Social

Occupational Health and Safety / Health and Productivity Management

Basic Approach (Occupational Health and Safety)

Safety Philosophy

A consistently safe work environment is the foundation of all production activities. We formulated our Safety Philosophy in 1997 to guide our safety activities.

Safety Philosophy (Established March 1997)

1Safety is the foundation of all business activities and takes precedence over everything else.
2Our basic belief regarding safety is that all accidents can be prevented.
3Safety is achieved through the 5Ss* and when every individual takes responsibility for their own actions

*5Ss: Seiri (sort), Seiton (straighten), Seisou (scrub), Seiketsu (systematize), and Shitsuke (sustain)

Responsible Care Policy

In 1998, we established our Responsible Care Policy to embody the principles of Responsible Care. This policy is included in our Environmental and Safety Regulations. We operate the policy so that it remains responsive to evolving societal expectations and the latest standards by conducting regular reviews every three years and evaluating the need for revisions as necessary. Under this policy, all stakeholders, including our employees and partner companies working with us, work together to promote occupational health and safety initiatives aimed at achieving zero serious accidents and major incidents. We are committed to continuously improving our occupational health and safety management systems in line with international standards, as well as our initiatives on machinery safety, and to company-wide efforts to maintain and enhance our safety culture.

Responsible Care Policy (Established June 1998)

1Prioritize the environment and safety

Protecting the environment and ensuring safety are preconditions for all business activities and are the most important priorities. We will work continuously to enact full accident prevention countermeasures, and provide education and training for all employees to prevent safety and environmental accidents.
2Collect and distribute the latest information on chemical products

We will collect, store and manage the latest information required for the appropriate handling, use and disposal of chemical products, and distribute this information to employees and users.
3Minimize the discharge of hazardous chemicals and waste

We will work to reduce the discharge of hazardous chemical substances, minimize waste, and develop technology for recycling and reusing materials.
4Promote activities for conserving resources and energy

We will aim to dramatically reduce the amount of energy we use and help alleviate global warming by developing innovative technology and actively promoting resource and energy conservation activities that involve all employees.
5Take the environment and safety into account when developing new processes and products and performing quality assurance

We will perform thorough environmental and safety evaluations from the initial stages of research, develop technology and products that take the environment and safety into account, and work to maintain and improve the quality of technology and products.
6Live together with society

We will strictly observe regulations related to the environment and safety, whether the regulations come from the local community, the national government, overseas, or organizations to which we belong. While cooperating in these activities, we will work to enhance our communication with the local community and society in order to convey a better understanding of Zeon’s activities and further strengthen the trust that society has in our company.
7Perform continuous improvements

We will continuously improve our environment safety management and technology by operating a Responsible Care Audit, the Safety Management System, an Environment Management System based on ISO 14001, and an Occupational Health and Safety Management System.

Basic Approach (Health and Productivity Management)

In 2021, Zeon formulated the Declaration for Health and Productivity Management and the Code of Conduct for Well-Being: “For me to be happy,” declaring that the company and employees will work together to promote health and productivity management. The Declaration for Health and Productivity Management expresses the company’s commitment, while the Code of Conduct for Well-Being: “For me to be happy” conveys the company’s message and sentiments to employees.

The general philosophy behind health and productivity management is that investing in employee health leads to corporate growth. At Zeon, we believe that promoting health management enables each individual to continue working with enthusiasm and create a truly exciting company. Accordingly, we are focusing our efforts on these initiatives.

In 2023, we established the Health and Productivity Management Promotion Officers’ Conference and have since focused on planning and implementing measures from the employees’ perspective. Going forward, the company will continue to work with employees to promote health and productivity management.

Declaration for Health and Productivity Management (October 2021): Our corporate philosophy is “Contributing to the preservation of the Earth and the prosperity of the human race.” This mission is embodied by each and every person working in the Zeon Group demonstrating their abilities and continuing to thrive. In order for us to continue contributing to a “Sustainable Earth” and the realization of a “Safe and Comfortable Life,” we will develop an environment in which employees, together with their families and colleagues, can be healthy in mind and body and can engage in rewarding work with a sense of happiness.

Code of Conduct for Well-being: “So That I Can Be Happy”

I will be conscious of and proactively work to ensure that I am healthy, happy and empowered in my work
I will keep track of my health through regular checkups and make use of the feedback and guidance I am given
I will reflect on my daily routines and ask myself whether I am getting adequate sleep and eating well, notice any changes in my condition as soon as possible, and engage in self-care routines
I will give due attention to the environment which surrounds me, and make daily improvements to make it safer and more comfortable
I will understand the resources available around me that will support me in times of emergency

Structure and System (Occupational Health and Safety)

We have established environmental and safety management systems based on the Responsible Care philosophy and pursue the safety of everyone involved with our worksites and plants. In the environmental field, we have also obtained ISO 14001 external certification and are working on continuous improvement.

