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Human Resources

Human Resources Principles

The Asahi Kasei Group's Human Resources Principles, established in March 2006, outline the values and behavioral guidelines that should be embraced by each and every employee—our human resources. By ensuring that our employees act in accordance with these principles, we aim to establish it as part of our corporate culture and achieve both growth for each and every employee and development for our Group.

  • [Corporate Commitment] The basic commitment to human resources is to provide the venue for a dynamic and fulfilling career as a part of a lively and growing corporate group. [Basic Expectations] ? Enterprise and growth through challenge and change ? Integrity and responsibility in action ? Respect for diversity [Expectations of Leaders] ? Building the team, heightening performance and achievement ? Going beyond conventional boundaries, in thought and action ? Contributing to mutual development and growth

The Asahi Kasei Group Human Resource Strategy

In 2022 we celebrated the centennial of our founding. Since the beginning, we successfully grew our business by solving social issues that have changed with the times, and continuously transforming our business portfolio. In light of these circumstances, and the recognition of the need for further transformation towards a sustainable society, we developed our human resources strategy aligned with our medium-term management plan focused on the theme “Trailblaze Together,” which began in fiscal 2025.

Two-pillared human resources strategy: lifelong growth and co-creation of diverse individuals

The Asahi Kasei Group uses the term “A-Spirit” to describe what we expect out of our employees. The 'A' represents the first letter of ‘Asahi Kasei’, signifying that our employees are expected to have ambitious motivation, a healthy sense of urgency, quick decisions, and a spirit of advancement as they embrace new challenges.
We believe that these efforts will enable us to further develop and leverage our intangible assets, including our open and frank corporate culture, diverse talents and technologies, as well as the Group Values of sincerity, challenge, and creativity that have been nurtured over the past 100 years. A fundamental transformation of our business portfolio will require us to reawaken the A-Sprit, and we need human resources and organizations that will keep taking on challenges and making changes proactively and decisively.With this in mind, we identify “lifelong growth” and “co-creation” as the pillars of our human resources strategy.
We are running various initiatives to encourage all employees to envision their own career goals and continue learning/challenging for growth towards “lifelong growth,” and to create an organization, where diverse human resources can play an active role and we make diversity into a strength towards “co-creation.”
Furthermore, in order to promote both “lifelong growth” and “co-creation,” we will work even harder to improve our management skills to maximize the abilities of individuals and teams and connect them to results.

The Asahi Kasei Group Human Resource Strategy

  • People are our most valuable assets, everything starts from people　Discovering the future with lifelong growth and co-creativity of diverse individuals　Promoting challenge and growth　Life-long growth　Autonomous career development and realization of growth　Improving management capabilities to draw out the strengths of individuals and teams　Leveraging diversity　Co-creation　Expanding diversity　Diverse expertise, individuality, and work styles　Connecting diversity　Combination and integration of knowledge　Enhancing employee well-being and work engagement　Strengthening competitiveness of the Asahi Kasei Group　Main KPIs　Number of Group Masters　FY2024: 360, FY2022:294, FY2023: 347 　Growth behavior index　Continuous actions to monitor and maintain/improve　Engagement survey results on 5-point scale　FY2021: 3.69, FY2022:3.71, FY2023: 3.72　Diversified HR index　Proportion of women working as managers and Group Masters　FY2030: 10% (FY2022:3.7%, FY2023: 3.9%)

Specific initiatives related to “lifelong growth” are described on the "Human resources development and active engagement" page, and those related to “co-creation” are described on the “DE&I” page.

Policy

Based on the idea that "everything starts with people — people are our most valuable assets," the Asahi Kasei Group upholds a policy of “lifelong growth” whereby we encourage challenge and growth in the development of our human resources. Regarding this policy, we will focus on the following two objectives: 1) Encourage all employees to develop their career path independently and continue learning and challenging themselves for growth, 2) Strengthen management skills to maximize the abilities of individuals and teams.

Human resource development system

We offer a combination of ‘training by rank’ and ‘training by goal’ programs to help employees develop their skills and improve job performance. In addition to building basic skills to carry out their tasks, we support the line managers, develop top management candidates in the next generation, and foster individuals who will be successful globally.

