Seiko Group Corp. and its Japanese subsidiaries introduce paid childcare leave for male employees All Group employees are now eligible for paid childcare leave

Seiko Group Corporation (Chairman & Group CEO, CCO: Shinji Hattori; head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") revised its maternity and childcare system as of October 1, 2022, in accordance with the revision of the Act on Childcare Leave/Caregiver Leave, and has introduced childcare leave at birth for male employees (up to 4 weeks within 8 weeks after the birth of the child) at the Company and all eight of its subsidiaries in Japan (※1). In addition, paid maternity leave before and after childbirth, which had been limited to the Company and some of its subsidiaries, has been similarly expanded to cover all eight of its domestic subsidiaries.

Based on the Seiko Group's official Statement of Purpose: “As a company trusted by society, we will constantly pursue innovation, inspiring people everywhere, and creating a future full of smiles.” (※2), we are working to improve our employees’ work/life balance and create a healthier working environment.

One of the features of this system is that 100% of our male employees are paid for childcare leave (commonly known as paternity leave) after childbirth, and 100% of our female employees are paid for maternity leave both before and after childbirth. This initiative exceeds the statutory requirement because we want to encourage more male employees to take paternity leave (male employees currently take advantage of childcare leave at a significantly lower rate than do female employees).

Moreover, we are actively promoting Group-wide efforts to raise awareness, such as holding a dialogue between top management and experts on the subject of promoting paternity leave, sending messages from top management to Group employees, and holding an online seminar for all employees about paternity leave. We aim to create a corporate culture in which men take paternity leave as a matter of course. We will improve interviews conducted by HR personnel and managers, prepare effective manuals, and promote understanding and compliance among supervisors and colleagues.

The Seiko Group will fulfill its social responsibility and enhance its corporate value by creating a workplace environment where every employee can enjoy peace of mind. Through this new system, we aim to develop an environment in which both men and women can balance work and childcare, and to create a rewarding workplace that will support the lifestyles of all employees.