The SG Holdings Group has worked to promote DE&I as a way to grow as a company with a competitive edge that respects diverse values, with a flexible decision-making process and a variety of perspectives.

In order to create a work environment in which all diverse human resources regardless of the divisions by gender, age, disability or nationality can work with enthusiasm, DE&I is defined as follows, and we will work to realize this goal.

The SG Holdings Group has established WakuWaku Diversity Committees to engage in Group-wide initiatives promoting DE&I. In each Group company, the President serves as the chairperson (DE&I Manager) and the Administration Department Manager serves as the vice chairperson, working with committee members within the company to draft and implement measures to promote DE&I according to the conditions in each company. We will also accelerate the promotion of DE&I throughout the Group as a whole by promoting coordination such as the exchange of information between Group companies facing the same issues.

To deepen understanding of DE&I and incorporate it into business strategies, we are holding seminars targeting senior management and department heads across the entire group. At “SGH Diversity Day 2024,” we held a seminar themed “Taking the First Step Toward a DE&I-Inclusive Workplace Where Everyone Can Thrive.” In the first session, we introduced DE&I initiatives from various Group companies and in the second session, an expert was invited to deliver a lecture on “DE&I and Leadership.” In the third session, we conducted discussions across generations and job roles to learn about the thinking and values of people in different positions and generations, leading to the promotion of DE&I.

The SG Holdings Group conducts Women’s Career Support Training led by external instructors for female employees who are management candidates. The aim is to move away from an unvaried corporate culture and develop a culture that accepts and makes the most of diversity. Ultimately, the goal of the training is to equip participants with the necessary skills and mindsets to move up to decision-making levels in the company.

We are striving to expand job opportunities and create a friendlier working environment to enable women to work in the types of occupations that have been primarily the domain of men. One example is the introduction of swap body vehicles at Sagawa Express. In swap body vehicles, the ability to separate the cargo bed from the truck cab enables people with concerns about physical strength to work with peace of mind because the driver can focus on driving without loading or unloading the freight from the vehicle. In addition, in “TMS^*1” and “GOAL^*2,” which have been growing in recent years, we propose logistics solutions for needs that cannot be met by express package delivery services and for the entire supply chain. In all of these cases, driving and transporting goods are not the main tasks, and the work focuses on proposal-based sales, which has led to an increase in the number of women working in these areas. Female mechanics are working at SG Motors, which is in the business of vehicle maintenance and sales. We are striving to create a work environment that allows employees to work in a variety of areas, without regard to gender. In instances that require physical work, for example, to lift heavy items, special tools can be supplied that might allow women to perform these tasks without undue wear-and-tear on their bodies.

Since fiscal 2020, the SG Holdings Group has held internal workshops to promote understanding of LGBT matters. In fiscal 2020, these workshops were held for management, general managers, and DE&I promotion, HR, and recruitment department supervisors, all of whom are core members of DE&I promotion, while in fiscal 2021 the workshops were held for section managers. In fiscal 2022, the workshops were expanded to include assistant managers. As part of these workshops, external experts and LGBT individuals were invited to provide basic knowledge and teach participants the importance of showing that the organization is an ally, as well as the importance of creating a culture that accepts diversity. In addition, participants furthered their understanding of LGBT matters through talks by LGBT individuals. Among others, participants commented how although they had a vague understanding of LGBT, the workshops helped them to gain a clearer understanding of the difference between sexual orientation and identity through the experiences and concerns of LGBT individuals.

Since 2021, we have operated an LGBT consultation desk to provide a variety of advice relating to sexual identity and sexual orientation in the workplace. External experts with knowledge and understanding of LGBT issues provide advice for a variety of people such as LGBT individuals and allies.

SG Fielder, which provides human resources services, established a specialized department to promote DE&I in fiscal 2021 and is working to create workplaces where people with disabilities can work with peace of mind. Employees working actively at each location build ongoing relationships with nearby Hello Work offices and special needs schools, and conduct recruitment activities that leverage their connections with the local community. We promote the creation of worker-friendly working environments throughout the company by providing opportunities for employees to exchange opinions in the workplace. By establishing a comprehensive support system, we provide continuous support from recruitment to retention. As a result, the rate of employment of persons with disabilities has increased significantly from 2.62% in fiscal 2020 to 4.35% in fiscal 2024, and more than 400 staff members with disabilities are currently actively engaged in tasks such as sorting packages.

The shortage of labor is getting more serious, becoming a real social issue, while demand for logistics services is growing every year. The logistics business is no exception. Sagawa Global Logistics is in the logistics business, and in its workplaces, it directly employs many older workers, alongside workers from the Silver Human Resources Center, and others from subcontractors. Many people age 60 and over bring their abundance of experience and make a valuable contribution.

Many workers age 65 and above are also receiving pensions, and need to adjust their shifts to meet their own needs. Meanwhile, seasonal adjustments to the number of employees need to be made due to waves of busy periods and quiet periods according to the volume handled in workplaces within warehouses, and there are benefits for both sides.

At the operations center, senior workers are involved mainly in distribution process procedures such as picking, inspection, price-tagging, and packing. The average work history of the workers age 60 and above is long, at about 10 years. Because they can be relied on to work in shifts, we think they will be an even more important component of our workforce going forward.