The JT Group human resources management philosophy
We believe that highly skilled and talented people form the foundation of a company’s success and contribute to real sustainable growth. In light of this, the JT Group proactively takes steps to secure long-term engagement and employee satisfaction.
Our employees are assets to the Company, and their skills and spirit are the driving force behind everything we achieve. We are pleased to be an employer of choice, and our positive workplace culture and environment help us to attract, retain, and develop talented individuals. We are also taking further steps to create a diverse and inclusive culture.
For our human resource management initiatives, please refer to the following.
Training and Keeping Our People
Gender Equality - Unleashing the talent of our Women
Freedom of Association and Labor Unions
The JT Group supports the rights of our employees to free association and collective bargaining, even in countries where those rights are not legally protected. Our management team strives to maintain open, constructive relationships with unions and labor-management councils, and works closely with unions to ensure that we treat employees fairly and better than legally required, especially when they are affected by any closure of a business site due to adverse business conditions.
The JT Group has been enjoying positive labor-management relations for many years, adhering closely to the labor laws of every nation in which we operate. Our management team works to build open, constructive relationships with unions and labor-management councils, regularly discussing business plans, strategies, challenges, and other subjects with union representatives in each country.
In the European Union, following its laws and regulations, we have voluntarily forged agreements with European Works Councils. EWCs provide workers with information and opportunities for discussion about international labor issues related to business in Europe. They consist of representatives of corporate employees and management, and conduct regular annual talks.
Human Resource Management in Japan
For continuous growth the JT Group undertakes a range of initiatives to help employees grow and make the most of their skills. Specifically we help in career development, maintain attractive working conditions, and promote workplace diversity.
Attractive Working Conditions
Respecting Work-Life Balance
JT believes that with desirable work-life balance our employees get both a sense of fulfillment on the job and opportunities to broaden their perspective and experience and put their talents to greater use. Based on that conviction, we have built and are promoting systems and programs to support the range of workstyles as well as opportunities for employees to think differently about ways to work, by which we intend to foster an organizational culture that encourages every employee to embrace the diverse workstyles of their coworkers. We make programs available that employees can employ flexibly as they wish to make work easier and more satisfactory, especially when they want more time for family, raising children, caring for the sick and elderly, and other responsibilities.
Recognizing our initiatives to assist employees in raising children in particular, in 2008 the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare certified the JT Group for the first time as a corporation promoting measures to “support raising the next generation,” and again in October 2018 for a higher level of achievement with those measures.
“Platinum Kurumin” certification based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children
Programs for supporting work-family balance
Promoting Diversity
We promote diversity in terms of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and nationality as well as individual experience, expertise and values, as a high management priority, and recognize diversity as a general value because it contributes to real sustainable growth. Our active work in this area has drawn accolades from outside organizations, such as our inclusion in the New Diversity Management Selection 100 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2016, designation as a Nadeshiko brand on the Tokyo Stock Exchange for women’s workplace advancement in 2016, 2019, and 2020, and a gold (highest) ranking on the Japan Pride Index for workplace inclusion by the nonprofit Work with Pride for eight years running since 2016.
Our Ideals
We maintain the competitiveness of our businesses into the future and support sustainable growth through effort to maintain work environments that encourage diverse people to perform at their best.
Promotion of women's activities
For JT an important part of promoting workplace diversity is actively working to unleash the talents of women at work. We offer training programs and seminars to encourage continuing growth for women employees, and implement expanding initiatives to support a positive work-family balance. Women in JT Group management increased from 2.1% (24 people) on December 31, 2013 to 8.8%. on December 31, 2023. The following table outlines employment in general and the promotion of women managers in total JT employment in recent years.
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Total managers as of December 31, 2013: 1,165
Employment at JT (full-time employees)
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Numbers are as of December 31 of the corresponding year for JT on a non-consolidated basis.
(Reference) Employee age groups (as of December 31, 2023)
Women in management at JT
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Numbers are as of December 31 of the corresponding year for JT on a non-consolidated basis.
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Newly appointed managers: Difference in numbers of managers between December 31 of the corresponding year and the year before for JT on a non-consolidated basis.
Action Plan in Compliance with the Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Engagement in Professional Life
We created an action plan in compliance with the Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Engagement in Professional Life.
Link to Japan Tobacco Inc. Action Plan (Act on the Promotion of Women's Active Engagement in Professional Life) (Japanese)
