Value provided by NK and its value chain
NK believes that the biggest problem with capitalism, especially in Japanese companies, is the “work environment/work style” and “economic conditions” of the company and its supply chain companies that are stakeholders of the company.disparities and inequalities in the situation. If management continues to maintain a work environment and work style that is far from diversity, it will make it difficult to improve employee motivation, job satisfaction, and ability, and even create innovation. I can say
As a result, if the awareness of governance and compliance weakens, it will become extremely difficult to achieve everything related to sustainability that we are striving for permanently and over the long term, and it will become even more difficult for us as a company to survive. Japan ranks 116th out of 146 countries in the Gender Gap Index, which shows social and cultural disparities between men and women, which is extremely low (2022, World Economic Forum). There are many management structures where it is objectively unclear whether or not decisions are made that reflect opinions. Even if the information that is viewed as problematic becomes clear, it will be meaningless unless the company taking on the challenge becomes the mainstream in all industries. Under such circumstances, the Japanese government is launching various initiatives from 2023, although there are pros and cons. On the other hand, are companies making progress on their own initiatives? Are they addressing employee wellbeing on the same level as conventional financial figures such as sales and profits? That is the biggest question.
Employee
While our company's various efforts to protect the global environment, it depends on how far the management team and employees can integrate to further advance and sustain them. Quantifying the burden on the global environment and making management decisions is an extension of the efforts we have made since our founding, so it is highly dependent on the will of the management team. It depends on the motivation (spontaneity and self-awareness) of employees whether they can talk with business partners and expand and scale to all communities, including Adachi Ward and neighboring areas.
Introducing NK's employees, work styles, welfare programs, and future prospects.
・Employee No. 1 Shixiong Zhang After the bankruptcy of his previous company, he chose to found NK together with Nakamura, instead of returning to his hometown of China. I am in charge of technology and production. With Zhang, who speaks Japanese as a second language, NK is able to hire and train foreigners who are not comfortable with the Japanese language. By communicating with each other, we are able to build a production network that utilizes our valuable technology.
・Part-time employees At NK, 80% of all employees are working while taking care of their children at home. All of our employees, who have overcome the difficult task of sharing childcare responsibilities, where the problem of the gender gap in Japan has surfaced, will play an important role in creating a work style that will allow future employees to play an active role. Masu.
■ Working hours
Working hours except Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are as follows.
Full-time employees: Start time 9:00 End time 18:15 Break time 12:00 to 1:00 pm 15:00 to 15:00
Part-time employees: 1 Start time 9:00 End time 17:15 Break time Noon to 1:15 pm to 15:15 pm 2 Start time 9:00 End time 15:00 Break time 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Even in the case of , we basically do not ask for overtime work.There has been no overtime work in the past.)
■ Company housing and food subsidies
Regardless of whether you are a full-time or part-time employee, we support company housing and food expenses as a welfare program when deemed necessary.
■ Various rules
Based on the relevant laws and regulations established by the government, we have established employment regulations and childcare and nursing care leave regulations and share them with all employees. In addition, NK has several vacation systems that are rare for small and medium-sized enterprises.
For example, we have established a vacation system called “self-leave” to promote wellbeing so that employees can appreciate their efforts, gain new perspectives, and apply them to their lives and work.
Full-time employees Employees with 3 years of continuous service Three days are granted in addition to annual paid leave. 5 days every 3 years thereafter.
Indefinite part-time employees Employees with 4 years of continuous service Three days are granted in addition to annual paid leave. After that, 3 days are given every 3 years.
■ Manager Evaluation Criteria/Work Regulations
At NK, we ask employees who are motivated to contribute to society and the global environment through their work to take on managerial duties. It is open to all employees. By disclosing specifics, we aim to eliminate unfairness and inequality and create a workplace where everyone can be satisfied.
Supplier
NK handles animal skins (leather). For people around the world, leather is one of the oldest materials since the beginning of human history, so it exists in our daily lives as a matter of course. In modern life and business, it is almost impossible to know what kind of animal it was compared to and what kind of process it took to get to your hands, whether it is on a shelf or in a business meeting with a business partner. People usually cannot empathize with what they cannot know or see. If you can't sympathize with it, the sense of treating it with care will be extremely diluted. Leather originally has the life of the animal. Be it cows, pigs, deer, boars, horses, kangaroos, many animals are sacrificed for what is called human cultural life, and we People who work with leather like us have long faced its history. However, leather, which also has the aspect of being a "luxury item" and is economical, can have a very high value or a low value. Therefore, even those who have been involved for a long time sometimes judge the value based on its economic efficiency, and it is a fact that there are many cases where they are unable to face the problems they should be facing.
NK looks at the value of leather again, and in order to judge its value, we check the history of how leather becomes a product, from the ranch to the raw material factory and the product production process. In other words, one of the important value judgments is whether or not there is transparency in the supply chain, and based on that, the price of the final product is determined. Therefore, we will continue to make efforts as a company's mission so that consumers and consumers will ultimately recognize the value and find higher value.
■ Examples of NK leather value judgment standards
1. Background of development of farms for raising animals and impact on the global environment due to development and land modification
2. Are the human rights of those who work on animal farms ensured?
3. Animal welfare practices in slaughter (individual confirmation and degree of agreement with recommendations of third-party organizations such as LWG and AWG)
4. Animal welfare practices in transportation (individual confirmation and degree of conformity with recommendations of third-party organizations such as LWG and AWG)
5. Level of load reduction on water resources in tanners (LWG Gold, Silver certified company level)
6. Environmental impact reduction level of chemical products in tanneries (LWG Gold, Silver certified company level)
7. Level of GHG emissions generated in the relevant animal rearing
Local community
Realization of Made in Japan domestic production, world-class processing within 30km from NK head office, and growth of local economy
The expression “Made in Japan” has long held a kind of belief not only among us Japanese, but also around the world. On the other hand, how many people can answer the question, "Why is Made in Japan good? What does Made in Japan bring?" I can't.
At a time when the question of whether it will last or not has become the focus of businesses around the world, what can Made in Japan concretely bring about “better things” (whether financial, other or more)? What is it and how can we find better results? How can we measure it?
As NK repeatedly asks this question on a day-to-day basis at the management site, first of all, what kind of “better things” can be done for the neighboring areas centered on Adachi-ku, Tokyo, the local community that nurtured the company? We quantify concretely whether or not we have created new ideas, and whether we can create new ones in the future.
・Most of the capital (amount) invested in procurement (purchase) is invested in corporations and individuals active in the company's local community. (Results by 2022: 80% or more within 30km)
・In the community, we will provide incentives such as preferential ordering to companies that resonate with our company policy and immediately implement it, even if they are in the same industry.
・Even if the company is not a community, if NK leads to the diverse growth of the community, we will do our best to build cooperative relationships both in Japan and overseas.
・Priority is given to hiring within this community. Practice commuting without greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 3) compared to using a car by commuting by bicycle or then by train.
・As for employees, when they share the issues they notice through participating in public activities and volunteer activities in the community with the company and contribute as a business, they will be evaluated as important.
