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Relationships with Employees

Basic approach to human capital

Organization and human resource transformations are necessary to realize the basic policy of our Medium-Term Management Plan, namely, to “for the new 100 years, drive forward the transformation of our business structure, strengthen our financial and organizational structure, and build a corporate structure that can respond flexibly to changes in the business environment,” while adapting to rapid changes in the environment in recent years.
To this end, it is necessary to foster an organizational culture that works to solve various social issues and increase social value, environmental value, and economic value, and to develop diverse human resources that can work with job satisfaction. With this aim, the Group has set “prosperous human development” as one of its ESG issues. Furthermore, we will steadily work on concreate measures one by one, with “securing human resources who will lead the next generation to take on the challenge of transformation,” “creating a rewarding environment that respects the diversity of employees,” “fostering a culture of learning and development in the workplace,” “realizing a workplace where employees can work safely and healthily” and “respect for human rights” as five pillars of our human resources strategy.

Promote safety and health

Safety and Health Basic Policy

Ensuring the safety and health of all people working in the Group is the essential value that takes precedence over all business activities as the foundation of management, and based on this fundamental stance, we aim to “realizing a workplace where employees can work safely and healthily.”
We have established our Safety and Health Basic Policy, with the following six items as its basic principles.
By presenting the policy to employees, shareholders, customers, business partners, etc., we will raise the safety awareness of our employees and organization and further increase the corporate value.

Outline of the Safety and Health Basic Policy

  1. Compliance with laws and regulations
  2. Promotion of continuous improvement through the operation of an occupational safety and health management system
  3. Elimination and reduction of hazardous / harmful risks
  4. Promotion of employee education and training
  5. Maintain and promote mental and physical health
  6. Create safety culture

Safety and health efforts

Under the Safety and Health Basic Policy, we will promote our safety and health activities, with the following three efforts as the pillars:

3 pillars of priority measures

Safety and health efforts

Nurturing strong safety consciousness

We provide risk prediction (KY) training to improve the risk awareness of employees. By implementing risk awareness training (KYT) on a workplace-by-workplace basis, mainly led by trained employees, we aim to develop people who can be aware of unsafe conditions and do not act unsafely.
Similarly, we provide risk assessment (RA) training on facilities and operations. Through trained employees’ participation in RA in their own workplaces, we intend to improve the level of risk assessment implementation. Also, through identification of hazards as part of the RA procedure and understanding of risk estimation by hazard, we aim to develop safety-conscious personnel who are able to imagine potential risks, acts resulting from personal carelessness, acts caused by impatience, omitted acts, etc.

Intrinsic safety of equipment

We continuously conduct risk assessment on facilities and work environments to reduce manifest and potential risks. In addition to taking engineering measures such as safety covers and interlocks, we also ensure the safety of facilities and operations through managerial measures such as procedures, rules, and protective equipment. Remaining risks are recorded in the residual risk management sheet in accordance with the unified company-wide residual risk management operation. Based on this, stickers indicating residual risk levels are put on the equipment for visualization. Furthermore, training on the residual risk of the equipment is provided for operators to make sure that they know where the hazardous risk lies.

Creating structures to support safety

We are promoting the introduction of an occupational health and safety management system to create a system that supports the safety of the Group. By continually implementing our management system and PDCA cycle, we will strive to comply with laws and regulations and improve the level of safety and health.
All of our manufacturing sites have completed ISO 45001*1 certification, an international standard.
In our 16 domestic manufacturing affiliates, two companies have acquired ISO 45001 certification, eight companies have acquired JISHA OSHMS certification*2, and two companies have acquired GSC certification*3.
Currently, four affiliates are in the process of acquiring GSC certification. Five overseas affiliates have also acquired ISO 45001 certification.

If any occupational accident should have occurred, its information is shared on an occupational accident report across the entire company, including the occurrence conditions and countermeasures. If an accident requiring absence should have occurred, or multiple occupational accidents should have occurred at a same workplace (section) within a same fiscal year, a safety audit is conducted to prevent reoccurrence with members in charge of safety at other business sites.
In such cases, safety activities at the workplace are checked on site to ensure the effectiveness of its safety management system.
Regarding any occupational accident that has occurred, we identify why the victim had taken relevant actions, as well as the root cause, and provide guidance that will lead to countermeasures.

