Efforts to Expand Opportunities for Women | Sustainability

SMM aims to be a company that enables ambitious female employees to find worth in their job and take a vibrant approach to their work while enjoying a true sense of growth and development, and allows them to maximize their potential. In order to achieve this, SMM shall invest more resources in its initiatives for female participation with a focus on the three areas below, and work steadily towards their implementation.

Awareness change
Systemic change
Individual development

FY2011

Awareness change
Systemic change
Infrastructure building
Other initiatives	November IBUKI Round Table Talk October Launch of Female Opportunity Study Team March Recommendations

FY2012 (Launch)

Awareness change	January Release of policy for activities February Training for division managers
Systemic change
Infrastructure building	July- Infrastructure patrol September Appointment of a female occupational physician at the head office
Other initiatives	July Establishment of women’s empowerment team January Start of IBUKI series March Nadeshiko Brand 2013 Selection

FY2013 (Companywide)

Awareness change	April Communication of message from the president June- Manager training (10 sessions total) July- Female employee training (12 sessions total) October Communication of message from the president
Systemic change	June Institution of a pre-maternity leave/pre-return-to-work December Introduction of wiwiw (tool to support return to work after childcare leave)
Infrastructure building	April Creation of “Shining Employees” noticeboard August Completion of office building at Niihama Nickel Refinery (with female changing rooms, etc.) March Completion of changing rooms and other facilities at Toyo Smelter & Refinery, Harima Plant, and Isoura Plant
Other initiatives	March Nadeshiko Brand 2014 Selection

FY2014 (System Enhancement)

Awareness change	June- FY2013 Manager training (3 sessions total) July- Female career-track training January- Manager training (6 sessions total) February- Female general-track training (7 sessions total)
Systemic change	April Staggered working hours (expanded to cover reasons related to childcare) Creation of special hourly leave system for childcare Review of handling of company housing Review of selection standards for promotion candidates (when taking childcare leave) Approval of use of pre-marriage family name August Creation of birth and childcare support leave October Creation of proactive leave of absence (positive time off) Creation of reduced hours working system
Infrastructure building	April Completion of changing rooms and other facilities at the Hyuga Smelter Completion of office building at the Shisaka Smelter (with female changing rooms, etc.) August Toilets on Niihama Nickel Refinery premises (3 modified from Japanese to Western style, 2 new)
Other initiatives	Initiatives explained on each training course New employee training (April) Promoted manager training (August) Mid-career recruitment education (as necessary at head office) March Nadeshiko Brand 2015 Selection

FY2015 (system entrenchment/spread of awareness)

Awareness change	November Director training session February- Female employee and boss training (8 sessions total) Lunch meeting (at head office/Besshi, 3 meetings)
Systemic change	April Review of human resource system (creation of new key positions and specialist positions, etc.)
Infrastructure building	March Completion of changing rooms and other facilities in the Hishikari Mine welfare building
Other initiatives	April Action plan for 3rd-term next-generation development support Initiatives explained on each training course New employee training/promoted manager training/mid-career recruitment education (as necessary at head office) October Establishment of the Diversity Promotion Section March Creation and disclosure of SMM action plan based on the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace

FY2016 (groupwide deployment/spread of awareness)

Awareness change	October Communication of message from the president March Childcare lunch meeting (at head office/Besshi, 2 meetings)
Systemic change	January Change in number of times special hourly leave for childcare is granted Addition/update of measures to prevent sexual harassment/maternity harassment
October・Review of basic policy From infrastructure building to individual development	October Revamping of “Shining Employees” noticeboard
From individual initiatives to SMM group initiatives (Scope: 31 companies in Japan)	New employee training/promoted manager training/mid-career recruitment education (as necessary at head office) October Questionnaire for SMM Group performed Besshi-Niihama District Div. certified as 10th business place in the city of Niihama to promote female participation, etc.

FY2017

Awareness change	Lunch meeting for people raising children(at head office/Besshi, 4 meetings) March Female career-track training
Systemic change	October Further extension of childcare leave and addition of reasons through revision of childcare leave rules
individual development	November Increased rest area space for women at head office Explanation of SMM initiatives and diversity education in training courses New employee training/promoted manager training/mid-career recruitment education (as necessary at head office)
SMM group initiatives (Scope: 31 companies in Japan)	April Extension of action plan for 3rd-term next-generation development support and progress check for action plan to SMM Group July Responsibility for the Diversity Promotion Office switched from Human Resources Development Dept. to Personnel Dept.

FY2018

Awareness change	June Consultation service training (5 sessions total) September Female career-track inter-industry exchange training (up to January) October Communication of message from the president
Systemic change	5月 Explanation of working styles/system in care training
individual development	Explanation of SMM initiatives and diversity education in training courses New employee training/promoted manager training/mid-career recruitment education (as necessary at head office)
SMM group initiatives (Scope: 31 companies in Japan)	April Creation of action plan for 4th-term next-generation development support and progress check for action plan to SMM Group May- Implementation of seminar for balancing care and work for employees aged 40 and over, rollout to group

FY2019

Awareness change	May Women’s career school in the head office district (up to November) June Lunch meeting for returnees from childcare leave September Female career-track inter-industry exchange training November Head office diversity workshop (LGBT-related) December Human rights month (understanding unconscious bias)
Systemic change	April Revision of requirements for accumulated annual leave Flextime rollout at head office May Revision of the requirements for family allowance for care Manager feedback for discussions with returnees from maternity leave
individual development	education in training courses New employee training/promoted manager training/mid-career recruitment education (as necessary at head office) April Positive system introduced for goal management November Two satellite offices opened
SMM group initiatives (Scope: 31 companies in Japan)	April Shining Employees noticeboard

