Two Mitsui Chemicals Companies Recognized as Excellent Enterprises of Health and Productivity Management

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) and Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello, Inc. (President & CEO: Takeshi Kaide) were recognized on February 21 as White 500 companies in the 2019 Certified Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program, operated by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Nippon Kenko Kaigi. This year’s listing marks Mitsui Chemicals’ third successive appearance and Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello’s debut in the White 500, the program’s large enterprise category.

Under the recognition program’s White 500 category, the Nippon Kenko Kaigi examines large enterprises engaging in initiatives for overcoming health-related challenges in regional communities or for promoting health-conscious activities led by the Nippon Kenko Kaigi, and recognizes outstanding enterprises engaging in efforts for health and productivity management.

To promote health management among employees, Mitsui Chemicals has established health management offices staffed by full-time health and safety managers and occupational health physicians and nurses at its head office, R&D center and four major plants. The company also dispatches occupational health physicians and nurses to visit other plants and the main plants of affiliate companies as part of its endeavors to promote better health among employees throughout the Mitsui Chemicals Group. The company also devotes energy to ongoing efforts toward reducing hygiene risks and preventing mental health issues and lifestyle-related diseases. The results of these initiatives are available on the Mitsui Chemicals website.

Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello works with occupational health physicians and nurses, health insurance societies and labor unions to maintain and promote employee health. Inspired by the president’s declaration on work style reforms, the company is also implementing a comprehensive range of measures aimed at enhancing employee energy and increasing productivity. These include eradicating long working hours and encouraging efforts to run meetings more efficiently.

In a questionnaire on health and productivity management, Mitsui Chemicals was nominated by many other companies as being a role model corporation for such initiatives. Mitsui Chemicals has therefore been named in a report on companies selected for inclusion in the recognition program, which is available on the METI website (see p.35 of the Japanese report) .

Based on the philosophy that healthy employees make for a healthy company, the Mitsui Chemicals Group will continue to position employee health as a key management issue and take the initiative in promoting activities that support good health among all group employees.