Respecting Diversity

Panasonic is also working with other companies to create a work environment that enables all employees to achieve their full potential regardless of gender, age, or nationality.

For example, in 2005, Panasonic joined other leading companies to encourage female employees through the Women's Networking Forum, as one of its organizing companies, an annual forum attended by about 520 people from 62 companies. Panasonic is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Diversity West Japan Workshop (with 94 members from 39 companies), and is involved in planning and running the quarterly meetings of the group, whose members gather to share practical policies and know-how and thus increase the effectiveness of diversity initiatives at each company.

Through these attempts to effect diversity outside its own corporate framework, Panasonic aims to learn from other member companies as well as contribute to improving diversity throughout society.

[Disabled Hiring Rates (Fiscal 2010)]

In fiscal 2010, individuals with disabilities accounted for 2.00% of the workforce in Japan of Panasonic and its key affiliates. This is higher than both the legally mandated level of 1.80%, and the average of 1.63% for all private-sector companies in Japan. In addition, for almost 30 years, in collaboration with communities and local governments, Panasonic also operates three subsidiaries (Panasonic Ecology Systems Kyoei Co., Ltd., Panasonic Kibi Co., Ltd., and Panasonic Katano Co., Ltd.) that are owned jointly with public-sector partners for the purpose of employing those with severe disabilities.

These workplaces are designed to be comfortable for those with disabilities, and include placement of parts and materials, and adjustments to working surfaces, to suit the physical needs of individual wheelchair users. We also work with group homes and training institutes to provide vocational life guidance to encourage hiring of independent individuals with intellectual disabilities, and actively welcome participants in trainee programs and company tours. Going forward, Panasonic is committed to promoting the independence of those with disabilities, and their active participation in society.

Panasonic Ecology Systems Kyoei Co., Ltd.:
Winner of the “Light of the Lamp” Award from the Osaka Prefectural “Compassionate Corporation” program

Panasonic Kibi Co., Ltd. and Panasonic Katano Co., Ltd.:
Obtained “Excellence in Hiring the Disabled” certification from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Panasonic Corporation of North America (PNA), the company that oversees Panasonic's businesses on the continent, is working to promote a culture of diversity and inclusion under the leadership of the top management. Its Diversity Campaign was launched in 2005 to create an awareness of PNA's multidimensional diversity. The campaign spotlights the broad experiences and viewpoints of employees as a means to provide greater opportunities for employees to learn from each other. The goal of the campaign and all other diversity initiatives is to build a creative and innovative organization, rich in new and revolutionary ideas. The 2007 Diversity Campaign also prepared the way for the introduction of initiatives to enhance the employees' autonomy and productivity and that endeavor to meet the many different needs of employees. Because, in addition to being good employees, we want individuals to be connected with their local communities and have a fulfilling home life. Also, it is our understanding that work quality and productivity are enhanced by the new values and experiences obtained through such fulfilling life in local communities and at home. Thus, in 2007, we launched the High-Performance Works Program, and provided an environment that enables people to work more flexibly thereby realizes their work-life balance (harmony between work and personal life). Through this approach to work, we are nurturing a corporate culture that provides Panasonic employees with more autonomy and an increased sense of responsibility that enables them to achieve self-fulfillment through their work. In March 2008, we introduced PERKS@WORK, which offers a range of wellness, health program and other welfare services to employees and their families. We believe that through these programs we can help enrich the lives of Panasonic employees with their families and friends, and increase employee satisfaction and ultimately, customer satisfaction.

PNA has instituted intercultural communications training based on its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and related laws against discrimination. This training is being provided to promote understanding of the laws related to prohibiting discrimination in employment, and to prevent harassment in the workplace. This training has the additional goal of teaching employees how to deal with fellow employees, customers, and trading partners, and of creating an open and fair work environment. It also raises awareness among managers and executives of their responsibility to take the necessary actions to comply with EEO policies in the workplace and with the law.

Non-Japanese employees exchanging opnions about “work at Panasonic” at the “Irimajiro Networking forum”

As part of our effort to create an organizational climate that enables people to play an active role regardless of gender, age, or nationality, Panasonic implemented the Action Plan of Global Recruitment, a program to expand the hiring of non-Japanese employees to work in Japan, including both new graduates and midcareer professionals.

In conjunction with this program, from 2008 we began making environmental changes and fostering an organizational climate that enables us to maximize the potential of each foreign employee working in Japan, as well as to retain them. For example, on entering the company, foreign employees meet with their immediate supervisors to create an Individual Development Plan so that the supervisor and employee share an understanding of his or her future career path. This is followed up with an interview in two years' time by the Personnel Group to ensure that the employee's placement, training and education are going well. To provide new employees with vital information about working in Japan, we created the “Irimajiro” ("to mix with each other") website for the foreign community. For Japanese employees working with non-Japanese employees, we instituted inter-cultural communications training that provides tips on how to better communicate across cultural borders.

In March 2010, we held a “Global Irimajiro Networking Event” for foreign employees, their immediate supervisors and work colleagues. Through lectures by guest speakers and discussions, participants learned how to communicate with and bring out the best in people from different backgrounds through leadership.

These initiatives are intended to help each of our employees excel and make full use of their abilities, creativity, and sensitivities. Having employees exchange different viewpoints will make us that much more able to embrace a customer-comes-first attitude.

[Supporting Working Care-Givers]

As part of Panasonic's efforts to create an environment that enables diverse personnel to play an active role, we are implementing initiatives to support a good work-life balance for employees.

In addition, Panasonic has created an environment that allows employees easy access to programs that support parents in managing both work and child-rearing. This includes measures complying with Japan's Law for Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation. Examples include sections on the company intranet that supply information to help men who are raising children, and provide useful information on maintaining the proper balance between job and household responsibilities.

[e-Work Users (Fiscal 2010)]

Panasonic is promoting the e-Work program, which uses information and communications technology to enable people to work from anywhere, with the full e-Work@Home system being introduced to around 30,000 employees in April 2007. In fiscal 2010, approximately 5,500 employees worked from home once a month to as often as once or twice a week, or had used the e-Work@Home system more than once during a trial period. More than 7,000 people per month also used our “spot offices”—places where employees can work when traveling on business—which are now at 16 locations nationwide. The spot offices have been shown to reduce travel time and speed up customer service, and we plan to continue our efforts to create a working environment that allows people to work even more efficiently. Panasonic will increase productivity and continue to improve the work-life balance for its employees by accelerating implementation of more diverse, flexible work styles.

Leaftlet on sexual harassement in Japan

Sexual harassment is harmful in many ways. Victims suffer undeserved embarrassment and are unable to perform their jobs well. Companies are hurt by the loss of public order of the workplace, job efficiency and even damage to their reputations.

Panasonic is dedicated to maintaining working environments where people from diverse backgrounds in terms of gender, age and nationality can easily work together in a spirit of mutual respect, treating each other as valued partners. We therefore will not tolerate gender discrimination or sexual harassment and use the following measures to prevent these problems.

• Establishment of sexual harassment policies and programs to explain these policies to employees
• Distribution of sexual harassment leaflets and manuals
• Operation of an Equal Employment Opportunity Office
• Sexual harassment seminars and training sessions