- Sustainability TOP
- Social
- Respect for Employees
Basic Approach
The Isuzu Group, through its established corporate philosophy called ISUZU ID, has set forth the MISSION of creating a better life with better transport and aims to become No. 1 in four areas.
Furthermore, in the Medium-Term Business Plan formulated in April 2024, titled ISUZU Transformation (IX), Isuzu has detailed its vision and roadmap for 2030, focusing on the evolution of human capital management.
In addition to continuing our existing initiatives to respect employees, we will implement various measures to achieve Engagement No. 1.
Management Structure
Isuzu aims to achieve Engagement No. 1 as outlined in ISUZU ID across the entire group. We have been addressing issues and measures from both perspectives of job satisfaction and workplace convenience and have promoted these initiatives through the following structures:
- Job satisfaction: Monthly discussions on the new human resources system in the Human Resources System Reform Project Meeting.
- Workplace convenience: Monthly discussions on work style reforms, including telecommuting and non-core flex systems, in the Work Style Reform Review Meeting.
The results of these cross-departmental meetings are reviewed and consulted with the management meeting as needed, where decisions on systems, measures, and responses are made.
Initiatives
Initiatives for job satisfaction:
- Human resources system reform
- Talent development
- Enhancing engagement
Initiatives for workplace convenience:
- Empowering diverse talent
- Promoting various work styles
- Occupational health and safety (including partner companies)
- Labor-management relations
Human Resources System Reform
As a vision to realize ISUZU ID, we have set forth the goal to Advance the world as an innovation leader with Reliability × Creativity. To move closer to this vision, it is essential for each employee to maintain a growth mindset characterized by change, challenge, and contribution, and to become a group where everyone fully demonstrates their abilities and individuality. Therefore, we launched a new human resources system in April 2024.
The concept of this system is to operate a talent development cycle with the following elements:
- 1. Finding growth opportunities
2. Growing through work
3. Rewarding growth - Through this cycle, the company aims to maximize each employee's growth motivation, allowing employees to grow in their own way and contribute to the realization of ISUZU ID.
This system is planned to be rolled out across the entire Group by FY2027.
Personnel Development
Education/Training Scheme
Isuzu's training system comprises three areas: career development, skills development, and management capability development. Career development is aimed at training and enabling new employees and young employees to expand their own expertise and develop their career on their own. Skills development focuses on the abilities required at different job levels and positions and helps employees to improve their skills and acquire the knowledge and insight necessary to play a leading role globally. Management capability development is aimed at enhancing managerial skills and resourcefulness in order to develop the managers of the future.
Admin & Technical Positions, Executives
Technical Staff
Isuzu Technical High School
Isuzu Technical High School provides education and training program for our new technical employees (trainees) who are high school graduates. There are two courses: a three-month training course and a one-year training course. Both courses emphasize the knowledge, skills, and attitude required from Isuzu technical employees.
Moreover, school instructors to guide the trainees are selected from our employees working in the field. This allows the instructors to review their own operational knowledge, and at the same time to learn how to develop talent. As a consequence, the instructors will also improve.
Skills Transmission and Development
Isuzu strives to enhance the skill levels of employees from the perspective of perpetuating and developing engineering skills by establishing a graded training system for technical staff.
Initiatives by Division
Manufacturing Division
- Each workplace undertakes training activities to pass on the special skills that are advanced and require significant experience. In addition, the Manufacturing Division as a whole provides systematic training to pass on skills.
- *Graded training for technical staff: New employee, young, mid-career, supervisor, etc.
- Isuzu workers enter the annual National Skills Competition with the aim of acquiring the highest skills in Japan, and have won higher prizes for successive years.