  1. ISO 45001: International standards for occupational health and safety management systems
  2. JISHA OSHMS: Japanese standard in compliance with the MHLW’s “Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems” (OSHMS Guidelines)
  3. GSC: MHLW’s project for assessing occupational safety and health of small and medium-sized business sites (Good Safety Company)

Create a safe and secure workplace

Enhance measures against fires, natural disasters, etc.

With the top priority on ensuring the safety of employees, we conduct annual general disaster drills against fires, earthquakes, etc. at each site, as well as regular independent training.
Risk surveys are also carried out regularly at manufacturing sites by risk consulting firms. Our measures have been enhanced further by receiving objective assessment of how software and hardware measures have been taken against fires, natural disasters, etc.
In Japan, we have introduced a system for confirming the safety of employees following disasters. In addition, we conduct company-wide registration training annually and site-specific training as necessary to build a framework that enables us to confirm safety immediately even in case of an emergency.

Approach to Kenko Keiei (health and productivity management)

Health Declaration and Non Smoking Declaration

We recognize the health of our employees and their family members as the foundation of the sustained growth of the NTN Group. Under our Safety and Health Basic Policy, we have issued a “Health Declaration” to show our attitude of strategic health management and have promoted measures aimed at improving occupational, promote workplace health, mental health, and physical health.
We have also issued a “Non Smoking Declaration” with an aim to reduce the smoking rate of employees to 20% by 2023 and have implemented initiatives to reduce the health risk of smoking, including passive smoking.

Health declaration

Health declaration

Non smoking declaration

Non smoking declaration

*Kenko Keiei is a registered trademark of the NPO Health Management Research Association.

Certified as a “Health and Productivity Management Organization in the Large enterprise category (White 500)” for the third consecutive year

We were certified as a “Health and Productivity Management Organization 2023 (White 500)” in the large enterprise category, which is selected jointly by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry and the Japan Health Council. This is our third consecutive year of certification.
“The Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program” is a system for recognizing companies that practice particularly excellent health and productivity management. This year, out of 2,676 applicant corporations, top 500, including NTN, were certified as “White 500” companies.
This survey evaluates corporations’ initiatives to tackle health issues and promote health from the viewpoints such as “management principles/policies,” “system/initiative implementation,” and “organizational structure.” This year, NTN received a top-class evaluation among corporations in the machinery industry in terms of “organizational structure,” which evaluates the attitude of the management for health issues and corporations’ promotion structures.

Certification mark of “Health and Productivity Management Organization in the 2023 Large enterprise category (White 500)”

Certification mark of “Health and Productivity Management Organization in the 2023 Large enterprise category (White 500)

History of Kenko Keiei (health and productivity management)

NTN has maintained the philosophy of safety and health since our founding, and been engaged in health management actively for a long time under our Safety and Health Basic Policy.
More specifically, with regard to physical health, we have provided, together with the NTN health insurance society, physical fitness measurement, exercise guidance, health education, etc. for all employees since 1985. As measures for mental health, we have conducted interviews for all employees using industrial counselors since 2002 and added brief items to check work-related stress to our living condition survey (health check sheet) in 2003. This proves our active involvement in self-care-focused initiatives from early on, according to the mental health guidelines. Against passive smoking, we have taken measures since 2004.
As measures to balance work and life, we have aimed to improve the rate of paid leave taking since the 1980s, in collaboration also with the labor union, and the average rate is maintained over 80% at present.
These health management initiatives have been published widely in an article on “advancing health and productivity management” by Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun on March 30, 2022 and a supplier interview by Doctor Trust Co., Ltd.

