hope of providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Later, in 1998, Aisei was certified as a special subsidiary of Iwataya, and currently employs 12 people with disabilities.
    Aisei’s main business is the production of supplies and paper bags of brand stores used at Iwataya and Fukuoka Mitsukoshi department stores, as well as growing vegetables. Since its founding, Aisei has continued to engage in high value-added agriculture in order to secure employment for people with disabilities and promote their social participation. In addition to sweet potatoes for use in shochu distilling, some of the vegetables grown in cooperation with local farmers have been sold at the Iwataya Main Store’s food shopping area (sales floor) since 2021. The company has received praise for its consistent production management system for safe, high-quality agricultural products, and was the first welfare service office for people with disabilities in Kagoshima Prefecture to receive Global G.A.P. Certification, an international standard operated in more than 120 countries around the world. In addition, workers from Aisei also interact with other members of the Group in various ways. For example, employees of Iwataya Mitsukoshi Ltd. participate in an annual athletic meet held at Aisei as support staff, and volunteers come to support a beetle sumo wrestling tournament held there in the summer. These opportunities for face-to-face contact with Aisei’s members serve as a catalyst for raising employee awareness of disabilities and promoting an understanding of diversity.

    *The ratio of employees with disabilities at Iwataya Mitsukoshi Ltd. is 3.35% (as of June 1, 2023)

  • Athletic meet held for the first time in three years

    Athletic meet held for the first time in three years

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Promoting Active Participation of Foreign Nationals and External Personnel

  • The Group hires people regardless of their nationality in line with our personnel requirements. Over the past six years, we have hired 59 foreign nationals as new graduate employees, and we plan to continue doing so.
    In order to drive innovation by actively incorporating new ideas, skills, and expertise, we promote the active participation of personnel from outside the Group. There is also a system for Group employees to be temporarily transferred to a different organization.

  • Number of external personnel

      Number of companies Number of parsonnal
    FY2019 13 44
    FY2020 11 49
    FY2021 10 44

    * Number of employees on temporary transfer to Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. from companies outside the Group.

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Initiatives for LGBTQ+ Respect

In the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group Corporate Code of Ethics and the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group Human Rights Policy, which are the everyday codes of conduct for each and every employee of the Group, we clearly state that we respect human rights and diversity and prohibit discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation.
We will actively promote LGBTQ+ initiatives to create an environment in which each individual can fully demonstrate his or her individuality and abilities, and to realize diversity not only among employees but also among all stakeholders.

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Life-Work Balance

With Japan’s declining birthrate, aging population, decrease in the working-age population, and changing values regarding work styles, achieving a better life-work balance that provides greater freedom in the way people work is becoming more important. In order to achieve harmony between life and work, improving productivity and employee health are also important factors. As part of its efforts to help employees strike a balance between life and work, the Isetan Mitsukoshi Group is committed to creating an environment in which they can work in comfort. To this end, we will undertake initiatives that enable employees to work flexibly, including the promotion of diverse work styles and health support.

*The Isetan Mitsukoshi Group uses the term “life-work balance” rather than “work-life balance.” This is because we want to be the kind of company or workplace where work does not come first at any time, a place where each individual’s life and values are respected to the fullest extent and we take steps to align ourselves with them.

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Reduction of total actual working hours

We are working continuously to reduce total actual working hours in an effort to ensure the mental and physical health of our employees, and to improve their life-work balance by ensuring a more balanced workstyle. We are not merely reducing hours, but are also improving productivity by reviewing our business operations.。

Reduction of prescribed working hours

Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. has reduced daily working hours by 30 minutes from FY2019 (daily working hours after the change: 7 hours and 25 minutes), and reduced the annual prescribed working hours from 1,972 to 1,840 hours.

Improvements to business operations

Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. is making improvements to its business operations in a bid to promote efficient work styles, including the use of Office365, lending smartphones for business use, making documents available online (paperless), and reviewing the way meetings are conducted. To curb long working hours, we have also introduced a system that enables us to objectively monitor working hours through a system that tracks PC usage time. In addition, to promote awareness and knowledge of issues relating to attendance and punctuality, the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) sends out educational videos and conducts e-learning programs for all employees, and collaborates with the labor union to conduct monthly checks and awareness-raising sessions for each division and individual employee regarding time management.

Telework

We lend mobile PCs and communication devices to employees so that they can perform their work outside of their regular workplaces, such as when they are out of the office. We have been promoting telework since FY2015.

Current initiatives

(1) Teleworking system
◆ This system has been in place since FY2017.
◆ The number of employees eligible for the system is determined and implemented based not on their employment status but on whether they are able to perform their normal work at home on their own initiative.
◆ As of September 2023, a total of 2,770 employees (approximately 38% of all employees) of Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. have benefited from this system.