Overview of environmental and safety management systems

President’s Annual Policy and Safety Management Improvement Master Plan: These documents are created by top management.

Annual Environment and Safety Policy: The General Manager of the Environmental and Safety Affairs Department drafts this policy based on the President’s Annual Policy and the Safety Management Improvement Master Plan established by top management. The Annual Environment and Safety Policy is then reviewed by the Management Committee and finalized by the President.

Annual Worksite Manager’s Policy and Annual Worksite Safety Management Improvement Master Plan: Worksite managers create these documents after the President’s Annual Policy and the Safety Management Improvement Master Plan are released.

Annual Worksite Environmental and Safety (Responsible Care) Activities Plans: Worksite managers prepare the Activities Plans based on the company-wide Annual Environment and Safety Policy.

Progress management

The Management Committee, chaired by the Representative Director, together with the Environment and Safety Committee under its supervision, deliberates on company-wide planning and progress management related to the environment and occupational safety and health. The executive officer in charge of environmental safety serves as chair of the Environment and Safety Committee.

Safety Management Improvement Master Plan: Progress verified by the Management Committee
Annual Worksite Safety Management Improvement Master Plan: Progress verified by the worksite manager during worksite inspections
Annual Worksite Environmental and Safety Activities Plans: Progress verified by the worksite manager during worksite inspections

Environmental and safety management systems

Concrete initiatives for occupational health and safety

We carry out initiatives to prevent occupational accidents and protect the safety and health of everyone working at our plants

We emphasize communication between worksite supervisors and workers to enhance worksite capabilities while implementing various measures to prevent infectious diseases, with the goal of creating a safe and stable production system. We focus on initiatives such as 5S safety inspections^*1, hazard prediction^*2 activities, and identifying near-miss incidents^*3, as well as hands-on safety training.

*15S safety inspections:
Inspections conducted to promote the 5Ss (Sort, Straighten, Scrub, Systematize and Sustain), such as visualizing conditions at worksites and reviewing hazardous locations, focusing particularly on aspects closely related to safety
*2Hazard prediction (kiken yochi [KY]) activities:
Activities undertaken by workers that involve analyzing and understanding unsafe conditions with the aim of recognizing activities that would place them in danger
*3Near-miss incidents:
Events or situations that have the potential to result in an accident

Record of occupational accidents

We have set a target in our Medium-Term Business Plan of maintaining a lost-time injury frequency rate of 0.4 or lower by FY2028. In FY2025, the frequency rate was 0.00, with zero lost-time injuries, and we achieved the target. We will continue company-wide efforts to prevent occupational accidents and maintain this achievement.

Trends in lost time accident frequency rate (Zeon Corporation, six plants)

Trends in lost time accident severity rate^* (Zeon Corporation - six plants)

5S safety inspections

5S safety inspections assess operations with a particular focus on areas closely related to safety in promoting the 5Ss (Sort, Straighten, Scrub, Systematize and Sustain). The General Manager of the Environmental and Safety Affairs Department at the Head Office and Managers at Environmental and Safety Affairs Offices at each worksite conduct on-site patrols at the worksites that host meetings of the Environmental and Safety Committee, identifying areas of good practices and areas requiring improvements (conducted in FY2025 at the Tokuyama Plant and the Himi Futagami Plant).

Safety and disaster preparedness

Safety management efforts led by top management

Each year, top management develops the Annual Safety Management Improvement Master Plan and leads initiatives to improve our Safety Management System based on the belief that safety takes precedence over everything else.

Specifically, we continue to implement priority measures to ensure safety under the following straightforward mottos.

1Reliable operation of equipment and systems to prevent errors (“Never rely on ‘maybe’ or ‘should’”)
2Measures to address aging facilities at two plants and promote foolproofing* (We’ll provide the funding—bring us your ideas.)
3Review of past accidents and recurrence prevention (“Never rely on ‘maybe’ or ‘should’”)
4Review of standards (“Always follow the rules. Change rules that cannot be followed.”)

