Asahi Glass | Activities in the AGC Group

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Activities in the AGC Group

Concept:

The AGC Group relies on the capabilities of its employees as a basis of increasing its corporate value and improves its work environment to enable all the employees to work with satisfaction and pride in their daily operations and to share mutual respect based on the value of diversity.

Targets for fiscal 2008

To share the ES*1 survey results to implement ES improvement measures
To hold the second AGC Group award ceremony
To promote the active use of the in-house support systems to balance employees' work and childcare (Asahi Glass)
To achieve the statutory employment rate of people with disabilities (Asahi Glass)

Results in fiscal 2008

		Self-evaluation
1.	Implemented ES improvement measures on a global scale	A
2.	A total of 166 cases were awarded globally, and the award ceremony was held in Japan in May	A
3.	Certified by the Japanese government as a childcare supporting employer under the Law for Measures to Support the Development of the Next Generation	A
4.	Exceeded the statutory employment rate, reaching 1.95%	A

Criteria for self-evaluation
A:Satisfactory level, in which the intended target has been achieved
B:Almost satisfactory level, in which a part of the intended target has not yet been achieved
C:Unsatisfactory level, in which the intended target has not been achieved

Targets for fiscal 2009

To conduct the third ES survey with an expanded scope (Nov. 2009)*2
To establish the third AGC Group award
To further use of the in-house support systems to balance employees' work and childcare
To continue to expand the employment of people with disabilities

*1 ES stands for employee satisfaction, but the AGC Group defines it in terms of “employee job satisfaction and pride in accomplishment” and regards it as a basis of maximizing its corporate value.
*2 In April 2009, we decided to postpone the third ES survey slated for November 2009.

The AGC Group “7 Key Principles for People”

AGC group wishes to purse these principles as the foundation of our “7 Key Principles for People” to maximize our performance as a truly global corporation.

Implementation of "Look Beyond"

AGC group requires all employees to commit to our Shared Values of "Look Beyond"- Our four Shared Values: Innovation & Operational Excellence, Diversity, Environment, and Integrity

Diversity for Organizational Competitiveness

AGC group builds teams of diverse people who support our four Shared Values of "Look Beyond" and have the abilities to contribute to organizational competitiveness.

Development and Growth

AGC group encourages employees to grow and provides them with opportunities for self development.

Job Satisfaction and Pride

AGC group encourages employees to achieve their goals so that they feel a sense of pride and satisfaction in their work.

Work Environment and Conditions

AGC group provides a safe and healthy work environment.

Open Communication

AGC group emphasizes open communication in the workplace to create a better organizational climate.

Evaluation, Recognition and Rewarding Performance

AGC group evaluates and recognizes employees who contribute to the organization and rewards their contributions.

ES Improvement Activities Based on the ES Survey

Based on the “7 Key Principles for People,” which comprises the AGC Group's direction in human resources management, we have been conducting the AGC Group ES improvement activities since 2005.

In order to clarify problems and as a part of our communication with employees, we conducted our first ES survey in 2005 and the second survey in November 2007 with an expanded scope. We plan to conduct the third ES survey in November 2009*2. In these surveys we ask employees their opinions concerning eight ES improvement elements which include their workplace atmosphere, the skills for growth, evaluation, and treatment. We have been incorporating the survey results into our measures to cultivate a still further improved corporate culture.

*2 In April 2009, we decided to postpone the third ES survey slated for November 2009

Flow of ES Improvement Activities

The AGC Group is steadily implementing its ES improvement activities.

Second ES Survey (November 2007)

The second ES survey was conducted in 18 languages, targeting approximately 40,000 employees in a greater number of countries and areas. (The first ES survey was conducted in 13 languages, targeting 15,600 employees.) Through this survey, we verified the effect of ES improvement measures implemented after the first survey and identified the ES levels of employees including new participants in the survey. With the results, we will further strengthen our ES improvement activities, while executing the Plan, Do, Check, and Act (PDCA) cycle thoroughly throughout the Group.

Significance of ES Improvement Activities

ES improvement activities are essential to motivate employees to improve the quality of their work accomplishments. We therefore promote the incorporation of ES ideas and measures in the management mechanism of daily operations for all employees.

