Suntory Holdings Receives Highest Gold Evaluation in "PRIDE INDEX" for LGBT Initiatives

About Diversity Management

Suntory Group embraces diversity management that creates greater value through promoting and incorporating diverse human resources which enable various values and ideas without being constrained by factors such as nationality or age as its basic policy on human resources in order to continually create new value.

To continually create new value, Suntory Group believes that it is necessary to promote and incorporate diverse human resources, various thoughts and ideas without being constrained by nationality, age, or other attributes. Through our diversity management, we aim to create an organization that promotes diversity in employee type and accepts and utilizes their differences in order to create a work environment filled with creativity where all employees are able to fulfill their potential as individuals.

In 2017, the Group established the “Suntory Group Diversity Vision” for the purpose of creating new value through different cultures and diverse opinions and approaches, further promoting diversity throughout the entire Group.

Individuals being unable to fulfill their potential due to individuality and differences in values is a significant loss not only for the people involved, but also for the company. Having various values and perspectives should bring greater benefit through the creation of new values through various individualities reacting to one another.

The demands of customers and the products they require are becoming more diverse. Being able to determine how to develop products that match these people and how to deliver them requires the views and perspectives of various people. Thus, we believe that we need a work environment that enables diverse human resources to exert their potential.

LGBT Initiatives

As part of its diversity management, Suntory Group is continuing with LGBT-related activities with the aim of becoming a company where all employees can work enthusiastically and be themselves, and a project team was launched in 2016 to strengthen these initiatives. The following specific initiatives have been implemented since 2017.

Specific Initiatives

(1)Rules of employment revised to include “same-sex partner” in the definition of spouse

(2)Established a consultation service on LGBT issues

(3)Created an LGBT Handbook for LGBT personnel and allies on the intranet

(4)Switched to multipurpose lavatory signs to enable anyone to use them regardless of gender

(5)Implemented e-learning for all employees

We believe the recent Gold evaluation was received in recognition of such initiatives.
However, like other activities to promote diversity, LGBT-related initiatives cannot be achieved overnight. We think that the culture will gradually develop by using a variety of methods to continue communication within the company.

We will continue to promote diversity management including initiatives on LGBT to realize a Group where everyone can work enthusiastically and be themselves with the aim of realizing “Growing for Good” for each employee.

*1 Formulated in 2016 as the first evaluation index for LGBT in Japan. It is separated into five categories: 1. Policy, 2. Representation, 3. Inspiration, 4. Development and 5. Engagement/Empowerment.

*2 An unincorporated association that promotes and supports the establishment of diversity management for LGBT and other sexual minorities. It provides information to Japanese companies to support them in actively engaging in the creation of a workplace where LGBTs can work as who they are.