- FY2020Silver Prize: Automobile sheet metal work (1 person)
Honorable Mention: Automobile sheet metal work (1 person), lathe (1 person) and machine assembly (1 person) - FY2021Silver Prize: Machine assembly (1 person)
Bronze Prize: Automobile sheet metal work (1 person)
Honorable Mention: Automobile sheet metal work (1 person) and machine assembly (1 person) - FY2022Bronze Prize: Machine assembly (1 person), lathe (1 person)
Honorable Mention: Machine assembly (1 person) - FY2023Honorable Mention: Machine assembly (1 person), lathe (1 person)
- FY2024Silver Prize: Automobile sheet metal work (1 person)
Honorable Mention: Machine assembly (1 person)
- FY2020Silver Prize: Automobile sheet metal work (1 person)
- We provide advanced skills training and leadership training in collaboration with external training institutions. The number of workers who have passed the National Trade Skill Testing & Certification has doubled since 2011. Administration Division is working with workplaces to run study sessions and practice sessions to support employees in acquiring qualifications.
Engineering Division
- Every year we prepare career plans with career goals shared among superiors and subordinates, and implement training courses with varying curricula and OJT for employees to acquire skills according to their job level.
- Isuzu provides advanced skills training at the Isuzu Monozukuri Service Training Center and in collaboration with external training institutions such as polytechnic centers.
- Isuzu has established its own accreditation system for test vehicle driving with the aim of improving employees' driving skills.
HR Performance Evaluation System
Personnel Development/Deployment Cycle
At Isuzu, the process from training to assignment, evaluation, and treatment is described as the personnel development/deployment cycle. It is implemented as a mechanism that independently and systematically develops personnel.
Fair Evaluation and Treatment
Isuzu has a system for evaluating each employee in terms of criteria such as job performance, role, degree of contribution, skill improvement, and the extent to which he/she demonstrated his/her skills. The evaluation system helps to bring out the skills of each and every employee to the fullest and ensures that they are evaluated in a fair and equitable manner, without discrimination based on irrational reasons such as social standing, origin, race, beliefs, or gender. This leads to increased job satisfaction and a heightened desire for growth among employees.
Career Development Support
In addition to position-based education programs, Isuzu provides self-development support for employees to develop their careers, such as providing them with access to various business courses and online English conversation training.
Improvement of Engagement
Basic Approach to Improving Job Satisfaction
We will prioritize and actively work toward enhancing the sense of fulfillment all employees experience in their work with the Isuzu Group, positioning the experience of fulfillment as a mission within our corporate philosophy and considering it a significant management issue.
In the Medium-Term Business Plan 2024, we have set a target of achieving a 70% positive response rate for engagement by 2030. We will conduct an annual engagement survey for employees to identify and analyze issues and implement improvement activities, all while working towards becoming Engagement No. 1.
Plant Tour for Employees' Families
To promote understanding of the workplace environment among employees' families and to encourage communication between the workplace and families, we held a plant tour for families.
Previously, these tours were conducted on national holidays when the plant was in operation, but due to positive feedback from employees and their families, we have also started holding them on weekdays during spring break. We have significantly enhanced both the schedule and content of the tours compared to before.
Participants provided positive feedback, such as 'It was good to see people at work' and 'I was asked about work after returning home.'
FY2024 Results: 10 tours held, with 87 families and 254 participants
Utilization of Diverse Human Resources
Basic Approach to the Empowerment of Diverse Talent
Isuzu respects the differences between people such as age, gender, nationality, disability, and work environment, and believes that utilizing such differences can increase employee motivation and improve the Company's competitiveness through the creation of new ideas and value.
We will continue to promote various measures, such as recruiting a diverse workforce including individuals with disabilities and foreigners, and creating a work environment that accommodates those with caregiving or parenting responsibilities.
Additionally, at Isuzu, employees with same-sex partners who have obtained a partnership certificate issued by local governments can access the same internal employee benefits as those with opposite-sex spouses. (This does not apply to certain legal provisions, such as those related to social insurance.)
Promoting Opportunities for Women
We are fully aware that the promotion of diversity and inclusion is an important factor to ensure our sustainable growth and continued contribution to society. At present, Isuzu has about 580 full-time female employees, of whom more than 10% are at the management or executive levels. In addition, in accordance with the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace, we have established an action plan. We will continue to actively promote the development and advancement of women, implementing measures to support and enhance their participation in the workplace.
