Human Resources Management
Basic Approach
Establishing a Positive Feedback Loop Where Investment in Human Resources Enhances Corporate Value
The key foundation and source of strength for the DNP Group in creating a “better future” is the presence of each employee. By allowing employees to take on challenges with confidence, we can develop their individual strengths. Through TAIWA (dialogue), we can combine these strengths, enabling us to continuously provide new value to society and people.
The DNP Group has formulated its Human Capital Policy to represent the company’s universal and fundamental approach to human resources. This policy clearly expresses our belief that respecting employees leads to the respected employees driving corporate growth and enhancing society alongside our desire for each individual to develop their strengths and grow further in their roles both within and outside the company. Based on this policy, we will produce employees who can perform their roles both within and outside the company by supporting employee career autonomy that leads to value creation.
In addition, to strengthen human capital, which is the key to value creation and the driving force of growth, we declared both internally and externally our commitment to significantly elevating human creativity (value-added productivity) on a global scale toward establishing a positive feedback loop in which investment in people contributes to enhancing corporate value. To achieve this, we have identified four material issues, each accompanied by specific measures, and are accelerating our initiatives. Furthermore, to confirm whether our investments in people and various HR initiatives are contributing to improvements in human creativity, financial value, and corporate value, we conduct DNP’s unique value relevance analyses. These analyses enable us to enhance the effectiveness of each initiative.
To further align our business and talent strategies, we will clarify the following three aspects: the ideal characteristics (mindset) of talent necessary to realize the management and business strategies, the desired careers (job roles) as key contributors to strategically growing businesses, and the abilities and skills required for talent involved in priority businesses. We will visualize the necessary talent profile, the target careers, and skills that each employee should aim to develop, in order to effectively execute our management and business strategies.
As a result of these initiatives, human creativity rose by 8.2% in fiscal 2024 compared to fiscal 2022, showing steady growth in human capital indicators. Not stopping here, we will continue to actively and continuously promote a variety of initiatives until all our employees are able to experience transformation. We will achieve a positive feedback loop in which investment in human resources elevates human creativity and leads to enhanced corporate value, further strengthening human capital, the greatest strength of the DNP Group.
Positive feedback loop of investment in human resources
Linking business strategy and human resources strategy
Policy
Human Capital Policy
To achieve growth over the medium- to long-term, DNP is reinforcing its business infrastructure by utilizing financial and non-financial capital in an integrated manner. We are working to provide systems that take into account changes occurring in the entire society and are attractive both internally and externally, to support employees who form a particularly important foundation for our growth, and to transform their awareness and action. In FY2022, we established the belief that respecting employees leads to the respected employees driving corporate growth and enriching society, which represents the DNP Group’s universal and basic approach to human resources, as Human Capital Policy. By placing this consept at the top of the other mission, visions, charter and declarations related to people we will endeavor to reinforce and maximize our human capital in a strategic, integrated manner for enhancing corporate value.
Promotion Structure
Toward the realization of a virtuous cycle of investment in people, the DNP Group is working to strengthen and maximize human capital through collaboration between its associated human capital divisions (human divisions) including HR, labor, overseas management, human resources development, and diversity and inclusion promotion, under the leadership of the Human Capital Division Head.
Furthermore, based on Human Capital Policy, we position our people, the greatest strength of the DNP Group, as our "human capital," and are effectively investing in people to foster a better organizational culture and contribute to the growth of diverse individuals and human resources.