Diagram of human resources development system in fiscal 2023

  • 〈Organizational development〉　【Job rank：Managing Executive　Division head　L2L1　E　up to D】Using KSA for organizational development Field practitioner training course　【Job rank：Division head 　L2L1　E　up to D】Experiential learning (career hires) Note:Now closed　〈Training by rank〉【Job rank：Executive Officer】Executive Forum　New Executive Officers' seminar　【Job rank：Managing Executive】Leaders' forum　【Job rank：Division head】New Directors at development companies E-learning　New division head management reinforcement (Coaching program)　New division head e-learning(Internal controls/personnel management)　【Job rank：Division head　L2L1】Financial accounting practical training　【Job rank：L2L1】New L2 Management Training(with MBO-S. 360° FB)　Business management transfer training(L transfer)　【Job rank：E】Business management candidate training(L-training)　E-transfer basic knowledge training　【Job rank：up to D】Problem solving practical training　Second-year followup training　New hire training　〈Training by goal〉[Management support measures]【Job rank：Division head　L2L1】1-on-1 training　【Job rank：L2L1　E】Problem solving support training　Evaluator training*　【Job rank：up to D】Evaluation subject Training* [Next generation management leader development system]【Job rank：Division head　L2L1　E】FLY(Future Leader of Young and next generation)　BAC(Business Advanced Course)　【Job rank：Division head　L2L1】Education for management leaders(E-learning & external training)　[Global]【Job rank：Division head　L2L1　E　up to D】Intercultural communication training　Global business skills training　【Job rank：Division head　L2L1　E】Global management training　【Job rank：L2L1　E　up to D】Short-term dispatch*　【Job rank：E　up to D】Designated study abroad & practical training Open study abroad*　【Job rank：Managing Executive　Division head　L2L1】Career training (50s)* Note: Now closed for 40s　【Job rank：L2L1　E　up to D】Career Hire Onboarding Workshop　〈System〉【Job rank：Managing Executive　Division head　L2L1　E　up to D】Self-improvement support system*　【Job rank：Division head　L2L1　E　up to D】Position posting system*　〈Other〉【Job rank：Division head　L2L1　E）Local staff (management personnel education)*　
  • 1KSA is the name of our engagement survey for vitality and growth assessment.
  • 2FLY is a selective program to foster next-generation leaders.

Reference: Asahi Kasei Group's investment in training per employee (actual)

FY2021 FY2022 FY2023
Investment in training (total) 2,806,147 (thousand yen) 3,471,596 (thousand yen) 4,248,249 (thousand yen)
Investment in training (per employee) 166 (thousand yen) 198 (thousand yen) 242 (thousand yen)
Time invested in training (per employee) 22.3 (hours) 25.7 (hours) 28.1 (hours)

Measures to support self-directed career development

Introduction of “CLAP” reskilling program

CLAP stands for Co-Learning Adventure Place, our unique program for employees to learn any content from over ten thousand courses for free. This program supports employees in acquiring necessary skills for their workplaces and facilitates reskilling to adapt to environmental changes and business transitions. As part of the CLAP rollout, we have incorporated the “learning together” concept, while helping continuous learning to fulfill their responsibilities and career goals. By leveraging people’s appeal and relationships, we offer opportunities for them to learn together and have fun at the same time.

  • つながる。ひろがる。CLAP

Encouraging the senior generation’s participation by extending the retirement age

In this rapidly changing era, there is a growing number of issues that require the wisdom and experience of diverse human resources. Given the age distribution, it is also imperative to transfer technological skills to younger generations. We have thus extended the retirement age to 65 from fiscal 2023, in the hope that all employees will continue to hone their expertise and stay active even after the age of 60. We have also revised our compensation system from a conventional rehiring system to a new system with a treatment that allows employees to hone their expertise and take on roles needed by others, so that they can further show their skills and lead fulfilling lives.

Position posting system

We adopted an open recruitment policy in fiscal 2003. Since then, a cumulative total of approximately 500 employees has voluntarily moved from one department to another to take on new challenges each year. To support lifelong growth and self-directed career development, which are the pillars of our human resources strategy, we aim to revitalize the workforce by expanding the scope of concurrent roles within the company, enabling employees to gain experience outside their departments for a certain period.

