Health

Our Basic Health Management Policy

We understand that promotion of improved health among our company members is an important corporate issue. Thus, in 2019 we established and released the Toyota Boshoku Health Declaration with the aim of promoting health-improving activities on a mid-term basis.
Labor and management will continue working together to build a corporate culture and working environment where company members can perform their work with more energy and more ease, and can stay healthy in all aspects of their lives.

Photo:Our Basic Health Management Policy

Our Health Management Promotion System

We have long been promoting health management, with the CEO holding chief responsibility for such issues. However, in order to spur further health-related activities throughout the company we have reformed our health promotion system and appointed a Health Activities Promotion Leader for each division.
At Health & Safety Function Meetings, as well as COVID-19 countermeasure meetings, we share information concerning health management promotion with overseas business entities and affiliated companies. Additionally, we are working hard to strengthen our cooperation with labor unions and external organizations.
The four entities which make up the Promotion Division (the Health & Safety Promotion Division, the HR Strategy Division, the Corporate Planning Division and the Health Insurance Association) have had their respective roles clearly defined, and hold periodic meetings to ensure both that we engage in initiatives in line with our targets and yearly plans, and that we are continuing to build an environment where people can lead healthy lives, and continue performing their work with energy and with ease.

Figure:Our Health Management Promotion System
  • Employee Assistance Program: a program that supports company members in dealing with issues which affect productivity.

Our Health Management Strategy

Health Management Targets

To enable each and every company member at Toyota Boshoku to perform at their best, we have defined the Health Challenge Eight—eight targets which can affect a company member’s productivity, as well as their physical and mental health.
Setting a company-wide average of 5 out of 8 targets met as our Health Challenge Eight target, we are continuing with measures to both improve awareness and encourage healthy activity among individuals, as well as improve productivity and reduce health risks.

The eight targets of Health Challenge Eight:
① BMI: less than 25%
② Breakfast: eating breakfast every day
③ Alcohol: no drinking, or at most one drink a day
④ Snacking: limiting snacking after dinner to twice a week or less
⑤ Smoking: not smoking
⑥ Exercise: 30 minutes or more of exercise at least once a week
⑦ Sleep: sufficient, good-quality sleep
⑧ Stress: not being affected by high stress
Succeeding at one item gives one point

By analyzing the number of Health Challenge Eight targets a company member has met, along with health checkup results and productivity-related index of presenteeism*, it can be seen that individuals who have met more Health Challenge 8 targets perform better, and have better health overall.
In fiscal 2022, as part of our efforts to improve understanding of Health Challenge Eight among company members, we solicited ideas for a Health Challenge Eight slogan. The winning slogan is now in use on posters designed to raise awareness of Health Challenge Eight. We are also promoting future group walking events, so company members can enjoy themselves while keeping active, and trying to meet more of their Health Challenge Eight targets.

  • Being unable to perform to one’s full ability due to working while dealing with health problems, leading to a loss of productivity
Photo:Health Challenge Eight

◆ Learning from the results of the April-December 2021 Health Challenge Eight survey

  • The company-wide average number of targets mets was 4.52 out of 8
  • Meeting 4.91 or more of the The Health Challenge Eight targets is linked to health checkup results showing no health issues
  • Raising the company average to 5 or more Health Challenge Eight targets met would lead to improvements to the company-wide average loss of productivity resulting from presenteeism (currently 37.87%).

Health checkup x number of Challenge Eight targets met

Graph:Health checkup x number of Challenge Eight targets met

Ratio of presenteeism-induced loss, categorized by number of Challenge Eight targets met

Graph:Ratio of presenteeism-induced loss, categorized by number of Challenge Eight targets met

Health Management Strategy Map

We performed a detailed cross examination of the above analysis and the eight targets of Health Challenge Eight, along with the results of health checkups and stress checks.
We found that improvements in exercise and eating habits during and beyond a person’s twenties were important for maintaining a healthy BMI. In terms of presenteeism, improvements to sleep and stress levels were found to be important. As a result, we will prioritize these areas when promoting activities, and when creating future strategy maps.

