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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)

Based on our corporate philosophy of "Well-Being," the Benesse Group has developed businesses with people at the core. In order to support these businesses and help solve social issues, it is important to have an environment in which diverse human resources with different ideas and values can fully demonstrate their individuality and abilities and play an active role.

In addition to the Benesse Group Human Rights Policy, the Benesse Group DE&I Policy Statement outlines our stance and intention to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) in order to realize an organization where people can work as they wish and where each individual can utilize his/her individuality and diversity as strengths.

<What is DE&I in the Benesse Group?>

■ Diversity

■ Equity

■ Inclusion

Benesse Group DE&I Policy Statement

Based on our corporate philosophy, "Well-Being," the Benesse Group believes in the potential of people and is committed to realizing a world in which everyone can grow throughout their lives and live their lives to the fullest. To realize this goal, we have established the Benesse Group DE&I Policy Statement based on our belief in the importance of an environment that respects the diverse values and experiences of individuals and allows them to make the most of their individuality at the sites where we conduct our business.

This policy Statement applies to all Benesse Group executives and employees. Our goal is to create a better future where diversity is respected and supported, and where each individual feels that his or her existence is recognized. To this end, we will continue to grow sustainably by fostering a climate of equity and inclusiveness, where people can enjoy each other's growth.

[Promoting Gender Diversity]

We will promote the creation of a workplace environment that supports the activities of motivated and capable female employees and extend this to the entire group. We will promote specific measures such as setting targets for the ratio of women in senior management and building a pipeline.

[Promoting employment of people with disabilities]

We will achieve the legally mandated employment ratio and improve the quality of employment by promoting the creation of workplaces where people with disabilities can continue to work for a long time. As a fundamental approach, we will respect the abilities and aptitudes of people with and without disabilities and strive to create a comfortable and productive workplace where they can exercise their abilities in a rewarding manner.

[Promotion of Senior's Activity]

In response to the social issue of the super-aging society, Benesse is working to create an environment in which seniors can play an active role and easily balance work and nursing care. Specifically, we are extending the retirement age for full-time employees (*), promoting health through the "Benesse Health Declaration," and holding "seminars to help employees balance work and nursing care" to help them continue working.

[Promoting LGBTQ understanding]

In order to create a workplace where everyone can work comfortably, Benesse conducts "LGBTQ training" for all employees, and holds an annual "Diversity Day" for employees. We also provide information on LGBTQ issues at the annual Diversity Day for employees. We also aim to promote understanding throughout society by communicating diverse values and various forms of happiness not only within the company but also to society through our own media.

* As of 2023, only Benesse Corporation and Benesse Style Care

Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Top Commitment

The Benesse Group continues to challenge and evolve as a corporate group that supports people's aspirations to improve and solve problems throughout their lives under the philosophy of "Benesse = Well-Being".

Society is undergoing drastic changes, including an accelerating birthrate decline, widening inequality, rapid aging of society, and changes in technology. In order to continue creating value for society in this environment, we believe it is important for each and every employee to return to the starting point of "what the purpose of our business activities is" and continue to take on challenges by keeping abreast of changes in customers and society.

In February 2023, the Benesse Group's Purpose (raison d'etre), "Anybody can enjoy lifelong growth. We must work toward a world in which everyone can live their own life. Benesse will continue to aim for these ideals" was stated. This "world in which everyone can live their own life" includes the very idea of DE&I. In order to realize this Group Purpose, it is essential to have diverse human resources who can respond to diverse customers.

DE&I is promoting activities to increase the participation of women in the decision-making process by achieving a 30% ratio of women in management positions by 2025 for the entire group. In addition, the "B-STAGE" employee proposal system, launched in 2021, has taken root as a management mechanism for creating new value and has attracted a variety of ideas that take advantage of diversity.

As a structure to support these activities, we have established the Sustainability Promotion Committee, whose management members include the President and Representative Director and full-time directors, to formulate specific plans and achievement targets for social issues. In addition, the Diversity Promotion Department, a specialized department, has taken the lead in creating a corporate culture that recognizes individual differences and supports each other by providing all employees with training and opportunities to communicate through "Diversity Day" and other events.

