Health & Productivity Management and Occupational Health & Safety

Policy

While business is operated globally, the structure of society is changing dramatically. The population continues to age, and the way of hiring people as well as working styles are changing in various ways. In this time of change, it's necessary to ensure a comfortable and safe workplace environment for all employees and enable them to make the most of their capabilities and possibilities.
The Asahi Kasei Group regards all employees as precious assets. In terms of maintaining health and safety at our workplaces and work sites, our ESH & QA Principles state: "In all operations, we give the utmost consideration to health, operational safety, workplace safety and hygiene, quality assurance, and environmental protection throughout the product life cycle from R&D to disposal, as preeminent management tasks." Based on this, we work in cooperation with employees (and, where applicable, the Health & Safety Committee and Labor/Management Committee) to create a comfortable workplace environment throughout the company.

Preventive action for occupational accidents

In fiscal 2020, the Asahi Kasei Group established a Life Saving Actions (LSA) program to eradicate serious occupational accidents, and we began implementing it throughout the Group. We have established the following four behaviors as prohibited behaviors that could result in loss of life if not observed, and are promoting thorough adherence to these behaviors in all aspects of our business activities.

  • Do not touch moving parts Do not go under suspended load Do not work at height without a safety harness Do not break the speed limit Do not use the phone while driving Do not ride without wearing a seat belt
    The four behaviors prohibited by LSA

In addition, our ongoing efforts to prevent workplace accidents is integrated into our comprehensive OHSMS1 program that combines conventional safety and hygiene initiatives2 with risk assessments and a prevention-oriented plan-do-check-act (PDCA) system.

  • 1 Tidiness/orderliness/cleanliness (3S), reporting of near-accidents and potential hazards, hazard prediction analysis, safety patrols, and case studies
  • 2 Occupational Health and Safety Management System: A standardized management system used to confirm that continuous improvement is being applied to measures to minimize the risks of workplace injuries and to prevent the emergence of future risks

Approach to prevent occupational accidents

1. Identification of potential hazards

Effective prevention of workplace accidents requires the identification of all potential hazards in a workplace. In addition to conventional safety and hygiene initiatives, it is important to think of potential issues and consider safety from the perspective of the problems which conceivably arise in a wide variety of situations—as a result of both potentially unsafe physical conditions (hazardous working environment due to equipment, materials, noise, etc.) and potentially unsafe work actions of personnel.

2. Risk assessment

Priority for mitigating the potential workplace hazards identified is assigned based on a scoring system that combines the severity of the impact of problems which could occur and the frequency with which such problems would be likely to occur. We implement mitigation measures starting with significant risks with the highest risk scores.

3. Mitigation of the highest risks

Measures to achieve inherent safety by eliminating unsafe conditions (by eliminating dangerous procedures, automation, eliminating sources of problems, changeover to safe materials, etc.) and the application of safeguards are extremely effective in the effort to avoid risks.
We focus on achieving inherent safety and applying safeguards (isolation and stoppage) to avoid risks associated with the use of machinery and equipment to prevent the “caught in/between machinery” category of accident, which can easily result in particularly severe injury.

Unsafe conditions, Unsafe actions, Compulsofy brainstorming, Considering potential problems whith could cause accidents, Conventional safety initiatives, Tidiness/ orderliness/ cleanliness(3S), reporting of near-accidents and potential hazards, hazard prediction analysis, safety patrols, and case studies→Identification of potential hazards(problems which could occur), Risk assessment(Risk score and priority level based on severity and frequency), Mitigation of the highest risk→Inherent safety Safeguards / Control method Systems for safe operationOverview for prevention of workplace accidents

Inherent safety and safeguards

Measures to achieve inherent safety and the application of safeguards to avoid risks are generally considered to provide the greatest level of safety, as shown in the following table. We incorporate such measures in the construction of new or replacement facilities, upon safety reviews of existing facilities, and to prevent the recurrence of accidents.

Systems for safe operation

Our group is striving to ensure safety in our activities to comply with safe operating standards*. Specifically, we are devising and implementing measures such as checking the status of compliance with safe operating standards in our daily operations. Operations for which the elimination of risk through equipment modification is impractical are classified as operations requiring special control and strictly managed, such as by ensuring worker competence and prior plan-based approval.