ES Improvement Measures for the AGC Group

Recognizing the importance of ES as explained above, we are implementing the following measures:

1.	To improve communication between managers and subordinates to achive their goals (Persons in charge: all leaders within the organization) Human resources development is an important priority. Leaders will promote personal growth and foster an environment where their subordinates are able to learn. They will also engage in open and frequent communication with the subordinates to provide appropriate support for attaining targets.
2.	To offer more educational opportunities for growth (Persons in charge: AGC Group) Provide employees with more educational opportunities (programs to cultivate human resources, stratified training, and departmental training) to help them make the best use of their abilities
3.	To ensure appropriate evaluation and treatment (Persons in charge: all leaders within the organization) Leaders will evaluate employees' contributions with fairness and transparency, and treat them accordingly. They will also fully communicate with the subordinates to give them feedback on the evaluation results.
4.	To improve the system for Group-wide internal communication (Persons in charge: AGC Group) Promote direct and interactive communications through top managements' visits to the Group's business sites on a continual basis The AGC Group Web will be expanded in order to promptly share information within the Group.
5.	To foster a better corporate climate with recognition and praise (Persons in charge: AGC Group ) Participation in the Group Award System will be promoted, while enhancing the system itself. Good practices will thereby be shared throughout the Group.

The AGC Group Award System

Year Book outlining examples of excellent activities (published in 18 languages)

In order to foster a better corporate climate in which employees are encouraged to respect each other and appreciate their mutual achievements and efforts, the AGC Group has introduced an award system targeting all employees.

Activities for which "Look Beyond" Award and CS Award have been granted are summarized in a booklet, copies of which are distributed to all Group employees to share the good examples across the board.

Commendations Awarded across the AGC Group and Numbers Thereof (FY2008)

Types	Number
*"Look Beyond"* Award	18
CS Award	33
Excellent Quality Improvement Plant Award	5
Excellent Cost Reduction Plant Award	5
Excellent Safety Plant Award	21
Environmental Contribution Award	7
KAIZEN Award	20
Enhancement and Transfer Technologies & Skills Award	16
Environmental Improvement Award	2
Technical Innovation & Performance Award	18
New Business/New Market Development Award	8
Excellent Business Support Award	13
Total	166

Leader Training

The AGC Group is a global corporate group comprising approximately 50,000 employees, who work in a total of 27 countries and regions. Leaders of the Group must have a range of leadership skills and abilities based on the value of diversity. In order to develop human resources who can become the future leaders of the Group, we are globally educating employees in our leader training programs as outlined below, irrespective of nationality and gender.

The AGC Group Leader Training Programs

The AGC Group Leader Training Programs

Topic
Diversity Creates the Leadership in the AGC Group

The AGC Group upholds the slogan of “Our People are Our Strength” as an important pillar of its Grow Beyond management policy, believing that individual growth leads to the growth of the entire AGC Group. Based on this idea, we aim to achieve a virtuous circle of individual and organizational growth.

In the leader training programs described above, participants with various types of work experience gather together to engage in a process in which they collaborate with each other to solve a problem. Participants can learn multiple viewpoints and business approaches and gain great inspiration from each other. These programs thus provide them with precious experience, which will help them become the leaders of the global corporate Group in the future.

DLS 2008 participant's voice

Working on a cross-cultural taskforce activities required excellent organization and strong interpersonal communications skills. In addition, I was able to gain an insight into modern management techniques. The opportunity to speak directly (and quite openly) with our Group top management was of extreme value for us. Overall, it was really a fantastic experience and, what's most important, we had a lot of fun with our team!

(Philipp Demidov Chief Financial Officer, AGC Flat Glass Russia)

AGC University Asia 2007 participant's voice

Getting a better understanding of the core values of the AGC Group and the importance and strength of diversity of the AGC Group, spurred me to press on and continue to coordinate marketing functions with various departments with a long-term perspective, for the common good of the Group

(Casey Ong Manager, Asia Pacific Marketing and Sales, AGC Chemicals Singapore)

In-House Magazine We are AGC!

We publish our group's in-house magazine since January 2006. We are AGC! communicates present situations among the Group so that all employees can share the Group's values and measures. This magazine, which is published every two months and written in both Japanese and English, is edited focusing on “diversity” and “technology.” It visually introduces the AGC Group's employees working in various locations in the world and the Group′s technological capabilities to help employees deepen their understanding.

Stakeholder Dialogue

We exchanged opinions with our stakeholders on the challenges to be met and the approaches to be taken by the Group with regard to community relations based on the shared values of the Group vision "Look Beyond"

Second Stakeholder Dialogue: Diversity

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