*Foolproofing:
Designing equipment, processes, and other safeguards to prevent accidents even when inexperienced employees, such as new hires, make incorrect operating decisions because of limited knowledge or experience, or when experienced employees mak

Dialogue between management and worksites

To monitor progress on priority issues, Zeon management visits worksites regularly—for top-level assessments, top-level hearings, briefings on the annual policy, etc. Visits are also made to plants on other occasions to engage directly in dialogue with plant employees, who are on the front-line operations. In conjunction with these visits, online meetings have also been held since FY2020 as a measure against the spread of COVID-19. In FY2025, however, all visits were conducted in person, marking a resumption in proactive dialogue with worksites over a total of 59 days.

Communication with employees

Zeon Corporation and its labor union (hereinafter referred to as the “Labor Union”) work together to address various issues under a collective bargaining agreement established with the aim of ensuring the sound development of the business and maintaining and improving the working conditions of union members.
Based on this agreement, a Central Labor-Management Council is held four times a year as a forum for dialogue between labor and management representatives.
In addition, Safety and Health Committees have been established at each business site to ensure and enhance the safety and health of union members.

Safety inspector certification at all sites

Accredited Safety Inspector^*1

Obtained by Kawasaki Plant, Tokuyama Plant, and Mizushima Plant
Accredited Completion Inspector^*2

Obtained by Kawasaki Plant, Mizushima Plant, and Tokuyama Plant
Special Accredited Advanced Safety Provider^*3

Obtained by Takaoka Plant

The certification renewal process includes a review of safety inspection and completion inspection methods and inspection management, as well as verification that our Safety Management System meets the regulatory requirements defined in Japan’s High Pressure Gas Safety Act and that it is operating properly. To ensure safety more reliably at all plants, we are working to ensure proper operation of our Safety Management System, systematically identify the sources of hazards, and implement measures to mitigate risks at all of our plants. We are also defining our vision for Smart Industrial Safety^*4 and promoting initiatives toward its realization. For plants certified as Accredited Safety Inspectors and Accredited Completion Inspectors, applications will be submitted under the Accredited Advanced Safety Provider certification system at the time of the next certification renewal.

*1Accredited Safety Inspector:
A person accredited by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as qualified to implement safety inspections related to a specified facility to determine whether or not it conforms to the technical standards as prescribed under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act, either without suspending operations or after suspending operations.
*2Accredited Completion Inspector:
A person accredited by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry as qualified to implement completion inspections to determine whether or not a manufacturing facility or Class 1 storage facility that has undergone specified modification work conforms to the technical standards as prescribed under the High Pressure Gas Safety Act.
*3Accredited Advanced Safety Provider:
A new certification system that builds on the existing Accredited Safety Inspector and Accredited Completion Inspector systems by adding requirements such as the use of advanced ICT and smart technologies, and risk-based safety management. Although the requirements are more stringent than those under the previous systems, the new system offers expanded special provisions, including longer continuous operation periods, greater flexibility in inspection methods, and simplified application procedures (e.g., record retention only).
*4Smart Industrial Safety:
Proactive and ambitious efforts in industrial safety undertaken by the public and private sectors that (1) put the safety of the public and of industry first; (2) respond appropriately to changes in economic and social structures, such as rapid technological innovation and digitalization, a declining birthrate, an aging society, and population decline; and (3) are pursued from the perspectives of proper implementation of industrial safety regulations, promoting industry, and strengthening industrial competitiveness.

Certification status

Accredited Safety Inspector and Accredited Completion Inspector certification system

Plant	Obtained Accredited Safety Inspector status	Obtained Accredited Completion Inspector status
Kawasaki Plant	1998 (renewed in 2022)	2008 (renewed in 2022)
Tokuyama Plant	2007 (renewed in 2021)	2012 (renewed in 2021)
Mizushima Plant	2006 (renewed in 2021)	2006 (renewed in 2021)

Special Accredited Advanced Safety Provider System

Plant	Year of certification and renewal
Takaoka Plant	2025 (renewal scheduled for 2030)

Occurrences of accidents and injuries

FY2025: Safety incidents^* 9
(High-pressure gas leaks: 4; Other leaks: 4; Smoke: 1)

Although these incidents did not result in injury to humans or major impacts on the environment, we set up an accident investigation board for each incident. The boards have investigated the direct and indirect causes of the incidents, and are developing countermeasures to prevent recurrence.

*Safety incidents:
Defined in company regulations as the occurrence of a fire, explosion, leak, damage, runaway reaction, or similar event. The term also includes events that did not actually occur but could have occurred if responses had been delayed or if signs indicating the potential for such event were observed.