Action Plan for Promoting Opportunities for Female Employees
To achieve Engagement No. 1 as outlined in our corporate philosophy, ISUZU ID, Isuzu is committed to actively promoting an environment where everyone, regardless of their background—such as gender, nationality, or work history—can thrive. To this end, we have established the following action plan.
Plan Duration
From April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2027, for a period of three years
Goals and Initiatives
Goal 1
Increase the ratio of female managers to achieve a top level in the automotive industry (target of 4.7%).
Initiatives 1
- To support the growth of female employees, implement planned job experiences, one-on-one meetings, and career training in collaboration with each division and human resources.
- Actively promote the attractiveness of our Company's work to women in the recruitment process to reduce the gap in the number of male and female applicants.
Goal 2
Promote understanding for employees balancing work and childcare by achieving a 100% rate of male employees taking childcare leave.
Initiatives 2
- Identify challenges faced by the target group and their managers, and implement measures to allow flexible leave-taking.
- Encourage all eligible employees to take childcare leave and vacations to experience balancing professional and family life during the childcare period.
Promoting the Role of Post-retirement Employees
Isuzu has established a system to reinstate retirees so that people over 60 can continue working with us. Currently, about 880 retirees have been employed at Isuzu.
Employment of Non-Japanese Personnel
As part of our initiatives to provide an inclusive workplace environment where employees from diverse cultural backgrounds can work comfortably, we have implemented measures such as setting up on-site prayer rooms and offering menu items for those with religious dietary restrictions.
Local Employment
The Isuzu Group's basic recruitment policy is to hire locals. We actively employ locally in the countries and regions in which we operate. Our overseas Group companies employ 15,951 people, mainly locally-hired workers.
Encouraging the Employment of People with Disabilities
To help build a society where people with and without disabilities can support each other and live prosperous lives, we are actively hiring not only new graduates but also mid-career workers to employ people with disabilities. Isuzu also assigns employees with disabilities not only to administrative positions but to technical workplaces, taking into account their disabilities as well as their aptitudes and wishes so that they can exploit their talents.
Initiatives to Support a Diversity of Workstyles
Basic Approach to Work Style Reform
The basic approach behind the work style reform that Isuzu is aiming to achieve seeks to nurture workstyles that are suitable for the job while improving productivity. To achieve work style reforms across the entire Company, we actively discuss new measures to address workplace challenges at the Work Style Reform Promotion Meeting and promptly roll them out company-wide.
Realization of Employee-participatory Work Style Reform
At Isuzu, to achieve work style reform reflecting employee opinions, we have organized an employee-led workstyles review team called ISUZUTTO! The discussions from this team are proposed to the Work Style Reform Promotion Meeting and are utilized to implement various work style reforms.
Implemented Measures for Work Style Reform
- Introduction of a telecommuting system
- Elimination of core hours in the flex-time work system
- Flexibility in the accrual and use of annual paid leave
- Expansion of telecommuting options for childcare and caregiving
Promoting a Healthy Work-life Balance
Isuzu's employees are encouraged to take at least 18 days of annual paid leave. Specifically, we promote a culture that encourages taking annual paid leave by sharing data on the number of annual paid leave days taken by each division and examples of related measures with the Isuzu Motors Labor Unions, and working together to advance this initiative. We also promote work-life balance by recommending practices such as setting no overtime days (every Wednesday and Friday) and utilizing telecommuting and flexible work hours.
Key Programs to Support Employees to Provide Parenting and/or Nursing Care
Childbirth/parenting | Parenting leave program | May be taken in installments until the end of the April after the child reaches the age of two |
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Leave for spouse's childbirth | Three days within a two-week period after the date of delivery | |
Nursing care leave | Available for the nursing care of children until they begin elementary school | |
Short working hour system | Shorter working hours are available until the end of the March after the child reaches the third grade of elementary school | |
Telecommuting system | Telecommuting is available from pregnancy until the end of March following the child's third year of junior high school | |
Nursing care | Nursing care leave program | Period required for care (up to 1 year) |
Family care leave | Can be obtained to care for family members | |
Short working hour system | Shorter hours are available for the period needed to care for the patient | |
Telecommuting system | Employees are permitted to work from home to care for family members |
Initiatives Occupational Health and Safety
Basic Approach to Occupational Health and Safety
Based on Isuzu's health and safety philosophy, we promote business activities with employee safety and health at their heart. The values are universal and remain unchanged at any time and in any environment. Please note that this philosophy applies to all persons employed by Isuzu regardless of their employment status and all employees of all affiliates working on the premises.
