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Social Challenge 8
Diversity & Inclusion
Why it matters
The NTT Group is promoting Diversity & Inclusion with the aim of achieving ongoing growth and developing a sustainable society.
To be able to respond to changes in external factors in a flexible manner and continue creating innovation, we consider it essential to shift from a homogenous organization to one where a diverse range of personnel are able harness their full potential. Improving the well-being of employees, providing fair opportunities, and creating an environment where a diverse range of personnel are able to harness their full potential are seen as a way of helping to achieve work-in-life and a sustainable society.
What can be accomplished
To improve well-being, achieve healthy workstyle and develop a sustainable society, we will be creating workplaces where a diverse range of employees can work energetically in good health while staying true to themselves. We will be focusing even more on hiring, training and appointing diverse human resources, building up a better understanding of working with LGBTQ people and those with disabilities, those undergoing treatment or suffering from diseases, developing an inclusive corporate culture, and creating a flexible and work style.
Future vision
The NTT Group will continue promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, not just toward customers but throughout the entire value chain, and encouraging local communities to do the same will help create a society that is accepting of even more diverse values where everyone can work while staying true to themselves.
Business Activity 24
Promoting recruitment, training, and education of diverse human resources and women's advancement in the workplace
Our commitment
We will create workplaces where a diverse range of employees can achieve their full potential Increasing opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds leads to greater personal growth and better well-being of each individual
Our objectives
30%
Ratio of women newly promoted to management positions
15%
Ratio of women in management roles by 2025
25-30％
Ratio of female directors by 2025 (directors + audit and supervisory board members + senior vice presidents)
30%
Ratio of outside personnel by 2023
The Fundamental Principle
As a global ICT group company, the NTT Group must create innovation to breed new value and address the needs of various users around the world. To respond to dramatic changes in the markets and meet diversifying customer needs, as well as to become a consistently selected "Your Value Partner", we believe that respecting and making use of the individuality of employees and their differing values is essential.
A diverse range of work styles will lead to diversity in human resources, and that expand opportunities for diverse human resources leads to personal growth and the realization of well-being of each individual.
Organization for Implementation
The NTT Group has positioned diversity and inclusion as an important management strategy and the president himself is communicating inside and outside the Group the importance of accepting a diverse range of values.
We are working to implement initiatives aiming for diversity and inclusion companywide. In 2007, NTT established the Diversity Management Office to bolster efforts to create an environment which enables participation by diverse human resources across the whole Group, and by April 2008, diversity promotion supervisors were in place in Group companies. The Diversity Management Office and diversity promotion supervisors continue to cooperate to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, to achieve Healthy work in daily life (health management) and career development, and to conduct educational activities aimed at reforming corporate culture and ingrained practices. We regularly hold diversity promotion meetings with each Group company to share their activities and discuss future diversity promotion measures for the Group based on female employee ratios by position, the status of hiring people with disabilities, and other diversity management parameters. Also, management meetings attended by directors are held when necessary to report on and discuss diversity-related initiatives, which are then promoted companywide.
NTT's D&I for achieving a sustainable society
New Targets for Empowering Women
The NTT Group provides appropriate compensation to all employees, regardless of gender, adopting equal payment as stipulated in the Equal Employment Opportunity Law, and works Group-wide to promote women's active participation at the workplace.
In 2021, we set a new target of 25−30% for the ratio of women in director positions by fiscal 2025, in order to incorporate diverse opinions in decision-making settings. We also see the need for expanding the pipeline of female candidates in order to continue reflecting diverse opinions in decision-making, and thus set a target of 30% for the ratio of new female managers appointed.
In light of this, we raised our target for the percentage of women in manager and director positions from the existing 10% to 15% by fiscal 2025.
Ever since fiscal 2013 when we set a target of 30% or higher for the percentage of women in new hires straight out of college, we have achieved at least 30% every year.
Empowerment of Women in the Workforce
The NTT Group is stepping up initiatives to empower or prepare more female employees for decision-making management positions and positions for providing guidance.
All female employees
The NTT Group provides a human networking program for strengthening vertical and horizontal connections for women within the Group. On top of management levels (such as executives, senior managers and managers), training is provided across all positions and ranks. In addition to off-the-job training, we provide on-the-job training, including putting employees in tough assignments, with the intention of training women with the skills, mindsets and experiences necessary for promotions. NTT University has been established for the purpose of preparing candidates for upper management positions within NTT Group, and it aims to have at least 30% women in the program.