In order to continue to be an indispensable corporate group, we will continue to vigorously promote DE&I to realize a world in which everyone, including customers, stakeholders, and employees, can live their own life.

Representative Director and President, CEO of Benesse Holdings, Inc. Hitoshi Kobayashi

Representative Director and President, CEO
of Benesse Holdings, Inc.
Hitoshi Kobayashi

Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

System and Structure

The Benesse Holdings Group Personnel Headquarters coordinates with related personnel departments at each Group company, supervising and supporting the activities of each company. Policies and issues are regularly discussed at Group human resource manager meetings of the human resource managers of each company, and important topics are reported and discussed at the Group HR Committee, which is chaired by the CEO and consists of internal directors and full-time auditors. In FY 2022, the Diversity Promotion Department was established as the division responsible for promoting women's activities and diversity. This department conducts diversity awareness surveys, has established an LGBTQ consultation service, and provides training for employees.

We also actively promote the employment of workers with disabilities, and we have created an employment system in cooperation with Benesse Holdings, all Group companies, and Benesse Business Mate, a special-purpose subsidiary established for the purpose of employing workers with disabilities.


Arrangements for employment of people with disabilities in the Benesse Group

Division Role Responsibilities
Benesse Holdings Human Resource Department Responsibility for employment of people with disabilities in the group
  • Development and supervision of guidelines on group employment of people with disabilities and related guidance
Benesse Business Mate
(hosts the Disabled Employment Promotion Office)
Secretariat for employment of people with disabilities by group companies, employment and retainment support
  • Development of know-how on employment of people with disabilities
  • Support for employment of people with disabilities by group companies
  • Counseling service for people with disabilities working in the group
Group companies Employment of people with disabilities at the level of individual companies
  • Development and implementation of plans to employ people with disabilities
Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Promoting Active Participation of Women in the Workforce

The Benesse Group is committed to the promotion of women as part of its diversity initiatives.

Benesse Corporation, a major Group company and the main business in education, has been treating men and women equally since the 1980s, before the Equal Opportunity Law came into force. There are no distinctions in remuneration or training systems between men and women. Our organisational culture is rooted in the belief that anyone with ambition and ability can play an active role. Since the 1990s, we have also introduced a system of 'support for balancing work and family', including maternity and parental leave and a system of shorter working hours. Currently, we are further enhancing its systems and measures to support employees' careers while balancing work and family life. The proportion of women in management positions at the company was 35.5% as of April 2023.

At Benesse Style Care another major Group company, whose main business is nursing care and childcare, approximately 70% of all employees are women, and many women are also active as heads of homes for the elderly and nursery schools. Female employees in a wide variety of occupations and employment statuses are active, and if their preferred working conditions match the needs of the host company, employees can work in a variety of ways that suit their stage in life. Since its introduction, the number of users of the Childcare Allowance, which supports employees who work full-time while leaving their children at nursery schools, and the Shorter Working Hours for Childcare System, which can be taken up to the third grade of primary school, has been increasing year by year.

We aim to achieve a female management ratio of 30% or more across the Benesse Group by FY2025 and will continue to design and train the human resource pipelines of each company.

Initiatives and achievements in Benesse Corporation/Benesse Style Care

【Support for balancing work and family life】

【Career support】

Benesse Corporation/Benesse Style Care : Percentage of female employees, managers and executives

(As of April each year/Full-time employees)

  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
  Men Ratio of female to male employees
(%)
Men Ratio of female to male employees
(%)
Men Ratio of female to male employees
(%)
Men Ratio of female to male employees
(%)
Men Ratio of female to male employees
(%)
Women Women Women Women Women
Benesse Corporation Employees 1,019 54 1,007 53 1,087 53 1,127 52 1,173 52
1,205 1,152 1,218 1,220 1,259
Section managers 126 36 134 35 149 35 157 35 143 38
72 73 82 85 89
Departmental directors 39 35 41 35 47 33 67 31 71 29
21 22 23 30 29
Executives 11 21 12 14 11 15 9 10 13 13
3 2 2 1 2
Benesse Style Care Employees 3,168 64 3,438 64 3,597 64 3,585 64 3,624 64
5,745 6,008 6,267 6,430 6,521
Section managers 298 37 305 39 317 37 329 37 340 36
178 191 190 190 194
Departmental directors 75 23 85 20 87 17 86 20 87 22
22 21 18 22 25
Executives 9 18 9 18 9 10 9 10 8 20
2 2 1 1 2
Benesse Corporation / Benesse Style Care : Number of Employees Starting and Returning from Childcare Leave

