Nisshin Seifun Group

Creating Good Working Environments/Diversity

Our efforts to create good working environments are guided by respect for humanity and diversity and a commitment to a healthy work-life balance.

Basic stance on respect for humanity and diversity

We are committed to respect for humanity and the creation of pleasant and stimulating working environments.

Respect for humanity is one of the principles enshrined in the Nisshin Seifun Group Corporate Code of Conduct. We will respect humanity in all areas of our business activities and never engage in conduct that harms the dignity of any individual. We aim to provide working environments based on acceptance of diversity, including reciprocal tolerance and respect for differences in ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disabilities, values, religion, creed, or other attributes. Our employment rules include provisions based on labor standards laws and labor agreements in various countries, such as rules relating to working hours, rest times, overtime, holidays, and leave. We regularly check and monitor labor-related issues in our domestic and overseas business operations and strive to manage such issues appropriately.

Work style diversity (Work-life balance)

Work style reforms

We are developing systems to allow diverse work styles according to operational needs and the circumstances of individual employees. We are also focused on the prevention of excessive working hours. Through these measures, we are working to create a corporate structure that allows individual employees to choose the working environment in which they will be most productive.

Examples of systems and initiatives

Refresh leave system

In addition to annual paid leave, we have also established a system that allows employees to take continuous leave at specific age milestones, so that they can refresh themselves mentally and physically and think about their future careers. The system is used actively.

Age 35 45 55
Continuous leave days 4 8 4

* Employees with three or more years of continuous service are eligible to use this system. Eligibility is based on age as of April 1.

Work-life balance support systems (support for employees raising children or caring of sick or aged family members)

We have established a variety of systems and structures to help employees to balance work and family commitments, and to achieve their full potential within that balance.

Child-raising/Care support systems (examples of systems established by group companies*)

Support for pregnancy, childbirth, child-raising
  • Prenatal and postnatal paid leave periods of 45 days each
  • Spousal paid leave for childbirth (3 days)
  • Paid childbirth leave
  • Child-raising leave (until the child reaches the age of 2)
  • Paid leave for part of the child-raising period
  • Reduction of working hours based on selected starting/finishing time (until the child reaches the fourth year of elementary school)
  • Exemption from overtime/holiday work (until the child starts to attend elementary school)
  • Leave to care for a sick child (hourly units)
  • Child-raising subsidies (used to pay for babysitters and family support)
  • Optional course change system that helps employees raising children to balance their work and family commitments
  • Reemployment system for employees who leave due to childbirth/child-raising, etc.
Nursing support
  • Nursing care leave—available on multiple occasions (up to a total of 93 days) or continuously for a maximium of one year
  • Interest-free loans for nursing care leave
  • Nursing care cost subsidies (use of service based on nursing care insurance)
  • Short-term leave for convalescence and nursing care (half-day units)
  • Short-term nursing care leave (hourly units)
  • Exemption from overtime/holiday work

* These are examples of systems implemented by Nisshin Seifun Group Inc., Nisshin Flour Milling Inc., Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc., Nisshin Pharma Inc., Nisshin Seifun Delica Frontier Inc., and Nisshin Engineering Inc.

Initiatives to develop structures and workplace culture

Group companies are implementing a variety of initiatives with the aim of creating a workplace culture in which employees can readily achieve a healthy work-life balance by utilizing the various support systems offered. We will continue our efforts to ensure that these systems are fully utilized.

Examples of these initiatives include the dissemination of FAQs about child-raising support systems through intranet articles and handbooks, the establishment of a helpdesk to provide advice about systems relating to child-raising, the explanation of systems to pregnant employees and their supervisors, the provision of information about systems relating to child-raising to male employees who have become fathers, interviews with employees on child-raising leave, and the provision of information and advice about enrolment in daycare facilities.

Dialogue with employees

Labor unions

We respect freedom of association and the basic right of employees to engage in collective bargaining. Unions organized by workers in the Nisshin Seifun Group include the Nisshin Flour Milling Workers’ Union. As part of our efforts to maintain sound labor relations, we create opportunities for dialogue between employee representatives and management at regular intervals or as required.
We also take steps to prevent excessive working hours, including negotiations about overtime provisions in the labor-management agreement.

Action plans based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children and the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace

We have formulated action plans based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children and the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace. Our aim is to create good working environments for every employee.

Action plans

Nisshin Seifun Group Inc.
Nisshin Associates Inc.
Nisshin Flour Milling Inc.
Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc.
Nisshin Seifun Premix Inc.
Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.
Nisshin Pharma Inc.
Nisshin Seifun Delica Frontier Inc.
Nisshin Engineering Inc.
NBC Meshtec Inc.

Promoting diversity

Corporate culture development

Diversity Forum and spin-off projects in collaboration with other food manufacturers

Diversity Forum

The Nisshin Seifun Group and other food manufacturers have collaboratively established the “Co-ALIVE” diversity and inclusion project, which includes a variety of events for employees. The project provided female employees from their fourth year with the Company up to near-management level with an opportunity to consider their career plans through a series of lectures by experts, panel discussions, and workshops. Other project events included lectures by and discussions with experts on the themes of women’s health, childcare leave for men, and LGBTQ+ issues. All events were attended large numbers of employees.

Co-ALIVE (Japanese only)

Percentages of female employees and executives

Career development for women is a key element of management strategy in the Nisshin Seifun Group. Related statistics are listed below.

