We strive to create an attractive, motivational workplace environment for employees.
Canon believes that in order to become a truly excellent global corporation, each employee must be an “excellent person.” Based on this recognition, we are building a corporate culture that encourages an enterprising spirit by guaranteeing respect for the values of ambition, responsibility and mission, as well as fair and impartial assignments, evaluations, and treatment based on merit. At the same time, we are focused on developing our next generation of leaders.
The San-ji (Three Selfs) Spirit has been a central guiding principle for Canon since its founding. The three “selfs” refer to 1) self-motivation: proactively taking the initiative; 2) self-management: conducting oneself responsibly and with accountability; and 3) self-awareness: knowing one’s position, roles and circumstances.
Canon encourages all employees to embrace the San-ji Spirit as they pursue their work with a positive and forward-looking attitude, and promotes this approach at Group companies worldwide.
| Guiding Principles | |
|---|---|
| Three Selfs | Adhere to the principles of selfmotivation, self-management and self-awareness in day-to-day activities |
| Meritocracy | Make vitality (V), specialty (S), originality (O), and personality (P) daily pursuits |
| Internationalism | Strive to become a culturally sensitive, internationally minded, sincere and active person |
| Familism | Strengthen trust and understanding of others and work together in a spirit of harmony |
| Health First | Live by the motto “healthy and happy” and work to cultivate character |
Canon seeks to hire and retain talent that can drive globalization and innovation in its businesses with the ultimate goal of sustainable growth. With this in mind, we follow a uniform policy for hiring, job placement and human resource development.
In 2021, Canon Inc. and Group companies in Japan actively continued their recruitment programs, resulting in the hiring of about 1,350 employees in total. Canon has established various programs and systems, such as a career matching system and a work-life balance program for employees engaged in childcare or nursing care to support the continued employment of all employees so that they remain motivated and can maximize their skills and abilities over the long term. Canon also conducts biennial in-house employee awareness surveys, with the results providing feedback to management across each division as a way of helping inform policy formulation while increasing employee engagement. Thanks to these initiatives, Canon Inc. boasts one of the highest retention rates in the industry in Japan. As part of maintaining employee engagement, regular employee awareness surveys are conducted by Group companies in Japan, Canon U.S.A., Canon Europe, and Group marketing companies in Asia.
As part of promoting the development of globalized management, Canon appoints appropriate personnel, regardless of nationality, as presidents, executive officers, and managers of subsidiaries in each country and region where it operates.
For example, in Canon China, local appointees occupied 75% of all managerial positions across the region in 2021, up from 38% in 2013.
In order to help stimulate local communities and economies through job creation, we focus on local employment when establishing or expanding production sites.
For example, Canon Prachinburi (Thailand) has hired approximately 6,800 people locally, and Canon Business Machines (Philippines) employs approximately 5,900 local residents (as of 2021 end).
Our production sites in Asia have continued to employ over 60,000 local employees since 2007.
In every region of the world, Canon ensures its employees are paid substantially more than the local minimum wage.
Canon Inc. has introduced a position-based pay system to evaluate and compensate individuals fairly and impartially, regardless of gender or age.
In this system, remuneration is based on duties and performance. Basic pay scales incorporate the level of position in the company based on responsibilities and other factors. An employee’s achievements as well as work-related processes and performance during the year are evaluated to determine annual remuneration. Bonuses reflect individual achievements and company performance.
This system is being promoted across the Group worldwide, and has already been adopted by most Group companies in Japan and manufacturing subsidiaries in Asia. Systems for determining compensation based on duties and performance have already been established at Canon U.S.A. and Canon Europe, along with other Group companies in those regions, as well as Group marketing companies in Asia.
Regarding basic salary amounts and increases as well as calculation and payment of bonuses, a wage committee meets with the Canon Workers’ Union (Japan) three or four times a year to check whether remuneration is being paid in accordance with the rules of the labor agreement. The minutes of these meetings are made available to all employees. The committee also facilitates discussions between labor and management on the implementation and improvement of the compensation system.
Canon offers various employee benefit programs, covering each stage of life from hiring to retirement, enabling employees to lead comfortable and enjoyable lives.
For example, as well as providing staff canteens and sporting facilities, Canon funds or subsidizes programs and clubs that bring together people with shared interests to foster better workplace communication. We host various events for employees and family members that incorporate the local culture and customs of each region. In addition, benefit programs have been developed in line with employee needs.
With a view to securing their futures, in addition to national social insurance programs, employees of Canon Inc. and Canon Group companies in Japan are eligible for added benefits that include a corporate pension plan as well as membership in our welfare association and health insurance society. Canon Inc. also offers a voluntary employee stock ownership plan, a savings plan and group life insurance policies, among other benefits.
At Canon Inc., we offer employees the defined-benefit Canon Corporate Pension as a form of performancebased pay—a role- and grade-based retirement system—to supplement their public pension and contribute to a more comfortable retirement. A company-run pension fund manages pension assets, so employees do not need to provide any additional funds. Canon Inc. also offers a defined-contribution pension plan with matching contributions, which, coupled with the defined-benefit pension plan, provides solid financial security.
Other Group companies in Japan have also set up their own corporate pension plans.
Canon works diligently to ensure that employee work hours comply with the laws of each country and region where it operates, targeting reductions in hours where appropriate.
