Awareness education in the Company

To encourage deeper awareness and understanding among Group employees, posters were delivered to all our workplaces of Sumitomo Forestry and offices and plants of Group companies in Japan and overseas, in accordance with the establishment of the Quality Policy. The slogan posters represent the president's own opinions on occupational health and safety and quality for the Sumitomo Forestry Group as a whole. "Zero Defects" includes "Zero Defects, Zero Shortcomings, Zero Inadequacies", and it applies to all of the Group's businesses and job categories. Sumitomo Forestry Group Quality Policy is regularly disseminated to all employees through the employee handbooks, internal websites, in addition to posting policy posters in easily visible locations.

Human Resources Development

Sumitomo Forestry Group is promoting ISO9001 certification and ISO9001 "Self-Conformity Declaration." In order to develop human resources, we provide training for internal auditors, including Group employees, in addition to supporting the implementation of internal audits and training sessions for companies considering the introduction of internal audits. In FY2021, the Quality Control and Worker Safety Management Department started ISO9001 internal auditor training courses, and in FY2023, 68 employees (64 in the internal auditor qualification course and 4 in the standard explanation course) completed the courses.

In addition, a course on "Occupational Safety, Health, and Quality" was established in e-learning that can be taken by employees, including those at Group companies through the internal website. New content has been opened to promote understanding of the Sumitomo Forestry Group Quality Policy and to promote education for quality improvement. We will continue to develop and strengthen the system for quality improvement and promote quality-related human resource development initiatives.

*Including those who have obtained qualifications through external training

*Cumulative total as of the end of December 2023

Awareness Education in the Lifestyle Services Business

At Sumirin Care Life, training plans are prepared based on the opinions of the company-wide Education Committee, which brings together staff from all departments, and staff members take the initiative in implementing training by job level, job category, theme, and other genres as needed in the field.

The ladder system*, introduced as a pillar of the education system, via "visualization" of job descriptions and skills, allows staff to see what they should be aiming for, thereby maintaining their motivation and improving their skills.

In addition, the "Case Study Presentation Meeting" is a mechanism to share the results of case studies on issues that are found in daily operations with the entire company, which is also linked to human resources development.

*A personnel system that allows staff to advance their careers by taking one step at a time. Each step has a defined job description, skills, and goals