Improving diverse human resources and expertise

We are working to secure human resources with diverse values, experiences, and abilities, and to expand the opportunities for diverse human resources to thrive.
We also strive to improve the expertise of each employee according to their role and business characteristics, while making the most of their individuality and aspirations.

In April 2021, we formulated an "Action Plan for Promoting Women's Participation" and are working to further promote women's participation in the workplace by increasing the hiring rate of female employees and expanding opportunities for them to thrive. Furthermore, since fiscal 2020, four of our female executive officers and managers have been recognized for their multifaceted achievements, including social influence, human resource development, and community contributions, and have received the "Outstanding Female Leaders Award" from the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

By working to secure and support the active participation of human resources that respect diversity in terms of nationality, work history, career aspirations, life stage, and other factors, we are not only advancing our business strategies but also bringing about various positive effects, such as reviewing business processes and promoting DE&I.

In order to secure the human resources that will drive our business transformation, we are actively recruiting mid-career employees, from general employees to management positions. As a result of this initiative, the mid-career recruitment rate for regular employees in fiscal 2024 will be a high 84.1% (mid-career recruitment includes those who have been converted to regular employment).

We have many talented people with diverse backgrounds, skills, and values working in our departments, primarily in areas such as business model transformation and future exploration. In addition, we have begun hiring returning employees as part of our mid-career recruitment program from 2023.

As part of our medium-term management plan, we are promoting the direct employment of foreign workers in order to create new business pillars, particularly in strengthening our tourism business.
We plan to hire foreign nationals for managerial positions in fiscal 2023, expanding opportunities for them to play an active role throughout the Group. By fiscal 2024, the number of foreign nationals employed will reach 73.

As society as a whole becomes more diverse, Nankai Grief Support Co., Ltd. is taking an LGBTQ-friendly approach by allowing same-sex partners to use the same in-house systems as legally married partners, such as congratulatory and condolence gifts, leave, and various benefits. This series of initiatives has been recognized, and in 2023 the company was awarded the highest "Gold" rating in the evaluation index for corporate LGBTQ-related initiatives established by work with Pride (a non-profit organization).

Starting in fiscal 2021, we will gradually raise the retirement age to 65, and are working to create an environment in which employees can continue to work after the age of 60. We also continue to operate a system for reemployment after retirement, with 24 employees working in a variety of fields as of the end of March 2025. In addition to complying with laws and regulations, we are also working to support the enrichment of senior life by raising wage levels to accommodate the so-called "pension-free period" and holding seminars to help maintain and improve motivation.

As of June 1, 2025, the employment rate (actual employment rate) of people with disabilities at our company and the seven group companies that have received special certification was 2.72%, with 98 people employed with disabilities. Approximately half of these people are employed by our special subsidiary, Nankai Heartful Service Co., Ltd., whose employees are engaged in cleaning and mail sorting at our company's facilities and other facilities. We strive to create and maintain a comfortable working environment by promoting communication through daily information exchanges and the holding of recreational events.

The Group is working to bring out the best in its employees, who have diverse values, experiences, and abilities.

To enable each employee to choose their future aspirations based on their own aspirations and aptitudes, we are implementing new initiatives such as a career path change system, a career aspiration survey in which employees can declare their desire for transfers and their family's life circumstances, and internal recruitment from railway operations divisions to innovation promotion divisions. Through these initiatives, we are working to realize the "right person in the right place" where employees can demonstrate their abilities with high engagement.

In order to transform our business in response to changes in society and our customers, we secure and develop human resources with managerial perspectives and skills (management human resources) and highly specialized human resources who are well-versed in each business (expert human resources).

Among the specialized human resources, those who will lead new strategies for each business are positioned as "strategic human resources," while those who will be responsible for existing businesses and operations are positioned as "core human resources." In particular, to secure and strengthen the development of strategic human resources, we are defining the required skills and experience as a "strategic human resource profile," establishing and monitoring a "strategic human resources portfolio," and promoting the development of a fighting force that will realize our management and business strategies.

To strengthen the development of specialized human resources, from fiscal 2023 we will introduce three courses for general employees: "Management Course," "Expert Course," and "Railway Professional Course," and we are promoting human resource development in accordance with the placement and development policies for each course.
 

For information on the Group's overall human resources, which are linked to our management strategies, please see" Nankai Group's Human Resources Strategy Leading to Value Creation."​