Developing and Nurturing Global Human Resources

Building the Global Human Resources Platform for developing and nurturing personnel

Participants role play at a new leader seminar

The Ajinomoto Group is working to develop and nurture its human resources on a global level, based on the notion that the collective strength of its personnel will create the foundation for success over the next 100 years. The goal of the Global Human Resources Platform is to encourage all group employees to think beyond their respective companies and countries while enthusiastically pursuing personal career objectives and contributing to the realization of the Ajinomoto Group Vision through their work.
In fiscal 2008, the Ajinomoto Group began taking a number of steps in order to realize this goal. First, it conducted an employee opinion survey, and based on the results, determined two priority issues: career advancement support and the development and promotion of promising employees. To address these issues, the company began creating an information database of personnel and positions after evaluating the duties required for key positions at group companies outside Japan using unified standards. With the aim of continually developing personnel to serve as key members of group management, two new training seminars were set up to expand the pool of leadership candidates—the Ajinomoto Global Future Leader Seminar and the Ajinomoto Group Leader Seminar—on top of the Global & Group Leader Seminar, which was implemented from fiscal 2007 to train new management personnel. A total of 74 employees from 26 companies in 15 different countries attended the seminars, held at the Ajinomoto Group Takanawa Training Center, and exchanged candid opinions on the future of the Ajinomoto Group.

Human Resources Training System

Stages of growth (Click on the image to enlarge.)

As a global a network of companies in 22 countries and regions, the Ajinomoto Group is cultivating its human resources to build a foundation for growth over the next 100 years. In addition to various training programs, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has been actively undertaking comprehensive human resources development by integrating on-the-job training, various support systems such as career support, personnel policies, and general training.
In fiscal 2008, the group held various training seminars designed to strengthen human resources development programs for the promotion of global and group management. The seminars included the Global & Group Leader Seminar for senior management, as well as the Ajinomoto Global Future Leader Seminar and the Ajinomoto Group Leader Seminar for next-generation leaders in and outside Japan. These sessions provide opportunities for group employees to discuss issues and work toward self-improvement with leaders from group companies in and outside Japan.
To encourage all employees to actively work toward personal growth, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has upgraded its training programs and created a new training system based on a personal growth model incorporating the three stages of awareness, improvement, and further development. The company distributes clearly presented information to employees concerning this initiative (see chart above).
To develop human resources that can advance the Ajinomoto Group in the 21st century, initiatives are being put in place to strengthen cooperation with personnel departments in each group company, further improve training programs, and raise awareness of workplace policies.

Compensation for Inventions

Ajinomoto Co., Inc. is working to protect and effectively utilize intellectual property rights, including original technologies, content, and brands, in order to strengthen its technological expertise. The company pays compensation for patent applications when employee inventions are transferred to the company, compensation for patent registrations when inventions are registered, and compensation for implementation when the company implements an invention. It also pays performance-based compensation to inventors when it recognizes significant profit from an employee invention.