Indicators/Goals
Based on our basic approach to human resource management, DNP has sets priority indicators and target values, thereby promoting continuous activities.
| Indicator | Targets | FY2024 results |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Employee engagement survey scores 2. Completion of DX literacy standard basic education course 3. Ratio of female managers 4. Percentage of male employees taking childcare leave |
1. Up 10% from FY2022 2. 27,500 people eligible 3. 12% or more 4. 100% |
1. +4.5% 2. 25,473 3. 10.4% 4. 96.4% |
Strategy and Risk Management
Human Capital Management Assessment
Based on the policy of "expanding investment in people based on Human Capital Policy," we have identified four key issues to establish a virtuous cycle in which "investment in people" contributes to increasing corporate value: "supporting employee career autonomy and strengthening organizational capabilities," "health and productivity management that increases employee happiness," "recruitment, personnel placement, and reskilling based on our talent portfolio," and "promoting D&I that empowers diverse individuals." We have set specific measures for each and are working to address them. Furthermore, to understand how investment in people and various personnel measures are linked to improvements in human creativity, financial value, and corporate value, we are conducting DNP's unique "value relevance analysis" to further improve effectiveness.
Promotion of Global Human Resource Strategy
The DNP Group conducts various businesses in 34 cities around the globe. To strengthen and maximize human capital on a global scale, we focus on three key pillars: (1) visualization and management of talent, (2) establishment of human resource management infrastructure, and (3) strengthening of risk management capabilities and system development. We are implementing key initiatives within each of these pillars to achieve our goals.
Related Measures (Efforts to Strengthen Human Capital)
DNP believes it is important to realize its Business Vision of contributing to society and to create corporate culture that enables employees to simultaneously achieve personal growth and self-fulfillment. DNP is deploying a variety of measures to create free-spirited and open workplaces that respect individual values, enable people to raise their own abilities, encourage utmost efforts, and that can promote mutual cooperation for deepening dialogue. DNP is focusing especially on enhancing personnel systems that support independently minded employees and training systems that support self-fulfillment.
Training Program
The DNP Group's training system includes level-specific training to understand roles and expectations according to position and grade, as well as selective and compulsory training aimed at improving organizational and team strength, supporting business growth, and supporting autonomous career development. Furthermore, we offer a wide range of training programs that employees can participated voluntarily, leading to career advancement both inside and outside the company.
DNP Group Training System
Level-specific training <compulsory>
Understand the roles and expectations according to position and grade
- DNP Group New Employee Introductory Training
- First-year follow-up training
- Third-year follow-up training
- Training for newly appointed group leaders in the manufacturing division
- Training for newly appointed section chiefs in the manufacturing division
- Newly appointed senior staff training
- Basic management training
- Training program for newly appointed section managers
- Training program for newly appointed division managers
- Plant manager training
- Training for newly appointed group company presidents
Purpose-specific training (selective/compulsory)
Gain unrivaled strength
- Business-specific practical training
- Global human resource development
- Next-generation management leader development training
- Cross-industry exchange training
- Mechatronics technical training
- Career design training
- D&I Promotion Program
- DLP Essential Series
Skills Improvement Program
Learn a wide range of skills, from business fundamentals to the latest skills
- Technical Seminar
- Online Video Programs
- Manufacturing Skill Seminar
- Value Creation Seminar
Human Resources Development System
In-House Recruiting System
To effectively utilize human resources and invigorate our organization, we promote open recruitment within the Group of experienced human resources with specialized skills for developing products, technologies, businesses and new solutions in accordance with the DNP Group’s business strategies. In this way, we provide employees with opportunities for independently selecting a workplace. 211 people were recruited and 94 transferred in fiscal 2024.
Self-Reporting System
This is a system under which employees envision their own career development while self-realization steps and workplace transfers desired by the employee to achieve this are entered onto a "self-reporting form" and reported to their superior once a year. This system also spurs the desire of employees toward self-development and enables them to acquire independent practical skills while raising the awareness of managers regarding guidance for and development of their subordinates. 167 people were interviewed and 65 transferred in fiscal 2024
In-House FA System
This system enables employees to improve their own careers by proactively seeking job transfers from across the DNP Group companies to jobs and departments that are different from the present. 13 people made declarations and 3 were transferred in fiscal 2024.