Female employees interested in management positions
Career development training programs for women are provided throughout the NTT Group, and we also run programs for building up necessary leadership skills and awareness through dialogues with upper management and exchanges with other companies. Employees are also encouraged to take part in external training programs where they can interact with members from outside the NTT Group.
Managers
NTT University was inaugurated in fiscal 2022 for the purpose of grooming candidates for upper management positions within NTT Group. The goal has been set to ensure a women participation in the program of 30% or higher as part of efforts to expand training opportunities.
Initiatives for International Women's Day
On the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8, we held a seminar for initiatives for balancing work with health risks unique to women, Seminars involved talks by gynecologists and industrial counselors aimed at having employees learn about gynecological symptoms such as infertility treatment, breast cancer, PMS, and menopausal disorders and their treatment, as well as alleviating concerns about balancing treatment and work.
Signing statement of support for the Women's Empowerment Principles and joining the 30% Club
The NTT Group endorses the goals of the Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), which establish action principles for actively supporting the advancement of women in the workplace for fiscal year 2022, and has signed a statement in which it pledges to act in accordance with these principles. In addition, in an effort to achieve sustainable growth for the company, the Group joined the 30% Club, which aims to increase the percentage of female directors.
Active Promotion of Outside Personnel
The NTT Group hires outside personnel (mid-career hires) in order to incorporate diverse opinions in business operations, with the ratio at the six major domestic Group companies at 30% in fiscal 2023. We will continue to hire outside personnel in order to have diverse personnel on staff, and aim for a 32.5% ratio of mid-career hires by fiscal 2021.
Continuous Employment of Employees at Retirement Age
In 1999, the NTT Group introduced a continuous employment program for employees who have reached the retirement age of 60 in response to employee needs and public expectations regarding elderly employment.
Furthermore, from the standpoint of making maximum use of limited human resources in managing the NTT Group's businesses in the future, we introduced a new program in October 2013 that will enable applicants to continue working in a way that fits their lifestyles up to the age of 65 and demonstrate their abilities by putting their experience to work.
Rehiring Program for Employees Who Resigned
A significant number of employees who left the Company for reasons such as childcare, care for parents or the relocation of their spouse aspire to resume work at the NTT Group in the future. To respond to their requests and to effectively use the experience and skills they had acquired during their previous period of employment, NTT has established a rehiring program.
The program applies to employees who worked more than three years and were forced to leave due to their need to care for children under the age of the third grade of elementary school or elderly family members, or due to their inability to continue commuting because of the change of address necessitated by the relocation or career change of their partner, or by marriage. A request for reinstatement is followed by interviews and a health checkup, and the Company decides whether or not to reemploy them.
Business Activity 25
Encouraging of understanding of LGBTQ and promoting the advancement of disabled people
Our commitment
Diverse values and individualities are part of NTT's strengths, and we are creating workplaces that are welcoming of each and every person as they are, allowing them to share equal opportunities, take on challenges without being afraid of mistakes, and achieve mutual growth
Our objective
2.3％
Ratio of employees with disabilities
Promotion of Global Diversity
Each year, we conduct Group training for senior managers of NTT Group in Japan and overseas, called Global Leadership Development Program Leadership Excellence and Accelerating Diversity (GLDP LEAD). This training is designed to foster leadership among managers aiming to move to higher positions. This training, in which more than half of the participants are female, emphasizes diversity and innovative culture as organizational capabilities of topmost importance. In fiscal 2021, 42 employees from nine countries underwent this training in an online format.
GLPD LEAD
Outside Interaction and External Certifications
The NTT Group took part in TOKYO RAINBOW PRIDE, and also became a sponsor of Pride House Tokyo, the first permanent center for LGBTQ in Japan.
A total of 21 NTT Group companies were recognized at the highest-level Gold status in PRIDE Index 2021, established by a volunteer organization called "work with Pride" to evaluate corporate activities for sexual minorities and the LGBT community. NTT has received the Gold ranking for six consecutive years since 2016.