Disaster preparedness training

Every worksite conducts disaster preparedness drills annually based on various hypothetical scenarios. The drills cover notification and communication, emergency response, first aid and rescue, and firefighting. We conduct full-scale disaster-response drills jointly with local firefighting agencies when possible. These drills allow us to verify the adequacy of our standards and the operability of emergency equipment (e.g. fire trucks, fire hydrants, broadcasting equipment, etc.). Where problems are identified, we promptly implement improvements to establish a more reliable and robust disaster preparedness system.

Third-party evaluations

Zeon Corporation has participated as a supporting company (full member) of the Japan Industrial Safety Competency Center (a specified nonprofit corporation) since its establishment, and has worked to assess and improve our safety competency, which comprises our safety foundation and safety culture. As part of third-party evaluations, the Japan Industrial Safety Competency Center assesses our safety foundation, while the Keio University format is incorporated into the evaluation of our safety culture. We objectively measure the strengths and weaknesses of each worksite and department, and continue to implement improvement activities aimed at enhancing our safety competency.

Environmental and safety education

Systematic environmental and safety education

Environmental and safety education programs are implemented in accordance with the Annual Plan set by each worksite. Group-wide environmental and safety education supervised by the Environmental and Safety Affairs Department at the Head Office is combined with worksite-specific environmental and safety education tailored to the specific needs of each worksite. Group-wide educational content includes e-learning programs as well as education on legal amendments of environmental and safety-related laws. Through these educational activities, we strive to eliminate accidents and occupational injuries and to limit the spread of damage when an incident occurs, while aiming to ensure that our worksites earn the trust of their local communities.

Manager and supervisor education

Training for newly appointed section managers

his training is implemented for newly appointed section managers in manufacturing, facilities management, and environmental and safety affairs. The training includes safety activities based on Zeon’s safety system, safety concerns and responsibilities that safety managers should be familiar with, environmental and safety related laws and relevant company regulations, the Safety Management System, etc.

Safety education provided by former plant managers

Education using accident case studies

Held since FY2003, this education program aims to ensure that the lessons learned from past accidents are not forgotten, applying these lessons in work operations to raise workers’ awareness of safety and increase their sensitivity to potential hazards. Former plant managers serve as instructors, providing all plant employees with specific examples of accidents at Zeon and other companies to communicate the grim consequences of such accidents, as well as instruction on how to analyze causes and on countermeasures to prevent recurrences. This program is also provided to resident partner companies and Group companies.

Environmental and safety education for new employees

Newly recruited employees at Zeon head office

Presentation of case studies of occupational accidents that have occurred while newly recruited employees were undertaking plant placements, emphasizing the importance of abiding strictly by the rules that have been established in each workplace.

Newly recruited employees at individual worksites

Education in basic matters relating to environmental and safety issues is implemented.

Environmental and safety education and training activities organized by individual worksites

Safety and environmental legislation education

Each worksite provides environmental and safety education in accordance with its Annual Plan (Environmental and Safety Education and Training Plan).

Training activities

Training is implemented in accordance with Annual Plans. We strive to enhance our emergency response capabilities by identifying issues identified after each drill and making systematic improvements.

Comprehensive disaster preparedness drills: These are conducted once or twice a year, and include disaster preparedness and evacuation training based on earthquake or tsunami scenarios.
Individual training: Training implemented for disaster response teams under the self-defensive organization for disaster prevention, as well as emergency notification drills.

Educational activities through Safety Workshop

Display in the Safety Workshop showing how to use scaffolding — Scaffolding safety exhibit in the Safety Workshop

A Safety Workshop has been established at the Mizushima Plant where employees can acquire practical experience in various safety rules. In accordance with the “Standards Governing Operations of the Mizushima Plant Safety Workshop,” the “Plant Safety Rules Understanding Verification Sheet” is used to assess employees’ level of understanding of safety rules and provide education using exhibits. These activities are used to promote a better understanding of plant rules among plant employees (including the employees of partner companies).

Adoption of hands-on safety education

Hands-on safety education on dangers of getting caught in a roller — Hands-on safety education on the dangers of getting caught in a roller

Zeon provides hands-on safety education for employees at plants, research facilities, resident partner companies and neighboring Zeon Group companies. Specifically, every year we provide hands-on education on accidents such as getting caught or trapped in machinery, electrostatic explosions and burns, shocks from residual pressure in couplers, falling objects, and cuts. We will continue to implement this type of education systematically, including repeated training.

Safety-related risk assessments

Hazard prediction (kiken yochi) activities

4R-KY (four-round kiken yochi) activities

4R-KY is a hazard prediction method where employees analyze and understand their work tasks before starting them, to avoid placing themselves in danger. The process is carried out in four separate rounds.
KY trainers assigned to each workplace lead these activities.

