Human Capital
AGCʼs Human Capital Management, "AGC People: Driving our Growth!"
AGCʼs diverse people are committed to realizing Our Purpose as stated in the Group Philosophy “Look Beyond” and enabling sustainable corporate growth.
AGC People: Driving our Growth!
●Our corporate culture places importance on open communication, taking on challenges, and encouraging initiative. We will unlock the unique strengths and abilities of each individual and encourage continuous learning and professional development.
●A highly engaged organization with constantly improving individuals will enhance corporate value by utilizing external and internal collaboration to promote chemical reaction of knowledge and stronger on-site capabilities.
Human Resource Management
Fundamental Approach
To continuously evolve as a truly global enterprise, the AGC Group has set out the “7 Key Principles for People,” which are aimed at realizing progressive human resource management.
Management Structure
In the AGC Group, the Human Resources Division takes the initiative in conducting human resource management in line with the “7 Key Principles for People,” which define our philosophy toward human resource management. Taking into account the labor laws and practices in each country and region, as well as employee awareness, we are working on various measures in collaboration with Human Resources representatives in each company and region.
Groupwide Initiatives
Fostering Global Leaders
To systematically promote the fostering of leaders who can lead the Group forward globally, the AGC Group identifies talent from all over the world regardless of nationality and gender,
and trains diverse talent at the global, national, and regional levels.
In addition, in accordance with the current status of each business and region, we are holding Groupwide training courses and on-site training, including assignments and projects outside the home country.
From 2020 to 2022, despite some cancellations due to the spread of COVID-19, we offered programs, including online training, targeting future leaders of the Group, its departments,
and companies at the global level and in all countries and regions where we operate. AGC
AGC Group’s Leader Training Programs
Global Promotion of Diversity
Fundamental Approach
Diversity is one of the four values in the AGC Group's Philosophy, “Look Beyond,” and it simultaneously forms the bedrock of the AGC Group while being the source of our competitive edge. By utilizing a diverse workforce and providing opportunities for their skills to be fully utilized, management aims to foster innovation and create value. The AGC Group values diversity in terms of not only gender, age, race, nationality, disability status, sexual orientation and gender identity, religious beliefs and creeds, and values, but also in terms of career paths, experiences, and work styles. We strive to convert this diversity into strength by emphasizing equity and inclusion while creating systems and environments that facilitate work by our diverse personnel.
AGC's Definition of DE & I
[Diversity] Diversity refers to the respect and appreciation of individual differences. It acknowledges diversity in age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disabilities or illnesses,
gender identity, sexual orientation, education, and nationality. The emphasis is on empowering individuals by valuing and leveraging these differences.
[Equity] Equity is about providing each member with unique support to help them succeed and grow.
[Inclusion] Inclusion is a proactive initiative to incorporate each member's ideas, knowledge, styles, approaches, and perspectives to maximize the success of the business and the well-being of its members.
Management Structure
In order to create an environment where diverse talent can fully utilize their abilities, the AGC Group established the Diversity Council in 2022, chaired by the CEO. This council meets semi-annually to share information and discuss cross-departmental issues, and advances concrete measures based on four key approaches: fostering a supportive culture, recruitment, human resource development, and creating a conducive work environment.
Groupwide Initiatives
Hiring Diverse Personnel
The AGC Group has developed an Employee Value Proposition (EVP) to strengthen its global recruitment branding.
Under the common phrase“ Make Your Mark Every Day” and based on its concept, the Group is delivering a consistent recruitment brand message.
Furthermore, in the Asia-Pacific, a key region in our business strategy, we established a regional headquarters company,
AGC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. in Singapore in 2013 to accelerate the development of new businesses and markets.
We employ highly motivated and capable people from within and outside the region, regardless of country of origin.
Improving Employee Engagement
Fundamental Approach
The AGC Group, under the banner “AGC People: Driving our Growth!,” is committed to fostering an organizational culture where diverse individuals can demonstrate their potential and contribute to enhancing the Company's value through high engagement. Engagement is about nurturing an environment where motivated individuals and a company striving for a better organizational culture mutually grow and uplift each other. To this end, employees, managers, and members of the senior management team all consider ways to solve problems and find appropriate measures through dialogue. The Group also strives to make these approaches and activities part of its employees' daily work.