Measures to prevent passive smoking

Prevent passive smoking

NTN no tobacco day, Non-smoking call-out activities

We have taken measures to prevent passive smoking actively from the past, including ban of smoking during working hours at head office and business sites started in 2004. Since 2022, we have conducted activities to call for non smoking at business sites throughout Japan, in parallel with the World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and the National Occupational Health Week in October. In these activities, we distributed flyers “Non-smoking express” listing information about smoking risks and started awareness-raising activities for all employees, including non-smokers.
We also newly set up “NTN no tobacco day” from FY2022. This company no tobacco day was set on our foundation day (fourth Friday in March), which was March 24, 2023 in FY2022. On the day, awareness-raising messages were displayed on PCs and non-smoking posters were posted at smoking areas to urge no smoking all day, irrespective of working hours.

Scene of our Non-smoking call-out activities and NTN no tobacco day poster

Scene of our Non-smoking call-out activities and NTN no tobacco day poster

Scene of our Non-smoking call-out activities and NTN no tobacco day poster

NTN no tobacco day poster

Trends in NTN’s smoking rate

Trends in NTN’s smoking rate

Smoking cessation approach to smokers

Non smoking challenge system, online smoking cessation program, non smoking supporter system

We have set a goal of reducing the smoking rate among our employees to 20% or less by fiscal 2023, and are strengthening our efforts to non smoking. To make it easier for employees to try to non smoking, we have established the “Non Smoking Challenge System” in 2008, in which the company partially covers the cost of nicotine patches. Furthermore, we have started an “Online Smoking Cessation Program” that allows employees to consult with professional staff via e-mail or chat in 2021.
In addition, we have newly established a “No Smoking Supporter System” in which non smoker employees support smokers who try to quit smoking. Through these measures, non smoking challengers and supporters who successfully quit smoking for a certain period of time are awarded points on our designated health app, which can be exchanged for prizes.
Non smoking challengers and non smoking supporters use our company’s own mini banners to notify the workplace and receive support and support from superiors and colleagues.

Mini banners to indicate that non smoking is being attempted or that non smoking support is being provided

禁煙挑戦中、禁煙サポート中を示すミニのぼり 禁煙挑戦中、禁煙サポート中を示すミニのぼり

Mental Health Measures

Strengthen support for returning to work

From early on, we have worked to prevent mental health disorders and address such disorders at an early stage. In 2000, we started providing support to help employees taking leave due to mental health issues return to work, as measures to develop an environment where employees can feel easy to return even after disorders. In the past, the support was limited to those with mental health disorders, but we established a manual for supporting reinstatement of employees taking leave due to private injury or disease in 2021 so that we can support reinstatement properly also for those taking leave due to such injury or disease. We also make sure that the manual is thoroughly understood by employees.

Sight of our reinstatement judgment meeting

Sight of our reinstatement judgment meeting

Conversion of line care training to online

We converted line care training for section and department managers from conventional face-to-face training to online training. In addition, we have made this line care training available for all managers, including those in domestic affiliated companies, and shared our policies on health management and mental health throughout the company.

*Training for line managers to learn about mental health to prevent mental disorders of their subordinates.

Scene of line care training

Scene of line care training

Support for telework

Mental and physical health care in telework and other settings

We introduced a telework system in 2019. To understand the health conditions of teleworkers, we have conducted surveys targeting the head office and sales divisions since 2020.
As the result, “stiff shoulder,” “eye fatigue,” and “low back pain” have been raised by both male and female employees as their disorders. Accordingly, we actively encourage employees to do proper exercise, for example, through information distribution from the health counseling room and subsidization for gym users. We will continue to prevent mental and physical disorders in teleworking and implement initiatives so that employees can be motivated to improve their lifestyle habits by themselves.

Telework health situation survey results

Telework health situation survey results【man】

Telework health situation survey results【woman】

Initiatives to improve lifestyle and exercise habits

Improve lifestyle habits

We encourage all employees to improve their lifestyle and exercise habits by posting signs in front of elevators to encourage use of stairs, displaying fitness slogans on the screens of copy machines, putting up posters at cafeterias for obesity reduction and more walking, etc. Also, in order to prevent adult diseases from early ages, our occupational health staff suggest measures to improve lifestyle habits respectively for those under 40 years old who have developed or are likely to develop metabolic syndrome.
Furthermore, we started initiatives to improve lifestyle and exercise habits using dedicated app for employees under 40 years old in FY2021, which have produced great outcomes, including an average weight reduction of 3.5kg among the FY2021 participants.
Through these initiatives, we aim to improve lifestyle and exercise habits and reduce the rate of employees with symptoms.