Figure:Health Management Strategy Map
  • Data confirmation
  • Results of stress check, morals survey and vibrant KPI
  • Results of health checkup survey and interview

Cultivating Healthy People, Building a Culture of Health

Certified as an Excellent Enterprise of Health and Productivity Management

Our aim is for all company members to be able to live in complete physical and mental health, both during their career and after retirement. As such, we are engaging in activities to cultivate healthy people and build a culture of health. Our occupational physicians and health promotion staff work together to provide physical and mental health support to all company members.
These activities were evaluated, and in FY2023 Toyota Boshoku was recognized in the large enterprise category of the 2023 Certified Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program (White 500), continuing on from last year.
At this point in time, group companies are also engaging in their own activities, certified as a Health and Productivity Management Organization Recognition Program : large enterprises Toyota Boshoku Kyushu and Toyota Boshoku Tohoku, as well as small-to-medium enterprises Toyota Boshoku Shiga, TB Corporate Service, TB Engineering, ARACO, TB Logistics, TB Technogreen, TB Sewtech Tohoku, TB Kawashima, and Toyota Boshoku Health Insurance Association.

Logo:Certified as an Excellent Enterprise of Health and Productivity Management

Cultivating Good Mental Health

Activities to cultivate good mental health

At Toyota Boshoku, we engage in mental health education for new company members, as well as for newly promoted managers and supervisors. We also offer support for company members when taking a leave of absence, and when later returning to work. Additionally, we operate both internal and external consulting services, and are working to coordinate with human resources to engage in activities designed to maintain good mental health among our company members.
Since FY2017 all Toyota Boshoku company members receive an annual mental health check. We run in-person meetings and other forms of counselling for high-stress individuals, and make great efforts to prevent mental health issues from arising. Our internal medical staff work together with external organizations, and support the promotion of actions to improve the workplace.
From the stress check results, it can be seen that matters such as the proportion of high-stress individuals and stress response*1 have continually not been a major issue.
The deviation value for engagement*2 in 2016 was a relatively low value of 45. However, we have been engaging in mental health care activities based around the central principle “thorough self-care, regardless of employment rank.” This has gradually improved the deviation value over time, resulting in a value of 48 in 2021. We aim for a relationship where company member and organization can work as one—pushing each other forward, growing together, and contributing to mutual success. We are continuing with activities to build such a relationship, and are committed to further improving our engagement results.
We understand that a company member whose physical or mental health is suffering will not be able to make full use of their abilities. As such, we began measuring presenteeism in FY2022 in order to support each company member in performing to the best of their abilities. Presenteeism refers to a state of affairs where a company member is able to come to work, but due to health issues is unable to perform to the best of their abilities. It is expressed as the rate of lost productivity. Aiming to improve the problem of presenteeism, we are continuing support designed to promote and maintain good physical and mental health among our company members.
The long-term changes and restrictions to the way people live and work resulting from COVID-19 have had considerable effects on people’s mental health, and we are working together with external organizations to engage in support measures to help company members feel less isolated. Some examples of these are our Supporters Letter, our Counselling Service and our posting of videos to help company members address issues of isolation. Since many aspects of mental health cannot merely be given a numerical value, we will continue our practice of listening closely and genuinely to our company members, and supporting them as much as possible.

  • Deviation value of psychological and physical conditions relating to stress, based on stress check answers
  • Company members’ positive feelings and emotional attachment towards the company

Stress check response rate [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Stress check response rate (%) 92.3 95.8 96.5 95.5 94.1

Changes in stress response (deviation value) [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Changes in Stress Response 54 54 54 55 49.1

Scaled to a mean of 50, with higher values indicating a better result. From fiscal 2022 our criteria for calculation became stricter, thanks to a review by an external organization.

Percentage of company members with high stress [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Percentage of company members with high stress (%) 4.5 5.4 5.2 4.3 5.2

Number of company members newly absent for a prolonged period, categorized by age (at least three months consecutive absence)
Mental health-related illness [Toyota Boshoku]

Number of people

Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
29 years old and below 7 5 8 15 17
30-39 years old 23 14 19 19 23
40-49 years old 22 32 31 26 35
50 years old and above 13 19 23 22 19
Total 65 70 81 82 94

Engagement (deviation value) [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Engagement
(deviation value)
46 46 47 47 48.1

Scaled to a mean of 50, with higher values indicating a better result. We aim to reach a deviation value of 50 by 2025.