Initiatives for LGBTQ
Enhanced Systems and Welfare
To realize an organization and a society in which everyone can be themselves and work freely regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, in 2016 we began applying programs related to important life events, such as marriage leaves, bereavement leaves, congratulatory/ condolence money, and the sending of congratulatory/ condolence telegrams, to same sex partnerships. In 2018, we extended all allowances, benefit programs, and other programs involving spouses and families to samesex partners as well.
Initiatives for Encouraging Understanding
We run training ever y year by LGBTQ people, to deepen understanding and provide the correct knowledge of LGBTQ issues for staff newly promoted to management positions. We also hold ALLY meetings regularly in a show of support for LGBTQ. In fiscal 2021, ALLY meetings were held two times and included talks by LGBTQ people and group discussions, with around 130 employees from the NTT Group taking part.
Expanding Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
In addition to direct hires, the NTT Group provides more employment opportunities for people who have disabilities. The NTT Group currently employs around 3,700 people with disabilities, with 980 of them working at a special-purpose subsidiary.
Four special-purpose subsidiaries have been established by the NTT Group to provide workplaces that are easy to work at for people with disabilities, as part of measures that enable employees with disabilities to harness their skills and perform at their maximum level.
They assess problem areas in website accessibility, perform web accessibility diagnostics that offer reports with suggestions for improvements, and conduct training taught by people with disabilities to foster understanding of disabilities (barrier-free mindset seminars).
NTT Group's special-purpose subsidiaries (4 companies)
NTT Claruty (Japanese only)
NTT West Lucent (Japanese only)
NTT DATA DAICHI (Japanese only)
Docomo PlusHearty (Japanese only)
Business Partnership with OryLab Inc.
In July 2020, NTT began providing reception desk duties using OriHime-D, a robot that can be controlled remotely by people with disabilities. NTT entered into a capital and business tie-up with OryLab Inc. in October 2020, for the purpose of strengthening its business responsiveness in remote environments while advancing the interests of people with disabilities. Through this partnership, NTT Group's R&D capabilities are combined with the advanced product development capability of OryLab, such as OriHime, a robot that can be controlled remotely by people who have disabilities. We aim to provide employment opportunities and broader access to people with physical disabilities or find it difficult to go outdoors through this effort to connect remotely to the world.
Use of OriHime Remote-Controlled Robot
The NTT Group is using OriHime in a variety of scenarios.
Sports
Joint experiment with E Cheer Up!, a project for ICT x sports x regional co-creation
Culture
Collaborative agreement with a Kyogen troupe about making DX a reality (Nomura Mansai II (Mansaku no Kai))
Education
OriHime and NTT R&D offer well-being classes at elementary schools
Research
At robot cafe DAWN, conduct experiments with remote robot control based on based on IOWN
Promoting the advancement of disabled people with VR space platforms, and use of avatar AI
NTT began guidance services in February 2022 with avatars using the VR spatial platform "DOOR™". In this initiative, "OriHime-D" avatar robots controlled by people who find it difficult to go outdoors provide visitors to DOOR with guidance on DOOR content and information on how to use the service. Automated responses by AI avatars developed by the NTT Group based on NTT R&D technology started to be used at the DOOR virtual salon. Visitors to virtual salons within DOOR are automatically provided with information such as available content.
Through this initiative, NTT is helping to expand the scope of areas where people who find it difficult to go outdoors can play an active role, and is creating added value through the use of AI avatars in virtual spaces.
Global Commitment
In December 2019 we joined The Valuable 500, an international initiative to promote the participation of people with disabilities in business. In December 2020, applicable regions were expanded to a global scale.
Interview
OriHime-D's forte is that it can link up more people, instead of being limited to specific people.
With motivation and skill, the potential for work is available to anyone
Looking forward to continuing work as a pilot, overflowing with gratitude to those nearby.
We spoke with OriHime-D pilot Yuko Ito to find out more.
Yuko Ito
OriHime-D Pilot
A member of the Sales Department, NTT Claruty, residing in Aichi Prefecture. Joined NTT Claruty in 2020 by winning the company's favor of her experience as a pilot for the DAWN Cafe demonstration project run by OryLab in 2017. She currently works as an OriHime-D pilot at the NTT head office reception.
A pilot's mission is to alleviate any nervous feelings customers may have
-- Tell us about how you became an OriHime-D pilot.