Exercise promotion sign in front of elevators

Exercise promotion sign in front of elevators

Scene of exercise habit improvement using dedicated app

Scene of exercise habit improvement using dedicated app

Certified as a “Sports Yell Company” for the fourth consecutive year

Certification logo
Certification logo
 

To enhance employee’s health, NTN supports their sports activities, including conventions for in-house club activities such as tennis, soccer, and skiing in Japan and other sport events for employees. As our support to develop solid exercise habits, we encourage healthcare using dedicated app and hold walking events twice a year (130 participants in FY2022) to improve employees’ walking habit. These active initiatives to enhance employees’ health have resulted in our certification as a “Sports Yell Company 2023” by the Japan Sports Agency. This marks our fourth consecutive year of certification.

Improve health literacy

Women’s health e-learning

In FY2022, we provided e-learning for all employees with “working women’s health” as its theme, in order to recognize women-specific health issues at all workplaces and develop a work environment in which all employees can work with good health and enthusiasm, through support of women’s health. (97.5% attended in FY2022)
We will continue to improve our health literacy to realize a healthy and enthusiastic workplace for all employees.

Online AED seminars

Since 2008, NTN has provided life-saving seminars to protect the lives and safety of the employees. In 2021, we changed the form to online due to COVID-19, and we have continued to provide AED seminars. By taking advantage of the online format, we provide these seminars also for those in domestic affiliated companies, in which many employees can learn how to use AED and emergency responses at workplaces. We will continue to hold this seminar annually, in parallel with the National Occupational Health Week in October.

Sight of AED seminar participants

Sight of AED seminar participants

Healthcare in line with new normal

Development and revision of measures against infectious diseases

With regard to the measures against COVID-19, our Group has promoted initiatives to prevent its infection and minimize its influence on our business activities, with the safety of our employees and their families as the top priority.
Based on our accumulated experiences with COVID-19, we revised the internal regulations on infectious diseases.
Even after COVID-19 was downgraded to category 5 under the Infectious Disease Law, we will continue our business activities with the top priority on the safety of our employees and their families, in order to protect our employees from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Human resource development

Basic approach to human resource development

We are working on specific initiatives to realize two out of the five pillars of our human resources strategy, namely, “securing human resources who will lead the next generation to take on the challenge of transformation” and “fostering a culture of learning and development in the workplace.” As our basic policy for human resource development to enable “prosperous human development” toward realizing a “NAMERAKA Society” stipulated in the Medium-term Management Plan, we aim to foster three types of human resources: (1) human resources who are competent in the international community, (2) human resources who are independent as individuals, and (3) human resource with creativity. Our human resource development is based on individual self-development and on-the-job training (OJT). In addition to providing opportunities and various support systems to promote this, we provide various types of rank-based, specialty-based, and issue-based training as Off-JT, if necessary, with a long-term perspective in a systematic, planned and organized manner, with adaptation to meet the needs of the times.

*Off-JT is education and training outside the workplace.

NTN’s human resource development system

To foster a culture of learning and development in the workplace, we deploy programs to develop human resources who “can think and act by themselves” for all ranks. To expand our businesses for the next 100 years, it is indispensable for us to develop human resources who can work successfully not only in Japan but also overseas. As programs to enhance employees’ aspiration and develop internationally-minded persons, NTN provides English-only training (global business skill training) for young employees and put in place an overseas education and tuition reimbursement system as well. We also strive to increase the awareness, knowledge, and competence of all employees by enriching the content of corporate and technical knowledge seminars through in-house e-learning and have introduced programs for improving business skills in which younger employees can voluntarily take part. On the systemic side, we have implemented an in-house recruitment system to promote employees’ career ownership and been engaged in autonomous competence development according to the skills and career plan of each employee. Meanwhile, we offer AI and data literacy courses for promoting utilization of data and digital technologies, solving business issues, and leading to organizational innovation, in order to increase the number and level of users of digital literacy, such as AI literacy and data analysis. For managers, we provide training not only for new ones but also for those with certain years of experience (performance evaluator training for existing managers) to improve their ability of evaluating performance and providing guidance for subordinates. We also offer seminars (NTN Next Leader Program) to find and develop the new generation of management executives.