Identifying near-miss incidents

Near-miss incidents are events that have the potential to result in a major accident or injury. The concept of near-miss incidents is based on Heinrich’s Law of industrial accident prevention, which suggests that “for every major injury accident, there are 29 minor injury accidents and 300 no-injury accidents (near-miss incidents).” By collecting and sharing data on potentially serious near-miss incidents, we strive to prevent major accidents. Since FY2024, focusing on the fall accidents that occurred frequently in FY2023, we have been analyzing near-miss incidents involving falls at the Takaoka Plant, Kawasaki Plant, Mizushima Plant, Himi Futagami Plant, and Tsuruga Plant, and holding dialogues involving the worksites of each plant.

Improving plant safety

We conduct Plant Safety Evaluations and Plant Safety Inspections to further enhance safety at plants and proactively prevent serious accidents and major incidents.

Plant Safety Evaluations (assessments of new lines)

We verify plant safety at the design stage when commissioning a new plant or upgrading an existing one.

Plant Safety Inspections

For existing plants, while inspecting work areas, we ensure that all sources of danger have been identified and review past decisions regarding the need for safety measures.

Creation of “smart factories” to simultaneously improve plant efficiency and realize work style reforms

At Zeon, we have been working to make our plants “smarter” since 2020. We have already carried out various activities to facilitate production innovation—specifically, the visualization and utilization of intangible assets, including the know-how and expertise of skilled workers. The creation of smart factories enables further production innovations and transformations of work tasks by expanding what machines can do through the leveraging of digital technologies. For plants, this will help optimize and improve production efficiency while maintaining product quality, while for employees, it will help us create an enabling and rewarding work environment. As part of the company-wide “Smart Factory Realization Project,” we initially discussed the “Vision of an Ideal Plant” in six areas (operations, safety, quality assurance, facilities, personnel, and logistics and warehousing), establishing the specifics of what we hoped to achieve through the creation of smart factories, as well as the steps needed to achieve these goals. At the same time, it is crucial that we organize these various ideas and initiatives to facilitate overall optimization, rather than simply combining digitalization initiatives that optimize individual areas separately. Initiatives undertaken over a two-year period of this project involved pilot tests ranging from examining ways to transition to smart factories to achieving overall optimization, and identified issues to be addressed. We also identified the organizational structures and profiles of the digital human resources required to achieve these goals. Since April 2022, initiatives to facilitate the creation of smart factories have continued to advance at the Production Innovation Center based on the Medium-Term Business Plan.

Example 1: Reduction of essential tasks through transition to the use of robotics

Activities for production innovation have reduced on-site troubleshooting operations by around 90% to date. We have now reached the stage of working out how to reduce the “essential tasks” required for production, in order to cut workloads further. In this context, we deliberated on adopting digital technologies intended to reduce essential tasks. If plant patrols can be replaced with cameras and robots, this would improve operator safety while freeing up time through greater efficiency for other improvement activities (work style reform). In addition, standardizing work tasks and developing facilities for the transition to the use of robotics would further facilitate improvements to the basic infrastructure of plants. As a result of conducting studies at actual plants, we found that commercially available functions would not meet our implementation needs, and identified the technical issues that need to be resolved to have robots move around autonomously. We have begun to identify a path toward resolving the challenges for practical operation as we accumulate knowledge through studies conducted in collaboration with industry, government, and academia, while combining various peripheral technologies and solutions. Our objective remains the creation of safer work environments where workers are not exposed to dangerous situations during emergencies.

Example 2: Mechanisms for achieving both safety and quality

As part of our adoption and utilization of an intelligent production system^*1, we have formalized the know-how of veteran operators, putting in place a framework to support younger operators so that they can perform their work safely and consistently. To advance this even further, we are investigating the introduction of an autonomous production system^*2 that will make high-level forecasts and predictions on factors that can lead to quality changes, and based on those forecasts and predictions, support operations with optimized quality and costs by integrating the accumulated know-how with data science.

*1, 2DAICEL Production Innovation method

Example 3: Immersive training using VR technology

To operate a plant, it is important to acquire the skills needed to respond in the event of abnormal situations, in addition to understanding basic rules and principles. The introduction of VR technology during training drills is expected to improve efficiency in both instructors and trainees by allowing them to repeatedly experience various situations and facilitate independent learning. To improve the efficiency of training for new employees using VR, we have been exploring the development of an environment that uses 360-degree cameras to enable trainees to move freely through a plant in a virtual space and repeatedly learn procedures without having to visit the actual worksite. As a result of our studies, we were able to perform all photography, document preparation, and revisions in-house, and have now started using this system in practical training. We are also considering training for more advanced troubleshooting drills and launching new plants, although the workload involved in creating training materials is high.