(Year ended 31 March of each year)

  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
  Number of Employees Taking Leave Number of Returnees Number of Employees Taking Leave Number of Returnees Number of Employees Taking Leave Number of Returnees Number of Employees Taking Leave Number of Returnees Number of Employees Taking Leave
Benesse Corporation (full-time employees, specialists, contract employees) 67 72 56 57 52 59 76 85 80
Benesse Style Care (full-time employees, specialists, associate employees) 204 192 267 236 252 232 301 225 307
  • * Returnees:Persons who have returned to work by the institutional leave deadline of each company
Benesse Corporation / Benesse Style Care : Number of Emplyees Taking Reduced Hours for Childcare

(As of April each year)

  2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Benesse Corporation
(full-time employees, specialists, contract employees)
124 76 50 53 58
Benesse Style Care
(full-time employees, specialists, associate employees)
230 230 280 280 290
Number of Employees Receiving the Benesse Style Care Childcare Allowance

(As of May each year)

2019 415
2020 373
2021 414
2022 381
2023 411

The Benesse Group aims to enable employees to take parental leave more flexibly and to enable both men and women to successfully balance work and childcare. In addition to general childcare leave, Benesse Corporation has established its own postnatal father's leave system, which includes 100% pay for five days as part of the male childcare leave system. We will continue to ensure that employees are fully aware of the system and to encourage them to actively take childcare leave, ensuring psychological safety by introducing case studies and other measures.

Benesse Corporation/Benesse Style Care: Ratio of men taking childcare leave

(Year ended 31 March of each year (%))

  2020 2021 2022 2023
Benesse Corporation
(full-time employees, specialists, contract employees)
62 49 51 51
Benesse Style Care
(full-time employees, specialists, associate employees)
50 58 49 58

The difference in wages between men and women is analysed as being due to the low proportion of women in senior management positions. Benesse has an established culture in which anyone with ambition and ability can play an active role, without distinction between men and women in terms of remuneration and training systems. While leveraging this strength, in order to bring the ratio of women in senior management positions closer to the ratio of women in the overall workforce, each company will set goals and work on measures such as monitoring the ratio of women in management positions and developing workshops to strengthen the executive pipeline.

Benesse Corporation/Benesse Style Care: Gender wage differential (ratio of women's wages to men's wages)

(Year ended 31 March (%))

  2023
fulltime employment Part-time/fixed-term employment all workers
Benesse Corporation
(full-time employees, specialists, contract employees)
85 88 71
Benesse Style Care
(full-time employees, specialists, associate employees)
94 109 91
  •  * Calculated based on the provisions of the Law for the Promotion of Women's Activities. The number of part-time and fixed-term workers is converted to the number of regular workers' scheduled working hours by setting their scheduled working hours as 1.

Indicators and targets for the promotion of women's activities

(Year ended 31 March (%))

Measurement index Target Results
2023
Percentage of female managers
(major company)
Benesse Corporation: 39% 35%
Benesse Style Care: 37% 33%
Number of female executive directors
(Benesse Holdings)
1 0

External Evaluations and Awards

In April 2016, Benesse Corporation achieved the third rank (highest rank) in the designation system of the Act for Promoting Active Participation of Women in the Workforce. Companies receiving the third rank must meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the five conditions of 1) recruitment, 2) work continuity, 3) working style including work hours, 4) ratio of women in management, and 5) diversity of career paths. Benesse is determined to promote its initiatives in this area even further going forward.