Training system

Manager personnel development

In addition to conventional training for managers, we offer an “NTN Next Leader Program (basic course/intermediate course)” for young managers with the aim of developing the number of candidates for next-generation management, who can make decisions on management issues on long-term perspective.
The curriculum is designed to acquire viewpoints and knowledge required for management in a systematic way, with focuses on “reviewing from the managerial viewpoint and taking a larger view” selectively in the basic source and “developing the ability for strategic planning and organizational reform in the long term” in the intermediate course. We have also introduced a succession plan through selection of executive officer candidates. These measures enable us to find management candidates at an early stage and develop them in a planned manner.

Create a workplace to enhance employee engagement

Fair evaluation and treatment

NTN has introduced a personnel evaluation system to further vitalize our employees and improve the management efficiency by evaluating the achievement of business targets, the contribution in businesses, and the performance of jobs in a certain period, reflecting them properly in salary increase, bonus, promotion/experience-based promotion, education, training, etc., implementing a fair personnel management, and raising the job performance of evaluatees to promote our businesses.
To ensure a proper operation of this system, we provide evaluator training every year. We also make sure that the system for reflecting the results of personnel evaluation in employees’ treatment is well known and that evaluation will lead to human resource development.

Realize a variety of work styles

We have maintained an environment in which diverse employees can work successfully by introducing a teleworking system and a flextime system and enhancing the flexibility of when and where to work. Also for managers, we provide job ranks to balance work and life so that they can fulfill both child or other family care and managerial jobs and apply for a reduced work schedule or a flextime system, which ensures that child or other family care would not hinder career advancement.
In addition to these programs for current employees, we have also introduced a job return system that enables former employees who have left the company due to marriage, child birth, fertility treatment, family care, career advancement, etc. to come back to the company, and have maintained an environment in which they can utilize their experience, knowledge, and know-how accumulated while working in the company or after leaving the company.
We will continue to develop a work environment where many employees can work sufficiently successfully to realize a variety of work styles.

Introduce communication tools in response to work style reforms

In order to reform work styles and prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, we are developing an environment that enables flexible telework that is not constrained by location. We have introduced a communication tool with functions such as web conferencing, business chat, and schedule sharing using the cloud, with the aim of revitalizing communication and improving productivity during telework.
We are also working to strengthen information security for communication tools so that employees can conduct their work safely and with peace of mind anytime, anywhere.

Promote RPA use

In a Japanese society where the decreasing labor force is unavoidable due to the declining birthrate and aging population, enhancement of productivity per person is becoming a major issue.
To achieve a sustainable growth under such circumstances, we are required to further improve the productivity and promote work style reforms to generate higher business outcomes.
With the aims of responding to computerization being promoted inside and outside the company and improving the efficiency through automation of routine jobs, we have continuously utilized various digital tools such as RPA (Robotic Process Automation), while promoting business reforms, combined with standardization of work processes, for back-office jobs such as payroll calculation and slip processing.
In the future, we will develop an environment that will enable us to respond flexibly to changes in the environment surrounding us, which will lead to a higher competitiveness and realization of work style reforms, by promoting further paperless business information and automation of routine jobs and reviewing the business operation system at the company-wide level, in order to promote proposal and materialization of new work styles, based on the assumption of teleworking.