Isuzu Health and Safety Philosophy
Our Policy for Health and Safety Activities
Each one of our employees goes back to the Isuzu Health and Safety Philosophy and gives utmost priority to safety in anything they do. We also work to raise our awareness about safety and health and encourage all employees to work together to ensure safety for all.
Occupational Health and Safety Structure
Isuzu Group's safety promotion activities are led by the President and Representative Director, COO, with the Group CRMO overseeing and coordinating these initiatives.
Responsible Executive | Shinsuke Minami (President and Representative Director, COO) |
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Deliberative Body | Special Safety Promotion Committee The committee's activities are submitted and reported to the Management Meeting and the Board of Directors Meeting in accordance with internal regulations. |
Secretariat | Group CRMO |
An Occupational Health and Safety Committee meeting is held once a month at all of Isuzu's business sites, where labor and management discuss issues such as industrial safety, traffic safety, health management, and workplace environment improvements. Committee meetings are also held on a departmental basis to smoothly share the discussions held at the Health and Safety Committee meetings. For our domestic subcontractors, we have organizations such as the Isuzu Safety and Health Cooperative Association consisting of our affiliates, and strengthen our cooperation by providing guidance on safety, health, fire control and disaster control through monthly corporate diagnoses. In globalizing our operations, we also hold regular meetings to share information about occupational incidents that have occurred at our domestic affiliates and provide guidance where necessary.
- *Health and safety management is overseen by the officer in charge of the Health and Safety Department, and reports are made as appropriate depending on the nature and urgency of the situation.
Occupational Health and Safety Efforts
Ensuring employee safety is the top priority for the Company, and Isuzu is diligently and steadily working on key issues to build a workplace that firmly upholds safety principles. Additionally, we actively strive towards achieving the safety management goals of our factories.
Occupational Incidents Target for FY2024
Total Number of Incidents: 6 cases
Total Number of Fatalities: 0 case
Serious Accidents During Machine Equipment Cleaning
On April 7, 2023, a tragic accident occurred at Isuzu's Fujisawa Plant, resulting in the death of one employee during a machine cleaning operation. We extend our deepest condolences to the deceased and sincerely apologize to the bereaved family. The accident occurred when the employee entered a machine tool to remove accumulated aluminum shavings and was fatally injured after becoming trapped by the machine's moving parts.
Following this accident, a team was assembled to investigate the root cause and develop countermeasures to prevent a recurrence. In light of this tragedy, Isuzu has implemented measures including strengthening safety systems and organizational structures, enhancing awareness and sensitivity through increased safety patrols and employee education, and improving physical safety measures such as adjusting the safety features of machinery and equipment. Isuzu is committed to prioritizing safety, and all executives and employees will work together to achieve a fundamentally safe workplace.
Initiatives in Risk Assessment
At Isuzu, to reduce disaster risks, when introducing new manufacturing equipment or chemical substances for development, the user department, planning department, and health and safety department work together to conduct risk assessments.
In addition, within existing processes, besides the workplace inspections mandated by regulations, Plant Executives and representatives from each workplace regularly conduct safety patrols to perform risk assessments for any issues such as 'unsafe conditions or behaviors.' By promptly addressing identified issues, we are promoting the creation of a safe workplace.
Expand Experience-based Safety Training
Each workplace has a safety training center for employees to simulate disasters and practice Isuzu's safety principles. Site workers simulate disasters at least once a year so that become more sensitive to hazards. To prevent occupational incidents resulting from human error, we have introduced virtual safety training to deepen employees' awareness of safety. We have been expanding the target audience for virtual safety training and enriching VR content since the previous period to further deter unsafe behavior that cannot be fully addressed through hardware measures alone.