I injured my spinal cord in a traffic accident, and from then on had to live life in a wheelchair. I then got married and had children, but after they entered high school and college, I started thinking about re-entering the workforce. It was around that time that I heard about OriHime-D, and began to think whether I would be able to work catering at a cafe--a job that is almost impossible to do in a wheelchair. So I signed up for the "Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN" demonstration project in 2017, and took part as a pilot.
When I started using OriHime-D to attend to and serve customers, I felt just how much fun and meaningful it was to me to be able to chat with customers at their table and spend time with others in society.
OryLab then introduced me to a position working at the NTT head office as reception, and I started a trial job in February 2020. The customers are different to a cafe, and everyone is there for business, and I was surprised at the level of nervousness at the reception of a major company.
-- What were your impressions after actually becoming a pilot?
I feel that my role as a pilot is to help alleviate any stress that customers may be feeling before they come to attend a meeting--a sort of icebreaker in a way. While customers are naturally focused on their work duties first and foremost, I try to focus on ways I can hopefully give customers a smile, by changing the way my information is shown (like introducing myself as the pilot of OriHime-D) to suit the seasons, creating English versions, or reading books on conversation skills so I can make use of it. My current job role mainly involves controlling OriHime-D remotely to guide customers from the reception to their meeting room or guest area at the NTT head office. Other business related tasks include creating job reports or performance graphs, and following up with or assisting other pilots--I do all of this remotely from my home in Aichi Prefecture.
Befriending colleagues while working together
-- What are some of the things you enjoy, and find challenging, as a pilot?
Just recently I was appointed the role of chief pilot. Despite working from home, I am grateful for being recognized for the efforts I put in, and it is an achievement I am proud of. And when customers tell me with a smile that their meeting showed promise or express their appreciation to me, I end up smiling myself and feel how rewarding my job is. Yet I need the cooperation of my entire family while I am working--my husband and children have to turn the TV off and they are careful to be quiet. Even our dogs stay quiet while I have my computer open, but the moment I close the lid they come running over wagging their tails wildly. I am particularly grateful to my mother, who understands my type of work and helps out as much as possible.
On the technical side, a hotline to contact the OSC (Office Service Center) from the NTT Diversity Management Office was set up, and they are standing by to ensure smooth operations when there are technical troubles. I really enjoy working with everyone at the OSC, reception and security, as sometimes we face challenges together, and at others, we all have a laugh together. In other areas, five of my colleagues from NTT Claruty help out as support pilots as a backup if I am feeling unwell, and they are so important to me that I consider them friends. I hope to meet up with them directly and have a chat with them some day.
-- Is there anything you often think of that you wish OriHime could be capable of?
I used to work at an intensive-care old people's home in the past, and based on my experience, I think that OriHime would be a great conversation partner for the elderly or people with disabilities. In the past, I also visited junior-high schools, high schools and special needs schools around Aichi Prefecture with OriHime pamphlets to explain to school staff how the system can be used by students with injuries, who have illnesses or disabilities, who refuse to go to school, or who have other special circumstances, as a way of allowing them to attend classes. I heard that projects have begun recently throughout Aichi to provide OriHime to help such students take part in classes. In my experience, I think the best application of OriHime would be if it could be used for classroom visitation days. As children advance through school, classrooms tend to be further upstairs in buildings, and in many cases I had to give up attending the visitation day. Some day in the future, I would love to take part in my grandchildren's visitations days using OriHime (laughing).
I can let my imagination go wild--some future ideas that are still in the concept stages include flying through the sky in an OriHime drone, dancing with celebrities with OriHime, and even having OriHime manzai comedians entering into the M-1 Grand Prix competition. So...I am currently looking for someone to join me as a partner in stand-up comedy (laughing).
Despite being classed as a type of remote work, the forte of OriHime is that it provides a way of linking up with so many other people--this approach differs to video phone calls or remote conferences where you only talk to specific people on the other end. I also want to directly meet up with the people that I have interacted with using OriHime, and even want to head out to venues to do so--in a way, Ori-Hime inspires me to venture outside. As a "lifestyle technology" for people with severe disabilities, those who find it difficult to go outside, and the elderly, I hope that OriHime will provide a way for meaningful employment in the future, to anyone who has the motivation and skills.
