Social Initiatives
Diversity and Inclusion
Promoting Diversity & Inclusion Starting with the Active Participation of Women
We position Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) as an important management issue based on the belief that respecting diverse perspectives and values leads to enhanced corporate value. To date, we have focused our efforts on promoting the active participation of women, but now we are using those efforts as a starting point to develop an organization where all employees, regardless of gender, can demonstrate their abilities.
A survey of female employees regarding their careers and work environment revealed that, while a certain number have an interest in management positions, issues such as the weight of the role’s responsibilities and anxieties about work styles also exist. We recognize that these factors are influenced not only by individual motivations but also by our organization’s support system and management practices.
In light of these issues, we are working to improve both our systems and corporate culture, and rather than limiting the active participation of women to a specific initiative, we are instead working to reexamine the entire workplace so that employees can work comfortably as well as review management practices. As part of this effort, we launched “The Nexus,” a community that promotes Diversity & Inclusion, in 2026. This community deepens connections between employees regardless of gender, age, or job type, and creates opportunities for them to proactively think about their careers and work styles.
In addition, we are conducting surveys targeting managers on team member development and diverse human resource management to understand management-side issues and support needs. This reduces the burden on managers and improves their management skills, which in turn creates a work environment where “aspiring to a management position is a positive choice.”
Going forward, we will use the promotion of active participation of women as a starting point while working to create an organization where all employees can work with peace of mind and take on challenges in their future careers.
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| Actual | Target | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
| Ratio of women in management position |
3.1% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 5% or more |
Advancement of Global Human Resources
We were quick to adopt a global perspective in developing our business, and have actively sought out foreign national hires. As of December 31, 2025, 55.9% of our workforce is based overseas. The presence of foreign national employees will be indispensable as we work to further globalize our business. Understanding their perspectives will help us advance localized strategies and strengthen our marketing capabilities.
We also promote the use of global human resources by hiring locally for executive positions and some locations have female presidents.
We also actively accept foreign technical interns from factories in Thailand, and provide guidance on manufacturing technology.
Promoting the Active Roles of Employees Who Are Senior Citizens
Starting on April 1, 2018, Sodick uniformly set the retirement age as the first March 31st after the employee’s 65th birthday, and also introduced our Senior Program which allows workers to select a diverse array of work styles at the age of sixty. From the first March 31st after they turn sixty, we limit factors in response to employees’ changing circumstances, such as their working hours, number of work days, work duties, and work locations. This establishes an environment in which they can work with peace of mind. We are striving to revitalize our organization through the realization of dual-track career paths, by giving broad consideration to extending the retirement age, career planning for each individual employee, and the Company’s HR strategy.
Hiring employees with Disabilities
Sodick holds an investment stake in Kibi NC Training Center Corp., which provides vocational training to people with disabilities. We run farms, where employees with disabilities grow herbs and vegetables. We are also working on improvements to the work environment, such as installing a dedicated parking lot for disabled workers and making all facilities barrier-free, to actively hire people with disabilities at our headquarters and the multi-factory at Kaga.