Marubeni defines engagement as “a relationship where individuals and the organization come together and contribute to each other’s growth.” To improve organizational management and various organizational systems and to create a dynamic workplace, an internal survey is used to measure the engagement score of employees. In the survey, which was conducted in July 2023, the response rate was approximately 97% and the score was 62.4, compared to an average of 50.0 for other companies. This result suggests the improvements made to the Marubeni Group’s work environment have boosted employee satisfaction and motivation. Based on these results, Marubeni received the second prize at the Best Motivation Company Award 2024: Leading Companies Division (Over 2,000 Employees). Among all companies where Link and Motivation Inc. conducted an employee engagement survey in 2023, the top 10 companies with the highest engagement score received awards. While we will continue to reinforce our strengths identified in the survey results, we are taking steps to address the issues through a range of measures.
Policy
GC2024 Group Human Resources Strategy
Marubeni HR Ecosystem
Our human capital is the Group’s greatest asset and the driving force behind value creation. Under our Medium-Term Management Strategy GC2024, we are working to further devolve the “Marubeni HR Ecosystem” set forth in GC2021, with the aim of further strengthening it. The “Marubeni HR Ecosystem” is a concept that forms the basis of our human capital strategy in order to realize our vision of a Global crossvalue platform, and it represents the direction in which we are striving for change.
The Marubeni Group is creating attractive ecosystem where human capital of high social value and diverse backgrounds can come together, be energized, connect with each other across company and organizational boundaries continue to take on the challenge of creating new value by combining their diverse values and expertise.
The starting point for the idea behind the “Marubeni HR Ecosystem” is linking management strategy with human capital strategy. The Talent Management Committee, a human capital strategy meetings featuring the CEO, CAO, CSO and CHRO as key members, is aiming to realize a human capital strategy that aligns with management strategy. Specifically, Talent Management Committee will continue to discuss key priorities such as human capital allocation, leader development, engagement, diversity, and HR system reform review, and they will promote the management-led changes with a sense of urgency. The Marubeni Group in 2023 newly established a CHRO position in order to strengthen the creation and promotion of HR-related systems and measures that contribute to the execution of management strategies. In addition, we are strengthening linkage with management through various initiatives, increasing opportunities for direct communication between management and employees, and operating an employee stock ownership program (enrollment rate of 86.2% as of March 31, 2023) that provides special incentives for employees to foster a sense of collective responsibility towards enhancing corporate value, etc.
Promote the Further Progression of the Marubeni HR Ecosystem
Mission-oriented HR System
- Missions of each employee is at the core of “organizational strategy execution” and “talent growth”
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- Pursuing improvement of long-term corporate value is realized by implementing strategies in each organization.
- Each employee is given a mission based on their skills and characteristics. The goal of this is to enhance the strategic execution capabilities of the organization by augmenting each individual’s contribution.
- Each employee taking on bold challenges toward more significant missions and striving for excellence will lead to their further growth and their increased market value*1.
- To allow each employee to take on the more challenging roles and objectives, we set missions through active communication between the supervisors and their employees, conduct a year-end evaluation and give feedback to the employee, and set missions for the following year based on the results of the evaluation. This continuous cycle is closely connected with the employee’s individual abilities and career development.
Basic Policy on HR Development
We are driving talent development through a dual approach: on the job training as the core and off the job training as a supportive function.
For on-the-job training, assignment initiatives are being implemented, including promoting onsite experience and recommending overseas assignments for junior employees early in their careers to develop professionalism.
Regarding off-the-job training, our Marubeni Global Academy is a multi-layered approach to human capital development that includes systematic programs in business skills and leadership management, as well as organization-specific training based on the human resource strategy of each organization and group workshops for employees of domestic and overseas Group companies. We will continue to strengthen human resources development initiatives to drive the growth and active participation of our Group’s human capital, the source of corporate value.
Marubeni Global Academy
Zoom
Initiatives
Individual Learning Support System
To further enhance the autonomy of motivated employees, we offer support for skills development, acquiring knowledge and experience that cannot be gained through regular work activities, and employee skill development. We offer support for obtaining qualifications, approximately 60 cases annually, and have a track record of assisting around 1,800 employees with business knowledge-related learning services.
