Human Resources Development
Policy
In order to achieve the Group’s corporate philosophy of “Sampo-yoshi,” (good for the seller, good for the buyer, and good for society), one of the three important measures to enhance our corporate brand value is reinforcement of human capital. By reinforcing human capital, ITOCHU aims to pursue further labor productivity and sustainably enhance our corporate brand value. Emphasizing a market-oriented perspective, ITOCHU will listen to the voices of the market, society, and consumers and focus on implementing the following measures:
- 1. Securing Excellent Talents by Leveraging the Advantage in Recruiting Market
In order to achieve higher results with fewer employees compared to other companies in the same industry, ITOCHU will secure outstanding human resources who resonate with our corporate philosophy of “Sampo-yoshi.”
- 2. Continuous Development of Diverse Management Talents Through Officer Appointment System
Based on the diverse customer needs in the consumer goods industry, ITOCHU is promoting women’s active participation by diversifying the organization and management in decision-making. ITOCHU will also accelerate downstream investments and foster a “culture of continuous learning” within the company to further expand and strengthen our business infrastructure, focusing on nurturing management talents and global talents.
- 3. Enhancing Employee Motivation and Pursuing Further Labor Productivity
ITOCHU has been implementing advanced initiatives in workstyle reform, such as Morning-Focused Working System, and creating opportunities for challenging experiences and early promotion based on performance. ITOCHU aims to realize a “Challenging but Rewarding Workplace” where all employees can maximize their abilities.
Tomokuni Nishiguchi
<Head of Human Resources>
Member of the Board, Senior Executive Officer
Chief Administrative Officer
In addition, since FY1999, ITOCHU has positioned the investment in human capital as a continuous investment for enhancing corporate value, and ITOCHU has reviewed them throughout the company to link them to talent development. In FY2025, our total investment in employee development (E&D expenses) amounted to 2.7 billion yen, with an average investment of 664,000 yen per employee.
Through these efforts, ITOCHU will nurture employees in line with our Guideline of Conduct, “I am One with Infinite Missions,” in response to changes in the social environment and customer needs and achieve our Group’s corporate philosophy of “Sampo-yoshi.”
Targets and Action Plan
Based on our employee training policy, ITOCHU Corporation works to achieve the following goals.
| Division Company | SDGs Targets | Impact Classifi-cation | Issues to Address | Business Area | Commitment | Specific Approach | Performance Indicators (Non-Consolidated) |
Degree of Progress |
| Head-quarters |  |
Labor Practices | Sustainable development of employees’ capabilities | Human resources affairs | We will develop training programs on a global basis and provide opportunities to learn proactively that respond to the changing times and business needs with a market-oriented mindset to foster employees who can constantly change their business to meet their needs while inheriting the corporate philosophy. We will also utilize training programs to continuously produce excellent human resources. |
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Structures and Systems
ITOCHU Corporation implements a global personnel strategy. Specifically, we established leadership standards and we constructed the Talent Management Process to hire, develop, utilize and promote excellent talent who will expand overseas revenues worldwide.
We provide a selective online training program as support for career formation according to diverse values. This program enables employees to take courses on various topics such as management skills, digital transformation, finance, marketing, languages and others anytime, anywhere. It is utilized by about 1,000 employees every year. We have so far stationed a total of about 130 overseas bloc employees in our headquarters from the perspective of career formation. The purpose is to deepen their understanding of the corporate philosophy, to acquire knowledge and experience through the headquarters’ business, and to build a human network. Currently, there are about 780 overseas bloc employees among management personnel (equivalent to managerial positions). We will continue to work with each company and overseas bloc to proactively train and promote excellent employees in the right place regardless of their nationality. This will lead to a further business expansion overseas.
- We have created the ITOCHU Global Classification (IGC). The IGC is a global grading system based on positions and duties at all levels worldwide. We use it to place, promote and train personnel regardless of nationality.
- We have set behavioral requirements that leaders should possess on a global basis. We use these in the recruitment standards and evaluation standards.
- Relevant data:Overseas Bloc Employees by Region
Training System
The ITOCHU Corporation training system consists mainly of selective training for future management personnel and selective training for career development based on meetings with superiors in addition to mandatory training when an employee is appointed an organizational manager or is posted overseas. There is a wide range of training opportunities at various levels, not only for Headquarters employees, but also for those at certain overseas bloc companies and Group companies.
