Promoting Initiatives to Help Close the Gender Gap through an Internal Side-Job Program
The IHI Group has positioned DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) as one of its company-wide priority measures and is working to foster an organizational culture in which diverse talent can thrive. One such initiative is the activities of the Gender Gap Reduction Working Group*, made up of employees participating in the internal side-job program. With the aim of deepening understanding of gender issues and encouraging behavioral change in the workplace, this working group promotes bottom-up activities driven by each employee’s own awareness of the issues. In fiscal 2025, the group carried out the following activities under the theme of “care.”
- * A team of volunteer employees using the internal side-job program (currently 11 members, including 2 on childcare leave). The group has been active since the second half of fiscal 2023, aiming to build an organization that makes use of diverse perspectives and ways of working in response to the IHI Group’s gender imbalance among employees (over 80% male).
International Men’s Day: Radio Talk
To mark International Men’s Day on November 19, 2025, we held a radio talk on the themes of men’s health issues and self-care. The program addressed male menopause, a topic that has had few opportunities to be discussed in the workplace to date, and communicated from the perspective of men’s studies* the importance of men recognizing physical and mental changes themselves, while also encouraging those around them to understand and support one another. In total, approximately 800 employees listened to the radio talk.
< Voices from listeners >
・I became aware of my own unconscious behaviors and values. (Male)
・It made me realize again that I sometimes unconsciously interact with men based on assumptions such as “because they are men,” and I felt I should be more mindful of that. (Female)
(From Viewer Survey Results)
- * Men’s studies: an academic field that examines, from multiple perspectives, how social expectations and values surrounding conventional “masculinity” relate to men’s lived difficulties, as well as their physical and mental health, and issues of diversity and inequality among men.
International Women’s Day: Workshop and Radio Talk
To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, 2026, we held a menstrual pain simulation workshop and a radio talk on women’s health issues. These two programs were designed to help participants recognize the difficulties experienced by themselves and others arising from women-specific health issues, and to foster a workplace culture in which people understand one another through the perspective of “care.”
Workshop
At the workshop in February, following a lecture by Ms. Misato Hiraiwa of Yutacology Co., Ltd on women’s health issues, employees participated in a simulated menstrual pain experience. Afterwards, participants discussed in groups topics such as “What support would I want when experiencing this pain?” and “How should I respond as a manager?” The workshop provided an opportunity for participants to think about how to be considerate of others’ pain and how to create a workplace environment where people feel comfortable seeking advice.
< Voices from menstrual pain simulation participants >
・I realized it was far more difficult than I had imagined. (Male)
・It gave me an opportunity to think about how women can communicate this even to one another. (Female)
Radio Talk
At the radio talk held in March, based on the results of a “survey on menstruation” conducted among approximately 1,500 female employees of the IHI Group, an occupational physician joined the discussion to talk about self-care from a medical perspective and the workplace responses required of managers. Around 70 employees listened on the day, making it an opportunity to learn about the importance of care for both oneself and others.
The IHI Group will continue its efforts, including through the Gender Gap Reduction Working Group, to create a workplace where each person respects diverse values and ways of working and where everyone can thrive as their authentic selves.
[Related Information]
Activities related to the Gender Gap Reduction Group
• February 1, 2026 Sustainability Activities
The IHI Group is committed to supporting work-life balance for employees juggling
childcare and caregiving responsibilities.
https://www.ihi.co.jp/en/sustainable/topics/2025/detail/1201900_13778.html
• March 29, 2024 Sustainability Activities
IHI Holds Several DEI Month Events
https://www.ihi.co.jp/en/sustainable/topics/2023/detail/1200772_13570.html