Promoting Diversity
Promoting the Advancement of Female Employees
In line with the basic policy on D&I, INPEX is intent on creating an environment that enables women to demonstrate their abilities to the full. In Japan, we have drawn up a General Employer Action Plan based on the Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace. Among other things, this plan sets a target of hiring women to fill at least 25% of new graduate positions, a target that has been met over the four years from 2019 through 2022. In FY2019, INPEX sponsored career training for females in their fourth to fifth year of employment as part of the effort to boost empowerment of women. Another example of this effort was the hosting in FY2021 of a seminar for managers on the subject of unconscious bias, to deepen their understanding of unintentional bias related to gender. Promotion of women’s participation and advancement is an important consideration outside of Japan as well. In FY2022, INPEX’s in-house newsletter featured articles on the advancement of women in the company’s overseas offices timed to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8.
Our goal is for women to fill 3% of management positions (as defined by INPEX’s grading system) by the end of March 2023. We will continue our positive-action drive with the aim of lifting this figure to 6% during FY2025 through more intensive mid-career recruitment of women capable of performing management roles. In promoting or appointing employees, we evaluate them based on their ability so that temporary limitations imposed by life events do not impede career advancement.
Reflecting the efforts to empower women in management, INPEX has appointed one outside female director and one outside female auditor, and in March 2020, appointed a female executive officer promoted from within the organization for the first time in the company’s history.
Performance Indicator
- Women to fill 3% of management positions
- Women to fill a quarter of hiring new graduates and to fill more of every other positions.
- To reduce overtime work less than 15 hours/month and achieve paid time off usage rate of 85% (average of all employees)
INPEX Action Plan to Promote Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace based on the “Act on Promotion of Women’s Participation and Advancement in the Workplace”.
LGBTQ+
Within the INPEX group, the term “diversity” refers to all differences related to people or businesses, including sexual orientation and gender identity. To promote understanding towards LGBTQ+, the company has had an ongoing LGBT training program since FY2017, and in FY2018, held lectures for executives concerning LGBTQ+.
Efforts have also been under way to upgrade internal systems. In FY2020, employees were given the right to refuse requests to undertake business travel on the grounds that they are LGBT, and in FY2021, “family” was redefined to include same-sex partners and their children for the purpose of the company’s benefit program. Employees are also encouraged to start using names (including pronouns and titles) that reflect their gender identity. In addition to an in-house LGBTQ+ consultation desk, we set up a second consultation desk managed by outside professionals in FY2022.
INPEX’s continuing positive action in these areas has won it recognition for its pioneering efforts in the workplace. In FY2019 and FY2020, we received a Silver Award in the PRIDE Index evaluating initiatives related to LGBT and sexual minorities, and in FY2021, we received the Gold Award (the highest rating) along with a Best Practice Award.
Employment of Foreign Nationals
INPEX employs foreign nationals as part of its globalization effort. This means creating an environment designed to minimize the burden on employees of living and working in a different country, even if they normally use English in their daily work. For example, in Japan, initiatives include support for relocation to Japan, dual Japanese—English versions of intranet postings and documents, and weekly Japanese-language lessons given by an outside teacher.
Efforts to Engage Older Workers
Since FY2019, we started offering career training to help older employees develop their own careers. Using techniques such as self-reflection and career experience inventory, the training is intended to assist employees in designing a process that will lead to further growth and active participation based on the expected duration of their careers.
In FY2019, we set up INPEX Solutions as a fully owned subsidiary within the INPEX Group. INPEX Solutions functions as a thinktank for the Group, conducting surveys, communicating information and providing operational support. Retired INPEX employees who are interested can transfer to this company where, working on a subcontract basis, they can leverage their accumulated specialist knowledge to provide knowhow or examine new business opportunities.
Promoting Employment of Persons with Disabilities
INPEX has been proactive in hiring persons with disabilities, taking into account such factors as the nature of the work and the workplace environment. As of the end of FY2021 (December 31, 2021), we employed a total of 43 persons with disabilities, representing 2.78% of the workforce in Japan. Since FY2020, it has become common to work from home, a more amenable workplace environment for persons with physical disabilities. This has enabled us to maintain an employment rate of people with disabilities that exceeds the legally required rate.
The wearing of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges for employees with hearing disabilities, who rely on lip reading to communicate. We are providing these employees with support, including digital solutions such as chat-enabled virtual social gatherings and closed captioning for videoconferences.