Overseas blocs arrange their own training systems to teach the skills and expertise required for their business and markets. In combination with the headquarters training system, they develop management talent capable of global success.
Training Results
- Relevant data: Time/Cost Allotted for Employee Skills Development Training
- Relevant data: Attendance in Major Training
Key Points for Better Training
In FY2013, we created a training scheme for talent who shoulder administrative responsibilities at Group companies from the perspective of group management. Specifically, in FY2014, we started Business Management Training for young employees to learn about accounting work efficiently in a short period of time through practice to strengthen the acquisition of basic knowledge on business management and risk management techniques. Additionally, we have a replete lineup of Group company employee trainings and conduct joint new employee training and mentor training, among others, so that domestic Group company employees can upgrade their skills and expand their networks within the Group.
Furthermore, we conduct trainings in the Global Development Program and the Short-Term Business School Dispatch to develop global management talents with an overseas perspective.
Most recently, we have been providing all our employees with opportunities for training and lectures aimed at studying cutting edge business model cases and acquiring IT expertise such as generative AI according to our Management Policy. The aim of these training programs is to develop personnel to put into practice digital transformation focused on profitability to drive evolution of business.
ITOCHU Morning Activity Seminar
In September 2016, we began conducting early-morning training sessions and presentations as one measure to encourage shifts beginning in the early morning, and as one measure to encourage shifts beginning in the early morning, and as an initiative to deepen employees' knowledge, develop their abilities, and boost their vitality. The themes of these seminars are focused on the next generation of business and health. We held these seminars a total of 2 times with the participation of 1,135 people in FY2025. We received comments from the participants like the following: “I felt really energized after hearing such an interesting presentation before work.” We plan to hold these seminars on a periodic basis in the future.
Morning Activity Seminar Results for FY2025
| Date | Theme | Speaker |
| September 2025 | Marketing Management to Build Earning Power | Kozo Takaoka CEO, K & Co./ Former CEO, Nestlé Japan Ltd. |
| September 2025 | Empower Your Business with AI Literacy - Live Demo: How to Communicate with Generative AI |
Koki Fukuda CEO, BlendDigi Inc. |
| December 2025 | Management for Improving Organizational Performance | Takeshi Okada IMABARI. YUME SPORTS INC. Chairman, Representative Director/ Former Manager of the Japan National Football Team |
| December 2025 | Turning Customer Challenges into Profit: Creating New Business and Business Model Strategies |
Tomonori Yako CEO, INDUSTRIAL-X Inc. |
| March 2026 | Designing Experiences That Moves People - Insights from a Former Nintendo Wii Evangelist (How to Design Systems That People Want and Choose) |
Shinichiro Tamaki Owner, Wakaru-Office |
HR Appraisal and Assessment System
ITOCHU aims to achieve a “Challenging but Rewarding Workplace” where all employees can maximize their abilities. The HR Appraisal and Assessment System is a core part of the human resources organization that helps employees fully demonstrate their capabilities in a motivated and rewarding manner, and we have introduced an evaluation and reward system that provides clear incentives based on performance. It covers all ITOCHU Corporation employees. One part of the system is Management By Objectives (MBO), by which we assign individual employees with targets that match up with the management plan, then confirm execution. This approach helps us carry out business strategies. Our compensation system is centered on performance-based evaluation and rewards, with annual salaries determined by job roles and responsibilities, skills and experience, and achievements. Our variable pay (bonuses) is based not only on individual performance evaluations using Management by Objectives (MBO) but also takes company performance into account. Moreover, we have implemented a stock incentive plan that grants company shares according to overall corporate results, which helps foster a stronger sense of ownership and participation in management among our employees.
In addition, we comprehensively grasp individual employee’s competencies, expertise, past career, aspirations and suitability. We have established a human resources assessment system that we utilize in placement and transfer planning and an employee commendation system that recognizes employees who have made significant contributions in quantitative and qualitative terms and teams that have produced results based on the corporate action guidelines. In order for these components of the HR Appraisal and Assessment System to function, we believe it is critically important that superiors conduct fair and impartial evaluations and meet with their subordinates to provide feedback. 360° feedback*, assessor training, and one-on-one interviews enlighten superiors so that they will encourage employees to develop and grow.
- Multifaceted observation: A system by which feedback from observations by the organization managers themselves and subordinates are used to review everyday personnel management that the organization manager typically does not notice, followed, if necessary, by initiatives to make improvements or upgrade capabilities. We make sure to apply this approach every year at domestic headquarters and branch offices.