Benesse Corporation Action Plan
Target period:April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2025
Quantitative Targets
  • ・Increase the percentage of women holding managerial positions (section managers or higher) to 39% or higher
  • ・Increase the percentage of men taking childcare leave (vacation and temporary leave) to 80% or higher
Details of the Initiatives
  • ・Implementation of a program aimed at developing management-level employees, focusing on women. Looking into and implementing a program targeting key generations (ex. women before and after taking maternity leave (childcare leave))
  • ・Continued implementation of work style reforms
    Decreasing overtime at headquarters. Review and continued implementation of PDS (promoting employees to take paid leave, establishing no-overtime days, promoting remote work, reviewing and expanding the remote work system, etc.)
  • ・Encouragement of childcare leave, targeting menNotifying employees of the childcare leave system, sharing encouragement to take leave, etc.

(Reference) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare database website for companies promoting active participation of women (in Japanese): Benesse Corporation

Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Employment of Workers with Disabilities

The Benesse Group is working to create exciting, fulfilling workplaces where people of all abilities and disabilities can work together and make the most of their individual abilities and aptitudes. It is therefore an active employer of people with disabilities and maintains a high level of compliance with statutory employment rates. The Benesse Group as a whole aims to create an environment in which diverse individuals are accepted and employment of people with disabilities is completely normal.

障がい者の雇用を促進

Initiatives undertaken by Benesse Business Mate

Benesse Business Mate was established as a special-purpose subsidiary in 2005 to promote employment of people with disabilities by Benesse Corporation, Benesse Style Care, and other group companies.
It was joined in 2016 by Benesse Socius, which was established as a Type A ongoing employment support business, creating further employment within the Group.

● Vision and Role of Benesse Business Mate
Vision Benesse Business Mate fulfills its role as a special-purpose subsidiary to employ people with disabilities while also being a self-sufficient company with competitive power in the market in its business areas, aiming to be an essential presence both for the Benesse Group and for society. This company will also play a role in supporting the employment of people with disabilities for the Benesse Group.
Role
●Advancing the employment of people with disabilities by Benesse
Benesse Business Mate will be entrusted with new businesses and increase the number of colleagues working there. The goal is to create work styles and an environment where people with disabilities can work easily and be active.
●Supporting Benesse's business
As a shared service company of the Benesse Group that includes the Benesse Corporation, they will offer high-quality services and support business growth.
●Creating a future for the employment of people with disabilities
They will create a space where people with disabilities can work for the long term and will strive to create new work styles, widely contributing examples and knowledge to society and to the future of employment for people with disabilities.

Results and Performance

  • State of Employment of People with Disabilities
  • RATIO OF EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES

Benesse Joins The Valuable 500

As a Group, Benesse Holdings officially endorsed The Valuable 500, an international initiative that promotes the inclusive social advancement of people with disabilities, in March 2021. The Benesse Group is moving forward with action under its Sustainability Vision with the goal of creating a society where people with disabilities can participate and be active in social activities, an idea advocated by The Valuable 500.

■The Benesse Group's Commitment
  1. 1. Each company in the Benesse Group will create a space where people with disabilities can be active
    The Benesse Group will establish workplaces where all employees can demonstrate their abilities and can actively work with purpose in a way that fits their aptitude and abilities. While doing so, the Group will actively promote the employment of people with disabilities and will continue to realize high statutory employment rates while also aiming for a corporate culture that accepts diverse human resources across the Group and a situation where the employment of people with disabilities becomes normal.
  2. 2. The Group will expand the scope of employment for people with disabilities while also offering employment to other people struggling to find employment
    Benesse Socius was established as a welfare service company in 2016 and has been entrusted with and operates cleaning services at Benesse Style Care nursing facilities. They are expanding their wide-ranging employment of people with disabilities. They will also work to employ those without disabilities but who are struggling to find employment, in cooperation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
  3. 3. The Benesse Group will actively share its initiatives in employing people with disabilities
    The Group will actively share information with society about past employment initiatives for people with disabilities and hope to contribute towards the development of employment for these people throughout Japan
    • ・Offering tours to about 1,000 people per year and accepting 100 trainees per year from affiliated companies, special support schools, welfare support organizations, etc.
    • ・Supplying lecturers and offering lectures of training for employment advisors for people with disabilities and other seminars
  4. 4. The Benesse Group will consider people with disabilities in their educational material
    Example 1: Considerations for people with disabilities in the GTEC English proficiency test
    Aiming to contribute towards a society where all people can receive a fair education, the Group will continue to face the realities of students with disabilities head on and will continue to offer fair opportunities and examinations that can be evaluated fairly.
    Example 2 : Shinkenzemi Elementary School Course Developmental Disability Support Site to support educational concerns due to developmental disabilities
    The Group offers consultations and responses with the Shinkenzemi online course offered by Benesse Corporation related to concerns from the guardians of children with or thought to have developmental disabilities, such as concerns about study troubles.
(The Valuable 500)
Inaugurated at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (Davos Conference) in January 2019. It is a global network that aims to realize an inclusive society by promoting reforms that make our business inclusive by business leaders. The Valuable 500 aims to win the approval of 500 companies working to include people with disabilities.

