Well-being (Health & Productivity Management, Occupational Safety and Health) : Initiatives

At MC, we believe that the source of value creation is our human resources, and have established “Fostering Vibrant Workplaces That Maximize the Potential of a Diverse Workforce” as one of the eight societal issues of our materiality that must be pursued and realized throughout the Group. In order to continue creating sustainable corporate value, we must find ways to respond to the further diversification and globalization of our business activities, and enable our diverse human resources to make full use of their unique abilities regardless of attributes such as gender or nationality. MC therefore views the creation of safe working environments and the maintenance and promotion of employee health as key issues, with senior management issuing a message on safety and health in FY2022.

MC’s initiatives continue to be recognized under the 2020 Certified Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program’s "White 500".

MC strives to create work environments in which both employees and contract employees can work with peace of mind, including in terms of safety, health promotion, productivity management and crisis management. In addition to complying with the legal requirements of each country in which we operate, we are also working to create and manage comprehensive occupational health and safety management systems.

Results
There was a reduction in the percentage of obesity within the company, especially among males, falling 1.7% from 30.6% in FY2020 to 28.9% in FY2022.

There are approximately 1,100 MC head-office employees on overseas assignments at any given time, and some 1,350 family members accompanying them. Recognizing that working overseas for extended periods can have an impact on one’s health due to differences in language, culture, medical systems, and other environmental factors, MC has taken several steps to ensure that its employees and their family members remain in good health wherever they happen to be. In addition to facilitating annual local health examinations, the MC Head Office medical clinic is equipped to handle health-related inquiries from employees and their family members should they feel unwell while overseas. If there are no suitable medical facilities in the area, MC will provide for the employee and their family to either return to Japan or travel to another nearby developed country for the examination. Employees and their families also qualify for subsidized travel expenses when taking Health Maintenance Leave, which can be taken in addition to paid holidays when employees need time off to refresh themselves, both in mind and body. MC also provides a global, 24-hour Japanese language service for medical emergencies, emergency assistance in transporting employees to more medically advanced regions like Tokyo, Singapore, and Bangkok and other extensive health-related support for its employees on overseas assignments.

In order to drive continuous improvement, since 2013 the Global Human Resources Department has conducted a survey targeting employees on overseas assignments to assess the quality of healthcare they receive as well as their working conditions in general for the purpose of further enhancing health-related measures. Monitor working conditions and stress levels, and if needed, additional support is provided by the Global Human Resources Department or the Mental Health Support Desk.

MC has established medical clinics at its Head Office and Kansai and Chubu Branch Offices for MC employees and those on domestic and overseas assignments. The Head Office clinic employs approximately 50 full- and part-time medical professionals, including physicians specializing internal medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology, otolaryngology, orthopedics and neurology, as well as nurses, testing and radiology technicians, nutritionists and pharmacists. These professionals, together with examination systems using the latest testing equipment, help to run a clinic that manages the health of MC employees, with a cumulative total of approximately 15,500 users in FY2021, and approximately 17,745 employees in FY2022 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within Japan, the attendance rate for regular checkups is 100%. Where necessary, employees are called in for follow-up examinations (3 to 6 months later), and are offered further tests.
The medical clinic also has an occupational health department, which provides medical support to employees with health concerns to enable them to work with peace of mind. This includes return-to-work assessments for those who go on leave due to medical treatment, and support to help them balance work with their treatment needs. We also aim to maintain a comfortable work environment through workplace assessments and discussions via the Health Committee. We interview employees who work overtime to inform them about long working hours and the associated health issues. In these ways, we are making ongoing efforts to improve health literacy and create a workplace where all employees can work in optimal physical and mental health.

MCʼs health clinics provide early checkups and treatment and offer medium- and long-term health management in conjunction with health examinations. Special examinations are offered to employees aged 40 and over and are utilized by 84% of employees in this age group. Preventing lifestyle-related diseases such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes and hyperuricemia is a pressing societal issue. MC is working to prevent lifestyle-related diseases and metabolic syndrome for employees by providing access to physicians and nutritionists via the clinics. Early action is essential to preventing lifestyle-related diseases. Going forward, in addition to providing health guidance to younger employees, MC will also work to raise the awareness of healthy employees with normal checkup results on how to structure their lifestyles for maintaining their health.

In collaboration with the Mitsubishi Corporation Health Insurance Association, we are providing employees with a self-medication service that allows them to consult with a specialist (pharmacist) and purchase medication online with the aim of encouraging them to take an interest in maintaining and improving their health. When developing health management-related programs such as this self-medication service, we provide services and conduct trials among our employees in order to make improvements to such programs.

Focusing on preventive measures and early treatment, MC provides extensive mental care support. MC has a simple, web-based system through which employees can assess their own stress levels and propensities to develop health problems. MC also conducts various types of training for employees, including managers, in an effort to prevent mental health issues. MC has made it a requirement for all employees, including secondees, to complete a stresscheck. After answering an online survey, employees immediately receive an on-screen evaluation of their stress levels, along with feedback. If their stress levels are particularly high, they are recommended to make an appointment with a neurologist at one of MC’s clinics. If necessary, working environment adjustments are also prescribed to help bring their stress levels down.

Meanwhile, MC’s internal Mental Health Support Desk and medical clinic neurology department are equipped to quickly accommodate employee (including employees on domestic and overseas assignments) health inquiries, with a system that supports employees together with their workplaces. MC has also set up an outside help desk that is linked to its specialized EAP^* medical facilities. Through this comprehensive system, employees and their family members can consult with healthcare professionals or receive counseling at any hour of the day, whether in person or by telephone or email.

