Social Creating Diverse, Efficient Workstyles and Comfortable Workplaces

Policy and Basic Mindset

To realize diverse and efficient workstyles, UBE is enhancing operational efficiency through the promotion of DX. In fiscal 2024, we included time spent changing clothes in regular working hours and reduced discrepancies in PC logs in line with efforts to build a framework that stringently manages working hours to ensure the achievement of our target of 1,900 total annual actual working hours. Furthermore, we encourage employees to take annual leave and lifestyle support leave to promote greater operational efficiency.

Occupational Safety and Health

Health Management

Management System

Human Capital Management Operation System
Human Capital Management Operation System

Targets and Performance

Indicators Scope FY2024 FY2025 FY2030 (Mid- to Long-Term)
Results Targets Targets Targets
Take-up rate of annual leave UBE consolidated subsidiaries in Japan 81.3% 95% 95% 100%
Total Actual Working Hours UBE (non-consolidated) 1,898.5h 1,900h 1,900h or less 1,880h
Percentage of male employees taking over 20 days of childcare leave UBE (non-consolidated) 30.00% 30% 30% 50%

Paid Leave and Working Hours at UBE

  • Trends in Working Hours (UBE, non-consolidated)
    Trends in Working Hours (UBE non-consolidated)
    • *Figures from fiscal 2023 onwards include employees at partner companies.
  • Changes in the number of annual paid leave days taken
    (UBE, non-consolidated)
    Changes in the number of annual paid leave days taken (UBE non-consolidated)

Initiatives

1. Work-Life Balance

By actively adopting new programs to help employees balance their work and childcare or family care responsibilities, UBE has enabled flexible work styles and created more supportive workplaces.

(1) UBE Work-Life Balance Handbook

In October 2022, we published a handbook that is utilized by all staff. It presents support programs for balancing work with childbirth, childcare, nursing care, and medical treatment. It provides user-friendly information on these programs. We foster understanding among supervisors and peers by providing training for managers and opportunities for safety and health committee lectures.

UBE Work-Life Balance Handbook

(2) General Employer Action Plan Based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children

Furthermore, based on the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children, UBE has developed an action plan to help ensure an employment environment that allows employees to use their abilities to the fullest while both working and raising children.

Under the three-year action plan launched in fiscal 2025, UBE is working toward the following three goals:

  1. Raise the take-up rate of childcare leave to the following levels:
    Take-up rate of childcare leave among male employees (annual): 100%
    Number of days of childcare leave taken by male employees: Over 30% of employees taking a leave of 20 days or more
  2. Conduct measures to reduce working hours:
    Total working hours shortened (annual target: 1,900 hours or less)
  3. Expand social contribution programs related to raising the next generation

(3) Main Work-Life Balance System

System Description
Maternity leave*1 Up to six weeks prenatal and eight weeks postpartum
Childcare leave Leave can be taken until the day before the child’s first birthday (or the child’s third birthday, in certain circumstances). The first fifteen days of leave are fully paid (total with childcare leave at childbirth and childcare leave). Beyond legal requirement
Childcare leave at childbirth Employees can take four weeks of childcare leave within eight weeks of the birth of a child; four weeks may be divided into two.
Childbirth leave*2 Employees whose spouses have given birth can take four days of paid leave. Beyond legal requirement
Childcare assistance allowance 20,000 yen/month per child for employees who are raising a child under 3 years old. Unique Company policy
Shortened working time The working hours of employees caring for children in elementary school or younger, nursing family members, seeing a doctor, and going to school can be shortened by up to two hours per day on request. Unique Company policy
Flexible working hours Eligible for all employees except shift workers (no core time) Unique Company policy
Shorted/flexible work hours Employees can use the shortened working time and flexible working hours systems together. Unique Company policy
Child nursing leave Employees can take leave on an hourly basis to nurse children in the sixth grade of elementary school or younger. (Five days per child can be taken each year, up to a maximum of 10 days a year for two or more children.) Beyond legal requirement
Family nursing leave Employees can take leave to provide nursing care for family members (up to a total of 365 days). Beyond legal requirement
Family nursing short leave Employees can take leave on an hourly basis to provide nursing care for family members (up to a maximum of 5 days a year for one family member, 10 days a year for two or more family members).
Establish consultation desks for family nursing Establish internal consultation desks to support balance between work and family nursing
Half-day annual paid leave Employees can take paid leave in half-day units
Accumulated leave Employees can accumulate up to 40 days of annual paid leave and use it to take time off for sickness/medical treatment, caregiving, fertility treatment, social and community contribution activities, volunteer activities, etc.
Life support leave Employees to take leave for personal injury or illness, nursing care, childcare, volunteer work, infertility treatment, personal and family anniversaries, and life events. (5 days are granted each year and can be accumulated up to a maximum of 40 days.) Unique Company policy
Telework Employees can work from home as a means to improve work-life balance, raise productivity, and prepare BCPs. Unique Company policy
Career restart Gives employees the option to resume their careers if they have to quit for reasons out of their control, such as marriage, giving birth, parenting, caregiving or spouse’s job transfer. Unique Company policy
  • *1Available for female employees
  • *2Available for male employees

2. Labor Union Relations

The UBE Group respects the basic rights of workers, including the freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, and workers have the right to negotiate on labor-related matters with the Company.

At UBE, we have concluded an agreement with the UBE Labor Union that encompasses worker rights. Management engages in negotiations and regular discussions with labor representatives to improve living standards and working conditions for union members and provide comfortable work environments. We endeavor to maintain and enhance healthy relationships between management and labor by having senior executives participate in conference sessions with labor to exchange and honestly discuss views about the Company’s issues and direction and share management policies and plans with union members while reflecting their feedback in management.

Meetings

  • Spring Labor Offensive: The Company engages in negotiations regarding union demands related to improving working conditions, such as wages, bonuses, and various systems.
  • Central Labor-Management Conference: Held twice annually (May & November). Discussions are held on Company performance, business plans related to business departments and research sites, etc.
  • Occupational Safety and Health Council Meetings: Held annually (April). Discussions are held on occupational safety and health as well as health management.
  • Labor-Management Review Committee Meetings: Considers labor-management relations in such areas as the Company’s HR-related planning.

Labor Union

UBE has finalized a collective agreement with the UBE Labor Union allowing all eligible staff to join the union.

Item Scope 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Number of labor union members UBE (non-consolidated) 2,334 1,397 1,513 1,524 1,854
Ratio of labor union entry (ratio of collective bargaining rights) 69.0% 67.9% 68.3% 67.9% 68.9%

3. Office and Plant Tours for Families

UBE Group companies give office and plant tours to the families of employees, so that they can see where their family member works and the conditions they regularly work under as well as the way they spend their time. This initiative is aimed at facilitating communication within families and increasing employee motivation.