Group human resource development・Realization of diverse, flexible work styles

Key themes in our human resource strategy are “interlocking the management strategy and the human resource strategy,” “promoting Group-wide human resource development,” and “reskilling for DX.” During the three years of the new medium-term management plan, in preparation for becoming a health creation enterprise, we will revitalize our human resources and enhance our human resources portfolio by way of a five-prong approach: “securing human resources,” and “reskilling” to cultivate human resources with expertise in things like DX, “promoting well-being” by promoting health management and reforming work styles, “improving engagement” by providing opportunities to participate in management, for example, and ensuring “diversity & inclusion” so that a variety of human resources can play an active part.

Human resources are the most important asset in the Suzuken Group. As the environment surrounding the Group is changing dramatically and more rapidly than expected, we feel the need to foster human resources with diverse ideas for responding to changes in order to realize the Group’s goal of becoming a health creation enterprise that will contribute to all elements of patients’ healthcare life cycles.

As the diverse human resources in the Group and in our partner companies work as One Team to contribute to society through our business, we are managing human capital in ways designed to leverage each individual’s growth and capabilities to the fullest.

Also, having established DX promotion as a key aspect of our management strategy, we are focusing our efforts on cultivating human resources who can provide comprehensive solutions, including IT and digital ones, by recommending that employees acquire the national IT Passport qualification and Information Security Management Systems qualification, conducting healthcare DX training, and providing self-development options pertaining to IT/digital and DX.

In addition to human resources who will lead the future of each business in the Group, we will promote collaboration with external companies including group companies and partner companies, and build leader development programs such as group meetings, schooling for selected employees within the Group, and rotations inside and outside the Group, in order to develop next-generation leaders who can create or develop new businesses with the idea of “Focus on group functions.”

We started a “Chienowa” Group proposal system in April 2022.

It is functioning not only as a proposal system for things like soliciting ideas for work improvements and new businesses, but also as a forum whereby members can share among the Group good practices that have helped improve work efficiency, hold events to facilitate discussions and exchanges of views that lead to new policies, and otherwise feel that they are participating in management via the “One Team” concept.

In fiscal 2022, we collected more than 4,500 proposals from employees of all ages in the various Group companies.

In July 2023, Suzuken formulated an action plan based on the "Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Participation in Professional Life" (commonly known as the Act on the Promotion of Female Active Participation).

As the importance of work-life balance increases, Suzuken has endeavored to enhance the system for childcare support in line with the purpose of the "Next Generation Development Support Measures Promotion Law." And now, we have established an action plan for 2023-2025 and are working to further enhance it.

We will establish the Beyond Council to bring out the full potential of all employees working in the Group. The Beyond Council will discuss topics such as the establishment of systems and rules to enable employees to play an active role across companies’ boundaries, discussion on equal educational opportunities, and creation of standards for human resource evaluation. We hold discussions across group companies to find and nurture leaders who can play an active role in various businesses and to provide them with opportunities.

Suzuken, Sanki, ASTIS, Shoyaku, S.D.Logi and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho Co., Ltd., and the Suzuken Health Insurance Society were all designated by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as Certified Health & Productivity Management Organizations.

The CEOs of Suzuken, Sanki, Shoyaku and S.D.Logi declare the Health & Productivity Management, and the organization specialized in the promotion of the healthy management has been established at each of the companies.

As a result of these efforts, Suzuken, S.D.Logi, and Suzuken Health Insurance Society have been designated as Certified Health & Productivity Management Organizations for five consecutive years since 2020, Sanki for three consecutive years since 2022, and Shoyaku for two consecutive years since 2023, and ASTIS, and Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho for the first time for 2024.

Regarding mental health, Suzuken asks an external company specializing in the field to perform regular stress checks and has put in place a system in which employees can receive counseling by specialists.

The company has also established a health consultation office staffed with an industrial physician and public health nurses with specialized knowledge that employees can tap for information regarding their physical and mental health. At the Group level, we have introduced the HELPO^※1 online health consultation service provided by Healthcare Technologies Corp.(Softbank Group) as a step to support and promote good health among employees and their families.