Advanced drills on responding to problems and new plant launch drills

Structure and System (Health and Productivity Management)

The President and CEO is positioned as the person responsible for health and productivity management and leads initiatives to promote such management. The head of the Human Resources Division is responsible for promoting these initiatives, while the Work and Life Support Department serves as the Company-wide coordinating department, working closely with and supporting individual worksites. Through the Health and Productivity Management Promotion Officers’ Conference, which brings together the officers responsible for health and productivity management at each worksite, we advance initiatives to disseminate health and productivity management among employees by sharing worksite-specific initiatives and strengthening cooperative structures between the head office and worksites.

Health and productivity management promotion framework

Key Initiatives

Health and productivity management targets and key issues/policies (Health and Productivity Management Strategy Map)

Based on Zeon’s management policy, the Health and Productivity Management Strategy Map systematically organizes the process from the Company's Health and Productivity Management promotion policy to initiatives addressing employee health issues and the achievement of desired outcomes. To address health issues such as the persistently high risk of lifestyle-related diseases and absenteeism, Zeon is implementing health initiatives in a systematic manner, including improving health literacy and supporting the establishment of regular exercise habits, with the aim of achieving its health and productivity management goals and key goal indicators (KGIs) set for 2030. The effectiveness of these initiatives is evaluated through continuous monitoring of various indicators that measure not only the progress of initiatives but also changes in employees' awareness and behavior, as well as health-related outcomes. The results are then used to drive improvements. At the same time, Zeon is fostering a culture of health by promoting health and productivity management throughout the Company, strengthening its organizational framework, and enhancing organizational support, while also developing the foundation for improving the effectiveness of these initiatives. Through these efforts, Zeon aims to address employee health issues and enhance employee performance, thereby realizing its vision of being a company that lives up to societal expectations and the aspirations of its employees.

Introducing Zeon Healthy Behavior Indicator

In Phase 2 of STAGE30, our Medium-Term Business Plan launched in FY2023, we established the Zeon Healthy Behavior Indicator as a goal for improving physical health. This original indicator consists of three health-related behaviors: maintaining a BMI within the standard range, engaging in regular exercise, and not smoking. Key features of this indicator are that it is easy for employees to self-assess and that it focuses on healthy behaviors that anyone can adopt. We have set a target of increasing the share of employees who meet at least two of the three criteria from 60% in FY2022 to 70% in FY2028 and are working toward it. As of FY2025, the achievement rate has reached 65%.

Physical and mental health initiatives

Mental health training

We provide self-care training for all employees to enhance their ability to manage their own stress. In addition, Line Care Training for employees in line positions is provided by a company-employed psychiatrist and covers content based on familiar and practical examples.

Health checkups and follow-up care

For regular health checkups, our industrial physicians and nurses provide follow-up consultations and health guidance for employees who require such support. In addition, under the slogan “Health awareness, anytime,” we have introduced a system that allows employees to access their health checkup results online at any time.
Being aware of one’s own health is the first step toward building good health. Through the introduction of this system, we aim to foster greater health awareness among employees.

Stress checks

We conduct stress checks every July. Feedback is provided at the workgroup level at each worksite, and activities to improve the workplace environment are conducted.

Introduction of external counseling support

We have introduced external counseling support to promote better physical and mental well-being. Professional counselors support employees in addressing work-related problems, health worries, and other issues.

Worksite-specific initiatives

We implement health promotion measures tailored to the specific issues and needs of respective worksites, including walking events, physical fitness assessments, and the introduction of menus with healthy food options at cafeterias, as well as seminars to improve health literacy.

Flexible work styles initiatives

To further realize the well-being of each employee, we are developing “an environment that enables flexible work styles unconstrained by time and place,” including expanding telework, introducing a flextime system, and enabling employees to take annual paid leave in hourly increments.

Improving the office environment

Prompted by the growing adoption of telework, we reviewed the role of the office, defining it as “a confluence point for communication to collaborate and cocreate as well as for education.” Employing a company-wide free-address system spanning all organizational units and departments, as well as introducing state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure to facilitate flexible work styles, the Head Office has been transformed into a “stage” on which employees can demonstrate their strengths. From FY2024 onward, in order to strengthen organizational capabilities by taking the best of both telework and in-office work, we have further expanded office functions and modified layouts to promote communication among employees when they come to the office. While continuing to develop an environment that supports flexible work styles, we are also advancing initiatives that reaffirm the value of face-to-face interaction, such as group work aimed at facilitating casual communication and programs that encourage connections among employees and departments.