  • * Systems for safe operation Rather than individual rules for specific procedures, safe operating standards are a system of safety principles which define common safety practices that apply to categories of operation based on similarity of risk. For example, to prevent entanglement in machinery, our standard stipulates not to touch any exposed moving parts.

Sharing and utilizing information of occupational accidents

We investigate causes and take measures to prevent recurrence at sites where workplace accidents occur. We share a database of information on all workplace accidents within the Asahi Kasei Group for utilization in activities such as safety training, case study discussions, and prevention of similar accidents.

Occupational accident statistics

In fiscal 2022, 11 lost-worktime injuries occurred among Asahi Kasei Group employees in Japan. The number of incidents was half that of the previous year. We will continue to engage in safety initiatives through our LSA program to prevent the occurrence of serious accidents in the future.

  • Occupational injury 11 cases Fall on same level 45.5%, Contact with harmful substance 18.2%, Fall from height9.1%, Contact with high/low-temperature substance/object 4.5%, Caught in/between machinery 9.1%, Traffic accident (road) 9.1%
    Incidence of lost-workday injury by event category (FY2022 in Japan)
  • Occupational injury 172 cases, Fall on same level 30.8% Traffic accident (road) 14.2% Kickback/overexertion 10.5% Fall from height 8.7% Contact with high/low-temperature substance/object 7.6% Caught in/between machinery 4.6%  Impacts 4.6% Contact with harmful substance 3.5% Caught in between something else 2.9% Hit by flying/falling object 2.9% Traffic accident (others) 2.4% Others 2.3% Unclassified 1.7% Fires and explosions 1.7% Cuts and scrapes 0.6% Collision 0.6%
    Incidence of lost-workday injury by event category (FY2013–2022 in Japan)
  • Asahi Kasei Group Fiscal ‘13 0.40,Fiscal ‘14 0.20,Fiscal ‘15 0.30,Fiscal ‘16: 0.35,Fiscal ‘17: 0.30,Fiscal ‘18 0.41,Fiscal ‘19 0.44,Fiscal ‘20 0.21,Fiscal ‘21 0.38, Fiscal ‘22 0.19   Notes: •Fiscal years for Asahi Kasei Group calendar years for the chemical industry as well as manufacturing industries in Japan. •100% coverage
    Frequency Rate1
  • Asahi Kasei Group Fiscal ‘13 0.013,Fiscal ‘14 0.005,Fiscal ‘15 0.005,Fiscal ‘16 0.024,Fiscal ‘17 0.005,Fiscal ‘18 0.008,Fiscal ‘19 0.074,Fiscal ‘20 0.006,Fiscal ‘21 0.1333, Fiscal ‘22 0.009  •The severity rate increased in fiscal 2012 because of one “fall on same level” accident that caused lasting injury, in fiscal 2019 because of one “caught in machinery” accident that caused lasting injury, and in fiscal 2021 because of a fatality caused by an explosion.  •100% coverage
    Severity Rate2
  • 1 Number of accidental deaths and injuries resulting in the loss of one or more workdays, per million man-hours worked.
    Our goal of 0.1 or less is extremely ambitious. At a plant with 100 workers, it would mean only one worker in 50 years suffered from a workplace injury which resulted in a day off.
  • 2 Lost workdays, severity-weighted, per thousand man-hours worked.

Maintaining and improving comfortable workplaces

Workplaces where potential health hazards are present are subject to regular monitoring under the Working Environment Measurement Law. Additionally, we will manage risks for chemicals to identify and reduce risks resulting from chemical substances.
With an amendment to Japan's Industrial Safety and Health Act in May 2022, there have been major changes, including the requirement for businesses to autonomously manage chemical substances. The Asahi Kasei Group is implementing appropriate measures in response.
Noise and heat exposure data are recorded and maintained for all relevant personnel to enable each individual's exposure to be managed and minimized. We are advancing plant modification and reviewing work procedures to create a more comfortable work environment.

