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Promoting Women’s Participation and Advancement
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Celebrating the Individuality of Diverse Human Resources as the Driving Force for Creating Value
Diversity and Inclusion Programs at Fuji Electric
Diversity and Inclusion Programs at Fuji Electric
Updated March 2023. The affiliations and job descriptions mentioned are those at the time of the interviews.
As stated in our Management Policies, we at Fuji Electric “maximize our strengths as a team, respecting employees’ diverse ambition.” We strongly promote diversity and inclusion programs. Among these programs, we are particularly committed to the promotion of women’s participation and advancement in the workplace. Here, we zoom in on various initiatives, from recruitment to career development, and present comments from our female employees who are active at the front lines.
Fuji Electric respects and values all people
Having included the phrase “respect and value all people” in our Corporate Code of Conduct, Fuji Electric promotes respect for human rights and the advancement of diverse human resources. We view “people” as the source of a company’s competitiveness and aim to maximize their value as well as improve our corporate value. Noriko Fukuoka of the Human Resources Department shares her thoughts on the goals of diversity and inclusion as follows.
“Fuji Electric’s diversity and inclusion programs have been designed for ‘diverse human resources to balance their work and personal lives and participate in the decision-making process with a sense of satisfaction’ and for ‘each person to make the most of their abilities regardless of gender, nationality or age.’ We also aim to create unique value from the chemistry generated through teamwork between diverse human resources. In addition to promoting the active participation of diverse human resources, we are working to further employee happiness and value creation.”
Above all, Fuji Electric is committed to the promotion of women’s participation and advancement. In the 2006 fiscal year, a team dedicated to promoting women's advancement was established. Since then, solid results have been achieved by expanding programs to hire new female employees and support their careers, as well as by encouraging them to join these programs and use support systems effectively. The percentage of female employees has reached about 15%. Compared to 2006 data, the number of women working in planning-related positions (generally referred to as managerial functions) has tripled. The proportion of female employees in their mid-30s or younger has also grown significantly. In addition, the number of female managers, as defined in the Act on the Promotion of Women’s Active Engagement in Professional Life, has increased nearly tenfold.
A project based on the honest opinions of Fuji female engineers
The small percentage of female engineers was once an issue at Fuji Electric. To solve this issue, Fuji Electric launched the Project for Recruiting Female Students with Science and Engineering Backgrounds in the 2012 fiscal year. Around 60 female Fuji engineers have participated in this project. They have visited universities, joined recruiting events held by Fuji and other organizations, and participated in discussions and chats with students in person and online. These wide-ranging activities are designed to communicate to female students what they can achieve at Fuji as well as the appeal of our corporate culture, encouraging them to plan their careers with greater confidence. Yuki Tobiishi of the Recruiting Center of the Human Resources Department describes the key points of this project as follows.
“We ask the participating female employees to communicate their honest opinions to the students. That's why the event is so highly regarded by students. Simply telling the students what they want to hear can lead to a gap between expectations and reality after joining the company. The key to this project is to provide a place and time for students to meet our employees, to hear their honest opinions, and to see how fascinating these women are.”
We openly communicate to students the challenges and rewarding experiences in our work. For the students, the time spent with these active female employees appears to be very valuable. The results of the project are seen in the numbers—the percentage of newly hired female employees has consistently exceeded 20% since the 2018 fiscal year. Moreover, Aki Asada of the Recruiting Center of the Human Resources Department stresses that this is not the only benefit of the project.
“The project has also helped female employees who participated in the recruiting events to do some internal networking and improve their work motivation. Every time I hear comments from the participants about how the increased lateral connections across departments have made work easier, or about how learning about the successes of colleagues motivated them to work hard, the importance of the project becomes clear, and my work feels rewarding.”
Consistent support for women’s careers
What awaits female employees who decide to join the company, drawn by the honest opinions conveyed to them by the employees, are serious efforts to support their careers and aspirations according to their stage in life. One such program is the “Sister System,” which matches junior employees (“little sisters”) with senior employees (“big sisters”). Junior employees who have vague concerns about marriage, childbirth and balancing childcare with work can receive advice from senior employees who thrive in the company. The Sister System provides an opportunity for junior employees to gain insights for their future and develop their careers. Another initiative is the “Focused Career Development Program,” which focuses on highly motivated female employees and provides them with intensive off-the-job training in addition to on-the-job training. This program has become the key to expanding the number of female managers. Furthermore, we offer training programs for female managers to become the next generation of management personnel, as well as the “Pair Work Training” program in which female employees returning from maternity leave and their supervisors share their situations and views with each other and discuss job assignments and career development. As these initiatives demonstrate, our career support programs for female employees are comprehensive.