In-House Study Abroad System
This is a system under which employees, based on their own intentions, accumulate experience in other departments for a certain period of time and then return to their original departments and expand the range of work handled while raising quality utilizing the experience and knowledge and skills acquired in these other departments.
System for Encouragement of Qualification Acquisition
This system pays incentives to employees who successfully acquire specialized knowledge, skills, or qualifications needed for their jobs (covers about 130 types of qualifications, up to 100,000 yen). 834 people (797 in DNP non-consolidated) used the system in the DNP Group as a whole in fiscal 2024.
Specialist Work System
This system provides special compensation to employees who possess an extremely high level of outstanding specialties and who are highly valued inside and outside of the company. Though we had titles Fellow and Chief Specialist depending on the level of the specialty in the past, we have added Principal Specialist since FY2021, resulting in three stages for the titles in total.
- Fellow
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Those Chief Specialists with outstanding character who have earned socially authoritative awards and those who have made remarkable achievements are certified as fellows. We expect that this will encourage employees to pursue a career path toward the achievement of fellow, the top title in the specialist work system. Since the establishment of the system, a total of four individuals have been certified as Fellows.
- Chief Specialist (Chief Researcher, Chief Planner, Chief Engineer)
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We accept certification applications for self-recommendations and other recommendations once a year from employees who utilize their extremely high degree of expertise and work actively inside and outside the company and evaluate and certify them based on Certification Standards set for outcomes, external evaluations, internal evaluations, and competency evaluation. 11 people were certified in fiscal 2024, making it a total of 77 since the system was created.
- Principal Specialist (Principal Researcher, Principal Planner, Principal Engineer)
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We certify employees who utilize their high degree of expertise and work actively in each department once a year. 247 people were certified in fiscal 2024.
Highly specialized human resources (professional staff, etc.) employment system
Since FY2019, the DNP Group has been formulating a "Talent Portfolio" that categorizes the multiple types of talent truly required in each business based on role, expertise, and management ability. Toward the realization of business strategies, we analyze surpluses and shortages for each type of personnel and promote recruitment, training, and placement measures that emphasize qualitative aspects.
In addition to internal training, we are also actively recruiting rare specialists from outside the company. For personnel with particularly high levels of expertise, we have established a "professional staff" system that offers high compensation. For example, in Medical & healthcare business, we employ doctors and other professionals.
We will continue to promote the securing of necessary human resources through optimal methods and formats.
ICT Professional System
This system appropriately treats and motivates ICT professionals such as by providing a special allowance to project managers who handle projects of a certain size or larger.
Meister System
Introduced in 2001, this system is focused on our manufacturing technicians who possess valuable professional skills. This system is geared to getting back to the roots of the manufacturing industry by recognizing the importance of professional skills and thereby providing training, evaluation, and benefits.
Among the three requirements for Meister certification consisting of "specialized knowledge, skills, and creativity," "reputation and trust," and "leadership," we have positioned "leadership" as a particularly important evaluation item given that the purpose of the system is to hand down skills. 6 people were certified in fiscal 2024, making it a total of 85 since the system was created.
Side Jobs/Dual (or Multiple) Jobs
To attract, develop, and retain talented individuals who can promote innovation, we actively incorporate external perspectives and partially allow side-jobs and dual jobs that contribute to the creation of new value, as long as they do not interfere with the employee’s primary job responsibilities. Additionally, we have introduced the In-house Side Job System, allowing employees to hold positions in other divisions within the DNP Group. This initiative aims to help employees acquire knowledge and skills from other divisions to encourage innovation, foster collaboration, create new value, and expand opportunities for self-directed career development.
Reemployment of Retired Employees (Return-to-Work System)
This system enables the re-employment of former DNP Group employees under certain conditions. We re-employ, as appropriate, former employees wishing to resume their work in the DNP Group as human resources with diverse values and careers who are able to use the knowledge, skills, career achievements and life experiences acquired during their time in other companies or organizations.