Safety initiatives at Asahi Kasei Kawasaki Works

The Kawasaki Works comprises three production areas: Shiohama, Ukishima, and Chiba, with manufacturing sections that operate 24 hours a day, as well as R&D, production engineering, and support divisions. The workforce consists of approximately 1,700 individuals, including employees, dispatched workers, and subcontractors assigned on site. The members from diverse backgrounds promote our safety initiatives.

  • Kawasaki Works, Production Center, Asahi Kasei Corporation Shiohama Area Ukishima Area Chiba Area

1. Introduction (background)

The Kawasaki Works has a history of active involvement in numerous safety initiatives. In light of the elevated count of work-related accidents involving both employees and contractors during fiscal 2018, they initiated a program aimed at fostering a culture of complying with rules in 2019.
In fiscal 2022, the initiative was renamed “No Injury and No Accident” to raise awareness about safety in workplaces.

  • Number of occupational accidents at Kawasaki Works (employees + subcontractors) FY2018 14, FY2019 19, FY2020 11, FY2021 10, FY2022 9 cases in total
    Number of occupational accidents at Kawasaki Works (employees + subcontractors)

2. Specific initiatives

To uphold our commitments of No Injury and No Accident, we conduct the following activities in addition to our existing safety practices.

  • 1)“Mr. STOP” campaign (started in fiscal 2021)
  • 2)Raising the quality of relationships between managers and workers: Dialogue between supervisors and subordinates
    Building an organization that respects one another and works closely.
    In order to share the concept in the below diagram and have a better relationship (psychological stability) between workers and their supervisors, it is important to discuss specific ideas and methods thoroughly. Dialogue is encouraged for this purpose.
    (1) Quality of relationships between managers and workers (2) Quality of workers’ mindset (3) Quality of workers’ action (4) Quality of outcomes, including injuries and accidents
  • 3) Workplace-focused activities
    Sites with a high number of occupational accidents are identified as 'high priority sites.' Corporate ESH conducts surveys at these sites and engages in dialogue to enhance safety awareness among employees.
  • 4) “No Injury”—A promise to keep oneself free from injury
    We encourage each individual to think consciously about safety, fostering safety awareness to prevent injury at both individual and group levels. This is achieved through open dialogue and information sharing.
  • 5) “No Accident”—A promise to protect fellow workers
    Inadequate safety measures on the ordering side (Asahi Kasei) have led to injuries involving contractors during delivery of work. This effort aims to eliminate such occupational accidents through dialogue and thorough safety measures.

3. What is “Mr. STOP”?

Aim and Purpose
Targeting young employees with less than five years of experience (42% of all occupational accidents) and often-overlooked contractors (38% of all occupational accidents), the program aims to achieve zero occupational accidents.
Activity Details
Our top priority is to recognize and appreciate good work by conducting site visits to observe work from different angles, including Life Saving Actions (LSA), a company-wide initiative. Whenever we notice unsafe work, we ask them to stop the work and have them consider the risks involved. Our approach emphasizes mutual understanding and learning rather than merely pointing out mistakes.

STOP Activities
(Safety Training Observation Program)

This is a customized version of DuPont's safety management program, adapted to align with Japanese-style safety initiatives. The fundamental principle is to eliminate hazards and prevent accidents through observation and identification of unsafe conditions and behavior, and to take action accordingly.

「STOPおじさん」

4. “Good Point Award”

We walk through the site and promptly nominate exemplary practices and workmanship, even those considered ordinary, as candidates for the Good Point Award. If there are deserving candidates (self-recommendations are also accepted), the production manager presents the awards to them in front of everyone on site.

  • Fiscal year Awards received Good Point entries
    (including awards)
    FY2021 33 347
    FY2022 36 422
    FY2023 (until June) 9 161
    Results 78 930
  • ポイント①TOPから直接ほめる、②内容を具体的にほめる→安全意識を高く持ってもらい良い作業を定着化させることが目的
  • The award certificate contains specific details.
  • A scene from the award ceremony for subcontractors
  • Award given to shift workers in production

5. Outcome of the “Mr. STOP” campaign

One of our contractors said to us at the ceremony, “being praised in such a specific way makes me feel compelled to do things more safely than ever before.” This positive cycle of improvement appears to be the result of the Mr. STOP initiatives because they received the recognition they deserve.