Presenteeism (rate of lost productivity) [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Presenteeism
(rate of lost productivity)
37.9

  • Collection of data began FY2022

WHO-HPQ (Health and Work Performance Questionnaire)measures absolute presenteeism.
“Presenteeism” refers to a state of affairs where a loss of productivity occurs as a result of a company member’s ability to work being impacted by health issues. Our aim is to reach 35% or lower by FY2026.

Absenteeism (absence from work due to injuries or sickness) [Toyota Boshoku]

Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Absenteeism (days) 3.1 3.1 2.7 2.7 2.7

  • Company member-wide average number of days of work missed due to injuries or sickness

Cultivating Good Physical Health

Health checkups held for all company members

The Toyota Boshoku group holds health checkups at all business sites, regardless of whether or not this is mandated by local law, and continues to maintain a 100% receiving rate for legally-mandated health checkups. As part of our health awareness raising activities, we will continue to provide follow-up appointments at infirmaries and worksites, and are aiming to achieve a 100% receiving rate for all health checkups independently provided by our various business sites.
In response to a 2019 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare directive, Toyota Boshoku revised our internal regulations, and from 2020 carry out special health checkups for company members targeted by this directive - that is, company members who work with information technology.

Rate of company members receiving legally-mandated health checkups [Toyota Boshoku Group]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Rate of company members receiving health checkup (%) 100 100 100 100 100

Rate of company members receiving detailed examinations after general health checkup [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Rate of company members receiving detailed examinations after general health checkup (%) 90.5 82.4 94.7 84.4 87.0

  • Health-related guidance is given to 100% of company members whose health checkup results identify possible health issues

Status of treatment for high blood pressure after receiving health check results [Toyota Boshoku]

Fiscal year 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Controlling blood pressure (%) 28.2 30.7 27.8 21.0 40.2

  • Percentage of company members who are successfully controlling their high blood pressure (i.e. keeping it below 140/90mmHg) via medical treatment
  • controlling blood pressure (%) = number of people successfully controlling blood pressure via medical treatment number of people receiving medical treatment + number of people not receiving treatment

Number of company members newly absent for a prolonged period, categorized by age (at least three months consecutive absence)
Physical health-related illnesses [Toyota Boshoku]

Number of people

Year 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
29 years old and below 3 4 2 1 1
30-39 years old 2 5 5 3 2
40-49 years old 6 14 13 10 7
50 years old and above 7 18 19 22 19
Total 18 41 39 36 29

Anti-smoking activities

Despite a year-by-year decline, 30.7% of Toyota Boshoku company members smoke, which is higher than the national average (16.7%, in 2020). Understanding that this carries risks of future smoking-related illness among company members, supporting activities that reduce the rate of smoking, and so protect the health of our company members and their families, has become an important focus for us.
Our anti-smoking activities involve establishing an anti-smoking calendar complete with non-smoking days, providing assistance towards the purchase of medical products that help one quit smoking, and assisting company members in attending outpatient appointments with doctors to help quit smoking. As well as this, we run Quit Smoking Marathons, where company members who smoke are paired with a supporter, and challenge themselves to avoid smoking. Supporters provide support, including checking daily whether their partner is continuing to avoid smoking. Company members who manage to avoid smoking, as well as their supporters, are presented with presents based on the number of days they continue to avoid smoking. Since the FY2015 Quit Smoking Marathon, a total of 129 pairs have taken part. On average 70–100% of pairs succeed at refraining from smoking. Company members who were able to quit smoking gave positive reports, such as: “Thanks to my partner’s support I was able to avoid smoking, even when I struggled with my personal motivation to quit smoking”, with positive reports from supporters such “Being able to work together with my partner to help them quit smoking, and watching over my partner every day as they do their best to achieve that goal was very rewarding”.
Adding to this, we are working towards introducing an all-day no-smoking policy across the entirety of Toyota Boshoku premises by 2023.
By continuing these various activities, we are promoting a greater and greater reduction in the percentage of company members who smoke.