For example, at Canon Inc., we encourage workplaces to ban overtime in principle and to review work practices. In addition to an open vacation program in which employees can take five consecutive days of vacation once per year, starting in 2019, we have been encouraging the taking of paid leave in various ways, such as having employees submit a plan for taking five or more days of annual vacation at their first meeting with their supervisor in the new year. Average paid leave taken in 2021 was 16.4 days. Total hours worked per employee were 1,745, a 54-hour decrease from 2010 (1,799 hours), when activities to reduce total working hours began.
We promote flexible work styles in line with national and regional employment customs.
For instance, in 2005, Canon Inc. formulated an action plan following the guidelines of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and is encouraging the adoption of flexible work styles while helping employees achieve work-life balance and taking steps to aid the development of the next generation.
Canon Inc. has several leave programs that enable employees to take time off flexibly to respond to their personal circumstances. These include a time-unit leave program in 30-minute increments that is available for reasons such as childcare, nursing care, injury, or illness, as well as vacations for mental and physical relaxation as a reward for certain lengths of employment. In 2020, we introduced a remote working system aimed at boosting productivity by promoting flexible work styles not limited by time or location. We are currently implementing the seventh phase of the action plan spanning the three-year period from April 2021 to March 2024.
In addition, Canon Inc. conducts surveys on flexible work styles to assess the circumstances and needs of employees, aiming to create a flexible workplace environment.
To enable employees to focus on childcare responsibilities with peace of mind, Canon Inc. offers an array of programs that go beyond the legally stipulated minimum requirements, including a childcare leave program that enables employees to take leave until their child reaches the age of three, and a system for reducing work hours to support childcare, making it possible for employees to reduce their workday by up to two hours until their child has finished the third grade of primary school.
Furthermore, to support employees who are undertaking fertility treatment, we have put in place a fertility treatment subsidy program that subsidizes 50% of the treatment cost up to a maximum amount of ¥1 million, and a fertility treatment leave program that allows employees to take leave for the period required for treatment. Furthermore, we have implemented a system that allows male employees whose spouses have given birth to take two days of paternity leave.
In addition, to support the work-life balance of
those in our local community, Canon Inc. established
Poppins Nursery School Tamagawa. Located on our
property adjacent to the Shimomaruko headquarters,
the school is certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan
Government and open to local residents.
Approximately 40 children are enrolled at the school.
To help employees caring for aged relatives, we provide various support systems that go beyond the legally stipulated minimum requirements, including nursing care leave available for up to one year, sympathy money, and a system for reduced work hours to support nursing care, enabling employees to reduce their workday by up to two hours a day.
Hotlines have been set up at each of our operational sites to handle employee inquiries about these systems.
| Action Plan | Measures | Results as of 2021 End |
|---|---|---|
(1) Promote use of work-life balance programs with aim of raising participation rate. |
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(2) Support diverse work styles while promoting further reform by encouraging work styles that do not rely on overtime; by continuing efforts to promote use of paid leave; and by maintaining an appropriate level of total work hours. |
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(3) Continuing from Phase VI, carry out community contribution activities open to participation by children — who are the future of our communities — through social contribution activities. |
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Canon Inc. has in place a volunteer leave system for interested employees. Under this system, employees wishing to participate in volunteer activities certified by the company may take up to one year of leave (two years and four months in the case of JICA Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers).
At Canon Inc. and Canon Group companies in Japan, worker-management relations are founded on the principle of prior consultation, that is, finding solutions through thorough discussion. Candid discussions between management and the labor union are held whenever policies that affect wages, working hours, safety and health, and benefit programs are to be implemented.
Canon Inc. convenes a Central Worker/ Management Conference with the Canon Workers’ Union*1 to exchange opinions and information spanning a range of subjects. The Chairman & CEO and senior management attend the conferences.
Additionally, special committees have been established to consider wages, working hours, safety and health issues, and benefit programs. Based on these conferences, new programs are established and policies enacted. As of the end of 2021, combined employee membership in the Canon Workers’ Union totaled 25,447, bringing the union membership rate to 79% for Canon Inc.’s workforce.
Group companies in Japan hold a similar yearly conference, which they refer to as the Canon Group Workers’ Union Conference (Canon Inc. representatives also attend). This conference brings together 19 Group workers’ unions and executives from 23 Group companies in Japan. The 2021 conference was postponed due to the onset of COVID-19, but it is expected to be held in 2022 as conditions allow. As of the end of 2021, there were 53,150 employees in unions that belonged to the Canon Group Workers’ Union Conference, bringing the union membership rate to 82% for the workforce of 23 Group companies in Japan.
In accordance with the labor laws of each country and region where we operate, Canon continuously maintains proper labor relations based on thorough dialogue between labor and management at Group companies outside Japan. The union membership rate*2 for employees of the Canon Group overall was 83%.
Canon Inc. has established a minimum notification period clause within its labor agreement to ensure that personnel transfers do not negatively impact the lives of employees.
Employees receive official notice of personnel transfers at least two weeks in advance for temporary assignments and at least one week for other types of transfers. Employees who need to relocate due to the transfer are officially notified up to four weeks in advance.
Additionally, Group companies worldwide have established minimum notification periods in accordance with the laws and regulations of the countries and regions where they operate.
