Human Resources Management

Using People Analytics

The Mitsui Chemicals Group plans to use statistical data analysis methods, including regression analysis, analysis of data from employee engagement surveys, overtime hours worked, competency evaluations, recruitment data and other data on its human resources to strengthen its organizational power and make organizational issues more visible so that they can be used to find solutions.
We have used the correlations between labor productivity and overtime hours worked and between competency and performance to deduce cause-and-effect relationships and form and verify hypotheses that will maximize employee productivity. In the area of recruitment, exploratory AI-based data analysis is being used to establish quantitative and objective recruitment decision-making indicators, and eliminate possible human biases that have emerged to refine our recruitment processes.
In addition, with regard to human capital, we are currently extracting and analyzing data related to the 11 items and 58 indicators set out in ISO 30414. As for productivity, which is represented by one of the indicators, we are internally monitoring the EBIT, sales, and profit per employee and the human capital ROI over time to improve the Group's employee productivity.
As described below, deploying Workday will enable more timely, extensive, and diverse data capture. As our business expands in the future, people analytics and data-driven thinking are expected to become increasingly important, and we will strengthen this initiative while developing the system environment.

Use of the Talent Management System (Success Factors)

The Mitsui Chemicals Group uses Success Factors (talent profiling) from SAP to manage the headcount for the entire global Group-wide. We are collecting data from our consolidated subsidiaries have already collected talent data from more than 90% of our subsidiaries for use in the system. We are using Robotics Process Automation (RPA) to collect basic monthly personnel data from each company to analyze changes in job turnover by business organization, job function and region.
This system is capable of providing analysis data to the necessary stakeholders as needed and enables us to understand and analyze what personnel measures were being implemented at individual companies around the world, even in the face of rapid changes in the external environment, such as amid the COVID-19 pandemic in FY2020 and onward. This system also proved to be useful not only for identifying and collecting information, but also for continuing and maintaining effective measures such as by utilizing it to verify that the aforementioned findings are aligned with company-wide strategies and to report the findings to the management at Company-wide Key Talent Management Committee meetings, etc.

Introduction of a Group-wide Integrated Human Resources Platform (Workday)

To incorporate these measures in our human resources strategy effectively, the Mitsui Chemicals Group plans to introduce Workday Human Capital Management provided by U.S.-based Workday, Inc., simultaneously at all the business sites of Mitsui Chemicals and its consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates. The platform is scheduled to be implemented by 2023, and system startup has been underway since April 2021. In addition to the talent management system (Success Factors) already in place for the entire global Group-wide, the platform is expected to increase the visibility of the organization (job functions, capabilities, talent, compensation, etc.) and human capital data (expertise/orientation, experience, diversity, etc.) so that the benefits can be used to upgrade our corporate value as shown below.

Advantages of introducing the platform

• As everything will be managed on a single platform, existing disparate talent management processes at Group companies and organizational and HR information within the Group will be organized on the basis of standardized criteria.
• Leveraging Workday HCM’s digital technology, Mitsui Chemicals will be able to provide each and every Group employee with the optimal content for that individual in a timely manner and in an appropriate communication style.
• Integrated Group-wide management of organizational and HR information will facilitate the formulation of strategic staffing plans with a view to the transformation of the Group’s business portfolios and will also bolster efforts to promote the use of people analytics.
• Mitsui Chemicals will be able to be more proactive in disclosing the information about human capital required by stakeholders from the view point of ESG.

Human Resources Information

The global business that Mitsui Chemicals Group conducts is based on its business strategies, including its Long-term Business Plan. Alongside, we are also monitoring the status of our Group employees.

Number of Employees in the Mitsui Chemicals Group

As of the end of FY2021, the number of employees of the Mitsui Chemicals Group was 18,780, an increase of approximately 700 since FY2020. The number of employees registered with Mitsui Chemicals increased by 90 to 6,899. It has continuously increased by 2.7%, 1.3%, and 0.4% since FY2018, and by the end of FY2021, it has increased by about 4%. This is mainly attributed to employees who joined the company through M&A, TOB, etc., and to the companies that become its consolidated subsidiaries following the dissolution of the polyurethane business.

Number of Employees in the Mitsui Chemicals Group by Business Segment

The number of employees by business segment of the Mitsui Chemicals Group as of the end of FY2021 was 6,015, with Mobility accounting for the largest number of employees (32%). However, compared to FY2020, the number has slightly decreased following the optimization of the organizational structure. Meanwhile, the number of employees in Food & Packaging increased because Mitsui Chemicals Agro, which is engaged in this business domain, acquired Meiji Seika Pharma's agrochemicals business. The Basic Materials domain also saw an increase in the number of employees because Honshu Chemical Industries joined the Group through TOB and the polyurethane materials business was dissolved.

*Each Business Segment is from the time when the article was created.

Employees of the Mitsui Chemicals Group by Region

In the Mitsui Chemicals Group, the mix of employees by region reflects the progress of globalization associated with the business portfolio transformation under the long-term business plan and the establishment of a solution-based business model. In particular, the number of employees in Europe and the U.S. has increased dramatically over the past decade, as the Group aims to develop new markets, strengthen the manufacturing, marketing and research functions, and create new commercial channels.
As of the end of FY2021, Japan accounted for approximately 60% of the Group's employees by region. The number of employees based in Japan has increased by 1.7% compared to last year because companies that are mainly located in Japan joined the Group. Among the approximately 40% of companies that are located overseas, the largest ratio (14.7%) are located in Europe, which is home to the ARRK Group's engineering company (ARRK Engineering) under the jurisdiction of the Mobility Business Sector and Kulzer GmbH under the jurisdiction of the Health Care Business Sector. In Southeast Asia, the ratio has significantly increased since last year because several companies joined the Group following the dissolution of a polyurethane raw materials business in Southeast Asia.