Promote Work Style Reforms
Surpassing our Traditional Framework
In order to promote a workstyle that will enable us to grasp the needs of our ever-changing society and clientele, to devise solutions that fit with the times, and to create new distribution channels, Marubeni is working on a number of new initiatives since FYE 3/2019 that operate from the main themes of “Human Capital,” “Mechanisms,” and “Time.”
Human Capital
The personnel who will be responsible for the future of Marubeni must not only be professionals in a particular product field. They should also be able to grasp social and customer issues with a multifaceted perspective that goes beyond the scope of the business and have the mindset to imagine a solution by taking full advantage of the diverse business infrastructure (platforms) of the Marubeni Group. Therefore, the measures outlined below are implemented to promote the development of such human capital.
Marubeni Academia
The Marubeni Academia program aims to nurture global innovation leaders who will lead the Marubeni Group. Diverse talent who are excelling globally are chosen for this program to engage in discussions on various themes over the course of a year.
External Personnel Exchange Program
This is a program targeting employees who are future candidates for management and executive positions at Marubeni. The employees are assigning to leading companies in various industries for a few years to achieve results while working on the front lines. In addition to building a network of connections outside Marubeni, this program also promotes the development of personnel with an outside perspective, the ability to identify values/functions that have not been delivered thus far, and the ability to use insights gained to develop new businesses.
Triangle Mentor
Three people of different ages and from different departments form a trio and regularly communicate to form connections that transcend one’s organization and generation, to share experiences, to further mutual understanding of different values and ways of thinking, and to build a foundation for new employees.
New Business Attire Guidelines: “Self-Biz”
As an initiative to foster a culture of autonomous thinking and conduct, “Self-Biz” is introduced. This is a policy that allows each employee to select the business attire that they personally feel is appropriate, based on guidelines that define minimum requirements while discarding the categories of business vs. casual.
Mechanisms
The following measures are being implemented as mechanisms to promote innovation that transcends the vertically segmented product system of an organization.
Business Model Canvas
We have created the BMC site to increase the visibility of the assets and business models of the Marubeni Group and share them with all employees. To help create new businesses, we will expand the functions of the site. At the same time, we will promote measures enabling us to use the BMC framework in business settings.
Idea Box
This mechanism enables all Group employees to contribute proposals related to new business ideas, challenges they would like to take on, and business improvements.
Innovation Salon
Employees interested in innovation can casually participate in this lecture-style event where we invite new business promoters and entrepreneurs from outside of the company. We hold these events on a regular basis with the aim of broadening participants’ perspectives by exposing them to “expertise” from outside the company, giving them hints for new ideas, and motivating them to take action themselves.
Time
No matter how well people and mechanisms have been prepared, without time it is not possible to start something new. For this reason, the following initiatives are being implemented.
15% Rule
This measure makes it possible for employees to allocate up to a maximum of 15% of their work hours to activities aimed at developing business that will help to increase the value of the Marubeni Group. This rule aims to create an environment for each employee that makes it easier to search for and discover new solutions for customers and society by making use of the Marubeni Group’s networks, business models, know-how and human capital.
Work from Anywhere
A Work from Anywhere policy aimed at raising the performance of the entire organization, has been adopted to encourage each employee to achieve greater quality, speed, and volume of output through increasing workplace options such as working from home and encouraging more effective time utilization.
Communication with Employees
Communication between Management and Employees
To foster unity at Marubeni, internal meetings are regularly held with the aim of encouraging communication between co-workers and between management and employees. By FYE 3/2023, a total of more than 2,800 employees participated in the meetings.
By continuing to provide opportunities for direct dialogue between management and employees, we will further energize and deepen communication within the Company.
Engagement Survey
Relationship with the Labor Union
The Marubeni Employees’ Union was established in 1949. As of March 31, 2023, it has 2,754 members, or about 64% of our employees. The Company and the Marubeni Employees’ Union share common goals such as improving the prosperity of the Company and the socioeconomic status of all employees. Both parties respect each other’s positions and engage in honest dialogue in order to build good labor-management relations. In FYE 3/2023, 11 meetings were held, including management-union discussions with the CEO and other senior management members, various collective bargaining meetings*2, and committee meetings. In addition, the Company and the Marubeni Employees’ Union actively promote joint activities to introduce and implement systems and measures related to developing the working environment.