6. Conclusion

We have not reached our goal of zero occupational accidents, but considering the actual occupational accidents occurred, it looks like we have made a steady improvement in our safety standards. We firmly believe that we can foster truly safe workplaces if we continue to improve safety awareness of each and every employee through various safety initiatives, focusing on “No Injury and No Accident,” our promises of not leaving anyone behind. Also, we believe that such efforts will lead to zero occupational accidents and continuation of the practice.
We will continue to build a culture of praises like those seen in the Mr. STOP initiative, and strive to create production facilities where everyone can work in good health and comfort, with a sense of safety and security.

Dealing with the asbestos issue

We have dealt with the asbestos issue as explained below.

Specific Measures
Measures for buildings owned by our Group, including its plants Conducted asbestos surveys and systematically removed, contained, or enclosed it in accordance with the Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment Due to Asbestos.
Replacement of asbestos in plant joint sheets Asbestos in joint sheets is replaced with non-asbestos materials sequentially when joints are opened for inspection or maintenance.
Responding to health issues of our Group retirees The Group does not engage in the production or handling of asbestos as specified in the Ordinance on Prevention of Health Impairment Due to Asbestos. However, if a retiree who had handled asbestos on a temporary basis during his or her tenure with the Group (for maintenance purposes for example) requests it, he or she can receive a medical examination and a follow-up will be conducted.

Health & Productivity Management Policy

The situation surrounding employees has changed considerably over recent years, with the retirement age being extended to 65 and the stressful situations caused by changes in work conditions triggered by the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, for the Asahi Kasei Group to provide value to society through its business, we need employees to be more productive and creative than ever.
In response, we have been developing health & productivity management*, which positions health-related initiatives as a company-wide management issue, and expand on the health and productivity management of past ESH & QA activities.
In October 2020, the Asahi Kasei Group announced the Statement on Management for Health. Human resources are the essential element for the improvement of corporate value. Providing an environment that supports the physical and mental well-being of employees is becoming increasingly crucial for corporations. Therefore, we will work to further promote health and productivity management based on the Group Health & Productivity Management Vision described in the Statement.
We will further enhance our programs for the prevention of mental health issues, which is a priority in our PDCA cycle, as defined in the health and productivity management goals of our medium-term plan. In 2022, we adopted the 'percentage of employees absent from work due to mental health issues' as an indicator for the director's remuneration policy to measure the progress. Furthermore, we will strengthen health and productivity management and promotion measures, with an emphasis on women from a DE&I perspective, in line with physical and mental health promotion through the positive outcomes and improvements achieved in our health and productivity management. The next step is the promotion of well-being management, which aims to create a state of physical, mental, and social well-being for our employees.

  • * In Japanese “Kenkokeiei” is a registered trademark of Nonprofit Organization Kenkokeiei.

Statement on Management for Health

The Asahi Kasei Group pursues sustainable growth of corporate value while contributing to the achievement of a sustainable society by leveraging its strengths of diversity and the capability to change. We believe that human resources are the key to achieving this goal.
In the future, it will become ever more important for the company to create an environment where employees can both physically and mentally healthy and where everyone can play an active role. We hereby declare that we will work to promote health and productivity management, which further refines the initiatives for promoting and maintaining health we have developed to date, under our Group Health and Productivity Management Vision.

October 2020, Asahi Kasei Corp.

The Asahi Kasei Group Health & Productivity Management Vision

The Asahi Kasei Group will contribute to the achievement of a sustainable society by encouraging the active participation and growth of each individual and the improvement and development of Group productivity. To this end, the company will ensure that its employees and their families are both physically and mentally healthy, and strive to enhance their job and life satisfaction.

Promotion framework for health & productivity management

In January 2020, we established the Corporate Health and Productivity Management organization. In the following April, we assigned an Executive Officer with responsibility for Health and Productivity Management. In April 2021, our nine Health Management Centers, which have occupational health staff at each of our major domestic sites, became part of Corporate Health and Productivity Management. This enabled us to standardize and optimize overall health-related operations, improve coordination among different sites, and promptly address group-wide challenges, with unified promotion of health & productivity management. While this was adopted at the main domestic sites in April 2021, its application is being extended to smaller offices and affiliated companies in Japan from April 2022.