  FY2021 FY2022 FY2023
Percentage of females hired as new graduates*1 41.0% 34.7% 33.8%
Percentage of females in mid-career hires 15.4% 21.1% 11.1%
Percentage of females in new hires*2 35.7% 30.0% 24.4%
Percentage of females promoted to section manager level 24.6% 26.1% 23.9%
Percentage of management positions held by females 9.1% 9.5% 10.3%
Percentage of female corporate officers*3 7.1% 7.1% 7.1%

Scope: Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (including Nisshin Associates Inc.), Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. (including Nisshin Grain Silo Inc.), Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc. (including Nisshin Seifun Premix Inc.), Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Nisshin Pharma Inc., Nisshin Seifun Delica Frontier Inc. (from FY2023), Nisshin Engineering Inc., NBC Meshtec Inc., Nisshin Petfood Inc. (up to FY2021)

We proactively recruit females. Furthermore, we provide the active support for career development, including outside training programs for females from their fourth year at the Company up to pre-management level.
We aim to expand the females’ talent pool by further strengthening these initiatives with the aim of increasing the number of female employees and managers to enhance the female corporate officers.

Mid-career recruitment ratio

Mid-career recruits make up the following percentages of regular full-time employees recruited each year by Nisshin Seifun Group Inc., Nisshin Flour Milling Inc., and Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc.

Percentages of mid-career recruits disclosed under the Labor Measures Comprehensive Promotion Act
  FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. 52.9% 61.1% 70.8%
Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. 24.3% 37.5% 29.7%
Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc. 5.3% 13.3% 29.4%

Published: May 23, 2023

Percentages of executive positions held by mid-career recruits and non-Japanese employees

Mid-career recruits and non-Japanese employees hold the following percentages of management positions in the Nisshin Seifun Group.

  FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Mid-career recruits 26.4% 27.1% 28.2%
Non-Japanese employees 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%

Scope: Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (including Nisshin Associates Inc.), Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. (including Nisshin Grain Silo Inc.), Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc. (including Nisshin Seifun Premix Inc.), Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Nisshin Pharma Inc., Nisshin Engineering Inc., NBC Meshtec Inc. (excluding temporary employees in all cases)

We will continue and expand initiatives to achieve diversity, so that we can fully utilize the aptitudes and abilities of all employees, including mid-career recruits and non-Japanese, through promotion to key positions and other processes.

Facilitating employment for people with disabilities

As of June 1, 2022, the employment rate for people with disabilities in the seven group companies* required to report these statistics was 2.33%. Subject to mutual agreement between companies and individuals, we are hiring people with disabilities under indefinite employment contracts with the aim of further facilitating recruitment and providing secure, long-term jobs.

  FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (non-consolidated) 3.10% 2.55% 2.50%
Average for seven group companies* 2.12% 2.15% 2.33%
Reference: Statutory employment ratio 2.20% 2.30% 2.30%

* Seven group companies: Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (including Nisshin Associates Inc.), Nisshin Flour Milling Inc., Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc. (including Nisshin Seifun Premix Inc.), Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Nisshin Pharma Inc., Nisshin Engineering Inc., NBC Meshtec Inc. (Nisshin Grain Silo Inc. is excluded, since it is not required to submit reports on the status of employees with disabilities.)
* Figures up to fiscal 2021 are the averages of eight companies, with Nisshin Petfood Inc. included with the above

Turnover rate (Japan)

The employee turnover rate for the Nisshin Seifun Group in Japan is as shown below.

  FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Turnover* 66 77 120
Number of employees 3,091 3,070 3,036
Turnover rate 2.14% 2.51% 3.95%

* Excluding retirees

Scope: Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (including Nisshin Associates Inc.), Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. (including Nisshin Grain Silo Inc.), Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc. (including Nisshin Seifun Premix Inc.), Nisshin Petfood Inc. (up to FY2021), Nisshin Pharma Inc., Nisshin Engineering Inc., Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., NBC Meshtec Inc. (excluding temporary employees)

Reemployment of retirees

Employees who retire at the age of 60 are able to continue working for the Nisshin Seifun Group under our contract employment system and elder employee system. Contract employees and elder employees play an important role in the Group by passing on their extensive experience and knowledge to younger employees.

Scope: Nisshin Seifun Group Inc. (including Nisshin Associates Inc.), Nisshin Flour Milling Inc. (including Nisshin Grain Silo Inc.), Nisshin Seifun Welna Inc. (including Nisshin Seifun Premix Inc.), Nisshin Pharma Inc., Nisshin Seifun Delica Frontier Inc., Nisshin Engineering Inc.

Temporary employees

The following chart provides data on temporary employees in the Nisshin Seifun Group.

  FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
Temporary employees 10,258 9,794 10,075
(Total employees) 19,209 18,712 19,495
Percentage 53.4% 52.3% 51.7%

Support for multiple languages in plants in Japan

In plants that employ large numbers of non-Japanese people, we are working to ensure that all employees have equal access to information by translating notices and manuals into Vietnamese, Chinese, and other languages.

Safety measures and training for employees in overseas subsidiaries

Engineers and production staff from the parent company are sent overseas to ensure that safety standards are fully implemented by overseas subsidiaries. These people also play an active role in technology transfers. In addition, we support career development for overseas employees by bringing them to Japan for training or promotion to managerial positions.

Employees