Respect for Human Rights and Strengthening of Human Resource Foundations

SMAS recognizes that our people are the key to sustaining growth. Positioning respect for human rights and the strengthening of our human resource foundation as a material issue, we strive to create an environment where every individual can perform to their fullest potential and where diverse perspectives and values are embraced. 

Direction of Our Initiatives

Promoting Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)

To respond flexibly to changing customer needs and business environments and continue delivering new value, it is essential to have a workforce with diverse perspectives and areas of expertise. For this reason, SMAS is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion. 

Creating a Fulfilling and Rewarding Workplace Environment

To continuously provide new value, it is vital that each employee maintains a high level of health, motivation, and engagement. SMAS is working to enhance work-life balance and create a fulfilling workplace environment where individuals can maximize their capabilities. 

KPI and Performance

Since 2017, SMAS has been promoting initiatives under its Medium- to Long-Term Environmental Targets. To enhance the effectiveness of our materiality initiatives, we have also established medium- to long-term targets for social issues starting in FY2021, thereby lifting our activities to a higher level. 

Medium- to long-term targets 

Data from each fiscal year as of April 1

Key Initiatives

Promoting D&I and Advancing Women's Empowerment

As part of our overall D&I initiatives, SMAS actively promotes the empowerment of women. To foster an environment where women can build their careers and play an increasingly active role, we are working to cultivate a company-wide culture that supports such growth. We also proactively provide career development opportunities through role transitions, identify and develop potential female managerial candidates, raise awareness, and offer relevant training. We have set a target to appoint a certain number of female managers each year. To achieve this, we are implementing various measures including the introduction of career training by job level, sending female career-track employees to external management seminars, and establishing support systems such as an external mentor program. 

Accelerating Workstyle Reform

The Company believes that, for sustainable growth, it is essential that a diverse workforce is able to make the most of individual strengths. To evolve both our workplace environment and the mindset of our employees, we launched the Workstyle Evolution Project (Work-Evo) in FY2017 and introduced a telework system that allows employees to work either from home or from locations outside the office. Furthermore, in FY2020, we introduced a super-flex system* with no core working hours, advancing workplace reforms driven by both employees and the organization. 

Super-flex system: A flexible working-hours system without designated core hours, allowing employees to determine their own start and end times at their discretion between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. 

Work-Life Balance

The Company believes that having a fulfilling private life has a positive impact on work performance. Accordingly, we encourage employees to take at least 12 days of paid leave per year and to adopt workstyles that emphasize productivity. For employees who may face a continual risk of excessive workloads, we are working to reduce long working hours by having their supervisors regularly check their situation. We have also introduced a Parental Leave Return Support Program to help employees strengthen their commitment to work even during major life events such as childbirth and childcare, and to develop the skills needed to balance work and parenting. In addition, we are actively promoting the uptake of childcare leave among male employees. 

Human Resource Development

SMAS regards its people as the most important asset supporting the Company. To contribute to corporate growth and the resolution of social issues, we believe it is essential for each employee to develop into the type of talent envisioned by the Company and to maximize their individual capabilities. 

Introduction of a New HR System and Fair Evaluation

Recognizing changes in the business environment and evolving role expectations, in April 2024, SMAS introduced a new HR system based on two core concepts: (1) supporting organizations that continue to grow and talent that continues to take on challenges, and (2) fostering a strong sense of professionalism.
The evaluation framework clearly defines the behaviors expected of employees as they work toward the human resource profile sought by the Company. This enables each employee to understand and put into practice the behaviors and roles expected of them. To ensure that the evaluation system functions effectively, we place importance not only on evaluators' mindsets, communication ability, and feedback skills, but also on both evaluators and employees having a proper understanding of the evaluation system itself. For this purpose, we have created a Guide to Personnel Evaluation, distributed it to all officers and employees, and conducted evaluation training sessions for both evaluators and those being evaluated to promote fair evaluation practices. Evaluation results are provided through one-on-one meetings, and we are committed to ensuring a high level of transparency and acceptance through feedback.

Building Good Workplaces

SMAS aims to create good workplaces, meaning healthy workplaces where there is no harassment and all officers and employees can work comfortably and authentically. To this end, we conduct annual compliance training as well as harassment-prevention and human-rights training tailored to different job levels and divisions. We also provide video-based training and follow-up e-learning comprehension tests to maintain and reinforce awareness of harassment prevention.
To ensure early detection of compliance violations, we have established a Compliance Desk that includes a whistleblowing function and provides hotlines and consultation services. Together with the external consultation service, the Workplace Harassment Hotline, we have created an environment in which officers and employees can easily seek advice or report concerns.
In addition, to deepen understanding of the growing importance of respecting diverse values, we hold annual seminars for all officers and employees featuring external lecturers. Through these training programs, employees gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of building good workplaces. We continue to foster a culture in which each individual respects human rights and the Company grows alongside the well-being of every employee.

Mental Health Initiatives 

SMAS has established an internal structure to support mental health by assigning a mental-health specialist within the Human Resources Department and developing clear procedural workflows for responding to mental-health concerns. In addition, we provide external support through the use of an EAP*, which offers professional services such as consultations with specialist physicians and telephone counseling. We also conduct a range of tier-specific mental-health training programs for a wide range of personnel, from executives to administrative staff, including mental-health training for new employees and mental-health line-care support training for line-management positions. 

Employee Assistance Program 

Occupational Health and Safety Measures

SMAS believes that employee health plays a key role in reducing workplace stress and dissatisfaction, enabling employees to feel a sense of purpose and confidence in their work, and ultimately enhancing performance and job satisfaction. 
Furthermore, employee health contributes to higher labor productivity, lower turnover, and improved talent retention. Therefore, we actively promote initiatives that support and protect employee health.