  • President Executive Officer of Health & Productivity Management (CHO) Health & Productivity Management Committee(Determine/review company-wide policies, goals, and KPIs) Labor Union Health Insurance Society Corporate Health & Productivity Management(Health & Productivity Management Secretariat, Plans, action, progress management) Personnel involved in health & productivity management(ESH-related departments, HR-related departments) Health & productivity management support centers and health management offices in each district
    Promotion framework for health & productivity management

Purpose of health & productivity management

Our cornerstone is the maintenance and promotion of physical and mental health of our employees and their families. By creating synergy through the success and growth of each individual, greater job satisfaction and fulfillment, and a vibrant and strong organizational culture, we aim to improve the productivity and growth of the Asahi Kasei Group. We will also strive to create a virtuous cycle between two aspects of sustainability: contribution to sustainable society and sustainable growth of corporate value.

  • Contributing to a sustainable society and sustainable increase of corporate value Success and growth of each individual Greater working satisfaction and fulfillment Vibrant and strong organizational climate → Group productivity improvement Maintaining and promoting the mental and physical health of employees and families
    Overview of health & productivity management

Health & Productivity Management Strategy Map

In promoting health & productivity management, we pursue thorough understanding the expected outcomes of our investments and measures along with how our initiatives translate into concrete actions to address the issues we aim to resolve. We have charted these relationships on a diagram.

Health & Productivity Management Objectives (Priority Measures)

To achieve our health & productivity management objectives, we believe it is important both to create opportunities for employees to be active and grow, and to revitalize individuals and organizations.
To create opportunities for employees to be active and grow, we will reduce the number of days employees take off work. In addition to this, we will work on revitalizing individuals and organizations.
From the perspective of improving productivity, we will also strive to help employees get more and better-quality sleep, a lack of which is said to be a major contributing factor behind “presenteeism1.”
For this reason, the Group has set its primary health and productivity management goals as follows: (1) creation of opportunities for employees to play an active role and grow, etc. (improving the absence rate through countermeasures for mental health issues, people with serious lifestyle-related diseases, people with metabolic syndrome, cancer, and smoking), (2) revitalizing individuals and organizations (improving work engagement2 ), and (3) improving the quality and quantity of sleep.

  • 1 A state in which employees go to work but are unable to perform due to physical and mental health issues. In a study conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) that used the WHO-HPQ to measure employee productivity, it was reported that presenteeism accounts for 60-80% of total health-related costs.
  • 2A positive and fulfilling psychological mindset toward one’s work that consists of three components: enthusiasm, immersion, and vitality.

(1) Creating opportunities for employees to play an active role and grow, etc. (improving the absence rate)

Item FY2019
Results
FY2020
Results
FY2021
Results
FY2022
Results
FY2023
Target
FY2024
Target3
Percentage of employees absent from work due to mental health Issues1 0.91 0.98 1.00 1.07 0.80 0.64
Percentage of employees seriously ill with lifestyle-related diseases2 11.0 11.0 10.7 10.7 8.9 7.7
Percentage of employees suffering from metabolic syndrome 11.1 11.4 11.1 10.7 8.9 7.8
Number of days off per cancer case 79.2 68.1 87.5 88.6 67.3 67.3
Smoking rate 25.8 24.7 23.5 22.5 18.5 15.5
  • 1Percentage of employees who are absent from work for 30 or more consecutive days during the fiscal year
  • 2Selected based on in-house criteria
  • 3Medium-term target as of 2020

(2) Revitalizing individuals and organizations (improving work engagement)

As a primary preventive measure to help employees recognize their stress levels and reduce the risk of mental health issues, the Asahi Kasei Group conducts annual stress checks in July using the mental health support system ‘e-Diagnosis: New Occupational Stress Quick Assessment System (Fujitsu Limited).’
In fiscal 2020, we also adopted the KSA (vitality and growth assessment) survey, which enables more detailed analysis and visualization of work engagement (enthusiasm, immersion, and vitality) in workplaces.
We are working to raise employee work engagement at each workplace through comprehensive analysis of e-Diagnosis and KSA results and by facilitating communication among employees.

