Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Our Purpose at Shizen Energy Group is "We take action for the blue planet” and we believe that the transition to renewable energy will have the greatest impact on achieving this Purpose.


As the Earth's environmental stresses increase and climate change accelerates, we believe that in order to realize this energy transition as quickly as possible, it is essential for each member of our crew, each with their own diverse background and uniqueness, to maximize their abilities and take action around the world, co-creating with those who share a common Purpose.


We will strive to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in a way that is unique to us and we believe that our DEI initiatives will guide our organization to achieve our Purpose.

Commitment

Here at Shizen Energy Group, we place great importance on diversity, and our corporate values serve as our common language.

Throughout our corporate journey, we have seen firsthand how much diversity and being an organization that embraces diverse people strengthens an organization.

We also believe that DEI is an essential aspect of what makes an "Enjoyable and Exciting Workplace," one of the themes of our organizational vision that defines the type of organization we aspire to be.

The Shizen Energy Group will continue to evolve as a group that attracts diverse and innovative people so that our efforts to pursue our Purpose will become a larger movement.

Kumiko Isono
Director, Shizen Energy Inc.

DataWhere we are

Shizen Energy Group has begun to identify issues and make improvements by focusing on three categories that are particularly relevant to our purpose and values: gender, ethnicity, and work style. Here are some statistics on where we are now.

Gender & Generation

The male/female ratio at Shizen Energy Group is 66% male: 34% female*1, and the male/female ratio in management positions is 73% male: 27% female *2.
When broken down by companies and divisions within the Group, the proportion of women in the corporate divisions is relatively high, while some divisions, such as the construction division, have a very high proportion of men.
In order to make the entire Group a highly diverse organization, we are promoting reforms from various perspectives, including system design and recruitment.

*1 Women make up about 22% of the global conventional energy industry.
*2 Women make up about 17% of management in the conventional energy industry and about 32% in the renewable energy industry worldwide.

Gender&Generation

Ethnicity

Since our founding, we have welcomed people who share the same aspirations from all over the world into our crew, without being bound by national borders, and our crew members strive to create positive change in various locations.

We also believe it is vital that important decisions are made based on diverse values. The most recent percentage of foreign nationals in executive and management positions at Shizen Energy Inc. was 14% *1 (7 out of 50) .

For our organization to become even more agile, flexible and resilient, it is more important than ever that we embrace diversity to be able to deliver truly innovative out-of-the-box solutions for the future.

*1 The ratio of non-Japanese executives at Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed companies with the most advanced initiatives in Japan is approximately 10%.

Ethnicity

Workstyle

At Shizen Energy Group, we believe that maximizing individual performance and potential through proactive and flexible work styles that allow individuals to respond flexibly to change is essential to achieving our Purpose. We value the autonomous work styles of our crew members, and have adopted a fully flexible time and place system*1 (work whenever/from wherever) to accommodate diverse ways of working.

Each crew member is offered a total of 7 "Shizen Holiday" days per year in addition to their regular paid leave. “Shizen Holidays” were created so that crew members can "enjoy the planet," and can be used to refresh one's mind, body, and skills, or reconnect with family and friends. In a survey of our crew members, 57% said they spend at least 2 or 3 days a month in touch with nature, encouraged by various holiday schemes and budgetary assistance.

*1 In certain cases, there are crew members who need to commute to work sites such as the construction dept.

Workstyle

Practice

At Shizen Energy Group, we believe that maximizing the performance and potential of individual crew members is critical to making our purpose a reality, and we are working to design systems and implement a variety of initiatives to achieve this goal. Here are some of our efforts in each of the three categories, "gender," "ethnicity," and "work style."

Gender & Generation

Shizen Energy Group's personnel evaluation system clearly defines what is expected and required to fulfill each role within the company by categorizing each one into one of 11 levels, and assigning a level to each crew member according to his or her abilities and work style, regardless of age, gender, or length of employment. The concept of the way the evaluation and compensation systems are designed is disclosed on the company's portal site to ensure transparency.
Many of our crew members are leading projects in management positions and delivering results from day one after joining the company, as recent graduates or mid-career professionals.

Akemi Shimizu

Project Development Dept.,
Shizen Energy Inc.

I find it rewarding to be able to help customers procure renewable energy not only in Japan but also internationally including other Southeast Asia countries from a user-centric perspective. As this is a new business field, I would like to take on challenges together with those who find satisfaction and enjoyment in new challenges.

Kotaro Iwasaki

Engineering Dept.,
JUWI Shizen Energy Inc.