“It is said that women tend to have characteristics of impostor syndrome. Our aim is to help female employees build their self-esteem and free them from preconceived notions of inability, thereby helping them gain confidence. Sometimes, I hear people ask, ‘Isn’t this preferential treatment for women?’ However, I feel that to get to where we are now, we have overcome these vague, uncomfortable feelings regarding women's participation and advancement efforts along the way. We would like to improve our programs, including by reforming the mindsets of all employees.” (Fukuoka, Planning and Labor Administration)
Equitable support for the opportunities of each employee
“Our efforts toward diversity and inclusion have evolved from a top-down approach to the development of an environment and the transformation of the mindsets of all employees. Moving forward, the management strategy of ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ must take root in the culture of our company. I see it as both a milestone and a stepping stone to greater achievements. Equality is important, naturally, but equity is also necessary. In order to change the mindsets of all employees, we will take on the challenge of implementing a variety of programs without restricting ourselves to conventional approaches.” (Fukuoka, Planning and Labor Administration)
Comments from female employees
Toshie Muto, Thermal ＆ Geothermal Power Plant Department, Power Plant Division(joined the company in 1999)
“My mission is to manage projects to deliver our power generation equipment, mainly steam turbines and generators. I have been primarily in charge of geothermal power plant projects and am responsible for the basic design of entire power plants. The appeal of Fuji Electric is its flat and open culture, where everyone can speak freely in order to create better products. Becoming a manager requires a wide range of training, and some people may find it difficult to pursue a higher position. However, Fuji Electric has a system that provides reliable support for women’s careers. There's no need to worry. I think you will see your opportunities and careers expand more and more.”
As part of efforts toward diversity and inclusion, Muto has actively taken part in initiatives outside the company as well, such as by participating in the Women’s Initiative for Leadership (commonly known as the WIL) program organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to train female leaders. She has also received the Initiative Award at the Forbes JAPAN WOMEN AWARD 2021.
“Participating in WIL has reminded me that respect for basic human rights is the foundation upon which society, including corporations, is built, and I always keep this in mind.”
Tomomi Honda (joined the company in 2014) and Chisato Ichihara (joined the company in 2022)
Engineering Department, Power Electrics Industry Business Group
Engineering Department, Power Electrics Industry Business Group
We asked about the appeal of working at Fuji Electric to two female engineers in the same department who are in charge of managing the projects to deliver the systems for steel manufacturing facilities.
Honda: The deciding factor in my choice to join Fuji Electric was that I was able to meet senior female employees who work actively as engineers through the Project for Recruiting Women with Science and Engineering Backgrounds. They made me aspire to thrive as a member of Fuji Electric. What made you decide to join the company?
Ichihara: I majored in engineering at university, so I didn't have any qualms about working in an environment with fewer women. However, the round-table discussion with female engineers before joining the company was one of the reasons that I decided to join. I wanted to enrich people’s lives by providing manufacturing and plant engineering services. The discussion made me confident that Fuji Electric was a company where I could realize these aspirations.
Honda: I also feel that there isn't any big difference in the environment compared to my student days, when it comes to the ratio of men to women, for example. It's been six months since you joined our company. You must have become quite familiar with the work environment.
Ichihara: Yes. The seniors are all kind and supportive. I’m especially grateful to have a female engineer like Honda-san working in the same department. Male engineers make up the majority, but I don’t feel any inconvenience or inequity in terms of opportunities. I’ve just started working and have little knowledge as an engineer. I am currently acquiring engineering knowledge and skills from my seniors to deepen my understanding. By the way, Honda-san, as someone who is balancing child rearing and work, what kind of support does Fuji Electric offer you?
Honda: The advantage of working at Fuji Electric is that you can decide how you want to work and make adjustments. There wasn't anyone in our department who had returned from maternity leave, but I have created my own work style while taking advantage of the shorter working hours system, hourly leave, and the Flexible Location working system that allows me to choose where I work. While I do have busy days, I strongly feel that I can succeed with support from the people around me, including you, Ichihara-san. Our work at Fuji Electric is carried out as a team, after all.
Ichihara: Seeing the way you work, I can focus on the task at hand with my mind at ease about the future. Just as my seniors have supported me, I would like to help students relieve their anxiety through recruitment-related events.
Honda: It will be beneficial for both our company and ourselves to expand this network of female engineers to future generations in this way. We would like to face further challenges while meeting new people and receiving inspiration from them.
Contribution to SDGs
As stated in our Management Policies, we at Fuji Electric “maximize our strengths as a team, respecting employees’ diverse ambitions and values.” We embrace the diversity of each and every employee and are actively working to create a system, corporate culture and environment that empower employees to the fullest. The promotion of women’s participation and advancement is one of the human resources strategies in our Medium-Term Management Plan. It also contributes to our target for the SDG “5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”