Non-Regular to Regular Employee Conversion System
To draw out the capabilities of each person to the fullest and ensure this enables us to deploy our total strengths as an organization, we introduced this system for hiring as regular employees those outstanding part-time and non-regular staff who have a positive attitude toward their jobs and play large roles.
Career Counseling Center
We provide face-to-face and online counseling to employees on their career-related thoughts, how to approach the future, work-life balance, and problems they face at work. We also regularly hold "caregiving consultation sessions" with caregiving experts present for employees who are concerned about caring for their loved ones. In FY2024, in addition to the headquarters (Tokyo) where a career counseling room is permanently located, we held on-site consultation sessions at seven locations nationwide and received 647 consultations.
Award system
In order to increase employee motivation and accelerate the creation of new value, we have changed our previous company-wide awards system to the "DNP Awards" in FY2020, aiming to realize a better society and more Well-being lives. We are recognizing outstanding activities from the perspective of "value creation" and strengthening our efforts to share that knowledge within the Group. We also have an "Anniversary Awards" system to recognize employees for their long service, and present awards at 10 and 25 years of service, upon reaching age 60, and upon retirement.
In July 2025, an awards ceremony was held, focusing mainly on initiatives undertaken in FY2024. One Grand Prize, one Best Award, and four Excellence Awards were selected for DNP Awards, and Anniversary Awards was presented to an employee with 25 years of service. Furthermore, since 2023, an award has been presented to recognize initiatives that foster a vibrant workplace culture and strengthen organizational and team capabilities, which form the foundation of value creation. In 2024, this award was refined to become the DNP Well-being Award, which recognizes initiatives based on the newly established DNP Well-being concept. In 2025, 30 outstanding initiatives were recognized.
Evaluation system
DNP Value Objectives （DVO System）
DNP has implemented the DNP Value Objectives (DVO) system to strengthen team capabilities, drive management transformation and foster trust and value creation within the organization. Each quarter, we set organizational objectives based on the organization’s KPIs, alongside team objectives that encourage the autonomy and independence of individual employees and their teams. Progress toward these goals is regularly reviewed through weekly team meetings and one-on-one sessions. This initiative fosters a sense of teamwork among employees, makes achievements and processes more visible and Support systems for career autonomy of employees.
Evaluation system
DNP’s performance evaluation system assesses not only individual achievements and results but also contributions to team success, collaboration with other departments, and support for colleagues. Throughout each period, we monitor each employee’s efforts and performance in real-time through the DVO system, weekly team meetings and one-on-one meetings, all based on the expected roles and outcomes (expected contributions) required for each profession and grade. At the end of each period, we evaluate the individual's actual achievements against the organization's goals, their behavior and processes according to their grade level, and their contributions to talent development and career progression. We also consider their progress toward objectives and how well they meet expectations based on the role-level framework, to provide a comprehensive evaluation.
Securing human resources
DNP respects the diversity of culture, nationality, creed, race, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, age, and way of thinking inherent in all people, and will conduct fair recruitment selection regardless of marital or partner status. We will not engage in discrimination of any kind and make decisions based on individuals' aptitude, ability, and motivation.
New graduate recruitment (non-consolidated)
- We disclose to applicants the type of person we are looking for and the selection process.
- To provide applicants with realistic view of DNP, we have introduced a recruiting partner system in which young employees act as recruiting partners.
- To meet the needs of educational institutions and students who want to experience business activities in the real world, we hold internships and workshop events that allow students to gain work experience.
In FY2024, 36 students participated in one long-term internship in the business course, and 89 students participated in 55 long-term internships in the technical course. In addition, 658 students participated in short-term workshop events.
Mid-career recruitment (non-consolidated)
- There is no age limit and applications are accepted widely through the website.
- The specific job descriptions for the positions being recruited are clearly announced.