New dress code policy

At the Head Office, we have adopted a flexible dress code policy with the aim of creating a work environment where each employee can freely express their own ideas and take independent initiative.

Enhanced support for transferred employees

We have expanded our support for transferred employees to reduce the burden associated with transfers and to cover expenses for employees returning home. If an employee returns to their previous place of assignment or if a spouse joins the employee at their new place of assignment, we provide travel expenses based on distance categories, separate from the unaccompanied assignment allowance. We also began covering the travel expenses for returning home for certain single employees who are transferred to a different worksite than the one where they were initially hired. We expect these enhanced support programs for transferred employees to help each of our employees thrive and work with enthusiasm.

Introduction of side work system

We have introduced a side work system. This system supports employees in realizing their career aspirations, enabling them to build their careers by gaining skills and experience through side work and pursue self-fulfillment by taking on challenges they seek out themselves. challenges they seek out themselves.

Initiatives to reduce overtime work and promote the use of annual paid leave

As part of various measures to realize “freedom and well-being,” we are working to ensure compliance with labor laws regarding working hours, reduce overtime work, and promote the use of annual paid leave among employees. While complying with laws and regulations regarding working hours, we aim, in principle, to eliminate excessive long working hours (an average of more than 45 hours per month of overtime and holiday work). To reduce overtime work, we have implemented measures such as designated working days with scheduled working hours (instituted days with no overtime) and a review of operating staffing levels at plants, resulting in a downward trend in recent years. To raise the rate of employees taking annual paid leave, we have also fostered an environment that makes it easier for employees to take leave, such as by establishing days and periods of time where taking annual paid leave is encouraged and introducing systems that allow employees to take leave in single-hour or half-day increments. As a result, the utilization rate for annual paid leave in 2025 reached 80.2%, achieving the 2026 target of 70% for the third consecutive year since 2023.

Initiative to expand application of the telework system

To realize work styles not tied to a particular location, we are conducting a trial at some worksites to expand the telework system, allowing employees to work at locations other than the standard telework locations (employees’ homes and shared offices). While the majority of participants in the trial have given positive feedback, including how they were able to achieve a more flexible work style and how they enjoy more fulfillment in their private life, employees providing nursing care have also requested an increase in the maximum number of days they can use the system. In response to this feedback, we institutionalized the system from April 2026, setting the maximum number of days available under the system at 40 working days. We will continue our efforts to create a telework system that supports a healthy work-life balance, while listening closely to employee feedback.

Supporting employees with children through leave programs

At our company, approximately 80 percent of married union-member households are dual-income households, making it necessary for the company to provide an environment where employees can continue their careers with confidence even if their spouse is transferred. Employees who are recognized as having difficulty continuing to work due to accompanying a spouse who is transferred to another location are allowed to take a leave of absence for up to three years. This program is intended to prevent disrupting the careers of employees, as confirmed through discussions with the labor union, and to retain high-quality human resources.

Employee benefit service: Zeon Cafeteria Plan

We have introduced the Zeon Cafeteria Plan, a system which allows employees to freely choose from a menu of options to support their “peace of mind” and “career development,” as well as options to help them “connect and co-create.”

The plan can be used for various purposes, including health promotion, encompassing comprehensive physical examinations and fitness clubs; support for childcare and nursing care, including babysitting and daycare services; self-development activities, such as correspondence courses and language study; accommodation at lodging facilities; and travel expenses for employees on unaccompanied assignment, and for employees using nursing-care services to travel home.

GLTD Program (Zeon Corporation Long-Term Rehabilitation Support Program)

We introduced this program with the aim of creating a living environment that allows employees and their families to feel secure. If an employee is unable to work for an extended period due to illness or injury, this program provides compensation for a portion of the employee’s income at the company’s expense for as long as up to their 65th birthday. Employees can also enroll in an optional plan that increases this compensation and add riders that provide coverage for periods of unpaid leave taken for nursing care.

Establishment of Childcare Leave Consultation Service

We have established the Childcare Leave Consultation Service as part of our efforts to improve employees’ understanding of the systems for childcare leave and to create an environment conducive to taking childcare leave, thereby supporting employees who take childcare leave as well as those returning to work.

We are also working to create a comfortable work environment for employees with childcare responsibilities by, for example, expanding eligibility for leave to care for sick children and exemptions from overtime work for employees providing childcare.