Moreover, a summary of the results are shared on an anonymous basis within MC and utilized to improve working styles and workplace conditions. Going forward, MC plans to make use of the survey findings to inform its mental health issue prevention measures for employees, as well as training and other measures to further raise awareness of mental health issues.

The Mental Health Support Desk has been established for MC employees (including those on domestic and overseas assignments). Staffed by licensed psychologists and clinical psychotherapists, the Mental Health Support Desk is available to employees for mental health consultations. It helps employees to check their stress levels and enables those feeling off form to have an initial consultation before seeing a neurologist. It also supports employees who have been on extended leave due to psychiatric issues to return to work by offering rehabilitation programs, recommendations on workplace re-integration and long-term follow-up.

Multiphasic health screenings are offered to employees in line with the Japanese Industrial Safety and Health Act, the fees for which are partially subsidized^*.

MC gathers and analyzes the latest information from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the World Health Organization, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and other organizations on the outbreak and spread of infectious diseases. Based on this, the Emergency Crisis Management Office works together with occupational physicians and occupational health staff to implement in-house infection control measures.

With respect to COVID-19, MC is monitoring the situation in Japan and overseas, and has adopted the following three principles: prevention of infection; prevention of the spread of infection; and prevention of severe cases. With these principles in mind, we are taking the necessary measures to mitigate any adverse impacts on not only MC employees but all staff working within MC, all whilst striving to ensure business continuity.

We have strengthened our medical consultation system for employees assigned overseas and their families, and are providing medical advice on infection prevention and mental health care to help them work with peace of mind even in areas where infection is widespread.

MC takes an exhaustive approach toward preventing the spread of diseases in the workplace with initiatives such as providing anti-malaria vaccinations for employees taking business trips to regions where tropical malaria is prevalent, recommending antibody tests and vaccinations against measles and rubella (MR), and administering in-house vaccinations against seasonal influenza.

MC partnered with the Mongolian Anti-Tuberculosis Association to raise awareness of tuberculosis in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar. Targeting particularly high-risk groups such as college students, MC aimed to raise awareness of the disease through pamphlet distribution, videos and events. In addition, for secondary school students, MC organized a drawing contest and used the winning entries in advertising posters. These awareness-raising activities were conducted at five universities and 750 secondary schools.

As business becomes ever more complex and fast-paced, the pressure on employees to carry out more work at a higher quality inevitably increases. In addition, the nature of a sogo shosha means there are often busy and high-pressure periods, such as with large projects and overseas business. As such, in order to prevent health problems caused by overwork, MC places particular priority on: 1) the mental and physical health of employees; 2) compliance with laws, regulations and rules; and 3) appropriate management of extended overtime. Specifically, MC goes beyond legal requirements in terms of managing overtime hours for non-managers and managers. When employees exceed a certain level of overtime hours, they must submit a health questionnaire and receive health guidance from an occupational physician. As well as using computer logs and objective data to accurately report overtime hours and complying with the Japanese Article 36 Agreement as a matter of course, MC also conducts time management training and other initiatives for managers. While taking into account the differences between specific business environments and industries, MC aims to achieve an average annual paid leave utilization rate of 70% or more, and systematically encourages employees to utilize their annual paid leave. In addition, where certain departments demonstrate a tendency to work overtime frequently, MC will draw up and implement improvement measures on an individual basis and endeavor to prevent overwork, including by reducing excessive overtime. As a result, in FY2022, the annual paid leave utilization rate was 67% while average monthly overtime was 29.9 hours/month (As for FY2021, 55%, 30.4 hours/month). MC is promoting initiatives for each organization and individual to pursue autonomous and flexible work styles, and improve productivity and efficiency whilst also improving results and performance.
MC is creating a working environment that enables its diverse workforce to thrive professionally while fostering an organizational culture in which performance is evaluated fairly based on results.

MC Group companies conduct activities to prevent industrial accidents by formulating response policies, introducing occupational Safety and Health(OSH) management systems* for employees, and taking other appropriate measures based on the nature of the business and context. Out of the MC Group companies that have OSH risks, 99.6% have OSH management systems, and we will inquire about initiatives in our consolidated partner companies.

MC is one of the largest shareholders of the Donggi-Senoro LNG Project in Indonesia (DSLNG). DSLNG recognizes that occupational health and process safety is one of the most important issues in the production of liquefied natural gas(LNG), and we are working to ensure the safety of workers. DSLNG has implemented a range of measures, including formulating policies on integrated quality management, health, safety, environment, and security along with establishing a Process Safety Management Committee. In addition, DSLNG also provides employees with training on matters such as Permit to Work, process safety management, crisis management, and firefighting measures, and conducts Safety Leadership Workshops in collaboration with contracted companies to further raise safety awareness among staff. Moreover, MC maintains a robust safety framework by conducting regular reviews of and improvements to its safety measures.

As its core safety initiative, MC Ferticom Co., Ltd. implements S・I・GMA (sigma) activities with the aim of improving manufacturing operations.
S = Safety
I = Improvement
GMA= Good Manners
Through these activities, MC is making a concerted effort to raise awareness of safety and improve manufacturing operations. MC Ferticom Co., Ltd. has also acquired the ISO45001 occupational health and safety certification at all of its facilities. As a responsible fertilizer manufacturer, MC will continue to pursue further safety and reliability.

Please refer to the links below for data related to Main MC Group Companies with ISO 45001 Certification.

Since 2002, Nikken Corporation has a regularly-published newsletter called Safety News (in Japanese), which is shared with customers and other stakeholders. MC gathers a range of information including recommendations on how to reduce labor-related accidents as well as methods for how to avoid and prevent HSE incidents based on white papers published by related organizations