Demonstration experiment using IOWN technology
We built a network for demonstration experiments between the Musashino R&D Center and the Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β. With the cooperation of NTT Claruty, we conducted experiments in which people with disabilities operated the avatar robot OriHime-D, and performed service work at the cafe. OriHime-D used a demonstration experiment network (demonstration experiment OriHime-D) to allow the operator to control the robot in real time, enabling it to move forward and change direction continuously and very smoothly.
Art Contest
We held the "NTT Art Contest Depicting our 'Connections'" (August 24 to October 20) for people with disabilities, which had some 200 works of art submitted from Japan and overseas. The contest was held as part of initiatives aimed at promoting activities for people with disabilities based on the concept of "Showcasing individuality with the power of art--Disability or not, everyone can make the world brighter." An award ceremony was held at the Avatar Robot Cafe DAWN ver.β on December 3, which is International Day of Disabled Persons. In fiscal 2022, we plan to hold the contest in collaboration with Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. which endorses the concept behind this contest, and expand the number of eligible entries.
Business Activity 26
Support for balancing work and life such as childcare and nursing care
Our commitment
As a leader in digital transformation, we will act and contribute to helping resolve the social challenges unique to each country
For example, the declining birthrate and aging population, proper education, equitable healthcare, regional economic development, and long-term value through technology for the next generations
Childcare and Nursing Care Support Systems
Amid ongoing changes in employees' needs concerning health, childcare, and nursing care, in 2018 we conducted a major review of our benefit program menu to prepare environments even more conducive to work, and enhanced our childcare and nursing care support menu as the NTT Benefit Package. Specifically, we introduced a Childcare Concierge to support childcare placement in employees' areas of residence, and greatly enhanced services such as childcare subsidies. For nursing care, we also established a Nursing Care Concierge for consultations on nursing care, including matching of care managers.
We use Tomonin a symbol created by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to promote the establishment of working environments that allow the balancing of work and nursing care. NTT uses the symbol to publicize its initiatives and develop a workplace environment that enables employees to balance work and nursing care.
Initiatives for Balancing Work with Nursing Care
Looking ahead to the coming age of major nursing care needs, our Group companies organize nursing care study sessions and other events aimed at creating an environment that enables their employees to balance work with nursing care commitments. With many interested employees participating in these events, we plan to continue providing such opportunities.
Encouraging Employees to Take Various Types of Leave
In an effort to achieve an even better work-life balance for each and every employee, the NTT Group is creating an encouraging environment conducive to taking various forms of paid leave, by encourage employees to take long vacations by combining paid leave with long major holidays such as Golden Week holidays, end-of year and New Year holidays, and summer vacation.
Initiatives for diverse work styles
The NTT Group has established a childcare and nursing care web site with information about the programs and how to use them, and also the experiences of employees who balance childcare and nursing care. In addition, we hold seminars for childcare leave and for people returning to work, hold talks with employees before childbirth and after parental leave, and establish nurseries in workplaces. NTT has set a target for having 100% of male employees take paid leave for childrearing by fiscal 2022, and starting from fiscal 2021, NTT has been holding seminars to encourage employees to participate in childrearing, with panel discussions featuring explanations of the system and talks by employees who took time off, to create a workplace culture that encourages childrearing. Other support tools include interview sheets and manuals that explain the system, a revised Communication Handbook that covers the necessary procedures for life events, and posters to encourage employees to take childcare leave. We are committed to creating systems and work environments where employees feel free to take time off for childrearing.
Business Activity
NTT Urban Development
Mr. Kawakubo, Manager, Project Management Division, Development Management Headquarters
Mr. Kawakubo was the first male employee to take childcare leave at NTT Urban Development. He then took time off a total of three times for caring for his children, and is planning to take his first longterm leave in the future. He balances his life between work as a manager and a father of four children. While male employees are advised to take childcare leave now, at the time males struggled as there was a poor level of understanding by other employees.
For Mr. Kawakubo, taking childcare leave was naturally beneficial for his family, but he also says that it gave him the time to think carefully about what type of working style he wants to aim for, and how to live a better life.
He explains that communication and team building with colleagues is a vital aspect for a position like his in management, and taking a positive approach provides a source of motivation for other members.
To achieve this, he is seeking to create a team where people can speak their mind, while maintaining a level of psychological safety. The idea that conversing with children at their level helps to bring out their true feelings--something he learnt while raising his children--also applies to superiors and their junior staff, and is vital for achieving a workplace mood where everyone is free to speak their mind.
Maximizing well-being for all