(2) In-house satellite offices
◆ This system has been in place since FY2019.
◆ Shared office spaces are available at our stores in Shinjuku, Nihombashi, Ginza, and Urawa, as well as in surrounding buildings.
◆ These spaces can be used when stopping by a store or when handling remaining work after visiting customers or business partners, thereby contributing to a reduction in total actual working hours.

Annual paid leave

The Isetan Mitsukoshi Group has set a target for employees to use 55% or more of their paid leave, and is working to promote the use of such leave. By formulating a plan for consecutive holidays at the beginning of each fiscal year, we are trying to create an environment in which employees can easily take paid vacations.

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部

Health and Mental Care: Promotion of Health Management

We are pursuing various initiatives to ensure that employees can work in good health, in both mind and body. We believe that promoting health management and establishing systems that enable each employee to work in good physical and mental health will not only improve employee satisfaction, but will also contribute to higher productivity for the company in terms of both quality and quantity. We see this as an important initiative for our Group, which aims to achieve good business results with a small number of elite employees. To this end, we have appointed a person in charge of health management within the General Affairs and Human Resources Department. Furthermore, in cooperation with the health insurance society and labor union, we are currently working on a variety of measures to raise awareness of health issues among employees, and help them maintain and better their own health. We are taking various measures and raising awareness based on such things as the regular monitoring of the number of employees taking days off work, and analysis of the causes. The following are some specific examples of the steps we are taking.

Health examinations

  • To ensure that employees can work in good health, the Group provides annual health examinations. The examinations are tailored to each employee’s condition, with regular checkups conducted on items outside of those required by laws and the content of checkups changed depending on age. Starting from the year in which one turns 40, they get full-body checkups every five years.
    Procedures for post-examination care have also been established. By providing attentive care, we support the health management of each of our employees.

  • Employees getting health checkups* Group total

      Percentage
    FY2020 95.6%
    FY2021 96.8%
    FY2022 94.0%

Assignment of Occupational Health Physicians

Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. has assigned one full-time occupational health physician each to both Shinjuku and Nihombashi stores. In cooperation with seven part-time occupational health physicians, they review employees’ health examination results and verify the Company’s safety and health system. Employees can make appointments with the physicians to discuss their checkup results or health concerns. There are also physicians specializing in mental health, who attend to the management of physical and mental health.

Mental health care

In order to take preemptive measures to ensure that employees do not need to take a leave or suffer similar consequences arising from mental health problems, we have established contact points for consultation both inside and outside the company to encourage employees to discuss their problems early on. In addition, we have established a system of protected work hours (no overtime work) to facilitate the smooth return to work of employees who have taken leave due to mental health problems.

“Halftime”

  • “Halftime” is a system for employees to casually consult health personnel of the Company on their physical condition and other health-related matters. Depending on the situation, employees are referred to occupational physicians or medical institutions.

  • Number of “Halftime” users*Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

      Number of users
    FY2022 35

Stress checks

  • Stress checks are used across the Group as an opportunity to assess the level of stress of the organization. In addition to notifying employees of their results, the results of workplace surveys are fed back to managers, helping them to make improvements in their organizations.

  • Employees getting stress checks

      Group total Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.
    FY2021 93.8% 96.5%
    FY2022 97.0% 98.0%
    FY2023 99.7% 99.5%

Counseling Room

Unlike “Halftime,” which is mostly for consultations on health, the Counseling Room has been set up for employees to consult occupational counselors on workplace problems and harassment-related issues.

Preventing occupational accidents

Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd. verifies the state of occupational accidents as well as the implementation status of remedial measures together with the Labor Union. Through such means as checks during workplace inspections, we are endeavoring to prevent occupational accidents from happening in cooperation with occupational physicians. The Central Health and Safety Committee meets twice a year to, among other things, check on the occurrence of occupational accidents in the company across workplaces, share the results of company-wide risk assessment analysis, and share examples of best practices in measures to reduce long working hours, thereby improving the precision of each initiative.

三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 総務企画部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 財務・IR統括部 広報・IR部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 総務統括部 コンプライアンス部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 秘書室, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 監査委員会運営部, 三越伊勢丹HDS 人事統括部 グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹HDS リスクマネジメント室, 三越伊勢丹HD チーフオフィサー室経営企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹ヒューマン・ソリューションズ 人財開発事業部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事部労務・人事企画DIV, 三越伊勢丹HD 内部監査室 内部統制部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 人事統括部 人材開発部, 三越伊勢丹 総務人事グループ労務・人事企画部, 三越伊勢丹HD 総務統括部グループ人事部, 三越伊勢丹 ストアクリエイショングループ, 三越伊勢丹HDS 取締役会室 取締役会運営部