Human Capital: Diversity
Fostering a DEI-Based Organizational Culture
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Konica Minolta’s Approach
Background and Issues
To make diversity of talent a source for innovation, it is vital that we embrace diverse talent in terms of nationality, race, gender, age, expertise, and other factors, and that we also transmute each employee's differences into strengths and work effectively as a team.
To that end, we need to eliminate biases that interfere with employees exercising their abilities and create a psychologically safe corporate culture where everyone can speak frankly.
Vision
To continue to create solutions to social issues, we respect differences and embrace diverse values to improve employee job satisfaction. We seek to foster a corporate culture that enables employees to share their differing ideas in a wholesome way and to take on challenges while helping each other out.
Key Measures and KPIs
- Formulate and implement independent DEI promotion plans at Konica Minolta, Inc., and major Group companies in response to societal demands and to build the desired organizational culture
- Provide learning opportunities and strengthen awareness-raising activities to promote DEI throughout the Group
| Results | Targets | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 | ||
| Equity | Konica Minolta Group | 7.1 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 8.0 or more |
| Konica Minolta, Inc. | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 7.0 or more | |
| Freedom of opinion | Konica Minolta Group | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 8.0 or more |
| Konica Minolta, Inc. | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.5 or more | |
*Average score of answers to the following questions on a scale of 0 to 10
Equity: “People of all backgrounds treated fairly in my department/team?”
Freedom of opinion: “Is your opinion respected in your department/team?”
As FY2023 to FY2025 policy, targets were set based on the same industry benchmarks as the FY2021 survey.
Formulate and Implement DEI Promotion Plans That Drive Business Growth
To achieve organizational reforms that will help drive the growth of the business and enable all employees to thrive, Konica Minolta has begun to promote DEI in a manner suited to the unique characteristics of each business and organization.
Konica Minolta, Inc. has appointed a person in each business and functional division to take charge of promoting DEI and formulating and implementing a three-year promotion plan.
In drafting the overall 3-Year Plan, we addressed the steps of defining our desired vision, understanding our current status, formulating measures, setting KPIs, and clarifying issues from a DEI perspective by leveraging the DEI Office, a specialized office for the promotion, and the Human Resources Department. We have focused on improving the effectiveness and viability of our plan.
In fiscal 2023, each department aggressively conducted their own activities under the DEI promotion plan. Steps were taken to improve employee engagement and promote free speech beyond the barriers of position and organization through support for employee career development, improvement of the organization’s psychological safety, and the holding team-building workshops that leverage employees’ strengths. These efforts will help create an organization capable of producing results, such as improving quality and creating innovation.
In addition, the expertise gained through efforts taken at Konica Minolta, Inc. is being deployed in Group companies and each of our major companies has begun drawing up promotion plans. Konica Minolta Japan, Inc. has formulated its own promotion policy in collaboration with Konica Minolta, Inc. and is formulating promotion plans for each division.
The Company has formulated DEI promotion policies at overseas Group companies, especially at its major companies, and 25 companies in 23 countries had completed the formulation of DEI promotion policies in fiscal 2023.
Providing Learning Opportunities for Employees
Initiatives at Konica Minolta, Inc.
Konica Minolta, Inc. has been working in parallel to promote understanding among management and employees about the nature of DEI promotion since fiscal year 2016. We are also working to foster a corporate culture that encourages each employee to accept each other's differences and positively take on challenges.
| 2017-2019 | Lectures for Management |
|---|---|
| 2017-2018 | Diversity Workshops for Department Managers and above |
| 2019-2021 | Workshops for leaders on improving the psychological safety of organizations |
| 2021 | E-learning for all employees on Unconscious Bias |
Create an Environment Where Diversity in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity is Accepted
Konica Minolta, Inc. is working to create an environment where diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity is accepted. In fiscal 2018, the Company set up a consultation service for those experiencing sexual orientation- and gender identity-related distress, as well as an e-learning program for all employees posted on the Company’s portal site. Furthermore, it is upgrading its facilities and equipment to ensure they are readily available for everyone’s use.
Unified Efforts of the Konica Minolta Group
In fiscal 2022, we launched a new DEI learning program that makes DEI more accessible to each employee and enables them to continue learning. We developed the learning program with DEI promotion managers from Group companies, who brought their knowledge and experience to help organize and systematize the topics needed to create an action-oriented learning. We designed the learning to help employees efficiently gain DEI-related skills essential for working at the Konica Minolta Group and for self-improvement.