(3) Improving the quality and quantity of sleep

Presenteeism generally accounts for 60-80% of total health-related costs, and this is said to be several times higher than medical costs. Next to mental health issues, the quality and quantity of sleep is considered to be a major cause of presenteeism, so we will promote countermeasures to address this problem.
Specifically, we will (1) establish a method for evaluating sleep, (2) investigate ways to handle employees who are not getting enough sleep, and (3) promote education and training to improve sleep literacy.
In addition, starting in fiscal 2022, reducing the percentage of employees who do not get enough rest from sleep has been newly established as a KPI for sleep as part of our Health and Productivity Management Objectives.

Item FY2019
Results
FY2020
Results
FY2021
Results
FY2022
Results
FY2023
Target
FY2024
Target*
Sleep KPI (%) 32.4 28.5 27.2 28.0 24.2 22.7
  • *Medium-term target as of 2020

Specific initiatives

Mental health and care

The Asahi Kasei Group is working to reduce the rate of employees missing work due to mental health issues by enhancing its four complimentary approaches to care in accordance with its mental health care guidelines.

(1) Self-care

To promote understanding of stress and how to cope with mental health-related issues, we have been implementing and improving the training on mental health. In May 2023, we offered mental health self-care education to all employees to help them recognize and manage their own stress and mental health issues in an early phase.

(2) Line care

As part of the care along the reporting line, each district is working to improve the work environment through the Vitality Criteria checklist of the e-Diagnosis and training sessions. The Suzuka district is working to create a comfortable workplace, and thanks to the 15-years of ongoing efforts, the percentage of employees absent from work due to mental health issues has been decreasing. Since fiscal 2020, we have been offering workshops in the Mizushima area in collaboration with the HR department, occupational health staff, and the labor unions, using e-Diagnosis and KSA in an integrated manner. In fiscal 2022, other districts across Japan began following the practices of the Mizushima area.

(3) Care provided by occupational health staff and others

We conduct stress surveys on individuals using e-Diagnosis and have our occupational health staff follow up with them.
In some of the areas, we have conducted a pilot program called “Follow-up Care for Relocated Employees, etc.” targeting relocated employees and new hires, and we monitored how they were adjusting to new environments and workplace. This program aims to prevent the progression of unfavorable outcomes for those who exhibit any signs of irregularities. Given the effectiveness of the survey and measures taken, we prepared manuals and tools necessary to roll out this program at our major production sites in Japan. We will work to prevent mental health issues associated with relocations and other events by implementing this program across the company.

(4) Care provided by specialized organizations

Rework programs are also available for those who took a leave of absence due to mental health issues, as part of the rework trial designed to help them resume their roles successfully. In addition, we provide care by specialists, including training sessions by external lecturers and referral of counseling services.

(5) Analysis of direct factors and circumstances resulting in leave of absence for mental health

To reduce the number of employees on sick leave due to mental health issues, we have our occupational health staff analyze the causes of these absences on a district-by-district basis. They determine contributing factors by considering both direct causes and background information obtained from interviews. Results from each site are also aggregated, with company-wide data analyzed according to various aspects such as job category and position, which are then shared throughout the company, and for which countermeasures are created.

Initiatives for employees with severe lifestyle-related diseases and metabolic syndrome

In order to maintain and improve the health of our employees, the Asahi Kasei Group is working to prevent and address lifestyle-related diseases.

(1) Specific health guidance and Get Fit Challenge

In addition to the health promotion program we operate under specific health guidance, we launched the “Git Fit Challenge” in fiscal 2021, aiming to prevent the onset or progression of lifestyle-related diseases and their complications. This program aims to prevent lifestyle-related diseases by extending the target beyond those who must receive specific health guidance and by including overlooked individuals. The specific health guidance has been found to be effective in addressing lifestyle-related diseases and weight loss to a certain degree. To increase participation in medical checkups, in fiscal 2022, we have implemented a company-wide policy encouraging employees subject to specific health guidance to receive counseling, with support from their department and section, unless they have valid reasons not to. Under the new policy, employees who are recommended to receive specific health guidance must attend follow-up consultations unless they have valid reasons. They are also allowed to schedule these appointments during work hours.

