Initiatives to Promote the Advancement of Women (Japan - Pigeon)

  • 5. GENDER EQUALITY
  • 8. DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

2022.01.24

Pigeon Corporation views creating an environment in which female employees can contribute even more as an important challenge, and engages in initiatives to promote the advancement of women. In September 2021, the company was recognized at the Forbes Japan Women Award 2021, one of Japan’s largest awards events focused on women.

Forbes Japan Women Award 2021

Jointly hosted by Forbes Japan and LiB, the Forbes Japan Women Award 2021 is one of Japan’s largest awards events focused on women. It recognizes companies that actively create work environments that are more welcoming to women, along with pioneering women whose achievements have blazed a trail for others. In 2021, 310 companies entered in the corporate category, and were surveyed about their initiatives around gender equality and related matters. Pigeon received an award in the “300 to 1,000 employees” subcategory, with particular praise for its high proportion of women in management positions, high rate of parental leave take-up among male employees, and awareness-raising initiatives.

For more information, please see the following site (Japanese only):

Forbes JAPAN WOMEN AWARD 2021

Parenting-friendly policies

Pigeon strives to be a company where both men and women can discuss parenting, and was an early adopter of generous maternity and parental leave policies. Employees can make use of a wide range of options for balancing parenting with work, from life design leave for fertility treatments to policies covering pregnancy, birth, and returning to work afterward. The “One Month Together” course, which allows employees to take one month of parental leave during the first 18 months of their child’s life, is particularly easy for male employees to make use of, and since January 2016 every employee eligible for the leave has taken it.

Awareness-raising initiatives

Pigeon has formulated an Action Plan for Promoting Advancement of Women, and since February 2020 has been offering support around three key pillars: “Expand support systems for balancing work and family life,” “Raise awareness in the workplace,” and “Provide support for women’s feelings and skills.” In concrete terms, this includes hands-on training to gain an understanding of work-life balance support and diversity at its most essential, regardless of gender; and diversity mindset training for understanding one’s own view of work and life and visualizing one’s future career. Pigeon strives to increase awareness and understanding about accepting differences so that everyone can adopt the right workstyle for them.

We will continue these initiatives as we strive to create a work environment that is welcoming to all.