External Evaluations and Awards

● Japan HR Challenge Award "Innovation Award"
Japan HR Challenge Award 'Innovation Award'
In June 2022, Benesse Business-mate received the "Innovation Award" of the Japan HR Challenge Awards, sponsored by the Executive Committee of the Japan HR Challenge Awards and supported by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, Japan (SMEJ), Toyo Keizai Inc.
While it is difficult to recruit and train support staff in the field of employment for people with disabilities due to the high hurdle of performing their duties while taking their disability characteristics into consideration, we have established and implemented a system that enables instructors and business leaders of people with disabilities to constantly improve their skills and demonstrate their abilities in the field to work with a sense of fulfillment. The fact that the company has been able to build and operate a system that enables instructors and business leaders of people with disabilities to constantly improve their skills and demonstrate their abilities in the field to do rewarding work is innovative and highly evaluated.
● Outstanding Health and Productivity Management Company Certification
Outstanding Health and Productivity Management Company Certification
In March 2023, for the 3rd year in a row, we were recognized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Health Council as one of the "Excellent Health Management Corporations 2023" (in the small- and medium-sized corporations category), a joint selection by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Health Council.
● Monisu Certification
Monisu

Monisu Certifications are awarded by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare to small and medium enterprises, regarding the initiatives and activities of the employment of people with disabilities and the stability of such employment, have been excellent. Benesse Business-mate, Inc was awarded a Monisu Certification in November 2021 for its efforts to increase the number of people with disabilities employed by expanding occupations and carrying out operational reforms, along with the creation of a pleasant working environment, culture, and systems that motivate and support individual employees.

● Other awards
  • 2013 to 2022: Received the Tokyo Award for Excellent Efforts in the Employment of People with Disabilities
  • 2020: Received the Okayama Prefectural Industrial Labor Department Director's Award
  • Fiscal 2019: Received the Award of Excellence for Positive Examples of Employment of People with Disabilities
  • 2019: Received the Excellent Company Award for Employment of People with Disabilities
  • 2018: Recognized by Okayama City as an Independent Meritorious Company and by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a Company with Exceptional Skills
  • 2017: Received the Semi-Grand Prize in the Good Job Awards for Employment Support through Cooperation between Industry and Academia (in collaboration with Meisei University)
  • Fiscal 2016: Received the Award of Excellence for Positive Examples of Employment of People with Disabilities

[Benesse Socius Ota Center is Certified as a Tokyo Metropolis-Certified Social Firm]

The Benesse Socius Ota Center has been Certified as a Tokyo metropolis-certified social firm in accordance with the Tokyo metropolitan ordinance. A Tokyo metropolis-certified social firm refers to a social firm that hires more than 20% of its employees from among those who face disadvantages in job hunting, such as people with disabilities, single parents and people who have suffered social reclusion, etc., as part of autonomous business activity.
Since its establishment in 2016, Benesse Socius has been striving to expand the employment of people with disabilities in the welfare job area. As a type-A continuous employment support office, its mission is to increase such people's willingness to work and their capabilities and to encourage their independence by providing support according to the characteristics of each individual who is working at the office. The recently certified Ota Center has been continuously working to provide an opportunity for self-reliance since the establishment of Benesse Socius. With this in mind, it will take on new challenges to facilitate the employment of people who face disadvantages in job hunting, such as people who have suffered social reclusion and single mothers, even though they don't have disability certificates.