(2) Creation of exercise occasions

Each production site organizes walking events, as well as annual physical fitness tests to monitor the changes over time. Also, exercise videos that are easy for anyone to do anywhere are available on our intranet to encourage employees to start exercising.

Actions to promote exercise habits at each site

To prevent the development of serious lifestyle-related diseases and metabolic syndrome, we host walking events and physical fitness tests at each production site as part of our efforts to promote regular exercise.
With the introduction of the “&well*” walking app, we encourage participants to change their behavior, raise health awareness, and foster communication, even in remote work settings. In addition to the app, some districts use the traditional step-counting tools together with the “&well” app to track the number of steps per division and organize their own walking events. Similarly, another district organized a “Mystery and Health Walk” event, including a quiz rally where participants walked inside the manufacturing site's premises to discover quizzes, all aimed at increasing steps with the use of the “&well” app.

  • *Planned and operated by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Health promotion and maintenance for women

We didn't limit our efforts to women's health but also focused on enhancing women's performance. We addressed health issues related to hormonal changes and life stage concerns, crucial for women's success, career advancement, and personnel retention. In fiscal 2022, we hosted seminars on lifestyle-related disease awareness for women in the Ohito area. Many of our employees attended this seminar titled “Managing Women's Health after Menopause.” In the Hibiya area, a new type of yoga called “Comedy Yoga” was held as a project sponsored by the Japan Sports Agency. This yoga session aims to improve the engagement of working women in sports, alleviate daily stress, and enhance women's social surroundings.

A scene from Yoga lesson for employees

(3) Occupational health staff visualize the physical and mental state of employees at each workplace as a group and report to the department heads

In the Nobeoka and Fuji regions, which are major manufacturing sites of the Asahi Kasei Group, the results of health checkups, lifestyle data, and sickness and injury leave data are analyzed by workplace, and the occupational health staff report the results of the group analysis to the head of each workplace. This allows those overseeing each workplace to gain an objective understanding of the physical and mental state of their employees as a group, identify issues, and take measures to improve the situation.

Cancer awareness initiatives

(1) Education to improve cancer literacy

We provided a company-wide e-learning program to all employees, focusing on cancer prevention and promotion of a better work-life balance. The program aimed to educate employees about cancer, promote healthier lifestyles that can reduce the risks of cancer, and encourage regular cancer screenings for early detection and treatment. Also, some offices had the course video available on the intranet for employees to view at any time after the lecture.

(2) Recommendation for cancer screening

We encourage cancer screening during regular health checkups or physical exams, with some of the expenses covered. We also make sure our employees are familiar with our support programs for those who undergo cancer treatment and return to work after their leave.

Efforts to Reduce the Smoking Rate

In April 2023, the Asahi Kasei Group announced its non-smoking policy based on the principle that we will support smoking cessation and prevent our employees from being exposed to undesired passive smoke. Beginning in April 2024, smoking will be prohibited during work hours. From April 2025, we will implement a non-smoking policy on the premises and during banquets*.
Besides the Smoking Cessation Challenge organized and implemented by the Asahi Kasei Health Insurance Society, we will provide a variety of quit smoking programs and seminars to help smokers refrain from smoking.

  • *No smoking during banquet: Those who left the dining area to smoke are not permitted to re-enter.

Launch of the sleep program and its trial

In 2021, we piloted a sleep improvement program with the goal of enhancing sleep quality, improving work performance and daily routines. Since 80% of the participants showed improvement, we decided to continue the program into 2022. Continuing from 2021, the Tokyo Head Office and sales offices in the Tokyo and Osaka areas surveyed approximately 6,000 individuals about their sleep. Around 70 people who reported severe insomnia were selected to participate in the sleep improvement program following interviews. In the Mizushima area, they held a trial program aimed at improving the sleep quality of shift workers. The program had 18 participants, including 13 full-time day workers and 5 shift workers. It achieved over 80% satisfaction and a 68% improvement in daytime disturbances, demonstrating its effectiveness to a certain degree, even for the shift workers. For two consecutive years, we hosted an online-based sleep seminar to educate them about sleep. We later made the content available on-demand, which resulted in our employees’ improved sleep literacy. In fiscal 2023, we prepared a manual on our sleep improvement initiatives, covering a series of processes from a sleep survey, interviews with occupational health staff, and implementation of a sleep improvement program. This framework will enable us to implement sleep improvement programs in each district and establish specific procedures for sleep assessment, follow-up measures, and health guidance. They will be deployed company-wide, including full-time day workers and shift workers.