Since joining the company, I have continued to enjoy my work and have been able to grow to the point where I have been entrusted with a position of responsibility. What I try to keep in mind now as a group leader is how much I can create an environment where everyone can do what they want to do and enjoy their work. Also, since our team consists of members from Tokyo, Kansai, Fukuoka, and overseas, I try to create a space where everyone can have a sense of belonging despite the time difference and language barriers as well as being aware of the importance of daily communication to manage feedback, goal setting, and motivation.

Ethnicity

To achieve our Purpose, we want our diverse crew members to strive to reach their full potential and abilities. To attract great talent from around the world, our internal communications are conducted in both English and Japanese. We have in-house specialists who provide linguistic support for translation and interpretation. We do our best to break down any barriers that might prevent us from achieving our goal.

Virgil Planquois

Corporate Management Dept.,
Shizen Energy Inc.

Coming to work in Japan was the realization of my high-school dream, but working in a traditional Japanese work environment was a big concern. Shizen came to me with an attractive work environment: flexible workplace and work hours and, most importantly, an opportunity to grow my Japanese language skills, but always with the option to use English. In Shizen, I feel I can grow my career and skills with confidence and without sacrificing my identity, country of origin or private life.

Workstyle

At Shizen Energy Group, we believe that the ideal work style is one in which each crew member is able to maximize productivity by designing his or her own work style in an autonomous and flexible manner. In order to do this, we have implemented a fully flexible time and place system (work whenever/from wherever) to maximize results. Our directors also serve as role models by proactively taking maternity/paternity/childcare leave, as well as balancing executive responsibilities with personal responsibilities such as child-rearing and family.

Maki Takeyama

New Business Development Dept.,
Shizen Energy Inc.

I manage 10 team members in new decarbonization-related business development, while on the side I do marketing for educational toys. I have two children and many of my team members are also raising children. I strive to create an environment where everyone can work comfortably while finding a rewarding and efficient balance between work and parenting. My great purpose in life is to be able to work hard every day with my colleagues who share the same goal of “creating a better future.”

Shizen Energy’s Programs
(Human Resources/Benefits) and Activities

Raising awareness of DEI
  • Off-site meetings and internal events on DEI
Promoting communication
  • Welcome lunch/social evening
  • Action Hub (the name for our offices to indicate "a place to collaborate and take action")
  • 44C (4-for-Collaboration, inviting crew to come to an Action Hub 4 times a month or more to collaborate)
  • Gift Sessions (feedback exchange)
  • Language Support Center (in-house interpretation and translation support)
  • Regular company-wide meetings (where all crew members gather to share perspectives and strategies: Cross Meetings, Town Hall Meetings, Touchpoint Meetings, All Meetings)
Encouraging diverse work styles
  • Fully flexible work hours
  • Fully flexible workplace
  • Use of external shared office spaces
Connecting with nature
  • Off-site training in nature
  • Shizen Energy Holidays (7 days per year offered to refresh one’s "mind," "skill," "body," or "connections”)
  • Ocean/Mountain Club (company-supported activities for members to enjoy nature)
  • SANU (a holiday home membership for crew members)

Where we are headed

The future of DEI that we at Shizen Energy envision is an organization that respects all individuals and values, and works together around the world to achieve our Purpose. Therefore, quantitative indicators such as the percentage of female leaders or multinational leaders are only short-term goals that will bring us closer to our ultimate objectives. Where we are today is far from where we want to be, and we have only just started embarking on our journey towards our desired destination.

Our efforts to solve climate change and realize a decarbonized society require co-creation with a depth of diverse expertise and breadth of unlimited creativity. We believe that when the powers of diverse co-creation are aligned with the realization of our Purpose, we will be able to achieve even the most seemingly unattainable challenges without remaining stagnant. We have partners who work locally across Japan and around the world, so we believe it is important for us to embody diversity as a company that serves as a link between diverse local communities across the globe.

We are identifying specific diversity priorities and working to achieve them, while ensuring that diversity is never compromised in the pursuit of our Purpose.

Award

DEI Award Winner 2023

This award is assessed based on five factors: gender, LGBTQ+, disability, multicultural collaboration, and childcare/eldercare. It is an index that serves as a standard for activities to create organizations and societies that are inclusive of all people, transcending the boundaries of "minorities'' and "majorities''. Shizen Energy has been certified as "Advanced*".

*Definition of the “Advanced” classification: Among Japanese companies, the company is a pioneer in D&I and a model for the promotion of D&I in Japan. While making comprehensive efforts from various angles, the company has fostered an internal culture in which each and every employee respects D&I and is now working on further reforms.

Be the change.

Let us power the world with 100% renewable energy.
We take action for the blue planet.

CAREER