Tokyo ソーシャルファームフォーラム2021
就労風景
Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

LGBTQ Activities

The Benesse Group Human Rights Policy stipulates that "We will respect diversity and will eliminate discrimination or violations of human rights based on nationality, race, ethnic groups, beliefs, thoughts, gender, age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or employment status" and "We will also respect diversity within the workplace and continue to demonstrate our values and philosophy for the “Well-Being” of our customers and other stakeholders with responsibility and integrity".

As part of our diversity activities based on this policy, we are also promoting LGBTQ initiatives.

We will continue to study LGBTQ-related systems and further promote understanding of LGBTQ issues, while taking advantage of employee feedback, in order to create an environment where all individuals can work with vitality and enthusiasm.

Main Initiatives

• Consultation Service for LGBTQ Issues

This is an external consultation service provided by a specialist counselor and provides an environment in which consultation can take place without being known within the company. Anonymous consultations and consultations with non-LGBTQ individuals are also available.

• LGBTQ Training

We provide LGBTQ training for all group employees, managers, and personnel in charge of human resources, including recruiting managers, with content tailored to their needs.

• Workplace Environment

Gender-neutral restrooms are located throughout the company building.

• Social Contributions

We support employees' awareness of and participation in LGBTQ-themed events outside the company, as well as sending out messages to all Group companies to raise awareness of LGBTQ issues.

External Evaluations and Awards

●PRIDE INDEX 2023 (Benesse Holdings, Benesse Style Care, Waris)
work with Pride Silver and Gold 2023 logo

Benesse Holdings has been awarded Silver certification for the second consecutive year in the PRIDE Index 2023, an evaluation index for LGBTQ and other initiatives in the workplace, developed by the voluntary organisation work with Pride. We were commended for its efforts to deepen understanding of sexual diversity, including awareness-raising activities and the establishment of a dedicated consultation service for LGBTQ employees and others involved in the workplace, based on employee feedback.

Two Group companies, Benesse Style Care and Waris, also achieved Gold certification. Benesse Style Care has revised its personnel system to treat same-sex de facto marriages in the same way as legal marriages and to apply condolence money and condolence leave. Furthermore, in addition to e-learning training for all Benesse Group employees, the company plans to conduct Benesse Style Care's own training for managers, as well as staff-oriented 'workplace climate building' training.

Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Promoting Active Participation of Seniors in the Workforce

Benesse Corporation and Benesse Style Care changed the age of compulsory retirement from 60 to 65. Over 3,000 employees over 60 work at Benesse Style Care, and about 90 employees over 60 work at Benesse Corporation.
The Benesse Group also announced the Benesse Health Declaration in 2018 to maintain and improve the health of our employees and their families based on our corporate philosophy of “Benesse – Well-being,” and we work to unify the company, employees, and insurance to promote health.

Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Employees Hired From All Over the World

The Benesse Group employs personnel of various nationalities due to its business expansion across many regions. Benesse Corporation mainly recruits and trains personnel in East Asia to meet the needs of its growing educational services business. Through local job creation, the company contributes to the revitalization of the societies and economies of those regions.

Number of Employees in Domestic and Overseas Education Business Domains(FY2022 4Q)

Benesse Corporation China
Benesse Corporation GuangZhou
Benesse Consulting for Educational-Producing (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.
1,425
Benesse Hong Kong Co., Ltd. 8
PT. Benesse Indonesia 79
Benesse GCA PTY LTD 3
Benesse Holdings, Inc., Benesse Holdings, Inc. Sustainability Promotion, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Department, Benesse Holdings, Inc. Administrative Division, Benesse Corporation, Benesse Foundation for Children, Benesse Educational Research and Development Institute, Berlitz Corporation, SIMUL INTERNATIONAL, INC., Tokyo Individualized Educational Institute, INC.,, Ochanomizu Seminar Co., Ltd., UP Inc., Benesse Style Care Co., Ltd., Benesse Business-mate, Inc., Benesse Socius, Inc., Fukutake Foundation, FUKUTAKE EDUCATION AND CULTURE FOUNDATION, CLASSICO Inc.

Last updated : 2023/11/14