IHI Holds Several DEI Month Events
The IHI Group has committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in keeping with a concept of “creating a corporate culture in which people of different ages, genders, backgrounds, personalities, and values respect each other and empowers all to fulfill their potential.” In this spirit, we initiated DEI Month, which is to be observed in December each year, to enhance employees’ understanding towards DEI. FY 2023 being the first year to observe DEI month, we aimed at familiarizing employees with DEI through initiatives presented below. IHI has designated 2024 a vital first year for accelerating DEI progress.
Human Rights Day (December 10) Message from Hiroshi Ide, CEO
In this video, Mr. Ide said that respecting human rights underpins the IHI Group’s efforts to undertake business activities that deliver sustainable growth. He also emphasized the importance of striving to create environments that recognize the differences and values of individuals and enable them to flourish in their own ways.
Seminar on Gender Equality from a Masculinology Perspective
Professor Futoshi Taga of Kansai University’s Faculty of Letters delivered a lecture on the significance of gender equality for men from the perspective of masculinology. Masculinology is an area of study which unravels masculinity from a range of perspectives. They include men being overprioritized in society; men being overwhelmed by the concept of masculinity, resulting in poor mental and physical health; and diversity and inequality that exist among men. We mainly invited the managerial level to the seminar. The participants gained insights into addressing gender inequality from the male perspective and owning the issue, which is crucial for an organization with predominantly male employees.
Training Session and Social Event for Employees of Foreign Nationality
IHI conducted a training session for first to third year employees of foreign nationality and their supervisors and instructors. The aim was to understand cultural differences and build cross-cultural skills. The training session provided a framework for understanding cultural diversity, including through group discussions about key considerations and actions in light of differences. A social event with senior employees followed that enhanced interactions among participants, who said that they found the session and event highly informative and beneficial.
Other Initiatives
IHI hosted seminars on balancing work and caregiving and the LGBTQ+ Ally Conference. The LGBTQ+ Ally Conference featured a panel discussion with a transgender person from outside the company and Kazuaki Yanari, CEO of Out Japan, Co., Ltd. In addition, there is a working group made up of volunteer employees endeavoring to eliminate the gender gap in the workplace by tapping an in-house side job program. In one instance, they disseminated findings within the group from a questionnaire of workplace opinions about that gap.