We distributed an English version of the basic program throughout the Konica Minolta Group and are also translating it for China, Vietnam, and other countries. In Japan, we created original content with videos to help improve psychological safety and eliminate unconscious bias. Both the videos and the Japanese version of the basic DEI learning program are mandatory courses, and more than 10,000 employees across all Group companies in Japan have already completed them. Currently, we are promoting this course to those who have not yet taken it, especially new employees.
Activities that Welcome Differences (strengthen awareness-raising activities)
Unified Awareness-Raising Activities at the Konica Minolta Group
Since fiscal 2017, Konica Minolta has worked to promote an understanding of DEI among Group company employees in Japan by regularly sharing interviews with executives and role models, and examples of the positive in-house promotion of DEI via its internal portal site, and by implementing Company-wide programs. Since 2021, staff responsible for DEI promotion in Europe, the United States, and Japan have gathered to plan global programs, including initiatives linked to International Women’s Day and Pride Month* in order to promote unified activities across the Konica Minolta Group, including overseas. In addition, we hold programs at the same time in Japan that align with the theme of our global program to involve more employees in DEI promotion.
*June is recognized around the world as “Pride Month” to promote awareness of LGBTQ+ rights, and numerous events are held in various locations.
| Month Held | Theme | No. of Participants |
|---|---|---|
| June 2021 | RETHINK EMPOWERMENT Unlock the Power of Diversity with Authenticity and Allyship |
Approx. 550 (held globally) Approx. 100 (held in Japan) |
| November 2021 | RETHINK OUR WORKPLACE WITH YOUR VOICE | Approx. 800 (held globally) Approx. 180 (held in Japan) |
| June 2022 | RETHINK EMPOWERMENT PROMOTING AWARENESS, INCLUSION, AND ALLYSHIP |
Approx. 340 (held globally) Approx. 150 (held in Japan) |
| November 2022 | TALKING ABOUT RACE: WHY IT STILL MATTERS IN THE WORKPLACE | Approx. 250 (held globally) |
June 2023 – PROUD VOICES: Fostering Belonging in the Workplace
In fiscal 2023, the Company held LGBTQ+ programs to coincide with International Pride Month. An international panel discussion was held with six employees from Group companies in the U.S., U.K., Czech Republic, and Brazil, with about 320 people from 22 countries in attendance.
In Japan, we screened an LGBTQ+-themed film and held a discussion with guest speakers that about 170 people attended.
November 2023 – DISABILITY INCLUSION: Opening the World of Work for Everyone
Based on the theme of "Opening the World of Work for Everyone," guest speakers with disabilities spoke about their experiences of creating an environment where everyone can contribute to society through their work by eliminating barriers to work and making use of their strengths. In Japan, a guest speaker talked at an event about inclusive design under the theme of "The Key to Disability-Generated Innovation is Inclusion!” This hybrid event, held both online and in person, had about 340 participants and included a discussion with the Corporate Vice President who heads the Innovation Promotion Office.
Networking Activities in Each Region
Konica Minolta welcomes differences, including those of race, gender, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation/gender identity, religion, and ethnicity, among each and every employee. Therefore, the Company actively pursues activities that foster mutual understanding of these differences. For example, Konica Minolta supports individual employees in taking action through regional "supporter" activities to promote diversity that more closely reflects actual workplace conditions and through cross-cultural exchanges organized by Muslim employees.
LGBTQ+ Network "Vibrant"
“Vibrant” is an employee resource group started in the U.K. in October 2020 that operates under the three basic principles of “wellbeing,” “education,” and “networking.” At its Christmas Social, an online event held at the end of 2021, participants deepened their understanding of LGBTQ+ issues and gained an awareness of the importance of mutual understanding, eliciting feedback from a participant who said, “It has created a safe work environment." The global DEI program of June 2021 resulted in the launch of "Vibrant" in the U.S., which is active in promoting exchanges with Europe.
Various Barrier Removal Activities
An employee resource group focusing on neurodiversity has been launched in the U.K., policies have been formulated in Canada, and an employee resource group has also been launched in the U.S. With outside support, Konica Minolta is opening the world of work to many people. Prism, an employee resource group focused on neurodiversity and launched in the U.K. in 2023, seeks to foster an inclusive corporate culture, promote innovation through diverse viewpoints, improve employee well-being and engagement, and help acquire and retain talent. When Prism was launched, a “Let's Talk” session was held to raise awareness of the network among employees and promote dialogue. Prism will continue its activities that contribute to inclusive hiring, raise awareness, and further develop partnerships.