Education on Health & Productivity Management

To support employees in acquiring knowledge and skills for health and productivity management, we provides a number of training programs based on the job roles for the various employee ranks.

Training Method of Training Purpose FY2022
Participants
New hire training Online Training Gain an understanding of the basic health concepts as a responsible member of society, handling precautions for hazardous materials, and essential company rules 203
Training for new managers e-learning Gain an understanding of the overall health care concept and action framework, along with responsibilities of the company and employees 316
Training for newly appointed top management e-learning Gain an understanding of the Asahi Kasei Group’s overall health & productivity management along with its importance 361

Addressing Global Health Challenges

Health Management Support for Overseas Employees

Although infections of COVID-19 are waning, we consider health problems caused by various infectious diseases to be a global issue. The Asahi Kasei Group is strengthening healthcare practices to protect the health of our employees working overseas, which are increasing in number as our business expands globally.
While the healthcare situation varies slightly depending on the length of the assignment and location, we provide pre-transfer medical checkups, vaccinations, advance Tamiflu prescriptions (anti-influenza medication) in case of a new influenza pandemic, and pre-transfer health education, as well as annual medical checkups throughout employees’ assignments and a post-transfer medical checkup upon their return.
During an assignment, a web interview with an industrial physician is conducted six months after the assignment. In addition to the e-Diagnosis conducted in Japan, we use a health survey form to assess symptoms, local lifestyles, mental and physical health, and vaccination status. Based on the questionnaire results and medical exams, we schedule online interviews with our occupational physician or health advisor as required.
Moreover, for employees working overseas who are suspected of working long hours based on their total computer access time, online interviews with industrial physicians are conducted based on the questionnaire results.
“Health Letter from Tokyo” is regularly distributed to expatriates as well, providing information such as health checkup results and lifestyle questionnaires, and health information, all compiled by region. Also, in collaboration with a medical assistance company, we provide support for medical examinations at local medical institutions and health consultations to address health concerns and issues.

Activity evaluation and recognition by external organizations

To gain an objective understanding of the Asahi Kasei Group’s health & productivity management efforts and further improve our activities, we had the following external organizations evaluate our initiatives.

Recognized as White 500 (large enterprise category) in the Certified Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program 2023

We were recognized as one of the “White 500” organizations under the Certified Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program (Large Corporation Category) of 2023, jointly operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Nippon Kenko Kaigi. The Certified Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program acknowledges corporations for their exceptional health and productivity management practices, aligned with community health agendas and health promotion activities advocated by the Nippon Kenko Kaigi.

Received the Silver Prize in the Cancer Ally Awards 2022

We received the Silver Prize in the 2022 Cancer Ally Awards, sponsored by a non-governmental organization dedicated to addressing cancer and issues of those who are receiving cancer treatment while continuing their career. This project aims to create a society and workplace environment that empowers cancer patients to maximize their potential while undergoing treatment.

Certified as a Sports Yell Company of 2023

We have been certified as a Sports Yell Company of 2023 by the Japan Sports Agency. This program aims to encourage the involvement of prime-age workers in sports and generate a societal interest in physical activities. It will grant certification to companies that actively promote sports to improve their employees’ health. We were recognized for our efforts in providing exercise videos, athletic facilities, and walking events held at each of our sites.

Recognized as Tokyo Sports Promotion Company 2022

We were recognized as a “Tokyo Sports Promotion Company” by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. This program recognizes companies that encourage their employees’ sports activities and contribute to society in the field of sports. We were recognized for our efforts in raising employees’ health awareness through walking events and seminars held at each production site.