The Earth Group Global Conduct Guidelines prohibit human rights violations and stipulate the acceptance of diversity (individuality and the demonstration of autonomy). They embody the rules that all Earth Group directors and employees must follow when undertaking business activities in countries with different lifestyles, customs, cultures, laws, and regulations.
Based on the value of “people are everything,” which is shared by all employees, we promote the creation of satisfying workplaces where employees respect the human rights and diversity of their colleagues, and the skills and experiences of each individual, through mutual recognition, assistance, and improvement. Diversity includes differences in birthplace, culture, age, experience, preferences, sexual orientation, and sexual identity, as well as differences in each life stage.

About 40% of Earth Corporation’s employees are women. We are working to put in place an environment where anyone can work in comfort, and where women can continue working with a high level of motivation even amid changes in life stages. As a company that handles household products, we also appoint women to research and brand management positions, to effectively apply women’s’ opinions in product development. Earth Corporation will continue to conduct initiatives aimed at achieving a ratio of 30% for women in management positions, including career training for managerial candidates and encouraging an awareness of autonomous career formation using career planning sheets.

Database of companies promoting participation by women: Corporate information (mhlw.go.jp)

With regard to LGBT issues as well, as one important aspect of diversity, in 2021, we conducted e-learning focusing on basic information regarding LGBT and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI). In 2022, we put in place in-house regulations and began applying the HR and employee benefit program to same-sex partners as well. At the same time, we conducted seminars, inviting instructors from outside of the company, to promote correct knowledge and understanding of LGBT issues. We have also established a new consultation liaison related to LGBT matters.

Earth Corporation has put in place a variety of systems so that employees can take the time they need to maintain a balance between work and child-rearing, caring for elderly relatives, and recovery from injury or illness. These include short working hours and flextime systems that can be set in 10-minute increments, and special family life support leave that enables each employee to take up to five days off per year for reasons including pregnancy, childbirth, caring for sick children, infertility treatment, menstrual leave, menopausal syndrome, illnesses recognized by the company, and caring for elderly relatives.

To prevent employees from leaving the company due to long-term care responsibilities, we have further expanded systems for supporting these employees; for example, in 2019, we expanded the leave period to 366 days, shifted the burden of social insurance premiums during leave from the employee to the company, and established new accumulated paid holiday and job return systems that can be applied in the case of long-term care. In 2020, Earth Corporation joined a group insurance program that enables employees to receive income compensation while on leave. We registered these measures for balancing work and caring for elderly relatives with the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Work/Life Balance Support Square,” and we are now authorized to use the “Tomonin” mark that designates certified companies.

In 2019, we introduced a system to enable employees to return to work after leaving the company for a variety of reasons, including marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, child-rearing, infertility treatments, change in spouse’s employment, caring for relatives, unavoidable injury or illness, or change of employment/studies for career improvement.

In 2022, we introduced a system that enables employees who have worked with the company for 10 years or more to take a leave of up to one year, regardless of the reason.