Overall Picture of the Personnel Evaluation Systems
Management By Objectives (MBO) Flow
Competency Assessment Flow
Career Development Support
Home Organization System
To ensure consistent development and placement of our employees from the time they join the company until retirement, we have introduced the Home Organization Management System. Under this system, each employee is assigned to a “home organization”—either a business division or a corporate department—upon joining the company. Even if the employee is transferred to different departments through rotations, their home organization remains unchanged in principle.
As a company engaged in diverse, global businesses, this system allows us to ensure that each employee is continuously developed and supported by their home organization, regardless of their current assignment. This long-term commitment enables strategic talent development and optimal placement throughout the employee’s career.
Individual Career Development Support
To foster the next generation of leaders who will drive the company’s future growth, we have established a rotation guideline for young career-track employees. This includes foundational training for up to two years and overseas assignments in principle within the first eight years of employment. Based on these guidelines, each division determines its own policies for talent development and employee rotation.
We also hold annual Career Meetings, where organizational leaders explain their development policies directly to junior employees and engage in dialogue to align expectations around career paths and long-term goals within the organization.
In addition, for young career-track employees, we formulate an eight-year development and placement plan (Individual Career Plan Image) starting from the time of joining the company. Through regular one-on-one meetings with organizational managers, employees are encouraged to approach their daily responsibilities with a clear vision for the future.
Furthermore, at the end of the initial development period, employees participate in a Career Reflection Meeting, where they can reflect on their career journey and communicate their aspirations and preferences directly to the head of their home department.
Through these initiatives, we actively support young employees in taking ownership of their career development.
Challenge Career System
We have introduced the Challenge Career System as a measure to support employee-led career development of personnel for Career-Track employees and Business Expert employees. With the system, employees can check a list of job openings announced on the company intranet, then inform their superior of their desire for a transfer. With the superior’s approval, they can go through interviews with the desired division and, if successful, may make a transfer beyond organization boundaries. The aim of this system is to strengthen organizational capabilities by motivating employees and supporting them to independently develop their careers with the provision of career selection opportunities. Approximately 20 employees successfully transfer to new roles each year.
In FY2025, openings for positions such as overseas office managers were introduced, further expanding the range of possible career paths. The system continues to evolve, enabling employees to pursue more diverse careers across the company. We remain committed to developing talent by providing frameworks that support diverse career opportunities.
Challenge Career System Process
Virtual Office
We introduced the Virtual Office in FY2023. The aim of the Virtual Office is to promote business by sharing ideas and resources across organizations and to support the growth and career development of our employees. It is a mechanism which solicits cross-organizational projects company-wide. Employees themselves can then use small blocks of spare time outside of their main work to engage in the projects in which they have a high level of interest and enthusiasm.
In FY2025, approximately 50 employees from across the company—representing diverse locations, age groups, and job functions—came together to drive forward a total of 11 projects.
To accelerate the progress of these initiatives, we provided participants with various forms of support, including training programs on new business development, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing session, partial funding for project activities, and an award ceremony recognizing outstanding achievements.
Moving forward, we will continue to support the creation of new businesses by enabling passionate employees to engage in work they are truly driven by and fostering cross-organizational collaboration.
Career Counseling
The Career Counseling Center provides wide-ranging counseling and support services for the diverse careers of all employees. We have established a self-career dock system that provides opportunities for career counseling together with the training held at each milestone after an employee joins the company. All the center’s counselors are nationally certified career consultants. They support the independent initiatives of those seeking advice about balancing work with childcare and nursing care, communication in the workplace, and other areas in addition to future career according to the situation of each employee. The counselors also support mid-career hires to smoothly adapt to life at ITOCHU and assist with the success of middle-aged and older employees. There are over 800 consultation visits to the center each year. Here, visitors are provided complete confidentiality so they can feel at ease conversing with a counselor. The center’s aim is for employees to develop an awareness about how to independently shape their career.
ITOCHU Internship
ITOCHU Corporation provides an internship to students which allows them to tackle various challenging issues based on past business cases. We conduct case study-based internships in both trading and business investment areas and create new business projects. Young and mid-level employees from ITOCHU are assigned as mentors to provide detailed advice and consultations, fostering mutual understanding. We do this so that they can think about their careers in terms of working in a general trading company.
ITOCHU RECRUITING Website
(Japanese only)