Smoking rate [Toyota Boshoku]

Graph:Smoking rate [Toyota Boshoku]

Initiatives to prevent lifestyle diseases

“Lifestyle disease” is a general term for diseases caused by poor eating habits, insufficient exercise, excessive stress, alcohol consumption, smoking, or other poor lifestyle habits. Medical conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, are defined as lifestyle diseases.
Toyota Boshoku’s initiatives to prevent lifestyle diseases see us engaging in the following health-cultivating activities, with the aim of improving lifestyle habits lifestyles among our company members.

Sleep seminars

At Toyota Boshoku there is a distinctive connection between presenteeism and the quality of a company member’s sleep. In fiscal 2023 we will launch seminars on sleep, as well as other activities aimed at ensuring and improving the quality of company members’ sleep.

Health management using smartphones

We make use of the smartphone app PepUP to hold various events, such as health quizzes and walking events. We encourage company members to take part through an incentive system, and as of April 2022 there are a total of 3,229 registered users.

Photo:Health management using smartphones

Posting of fitness videos and health-related columns

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, assembling large numbers of company members in one place for lessons has become a long-running issue. Additionally, the pandemic has led to wide-scale negative health impacts among company members, such as weight gain, worsening health checkup results and increases in feelings of anxiety, with many company members discussing their desire to reverse the trend of decreased physical activity.
In response, we have posted health-related columns and fitness videos on the company’s intranet. This content draws approximately 700 viewers per month, pointing to true interest and engagement among staff.
This year, we are planning to post additional health-related columns, as well as hold online seminars.
Additionally, while keeping a close eye on both COVID-19 infection numbers and the progress of vaccinations, we are aiming to reopen in-person fitness lessons as soon as is practical, and are currently making the necessary preparations to do so.

Photo:Videos accessed via QR codes (videos supplied by RIZAP)
Videos accessed via QR codes (videos supplied by RIZAP)

Seminars for 28 year-old company members (Targeted Seminars)

By analyzing medical checkup results and the contents of medical interviews, it can be seen that various issues with exercise and diet, such as exercising and eating breakfast less frequently, tend to arise during one’s twenties. As a result of this, from fiscal 2023 we will run special health seminars targeting 28 year-old company members, with the aim of improving health literacy at a young age, improving lifestyle habits, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Health seminar for 35 year-old company members (Targeted Seminars)

We run special health seminars for 35 year-old company members, with the aim of improving health literacy and enabling a reversal of common trends such as a reduction in exercise and an increase in body weight.
Before the seminars, company members performed checks on their own fitness and stamina, and were provided with a report of the results. Then, employees whose flexibility or stamina were identified as lacking took part in lectures and practical exercise coaching with external instructors. Three months after these seminars, any changes in the employees’ exercise habits and awareness were carefully noted, and we are still continuing to provide support.
Participants: 323 people (61.8%)

Women’s health seminars

We hold seminars for learning about women’s medical issues, such as breast cancer and menopause, as well as how to deal with these issues, and approaches to maintaining hormonal balance. The contents of these seminars, run by external lecturers, are designed to respond to the needs of female company members, helping ease health issues uniquely faced by women, and supporting company members in leading high-quality, comfortable lifestyles. Due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, participants mostly took part remotely. However, by providing catch-up broadcasts for those who are not able to attend the seminars, more women were able to participate than ever before.
Live participants: 79 Catch-up broadcast views: 238 views

Photo:Women’s health seminars

Health Challenge Eight activities, and strengthening our personalized health guidance system