Creating a comfortable working environment
In order to create an environment in which each employee can maximize their strengths, the DNP Group launched a joint labor-management project in 2004 and began initiatives such as reducing working hours by improving work efficiency and encouraging employees to take annual paid leave. Since 2009, these initiatives have evolved into "Workstyle Reform" activities, which involve making effective use of time resources and increasing the added value of work.
Currently, in order to realize "value-creating work styles," we are implementing measures to maintain and improve the physical and mental health of each employee, as well as to enhance well-being and engagement. By creating an environment where employees can feel both "motivated" and "easy to work," we are improving productivity and fostering an organizational culture that is conducive to innovation.
Employment of Elderly Persons (Flexible Retirement System)
We have introduced a flexible retirement system that enables employees to continue working as professionals at workplaces even after they reach age 60.
Telecommuting
We promote an optimal and highly productive hybrid work style that leverages both face-to-face and remote work, such as working from home, at satellite offices, or on the go, supported by a well-established and efficient IT environment.
Life Planning Promotion System
We provide information about retirement allowance, public pensions, and other topics through a labor–management joint initiative to enable each employee to develop their own optimal life plan and live a fulfilling second life.
The "Second Life Preparation Guidance" for employees aged 51 was held in 12 sessions with 500 employees and their families, while the "Second Life Last Minute Guidance" for employees aged 58 was held in 12 sessions with 548 employees and their families. In addition, the "Life Planning Seminar for Starting in Your 20s" for employees in their 20s and 30s was held in two sessions with 125 employees participating.
- The "Second Life Preparation Guidance" explains the key points for preparations to achieve a "rich and fulfilling second life" in three areas: "purpose in life," "health," and "family finances." The explanation of expected public pension and retirement benefits, which will be the main sources of income in second life, has been particularly well received by participants.
Life Planning Consultation Office
We support employees and their families in realizing a fulfilling life plan by utilizing the social insurance system and the company's employee benefit system. In FY2024, we received 466 consultations from employees of a wide range of ages, from their 20s to their 60s.
Consultation Office
We have established a system where employees can consult with lawyers, judicial scriveners, tax accountants and other specialists regarding personal problems or matters they wish to know about, such as housing (financial planning, property selection, design, construction, renovations, etc.), law (inheritance, family relations, traffic accidents, etc.), tax, harassment, etc. The consultation office not only responds to the concerns and questions of employees but also their families and serves as a consultation desk that provides comprehensive support to DNP Group employees. In FY2024, in addition to the permanent consultation offices in Tokyo and Osaka, on-site consultation sessions were held at six manufacturing bases across the country, and 788 consultations were received.
- Other main consultation contact points for employees
Besides the Life Planning Consultation Office and the Consultation Office, we operate the Open Door Room and the Global Internal Whistle-blowing System as consultation and whistle-blowing contact points for matters concerning corporate ethics in line with efforts to raise management fairness. Additionally, the Career Counseling Office is supporting the diverse career designs of employees.
Improving employee engagement
Employee Engagement Survey
DNP has made "dialogue" as one of its "guiding principles" formulated in 2001 and regularly conducts various surveys to incorporate employee feedback into its corporate activities.
Starting in 2021, in order to clarify employee engagement and the actual conditions of each workplace and foster a better corporate culture, we have introduced "Wevox," an engagement analysis tool provided by Atrae, Inc., to approximately 30,000 DNP Group employees and are conducting engagement surveys every month. Each organization engages in "dialogue" based on the survey results, which are used for improvement activities on various themes and strengthening teamwork.
In addition to these engagement surveys, we also conduct surveys on the state of "mental capital" and "psychological safety" as outlined in the "DNP Group Declaration on Health". We also conduct surveys on the progress of diversity and inclusion promotion and use the results to improve our personnel systems based on employee feedback.
DNP Family Day
To foster children’s interest in work and promote communication between employees and their families, we regularly hold a workplace tour event for children called DNP Family Day (formerly DNP Family-Friendly Day). This event not only increases employee motivation but also provides an opportunity for families and organizations to reflect on work-life balance.