Today’s business environment is evolving rapidly, and COVID-19 adds additional pressures. To attract, develop, and retain the best talent, we need to remain flexible, for example by adapting to remote ways of working.

We have implemented various global and regional learning programs. Many of our courses are offered online, enabling employees to develop new skills even when working from home. We constantly invest in our employees, including at a managerial level, to ensure they flourish in their careers.

We believe that engaged employees lead to long-term employee retention, increased productivity, and improved quality of work. The high level of employee engagement across our Group helps us to minimize employee turnover.

We carry out an annual employee engagement survey at a regional or department level and a Group-wide survey every three years. The feedback we receive from employees helps us to understand our strengths, progress, and areas for improvement. It also helps us to maintain our reputation as a top employer.

In our international tobacco business (JTI), we carry out an employee engagement survey every year. In 2021, 89% of eligible JTI employees took part in the survey. Overall, employees reported being clear about our Company vision and how they are contributing to it, with 81% saying they are confident in our leadership team. 87% also responded favorably to the question “How happy are you working at JTI?” (the main metric of employee engagement). The variations between different business units highlighted the need to develop tailor-made action plans with local relevance.

Establishing a diverse and inclusive workplace is a top priority for us, so that all our employees can enjoy their work and perform to the best of their abilities. We respect different backgrounds and values, such as age, gender, self-identification, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, and nationality, as well as experience and expertise. We believe this brings a rich mix of viewpoints and perspectives, which can inspire new ideas, lead to solutions to complex issues, and drive our business forward. These efforts have also been recognized outside the company.

• Read more about our external recognition on JT.com.

Gender equality – women in leadership

One of our commitments is to promote gender equality in　the workplace. To further empower women, we hold workshops　for top management and line managers, as well as　training and seminars for women employees. Our new　Group-wide target for women’s representation in leadership is to reach 25% by 2030. We find it desirable that this should be more than 40% over time.

LGBT+ inclusion

Supporting our LGBT+ employees is vital for us to create a more equal JT Group, in which everyone is empowered to be themselves and do their best. In 2021, JT and JTI cosigned the UN Standards of Conduct for Business Tackling Discrimination against the LGBTI community.

Race & Ethnicity

Our international tobacco business is committed to breaking down barriers and creating a safe environment which allows people of all races and ethnicities to thrive in the workplace, diversifying all levels of the business, including leadership. We are working with a group of volunteers who make up embRACE, an employee resource group focused on race and ethnicity.

New Ways of Working (N-WOW)

Recognizing that different people have different working styles and needs, we promote a flexible workplace environment that allows all employees to fulfill their potential. In July 2021, our international tobacco business launched its global N-WOW policy, adopting a hybrid way of working that focuses on outcomes rather than time spent in the workplace.

Wellbeing

In light of COVID-19, well-being has become more important and relevant than ever before. In 2020, we launched a global well-being program to support the physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being of our people and the communities in which we operate.

MyGeneration

We value the diverse perspectives that each generation brings to the workplace. Our vision is to support age-diverse teams, creating optimum conditions for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and mutual respect. To support this mission, we created two MyGeneration working groups at the headquarters of our international tobacco business in 2020.

• Read more about our Human Resources on JT.com.