Supporting independent study

In October 2003, the Asahi Kasei instituted a program to support independent study by employees. To encourage employees to acquire higher level specialized or technological ability, the company will pay part of the cost of attending courses or lectures. In fiscal 2023, a total of 1,483 employees utilized the program.

Measures to improve management capabilities to draw out the strengths of individuals and teams

We aim to create an organization that can enhance vitality and spur the growth of both individuals and the organization.

Action for improved engagement KSA (vitality and growth assessment)

In fiscal 2020, we reviewed the content of our existing employee awareness survey and introduced KSA (vitality and growth assessment), a new survey that aims to confirm work engagement and behaviors conducive to growth. The survey is provided once a year to all employees in Japan, and the report is provided to line managers as reference information for understanding the current state of their organizations. We also engage in activities aimed at creating a better workplace through dialogue with employees.

At the same time, we conduct stress checks to identify health risks and create an environment in which each employee can achieve sustainable growth while maintaining good physical and mental health.

  • KSA is based on the Vitality and Growth Environment Model in Organizational Behavior by Professor Hirakimoto of Osaka University, and assesses the state of individuals and organizations in terms of three indicators: (1)supervisor-subordinate relationship, workplace environments (2)vitality (3)action driving growth. By assessing the level of impact of those three indicators, it can:?Clarify the effects of initiatives taken so far ?Indicate the current state of the organization to guide next steps. The KSA(Vitality and Growth Assessment) Structure (1)Supervisor-subordinate relationships, workplace environments→ (2)Vitality→ (3)Action driving growth→ Individual and organizational growth→ (1)Supervisor-subordinate relationships, workplace environments/(2)Vitality Items measurable by KSA(Vitality and Growth Assessment) (1)Supervisor-subordinate relationships, workplace environments(Organizational resources) ?Supervisor encouragement ?Interpersonal relationships supporting work ?Inspiring ingenuity ?Respecting diversity ?Workplace encouraging frank discussion (psychological safety)　 (2)Vitality (Engagement)　 ?Ability to maintain a positive outlook(Individual capabilities) -Self confidence, self actualization -Ability to overcome adversity -Ability to set a path toward a goal -Optimism ?Work engagement (3)Action driving growth ?Experiential learning behavior ?Contribution to the organization ?Problem solving, making improvements ?Job crafting
  • Trends of the 3 KSA indicators Supervisor-subordinate relationships and workplace environments:FY2021 3.81, FY2022 3.83, FY2023 3.84, Vitality (Engagement)：FY2021 3.54 FY2022 3.54 FY2023 3.55 Action driving growth(To be monitored as the challenge and growth KPI):FY2021 3.69 FY2022 3.71 FY2023 3.72
    Note: Answer on a scale of 1 to 5.

Enhancing management skills and developing upper-management candidates

We offer an extensive training program for general manager-class personnel, who play a key role in organizational management. The program includes group training on management, e-learning, 360-degree feedback, 1-on-1 training, and courses on KSA (see above). In fiscal 2020, we started offering personal coaching for department managers to help them solve problems on their own. As of March 2024, 287 people out of 700 manager-class employees have already completed the program.
We also put emphasis on the development and acquisition of upper management talent. In addition to encouraging their personal growth through coaching, we offer programs to strengthen leadership and teamwork. Every year, several employees are designated as Group Executives* through this program. In fiscal 2023, there were 35 Group Executives, and 91 department/division manager-class individuals in the candidate pool to become Group Executives. We will maintain this talent pool in terms of both quality and quantity.

  • * Those selected from among the Executive Officers, who have the responsibility and authority to enhance the Asahi Kasei Group’s value as a whole, are designated as Group Executives with the approval of the Board of Directors. Specifically, these are Lead Executive Officers or above in Asahi Kasei, as well as Executive Officers of equivalent standing in the core operating companies.

Developing digital human resources to promote Digital Transformation (DX)

In 2021, we formulated DX Vision 2030 to promote the development o