Implement employee engagement survey

To achieve sustainable enhancement of corporate competitiveness, we believe that it is important to create an open workplace in which each employee’s abilities are utilized and treated fairly, as well as a good relationship of trust and communication between supervisors, subordinates, and employees. We are working to improve employee engagement.
In order to enhance the effectiveness of our initiatives, we conduct an engagement survey to gauge the thoughts and feelings of our employees and their expectations for the company. Based on the survey result, we also conduct activities to improve workplace issues in department units, activate workplace communication through one-on-one meetings, and work to develop an environment in which each employee has a good reliable relationship with each other.
Through the development of personnel measures to improve employee engagement (such as revision of the managerial personnel system), implementation of workplace improvement activities, measures to reform working styles, and initiatives linked to the promotion of health and productivity management, we will realize the “good working environment” and “motivation” of each and every employee.

Promote diversity

Basic approach to diversity and inclusion

Our group is working to “creating a rewarding environment that respects the diversity of employees” in which a variety of human resources, regardless of nationality, culture, gender, age, or disability, can freely contribute better ideas and maximize their abilities. More specifically, we are working to further secure human resources having various career backgrounds by increasing employment of midcareer workers and maintain environments and systems that enable us to actively promote diverse human resources to positions of responsibility at domestic and overseas business sites.
We will respect and recognize diverse values, and integrate them to create an organization that generates flexible ideas. While continuing to grow in a sustainable manner, we will realize our company’s philosophy of “We shall contribute to international society through creating new technologies and developing new products.”

Promote female advancement

Career advancement of women

One of the biggest challenges in achieving diversity is promoting women achievement in the workplace and closing the gender gap.
Currently, the percentage of female managers in our group is 14.7% globally, 4.0% in Japan, and 4.4% at NTN, revealing a lower level in Japan than overseas. In order for women to participate in important decision-making in positions of responsibility, and to create innovation based on diverse opinions and flexible ideas, we have introduced a leadership development program for female employees and systematically provide education to help them move up, thereby creating an environment in which women can aims to take managerial positions. In addition to fostering women awareness and developing their abilities, we will work to further promote women’s activities with raising the awareness of the entire workplace.

Trend in the number of female managers and supervisors at NTN (employees belonging to NTN)/As of April 1

Trend in the number of female managers and supervisors at NTN (employees belonging to NTN)/As of April 1

Balance childcare and work

Received a “Platinum Kurumin” certification as a child-rearing support company

We were granted a “Platinum Kurumin” certification in October 2022 for our high level of supportive initiatives related to employees’ child-rearing.
For employees in childcare, irrespective of their gender, we distribute a maternity/childcare leave handbook that summarizes laws and in-house systems related to childcare, from detection of pregnancy to maternity leave, childcare leave, and reinstatement, to make those systems known within the company. As a program for managers, we distribute a childcare support book designed for managers to deepen their understanding of childbirth and childcare and maintain an environment in which employees facing childbirth and childcare can demonstrate their maximum performance. In addition, we provide a childcare boss handbook designed for managers to develop an environment in which diverse human resources, such as those in child and other family care, can work sufficiently successfully and raise awareness for helping subordinates balance work and private life.

Promote male employees to take childcare leave

Measures to promote the participation of male employees in childcare leave include awareness-raising activities by posting posters’ promoting male employees’ childcare leave throughout the company, and holding seminars to promote the development of the next generation (papa seminars), to help male employees learn about the importance of participating in childcare and to deepen their understanding of internal systems for childcare.
As a result of these efforts, the percentage of male employees taking childcare leave in fiscal 2022 increased to 37.2%, from 11.2% in fiscal 2021.

Promote senior employee advancement

To utilize the careers of experienced employees reaching retirement age, we have enhanced a working environment and reviewed their treatment to raise their motivation.
We allow retired employees to continue working at all group companies in Japan, by taking their previous careers, acquired skills, place of work, etc. generally into consideration. With these systems, the rate of re-employment after retirement among those reaching retirement in the fiscal year ended March 2023 was 82%, which proves our high rate of re-employment, as in the previous year.
In response to the revised Act on Stabilization of Employment of Elderly Persons, we are considering how our employment system should be up to 65 years of age, including extension of retirement, so that employees with enough experience, knowledge, and motivation can demonstrate their skills until 70 years old.