Improving the Workplace Environment (1) Site Patrol from Multiple Perspectives
Based on the idea that differences in job positions, departments, age etc. have nothing to do with safety, Plant Executives of Isuzu go on patrol around their plant and also speak with workers. Additionally, mutual safety patrols are conducted by health and safety personnel appointed to each workplace, along with patrols by Isuzu Motors Labor Unions. These efforts are made to detect potential hazards in advance from various perspectives and to eliminate risks before they can develop. These patrol activities aim to raise the level of health and safety by highlighting unsafe behavior and situations, identifying the good practices being carried out and new findings, and expanding them throughout the Company.
Improving the Workplace Environment (2) Use of Drones to Minimize the Risks of Falls that May Result from Work in High Places and Their Utilization During Earthquakes
Inspecting a roof using human workers entails difficulty with frequent inspection and the hazards typical of work in high places. Isuzu has established drone-based roof inspections. The use of drones has not only eliminated the need for workers to climb onto roofs, thereby enhancing safety, but it has also enabled more frequent inspections and the capture of detailed images, contributing to improved work efficiency. Additionally, drones are utilized during disaster prevention and business continuity management (BCM) drills, as they can quickly gather information about the damage within the plant and surrounding areas in the event of an earthquake.
Improving the Workplace Environment (3) Fall Prevention Measures Through the Introduction of Stumble-resistant Safety Shoes
Aging tends to increase the risk of falls due to factors such as decreased muscle strength. During disasters, older people are also more prone to experiencing severe outcomes compared with younger age groups. Therefore, we have introduced 'stumble-resistant safety shoes' to prevent workplace incidents and promote the creation of an age-friendly and comfortable working environment. Since their introduction, many employees have noted that they now feel less likely to stumble.
Anti-disaster and BCM Drills
Our business sites assume many different risks of disaster and conduct anti-disaster and BCM (business continuity management) drills to ensure a quick and proper disaster response. For a drill, a task force is set up and the staff practice evacuation from their respective workplaces. A fire drill is conducted in spaces where a fire could break out. We seek advice from outside consultants to minimize risks and pursue the establishment of a more practical flow of operations by following our measures. Additionally, in anticipation of people having difficulty returning home in the event of a disaster, we are taking measures to ensure the safety of our employees by stockpiling food and water and providing lodging and other facilities.
Maintaining and Promoting Employees' Health
Employees have regular and special health checks to stay healthy and prevent occupational diseases. Those with a medical finding receive individual guidance and/or a recommendation for a hospital visit. Additionally, we provide support for the return-to-work process and balancing work and personal life for employees on sick leave, and offer individualized support for those working long hours. Our efforts to promote health also include the introduction of healthy menu items to the menu of staff cafeterias and measures against passive smoking.
Additionally, we are taking a multifaceted approach to global health issues, including HIV/AIDS, dengue fever, rabies, malaria, and tuberculosis. Specifically, we provide health guidance and follow-up examinations based on medical examination results for employees posted overseas and their accompanying family members, hygiene guidance according to the infection situation in the destination country, the recommended vaccinations, local medical information and consultation support, consultation services regarding medical examinations, treatment, and mental and physical concerns while on assignment, as well as visits by industrial physicians to the destination country.
Push Forward with Mental Health-related Measures
Self-care support includes stress checks and subsequent interviews and self-care training for new employees. In addition to establishing a counseling system in the workplace, we provide line care training and counseling to managers based on the results of stress checks. As part of the care provided by occupational health staff, we address daily workplace consultations, make referrals to external agencies when necessary, adjust work conditions in coordination with the workplace, and provide continuous follow-up. Additionally, we utilize EAP* as an external resource to provide counseling and training.
- *EAP: Assistance by external experts
Helping Employees Who Have Been Ill to Return to Work
Isuzu's support activities are designed for employees to feel secure about returning to work from recuperation. Before returning to work, we conduct a thorough status check and provide support in coordination with occupational physicians, health nurses, workplaces, and labor relations personnel. We also support preparations for returning to work by offering lifestyle guidance, return-to-work training, and utilizing rework facilities (external return-to-work support facilities) as part of our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). After returning to work, we offer continuous follow-up through regular meetings with occupational physicians and health nurses to help ensure that employees can continue their work with confidence.
