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 initiatives from various group companies. In the second session, experts delivered lectures, and in the third session, we conducted discussions across generations and job roles based on the lectures, aiming to help participants understand and reflect on the differences in diverse values.

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 create an environment where women can work in the types of occupations that have been primarily the domain of men.

Sagawa Express has introduced swap body vehicles as a way of creating opportunities for a diverse group of employees, including women. In swap body vehicles, the cargo bed where the packages are loaded can be separated from the truck cab. The driver does not need to load or unload the freight from the vehicle. The cargo beds can simply be “swapped,” and then the driver can set out for the destination. As drivers can focus on driving, women and other people with concerns about physical strength can also do this job, enabling the provision of employment opportunities for the right person for the right job.

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.

Sagawa Global Logistics, which operates a logistics business, provides ongoing workplace experience in partnership with special schools in each region.

First-year students of high school become familiar with logistics operations through visits to workplaces. In the second year and beyond, they undergo practical training in preparation for future employment, and the Group hires students with such experience each year. Since alumni look after younger employees from the same school after they are hired, guardians tell us a comfortable work environment is created that allows them to feel a sense of security.

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.