Promote employment of persons with disabilities

As part of developing an organization with diversity in which everyone can work successfully, we actively promote employment of persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities “collaborate” successfully at various manufacturing sites and administrative departments with their respective characteristics. In addition, as workplaces in which persons with disabilities can work as leading members, we opened a dedicated workplace called “Yume Kobo (dream factory)” at each business site in Kuwana, Iwata, and Okayama, which contributes to local employment. We are also working to establish a work environment in which even persons with disabilities can work safely and easily, including barrier-free promotion. The rate of employment of persons with disabilities was 2.57% in the fiscal year ended March 2023 through active employment and retention programs.

Promote success of foreign human resources

Employment of foreign students

NTN actively employs foreign students having diverse values and high competence, irrespective of their nationality. These students, with cultural backgrounds different from those in Japan, are working successfully at various workplaces, through their unique viewpoints and ideas.

New NTN being created through NTN PROUD AWARD

To commemorate our 100th anniversary, we established “NTN PROUD AWARD” for all global employees in the Group to encourage practicing our corporate philosophy, but no convention has been held since 2019 due to COVID-19. This time, “NTN PROUD AWARD” has been newly started as an in-house award system to encourage and promote ESG activities for our sustainable growth in medium to long term and solution of social issues. Through this system, we aim to realize a “NAMERAKA Society” by improving the employees’ understanding and awareness of ESG and enhancing their motivation and engagement, which will lead to improvement of our social value and solution of social issues.

Basic approach to NTN PROUD AWARD

Basically, we aim to develop it into an award system that will lead to improved employee engagement, which in turn will lead to the further improvement of our organizational strength and corporate value, through ESG activities practiced by employees working in the Group in their daily jobs and awarding their activities. The Group’s materiality is closely linked to our corporate philosophy. We will aim to realize our vision with our employees doing daily jobs in connection with 13 items of materiality identified by the company.

Overview of the system

Teams of several members from any group companies can apply for the award. Activities that have connected daily jobs to the materiality, identified their own values, and produced certain outcomes are to be awarded, with the period from January to the end of December each year. Application is made directly by each team on the “NTN PROUD AWARD” page on our intranet. After the application period, the excellent awards, special awards, and materiality awards are selected first in each global region. Then, the top two teams selected for the excellent awards and special awards in each region make their presentations at a global convention. Out of them, the projects recognized as the most excellent activities are granted with the president awards in the three divisions of “E: Environment,” “S: Society,” and “G: Governance.”

Holding of a global convention

On June 14, 2023, the first global convention for the new system was held on the Web. This time, 69 teams made applications from Japan and abroad, and 12 teams awarded through local screening participated in the global convention. At the beginning of the convention, President Ukai greeted by saying ‘Please gain a new insight at this global convention. I hope that aggregation of your growing powers will enable us to address our big challenge of revitalizing NTN and realize a “NAMERAKA Society.”’ The convention was started with the president’s praise for the award winners from each region and expectation for this convention.
Each team presented their project activities and as a result of consideration, the president awards were granted to Xiangyang NTN-Yulon Drivetrain Co., Ltd. in the environment division and NTN BEARING CORP.OF CANADA LTD. in the society division. In addition, to express appreciation for a joint European team supporting Ukrainian refugees, a president special award was set up and presented to the team.

  • Teams winning the president awards
  •  Environment division:“Environment improvement and promotion team”
    (Xiangyang NTN-Yulon Drivetrain Co., Ltd.)
  •  Society division:“Team CANADA”(NTN BEARING CORP. OF CANADA LTD.)

  • Team winning the president special award
    :“NTN Europe team”(NTN Europe S.A., NTN Wälzlager (Europa) G.m.b.H.,
      NTN-SNR RULMENTI S.R.L.)

Award logo

Award logo

Environment improvement and promotion team

Environment improvement and promotion team

Team CANADA

Team CANADA

NTN Europe team

NTN Europe team

Convention site at the head office

Convention site at the head office