Expansion of nursing care support

To help employees balance the obligations of work and nursing care, we have established an in-house nursing care consultation service. Employees can consult in-house personnel with expertise in nursing care about any difficulties or concerns they may have, and the service functions as a safety net for employees seeking advice about nursing care. In addition, we have published a Nursing Care Support Handbook in 2024 to provide employees with basic information on nursing care. Since FY2025, we have begun providing tailored information to employees in age groups that are more likely to require nursing care support. Going forward, we plan to actively disseminate information and conduct training activities to further promote awareness of these support systems.

Volunteer leave program

As part of our efforts to create an environment in which employees can proactively participate in social contribution activities, we have established a volunteer leave program that allows employees to take up to two days of leave per year.
This program supports activities such as contributing to local communities, environmental conservation, and disaster relief, and is intended to provide employees with opportunities to gain diverse perspectives and foster personal growth.
Through these initiatives, we aim to fulfill our corporate social responsibility and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

Expansion of support leave

With the aim of creating an environment in which they can work with peace of mind, we have established a system that allows employees to take paid support leave in the event that it becomes difficult for them to work due to unforeseen circumstances—such as personal injury or illness or the closure of their children’s schools—after they have used all of their allocated annual paid leave for the year.

List of freedom and well-being initiatives and systems

Work styles unconstrained by time and place	★Flex-time system, ★telework system, ★overhaul of head office, ★new dress code policy at the head office, promoting the use of annual paid leave, half-day leave, ★taking annual paid leave in hourly increments (some worksites), instituted days with no overtime, ★elimination of unaccompanied assignments (some worksites), and ★introduction of side work system
Maternity/childcare support systems	Maternity leave before and after childbirth, ★childcare leave and post-birth childcare leave (up to five days of paid leave) system, ★paternity leave (for male employees), leave to care for sick children and other childcare-related leave, half-day leave system, shortened working hours system, restrictions on overtime work, exemption from late night work, child nursing time, childcare and family care leave support payment system, childbirth gratuity, family allowance, scholarship allowance, ★support leave, flextime system with no defined core times, ★cafeteria plan, and development of guidelines for taking childcare leave
Nursing care support systems	Nursing care leave, caregiving leave system, consultation service for nursing care, ★development of a nursing care support handbook, and ★cafeteria plan
Support for health promotion	Regular health checkups, ★introduction of health checkup results viewing system, stress checks, ★employee engagement surveys, physical fitness assessments, mental health training, ★seminars on women’s health issues, publication of health news, ★organization of health support events, ★cafeteria plan, and ★workplace influenza vaccination program
Asset accumulation	Employee savings scheme, employee stock ownership scheme (with financial incentives), defined-contribution (DC) corporate pensions, and matching contributions system
Housing assistance	Housing assistance system (dormitory accommodation and company housing, rent subsidies, home ownership allowance, and home rental for transferred employees)
Leave and absence systems	Annual paid leave (up to 22 days granted), ★support leave system (up to 40 days granted), menstrual leave, maternity leave, job transfer leave, relocation leave, public-service leave (for jury duty), disaster leave, infectious disease prevention leave, special leave for marriage, bereavement, and other family occasions, ★paternity leave, My Life leave (upon reaching the age of 50), leave to care for sick children and other childcare-related leave, nursing care leave, volunteering leave, medical appointment leave for expectant and nursing mothers, refreshment leave (for senior employees), and ★leave of absence due to spouse’s job transfer
Self-support	Disaster relief payments, group medical insurance, income replacement benefits during leave of absence (Zeon Corporation Health Insurance Society), optional group insurance, group life insurance, and ★ Group Long-Term Disability (GLTD) program

★: Initiatives expanded during the period of the Medium-Term Business Plan (FY2021–FY2025)

Harassment prevention measures

The Zeon Group Human Rights Policy, established in 2019, sets forth our commitment to respecting human rights and not tolerating acts of discrimination or harassment. We also established the Zeon Group policy on Harassment Prevention and the Harassment Prevention Rules. Based on these policies and rules, we set up a harassment consultation service which accepts consultations regarding acts of harassment, suspected cases, and concerns. This service also accepts anonymous consultations and reports. We give the utmost consideration to the privacy and confidentiality of employees who seek consultation or make reports, and clearly communicate that no employee will be subject to dismissal, reassignment, discrimination, or any other disadvantageous treatment for making a consultation or report. Furthermore, we provide harassment training for employees in management positions. In addition to promoting understanding of harassment, the training also provides guidance on appropriate actions to take when receiving consultations from subordinates. We regularly publish articles to raise awareness of harassment and ensure thorough harassment prevention measures across the company.