The percentage of company members with a BMI of at least 25 (overweight) has risen since 2012. However, in FY2022 this number dropped for the first time in eight years.
The 268 individuals who made improvements to their BMI (i.e. went from a BMI of at least 25 to a BMI under 25) showed positive changes to their results for the Health Challenge Eight categories “Exercise” and “Snacking.” The average Health Challenge Eight score for the 69 individuals who showed particularly large improvements (a change in body weight of at least 5 kg) had increased from 3.87 to 4.58. After checking the distribution of data, several factors (such as the fact that the number of scores of 4 or less decreased, while scores of 5 or more increased) indicate that the decision to set the Health Challenge Eight target as 5 out of 8 was a sound one.
Additionally, health check verdicts of “further examination or treatment required” were halved, while verdicts of “no issues” increased in number. From these results, it can be concluded that these changes are linked with improvements in presenteeism and absenteeism, and that lifestyle improvements are linked with improvements to BMI, as well as a reduction in health risks.
Finally, we can see that of the 268 aforementioned individuals who made improvements to their BMI, 16.2% of those aged 40 or over had taken part in personalized health guidance,* while this number for those showing particularly large improvements was 25%.
These results will be shared throughout the company, and by carrying out Health Challenge Eight activities designed to serve as an impetus for improving one’s lifestyle, as well as ensuring personalized health guidance is performed as effectively as possible, we will continue to aim for improvements to company workers’ performance.

  • Guidance given to individuals aged 40 and over who, despite a current high risk of lifestyle diseases, would likely be able to lower these risks via lifestyle improvements.

Changes in percentage of company members with BMI of at least 25

Graph:Changes in percentage of company members with BMI of at least 25

COVID-19 measures

The Toyota Boshoku group has taken effective measures to manage and overcome epidemics in the past, including swine influenza and SARS. With COVID-19 we are doing just the same by taking measures to prevent infection among company members, and to stop the spread of the virus both within the Toyota Boshoku group and our local communities.

Performing workplace COVID-19 vaccinations

Workplace vaccinations with Takeda/Moderna vaccines took place at venues in Kariya, Sanage, Takaoka and Toyohashi.
7,558 people received 1st and 2nd doses of vaccines between July and October 2021, with 4,963 people receiving a 3rd dose between February and May 2022.
In the future, we will continue our efforts to prevent infections, and work towards the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo:Performing workplace COVID-19 vaccinations
Photo:Performing workplace COVID-19 vaccinations

Definition of standards

  • Setting out and development of the COVID-19 response manual (as of the time of writing on April 1st 2022: 12th edition revised)
  • Revision and further developed of the manual in response to changes in national and local government policy (as of the time of writing on July 14th 2022: 32nd update)

Environmental improvements

  • Daily non-woven mask wearing requirement
  • Simultaneous wearing of face shield, where working environment conditions permit
  • Thorough outfitting and maintenance of room ventilation
  • Use of humidifiers and circulators where conditions permit, as well as ventilation and prevention of dry conditions
  • Limits to number of people in areas such as meeting rooms, elevators, cafeterias, and break rooms, as well as thorough compliance with such limits
  • Thorough daily cleaning and sterilization
  • Social distancing requirements, and installation of clear plastic barriers
  • Encouragement of working from home and staggered working hours
  • Enactment of “No Touching” measures
  • Transmission of messages to encourage caution through the safety confirmation system every Friday
  • Furnishing of special temporary housing for infected company members who must recover at home
  • Lending pulse oximeters to company members recovering at home

Anti-infection measures and traceability

  • Use of card readers to record trips taken on commuting buses
  • Central management of data for daily body temperatures and cafeteria usage in one shared system
  • Mandatory requirement of submission of 2-week follow-up forms for infected people, people in close contact with infected people and people reporting ill health, as well as central management of this data
  • A system of requiring an occupational health physician’s permission (in line with the manual) before returning to work
  • Making workplace vaccinations available to all staff who wish to receive vaccines
  • Offering of antigen kits to company members who begin feeling sick during work
  • Making PCR test kits available to staff in close contact with infected people who are unable to receive a COVID-19 test at a clinic

Information sharing with, and providing support to, other companies

  • We are members of the All-Toyota Group COVID-19 Response Liaison Committee. We share situational information with other members and incorporate relevant information into our manual.
  • We supply information concerning anti-infection measures to our affiliates and suppliers, and provide production support during periods where infections create issues.

Global information organization

  • Sharing of cluster definition between regions
  • Expansion of effective COVID-19 measures to other regions
  • Holding weekly COVID-19 measure meetings