Efforts to Help Employees Stay Healthy
With regard to the health management of employees and their families, Isuzu regularly analyzes receipts (medical expenses) and health check data to identify health issues that should be given priority and plans and implements healthcare services (data health plan).
Priority Issues | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 |
---|---|---|---|
Examinees of Specific healthcare guidance | 1,677 | 2,056 | 2,268 |
Examinees of comprehensive checkup | 4,194 | 5,219 | 5,225 |
Mental health counseling users | 100 | 76 | 87 |
Users of round-the-clock telephone health consultation | 101 | 64 | 77 |
Participants in recreation and sports events* | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Visiting the elderly to provide guidance* | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Participants in health seminars* | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Participants in Prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, gargle/hand-wash recommendation campaign, walking challenge, etc. | 1,375 | 1,667 | 3,184 |
Users of training areas | 0 | 1,336 | 2,521 |
Examinees of Gynecological exam | 1,399 | 1,456 | 1,470 |
- *The numbers for recreation and sports events, visiting the elderly for guidance and health seminars have decreased significantly due to COVID-19.
Main Health Issues Recognized
- Medical expenses per person for the treatment of lifestyle-related diseases are increasing significantly in people in their 40s and older.
- Low utilization rate of health checks (specified health checks) among household members (dependents) delays disease prevention.
- The rate of smokers among employees is much higher than the average, negatively affecting the progress of health maintenance and promotion.
These are the main health issues recognized by Isuzu as the insurer, and we provide healthcare services with a focus on responding to these issues. Health management, measures for mental health, and other health-related issues are handled by the Health Consultation Offices under the General Affairs & HR Service and the Employee Relations.
Labor-management Relations
Basic Approach to Labor-management Relations
Isuzu respects employees' freedom to associate (or not) and freedom of collective bargaining and strives to create a comfortable working environment through cooperation between labor and management. Isuzu has established fair and sound labor-management relationships founded on mutual trust between management and employees, who cooperate to tackle challenges.
- Key management issues: Considered and discussed at labor-management councils and other meetings held regularly between labor and management.
- We also encourage lively discussions on our management policies with recommendations by the Labor Unions based on the current workplace situation.
- For the operation and review of various HR/labor-related systems and programs, we proceed after thorough discussions between employees and management based on each party's awareness of the issues.
Through such relationships between labor and management, we further strive to improve the effectiveness of various measures as well as the objectivity and transparency of our corporate management. Isuzu is committed to further developing an environment that is ideal both for the employees and the employer.
Major Labor-management Forums in Practice
Content of the Major Labor-management Forums
Labor-management negotiations | Spring negotiations | Main purpose: Labor-management negotiation regarding overall life improvements Agenda: Wages/bonuses, general working conditions Attendees: President and Division EVP |
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Labor management study committee | Main purpose: A forum for discussion throughout the year Agenda: General working conditions Attendees: General Manager of HR CoE, General Manager of General Affairs & HR Service, General Manager of Employee Relations |
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Labor-management council | Central labor-management council | Main purpose: To discuss Company-wide business activities Agenda: Company management policy, production, sales, accounting, wages, R&D, etc. Attendees: President |
Specialist labor-management council | Main purpose: Conducts specialist labor-management council meetings related to production Agenda: Policies for initiatives related to production, productivity improvements, and state of progress Attendees: Executive Officer and General Manager related to Manufacturing Division, VIP, General Managers |
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Plant labor-management council | Main purpose: Monthly labor-management consultations Agenda: Operating structure, work environment, benefits, etc. Attendees: Plant Executives, relevant department manager, etc. |
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Labor-management forum | Main purpose: A forum for the exchange of opinions between labor and management at the division level Agenda: Policies and issues of each division, workplace voices, etc. Attendees: EVP, VP, General Managers, etc. |