One of our key management resources is our unique and diverse organization and human resources. These human resources allow us to create new business models and customer experience value that are not bound by conventional frameworks. The and ST HD Group engages in programs linked to human resources strategy, strives to expand internal HR programs, and conducts strategic health management for our employees. In these ways and more, we enhance the capabilities and job satisfaction of each individual, contributing to the enrichment and development of our stakeholders as each employee becomes a person needed in society.
Driving Medium- and Long-Term Corporate Growth Through Diversity Management
- Supporting individuals to become a person needed through environments that respect diversity and encourage people to take on challenges without fear of failure -
Revised Target for Percentage of Women in Management Positions and the Acceleration of Diversity Management
Women account for roughly 80% of and ST HD Group employees, and the majority of our customers are women. We believe that the contribution of women ties directly to the success of our business activities. Sustainable growth requires incorporating flexible, diverse perspectives and being sensitive to these considerations in company decision-making. To this end, we set specific targets and created a roadmap supported by the commitment of senior management. We support the advancement of women through a multifaceted approach that includes a human resources system that allows all employees to choose diverse careers and work styles to suit their lifestyles, a pooled human resources system, the participation of female employees in Board of Executives meetings (heavily dominated by men in the past), and the strategic promotion of women to higher positions. While we may not expect to reach our target for the fiscal year ending February 2026, we know that our efforts have led to the creation of female leaders, including a significant increase in the percentage of female general managers, from 9% to 21%. Our new target, aiming for the fiscal year ended February 2030, is even more challenging for the and ST HD Group in Japan and overseas. We believe in the potential of diverse and unique human resources to create value unbound by convention. This potential is crucial for us in achieving our medium-term management plan. Our own desire is to foster societies in which every person plays a role in their own way.
Specific Initiatives
The development and promotion of female directors and management candidates are regularly discussed at management meetings and Sustainability Committee meetings, with reports made as appropriate, to strategically form a pool of human resources. In addition to holding study sessions and lectures on diversity and operating a mentoring system, from 2022 we have begun holding roundtable discussions between female employees and management and involving female employees in the management committee, which used to be composed of men.
In terms of work style, in 2007, we began supporting a better balance between work and childcare. We have established a unique leave system, a consultation service, and a system that allows employees to choose their work style according to their child-rearing situation, thereby realizing a system that allows women raising children to work with peace of mind for a long time. The Company has an environment in which women can build their careers after taking childcare leave, with 99.4% of our female employees taking maternity leave and 98.8% returning to work after childcare leave (as of the fiscal year ending February 2023). In order to support a better balance between work and child rearing, from 2023, we are strengthening support for male employees to take maternity leave and creating a portal site exclusively for employees on maternity and childcare leave.
In fiscal year ended February 2024, we took a multifaceted approach that included a Diversity Study Session (two sessions) for management and a seminar for managers on health issues specific to women. In addition, we endeavor to create environments encouraging employees to take childcare leave confidently, regardless of gender, to strengthen engagement through support for balancing work and childcare, and to build environments that empower women to contribute over the long term without career interruption.
Supporting for Career Growth and Work-Childcare Balance
Career growth support project called Carikaku
In September 2022, we launched a career growth support project called Carikaku, which creates opportunities for employees working in our stores to autonomously explore future career possibilities and take on challenges. This project is the result of feedback from our store employees who want to be more actively involved in certain interest areas while still working at their store, who want to develop careers that make the most of their own personalities and strengths, and who want to take a further step forward in fields related to sales. Five major roles have been established as new career steps, including for regional promotion, where staff plan and carry out regional revitalization events and corporate collaboration rooted in the community, and as an SSC* certified instructor, who is responsible for improving store customer service skills as a sales specialist. Our employees, who are always attentive to customers’ voices and needs, as well as specific regional characteristics, are the driving force behind and ST HD Group’s growth. We support our employees to create their own careers and to ensure they remain excited about their jobs throughout their working lives.
*SSC is an abbreviation for Service Skill Certification. This is and ST HD Group’s unique skill certification system for all staff working in stores to improve customer satisfaction and sales abilities, as well as staff motivation and sales staff rank.
Creating Systems and Environments That Encourage Employee Growth
We strive to create opportunities for employees to take on unique challenges, develop self-directed careers, and learn to chart careers on their own. We aim to become a flexible and diverse organization that believes in the potential of all. We encourage employees to challenge themselves, regardless of age or place of work, creating systems and environments that boost motivation.
Foster employee wellbeing
– Play fashion! Play wellness! – The Goal of Health Management
The and ST HD Group began formal health management in fiscal 2022 under the slogan, Play fashion! Play wellness! - Enjoy Fashion and Life, Be Healthier, and Be More Yourself. Together with our companies, health insurance association, and employees, we will work with stakeholders to pursue health management. In doing so, we will create a workplace where everyone can work while remaining true to themselves and shining with vitality, contributing to more abundant lives for people around the world.
and ST HD Health Managemant Declaration
Health Management Promotion System
The and ST Wellness Committee, a health promotion committee formed by employees selected through internal recruitment, has been launched to promote wellbeing. We will pick up the real voices of employees and their ever-changing needs, and make proposals to reflect them in health promotion and insurance projects that are in line with the actual situation. We also plan and execute wellness events, etc., while fostering a climate and environment in which employees themselves can improve their health literacy and engage in activities to maintain and promote their health.
Our Unique Health Management Policies
We identified women-specific health issues, mental health, and disease prevention and health promotion as priority issues, implementing initiatives to address mental and physical well-being in collaboration with our health insurance association. Women make up over 80% of our workforce. To this end, we introduced a dedicated consultation service for women’s health issues in 2024 and held seminars to deepen understanding of women’s health concerns. We advanced our own health management initiatives through these efforts to create a comfortable work environment for all and to support the maintenance and promotion of employee health.
Certified for a 3rd Consecutive Year as a Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Nippon Kenko Kaigi recognized Adastria* as a 2025 Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization (Large Enterprise Category) for the third consecutive year. The recognition reflected our new disclosures on key health management items, the development of a health management strategy map that sets out our unique direction, and strengthened initiatives for women’s health support and mental health care. We will continue to work with the Health Management Promotion Office, industrial physicians, and public health nurses to foster a corporate culture that encourages employees to maintain and improve their health.
*Certification as of 2025 before transitioning to and ST HD
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