Events and Planning

In 2022, we launched SPLi, a community that supports continuous career development by providing an environment and plan where employees can demonstrate leadership while leveraging their uniqueness and diverse individuality.

We invited the Fermentation Life Promotion Association and first heard from a fermentation life advisor about his career. After that, I think I gained a deeper understanding of "fermented foods" and my attitude towards daily food has changed. After the exchange, Mariko Bando, an outside director, gave a lecture on "human capital and women's careers." She spoke about the changes in promoting women's participation in the workforce and Japan's level compared to other countries around the world, and it was a time to recognize the challenges once again and to feel hopeful and prepared for the future. A total of over 70 people participated in the event, both at the venue and online. This was the start of the second year of SPLi which is gaining momentum.

In July 2024, we introduced the women's health support service "FEMCLE". The aim is to create an environment where women can work comfortably by improving menstrual symptoms and menopausal disorders, which are health issues specific to women. Female employees can take part in a free online medical interview, and all employees can watch videos on women's health issues. All managers have watched the videos, and in the viewing survey, many comments were received such as "I gained new realizations" and "I would like to use this in my daily communication and organizational management."

A health seminar was held jointly by the Women's Empowerment Promotion Community SPLi and the Health Promotion Office. The seminar focused on "health issues facing working women that men should also be aware of," and 52 people attended. The seminar aimed to deepen understanding among not only women but also men among female colleagues and subordinates, and to raise awareness of their partners' health issues, as well as breast cancer prevention and early detection. At the "Sleep Toughness Seminar" held at the Kanto Plant in 2022, 80% of the 100 participants were satisfied with the program content and expressed a desire for it to continue. Including the health seminar, the cost of education and training for employees in fiscal 2024 was 84,000 yen per person.

In 2023, the first Family Day was held at the factory under the theme "Let's increase the number of ITOKI fans!" and was attended by approximately 400 family members and friends. In a visitor survey, over 80% of people responded that their image of ITOKI had improved. (At Nihonbashi and Osaka SR, 105 couples, 367 people, participated in 2023, and 129 couples, 435 people, participated in 2024.)
In fiscal 2025, the Health Management Promotion Committee also exhibited, with the aim of "raising health (exercise) awareness among all employees and their families who visited," and provided easy muscle strength checks and information related to muscle strength. In particular, the "Locomotive Syndrome Level Measurement" and "Vegetable Throwing" events using a locomotive syndrome test tool were well received, with many people participating. (349 people participated in Nihonbashi and 160 in Osaka SR in fiscal 2025) An event is also planned for the factory in November.

A workshop on "building blocks" was held on July 26, 2023. After learning about forestry, the children cut pieces of domestic thinned wood at a workshop for people with disabilities and polished them with sandpaper until smooth, making them safe and secure building blocks. The building blocks we created were donated to kindergartens, nursery schools, etc. in special wooden boxes with an Itoki branding stamp. Although it was part of a social contribution activity, there were many team-building elements, and everyone enjoyed participating. At Itoki, if you do volunteer work on weekdays, you can take special paid leave called ``volunteer leave.''

We aim to create a workplace environment where everyone can work energetically and be themselves, and we support the balancing of work and child-rearing. Starting in 2022, we endorsed the "100% Male Childcare Leave Declaration," and from July 1, 2023, we began providing "Childcare Leave Return Support Grants" to employees who return to work after taking childcare leave, according to the number of days taken. We also promote internal awareness-raising efforts, holding interviews with men on childcare leave and information sessions as in-house events. In fiscal 2024, the rate of male childcare leave taken was 75%, with the average number of days taken being 49.8 days.
Meanwhile, we held a seminar in July on balancing work and nursing care, which family members could attend. We are working to ensure that employees are properly informed about our internal systems and how to use public nursing care insurance services, so that they do not become ill due to caregiving fatigue or find themselves in a situation where they have to quit their job.

Itoki aims for diversity and inclusion, where each and every person, including those with disabilities, can live vibrantly and utilize their unique characteristics to the fullest. As part of its DE&I promotion, baked goods carefully made by people with disabilities were sold within the company. At the same time as the sales, the bakers came to support the sales and presented slides on employment support for people with disabilities, providing an opportunity to deepen understanding of disabilities and raise interest.