- The collective labor agreement stipulates that (1) matters concerning the working conditions of union members, and (2) other matters that have a significant impact on the Company, on the union, and on union members, are matters for collective bargaining. The agreement also stipulates that the Company and the union must respond in good faith to any legitimate request for collective bargaining by the other party and strive to resolve the issue promptly.
From the Marubeni Employees’ Union
The Marubeni Employees’ Union aims to foster a company environment where each employee of the Marubeni Group can perform to their potential and both the company and employees can nurture sustainable growth. To achieve this, the company’s most important asset is “human capital.” Our employees create additional value, which is built on a foundation of diligent and mutual effort to make Marubeni better and contribute to society.
Through dialogues with management (such as management-union discussions), the Marubeni Employees’ Union addresses all management issues by connecting individuals beyond their organizations, gathering company-wide knowledge, and integrating diverse values and then proposing solutions to the Company. In this way, the Marubeni Employees’ Union strives to resolve issues in an optimized and holistic fashion. At the same time, by expanding our network with other labor unions that share the same issues, we aim to become an organization that can lead the company in providing value to society as a whole.
Participation in the Personnel Committee and Other Committees of the Japan Foreign Trade Council (JFTC)
Marubeni participates in the Personnel Committee of the Japan Foreign Trade Council (JFTC), where it engages in exchanging opinions with external parties on issues such as overseas safety management measures, initiatives for work-style reform, and the promotion of diversity.
Agenda for the Fiscal Year 2023
- Initiatives to Strengthen Overseas Safety Management Measures
- Efforts Towards Work-Style Reform
- Initiatives for Strengthening Human Resource Capabilities
- (1) Development of Global Talent
- (2) Promotion of Diversity
- (3) Advancement of Employment for Senior Workers
- (4) Improvement of Educational Environment and Expansion of Facilities at Overseas Educational Facilities
- Continuation of Trading Company Training Programs
- Request activities and Follow-ups for Promoting the Conclusion of Social Security Agreements with Other Countries
- Response to the Disclosure of Human Capital Information
- Information Exchange and Response to coexist with Corona Virus
In addition, as a member of the “Human Capital Management Consortium” and the “Forum for Women’s Empowerment & Diversity Management Support (a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)”, we participate in various trainings and seminars to gather information. We are utilizing the insights gained from collaborations outside the company to develop and promote human resource strategies, ensuring that our talents can exert their utmost power in driving our business strategy.
Data
Employee Development Data*3
| FYE 3/2022 | FYE 3/2023 | FYE 3/2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants Trained per Year | 32,535 | 43,320 | 61,031 |
| Total Number of Training Days per Year | 24,340 days | 27,029 days | 30,464 days |
| Total Number of Training Hours per Year | 177,000 hours | 196,000 hours | 220,864 hours |
| Annual Training Hours (Days) per Employee | 41 hours (5.6 days) | 46 hours (6.3 days) | 52 hours (7.1 days) |
- In addition to training programs held by Human Resources Department, training programs provided by Corporate Staff Departments or Business Groups and company-wide e-learning programs are also included in the above aggregated data.
Major Training and Education
| Number of Participants (FYE 3/2022) |
Number of Participants (FYE 3/2023) |
Number of Participants (FYE 3/2024) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| General Training / Onboarding for New Employees | 126 | 127 | 116 |
| Follow up Training for Mid-career Hires | 29 | 22 | 34 |
| Step up Training*4 | 226 | 76 | 87 |
| Career Development Program for Senior Employees | 88 | 89 | 138 |
| Training for New Dept. GMs | 28 | 24 | 20 |
| Training for New Section GMs | 70 | 61 | 81 |
| Next Generation Executive Development Program “LEAD”*5 | ─ | 10 | 10 |
| Internal MBA Program “Marubeni Master Course” | 29 | 21 | 27 |
| Assigning to Domestic and Overseas Business Schools | 10 | 21 | 18 |
| Assigning to External Management Development Programs for Female | 10 | 10 | 15 |
| Language Training Programs | 87 | 33 | 41 |
| Overseas HR Management and Compliance Training | 163 | 196 | 147 |
- : The trainings were suspended during FYE 3/2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and postponed until FYE 3/2022 to implement appropriate COVID-19 prevention measures.
- : Stating from FYE 3/2023.