Gender equality has always been our mission
In 1980, it was uncommon for women to work in anything other than subsidiary positions in Japan, but at Recruit, women accounted for a large portion of employees as well as management. In recognition of women's desires to expand their career opportunities, Recruit began publishing a recruiting magazine specializing in women's employment and career moves called Travail.
To date, Recruit Group has had five company presidents. The third, Eiko Kono, led the company from 1997 to 2004 and was also the first woman to be appointed as a Director of the Board. In 1986, the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was implemented in Japan, and a 1999 revision to the law banned gender discrimination during hiring and promotion.
Today, women hold 40.2% of Recruit Group's management positions across the 60+ countries in which we operate. However, this level of female representation in managerial roles is still not sufficient considering that roughly 50% of our employees are female.
We have taken various measures to close the gap, and will continue to contribute to the realization of universal gender equality by providing more diverse options through our services worldwide.
Ratio of Employees by Gender
International Women's Day
In March 2020, Recruit Holdings celebrated International Women's Day by holding an event employees could attend either in person or online. The office was decorated with mimosa flowers and pledges made by each participant. Many employees expressed a deepened understanding of the importance of gender equality after attending the event:
Participants Comments
"This event was a great opportunity to think about gender equality."
"I would like to keep searching for what I can do to contribute to gender equality."
Recruit Group is supportive of LGBTI People
Recruit Group supports the UN Standards of Conduct for Business on Tackling Discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Intersex People.
We are committed to promoting their inclusion and respecting their human rights. By doing so, we are working toward "creating a brighter world where all individuals can live life to the fullest."