Groupwide Initiatives
Engagement Survey
Since 2005, every three years the Group has conducted engagement surveys targeting Group company employees both inside and outside Japan, with the aim of improving overall engagement.
Based on the results of these surveys, the Group formulates and executes necessary policies at individual divisions or workplaces and confirms the positive effect of the policies in the following survey.
Most recently, in September 2022 the Group conducted its seventh survey, in 24 languages targeting approximately 50,000 individuals.
The positive response rate increased compared with the previous survey in 2019, and the effect of measures taken by each division and workplace was evident.
Based on the results of the 2022 survey, we have been discussing workplace issues and developing additional measures to resolve them.
The effectiveness of the measures is confirmed through simplified annual survey, while we are committed to ongoing activities to improve engagement.
Establishment of AGC Group CEO Award System
The AGC Group has set up the annual AGC Group CEO Award System with the goal of creating a positive corporate culture where employees respect each other and commend each other's success and efforts. Nominations are received from around the world, out of which up to 42 projects that embody AGC's four key values will receive the AGC Group CEO Award (41 projects in fiscal 2023), and the Look Beyond Award will be presented to the most outstanding initiative among them. Information on the award-winning activities is shared via the intranet website, and award ceremonies are held in each region of Japan/Asia, Europe, and the Americas. To maintain a high level of motivation among our employees, the Group regularly reviews ways to acknowledge and commend their contributions.
Work-Life Balance
Fundamental Approach
The foundation of the AGC Group's human resource management, the “7 Key Principles for People,” outlines how to maintain a work environment that allows employees to work safely. Based on these principles, the Group seeks to secure and maintain a work environment and conditions that enable employees to work with enthusiasm.
Management Structure
The Human Resources Division is the main body in the AGC Group working to ensure a quality work-life balance for all Group employees. Based on the laws and practices of each country and region in which it operates, the Group considers work-life balance on a company-by-company basis, in light of the nature of business conducted by individual companies.
Creating a Comfortable Workplace
Fundamental Approach
Through occupational health and safety activities, the AGC Group promotes the creation of a comfortable workplace environment based on its Occupational Health & Safety Policy. Further, we have established the AGC Health Declaration, and we are pursuing initiatives aimed at maintaining and enhancing employee health.
Management Structure
Occupational Health Management through Divisional Cooperation
Through occupational health and safety activities, the AGC Group promotes the creation of a comfortable workplace environment based on its Occupational Health & Safety Policy. Further, we have established the AGC Health Declaration and we are pursuing initiatives aimed at maintaining and enhancing employee health. Additionally, since fiscal 2020, we have been regularly holding “labor-management health communication meetings” with the labor union, to identify and discuss issues related to employee occupational health and well-being.
Occupational Health and Safety
Fundamental Approach
To contribute to the realization of a sustainable society and achieve continuous growth and evolution, the AGC Group follows its Group Philosophy ‘Look Beyond’ and undertakes EHSQ (environmental, health, safety and quality) initiatives as a prerequisite for its business activities.
AGC Group's Health and Safety Management Initiatives
The policies and measures regarding occupational health and safety in the AGC Group are deliberated and decided upon by the Sustainability Committee, chaired by the CEO of the AGC Group, after being reviewed by the AGC Group EHS Committee, which is chaired by the head of the EHSQ General Division. The findings of the Sustainability Committee are reported to the Board of Directors. Furthermore, important issues based on materiality are deliberated and decided upon by the Sustainability Committee, and then reviewed and resolved by the Board of Directors.
Management Structure
The AGC Group is pushing ahead with health and safety activities based on the concept of an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS).
Since fiscal 2013, the Group has been using the EHSQ Management System to manage EHSQ across the entire Group.
Based on the approach of ISO 45001, the Group stipulates aspects of EHSQ management that it must carry out in the AGC Group Occupational Safety and Health Regulations
and applies them globally at each in-house company and SBU.
Additionally, each business site engages in activities based on the OHSMS framework. Since 2021, we have introduced the OHSMS self-diagnosis system (Audit Module) to monitor
and refine the construction and operation status of OHSMS.
The Group strives to improve the level of safety and health management through audits conducted by the corporate divisions and each business division.
We are also working to obtain third-party OHSMS certification for organizations and sites with significant occupational health and safety risks.
Each business unit examines its policies and measures, reports the progress at EHSQ management reviews and other occasions, and continuously conducts improvement activities.