FY2020 Onward

Awareness change	July Women’s career school in the head office district (online, up to December) September Female career-track inter-industry exchange training (online) Explanation of dealing with LGBT issues for executive directors Childcare leave explanatory session
Systemic change	April All staff in the head office district begin working from home in order to contribute to halting the spread of COVID-19
individual development	April Mobile PCs introduced to facilitate working from home in head office district August iPads provided to people on childcare leave to enable them to use the company intranet
SMM group initiatives (Scope: 31 companies in Japan)	April Creation of action plan for 5th-term next-generation development support

Background & Future of Initiatives to Support Female Activation at SMM(PDF:178KB)

Continuation of Training Courses at All Levels

Training courses are held in an ongoing manner in order to awareness change

Balance Support System/Initiatives

System

Scope: Childcare

System/Initiative Name	Explanation
Pre-maternity leave/pre-return-to-work discussion system^(*1)	A system designed to facilitate information sharing and allay the concerns of those in the workplace and the individual in question before going on leave and before returning to work through discussions with the relevant manager.
Childcare leave system^(*1)	A system that enables leave to be taken up to the end of the month after the final month of the fiscal year (i.e. the last day of April) in which the day that the child in question turns 1 year and 6 months or 1 year falls, whichever period is longer.
Pre-maternity and post-maternity leave system	A system that enables leave to be taken on the day of birth and 8 weeks before and after giving birth
Reduced hours working system for child raising^(*1)	A system that enables employees who live with a child up to elementary school 3rd grade age to reduce their working hours down to 4 hours a day.
Staggered working hours system (expanded to cover reasons related to childcare) ^(*1)	A system that enables employees who live with a child up to elementary school 3rd grade age to shift their starting and ending times by up to 1 hour to take care of childcare-related matters, such as taking a child to nursery school or picking them up.
Special hourly leave system for childcare^(*1)	A system that enables employees who live with a child up to elementary school 6th grade age to take leave in units of 2 hours in the event that the child needs unforeseen care, needs to be taken to hospital, or in other such situations (up to 4 times per year)
Birth and childcare support leave system	A system that enables leave to be taken to care for a spouse after she has given birth and to support postnatal childcare for seven consecutive days

Scope: Childcare/care

System/Initiative Name	Explanation
Care absence system^(*1)	A system that enables absence from work for the required amount of time (no limitations on the length of absence) in order to care for a family member from the same household, for the purposes of preventing illness for a preschooler, or to provide care for a family member that needs it
Job return system^(*1)	A system that enables an employee who voluntarily leaves the company for care provision, birth, marriage, or to accompany a spouse who has been transferred to another location to return to their job within 3 - 5 years if they register their wish to be reemployed.

Scope: Care

System/Initiative Name	Explanation
Care leave system^(*1)	This system enables leave to be taken to care for a relative that requires care for a maximum of one year from the day after the start of care. It also enables leave to be taken in units of 1 day from the 94th day until the number of days reaches 1 year.
Family allowance system for employees with family members needing care^(*1)	A system that provides a family allowance for employees looking after family members certified as needing level-5 care
Care funding system^(*1)	A system that provides funding for care costs for a family member from an employee’s household, or a family member whom they are looking after

Scope: All employees

System/Initiative Name	Explanation
Approval system for use of pre-marriage family name^(*1)	A system that enables pre-marriage family name to be used within the company if an application is made, except in the case of official documents
Accumulated annual leave system^(*1)	A system that enables paid annual leave in excess of the carry over limit to be accumulated and used in the case that an employee is ill/injured (unrelated to work) or needs to care for a family member
Positive time off (proactive leave of absence) system^(*1)	A system that enables an employee to proactively take time off for a period of 3 months to 2 years for purposes such as self-development or social contribution activities (for employees who have worked for 3 consecutive years).
(General) Reduced hours working system^(*1)	A system that enables an employee to reduce their working hours to 3/4 of their normal working hours in units of 1 month in return for reduction in their basic wage to 3/4 of their normal wage
Selective staggered working hours system	A system that enables an employee to choose a working time configuration that best suits their circumstances and work from 4 different configurations

Scope: Women

System/Initiative Name	Explanation
Appointment of a female occupational physician	Health consultations and talks conducted by a female occupational physician for female employees

Scope: All employees

System/Initiative Name	Explanation
Shining Employees noticeboard	An intranet noticeboard for posting content such as notices from the Diversity Promotion Section and employee introductions, and also provides explanations of systems for the purpose of gaining a deeper understanding of systems and assisting with becoming able to independently choose a system in order to achieve a better balance
Lunch meetings	Information exchange sessions that are open to all with themes such as childbirth, childcare, and care

*1These systems can be used by all employees, regardless of gender
*2The above includes systems and initiatives for each office
*3No information about legal systems is noted

Support for Balancing Work and Childcare

A system is in place to enable the balancing of work and childcare.

Discussion on return to work from childcare leave

Discussion sheet (for pre-childcare leave/return to work)

Activity Awareness Raising (Newsletter, Intranet Noticeboard)

Information regarding women’s enpowerment support is widely distributed.