Human Resource Development and Career Support
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Basic Approach and Policy
At the Canon Marketing Japan Group (hereinafter, the “Canon MJ Group”), we have a basic policy of evaluating job performance, awareness, and behavior fairly and equally, regardless of gender, age, or educational background.
Applying this same policy to human resource development, we provide learning opportunities to all employees who proactively seek to develop themselves.
To realize the enhancement of human resources set forth in our Long-Term Management Objectives, we have defined the qualities of our ideal human resources and are proactively implementing human resource development initiatives.
Ideal Human Resources
"Professional human resources who demonstrate enterprising nature and continue to be selected for their new value creation."
Human Resource Development Policy
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Based on the spirit of the San-ji (Three Selfs) Spirit that constitutes the Canon Code of Conduct, we create learning environments in which participants can study with a sense of ownership.
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We clarify the gap between aspiration and reality, and design steps to close that distance.
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As foundation of learning, we require our people to think issues through to the end, and to think their way to solutions.
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Taking the basic approach that people are trained through experience, we create not only spaces for training but opportunities to take on real-world challenges.
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By respecting and sometimes questioning the opinions of others, we create an environment in which we teach and are taught, educate and are educated.*
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The diversification of human resources leads to the development of human resources.
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Targeted Changes in Behavior
Based on the San-ji (Three Selfs) Spirit, we continue to learn of our own accord and use the cultivated knowledge to take on new challenges in our business or work. In doing so, we accomplish change. And this is where we start learning something new. People develop and grow through this cycle. We require employees to pursue personal development through proactive learning, thereby changing their behaviors.
We turn the personal development of individuals into the growth of organizations and the company, aiming to be an entity that continues to be preferred by customers and society.
This logo was designed with inspiration from the words, "think issues through to the end," in the Human Resource Development Policy. It symbolizes continuous thinking and infinite possibilities.
Structure and Systems
Human Resources Strategy Committee
Chaired by the president, this committee meets every other month to make proposals related to the human resources strategy of the Canon MJ Group as a whole and design a framework for utilizing human resources with the right people in the right positions.
It clarifies its purposes, targets, scope, and schedule and cooperates with other organizations, committees, etc. as necessary.
Talent Management System
We are building a talent management system for understanding the capabilities, experience, and orientation of each individual employee to optimally allocate resources and facilitate personal development.
The goal of this system is to balance the growth of the Canon MJ Group and the efforts of our employees to individually develop their careers.
Career Support
The Career Design Support Office is an independent dedicated organization consisting of nationally qualified career consultants.
It helps individual employees increase their own awareness of their careers and work and enhance them.
Targets
The Canon MJ Group aims to clearly define, understand, and develop professional human resources based on its strategies in each business and to achieve a human resources sufficiency rate of 100%.
Initiatives
Basic Training
Canon MJ provides rank-specific training to support employees' transition when they are at turning points such as moving to a higher stage in their careers, and various other training programs to support all of its employees' learning activities.
For rank-specific training, we have determined the duties, behaviors, and skills that are required at each rank as a part of our human resource development framework. We enable trainees to acquire business skills and provide career support in stages.
For all employee training , we have prepared a large number of online training programs and measures to support the acquisition of qualifications, to support our employees' independent learning activities, so that anyone can achieve personal development with the San-ji (Three Selfs) Spirit.
The framework is designed to enable employees to acquire basic business skills required in each rank through rank-specific training and to ensure that skills are learned through on-the-job training.
The goal of these training programs is to enable employees to gain conceptual, technical and human skills in a well-balanced manner based on the Katz model.*
Further, to support the daily improvement of skills, we create opportunities for employees to learn independently through a broad range of programs, including online training programs and external seminars.
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A theory proposed by management scholar Robert L. Katz that categorizes and articulates the skills required for management by hierarchy and skill level
Specialist Training
Management Personnel Development
The next generation of managerial personnel is determined by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, which is chaired by the president and comprises both inside and outside directors. The development of the potential candidates is deliberated by the Human Resources Strategy Committee. These processes are followed by examining the specifics such as the appointment of candidates for important positions and participation in selection training, forming the long-term framework for developing managerial personnel.
Structure for the development of future management executives
We have held Quorum 12 since 2014, a training session for select personnel in the general manager class. Since 2019, we have also held Quorum 15 for select personnel in the manager class. In addition to enhancing skills in business school, since 2024, we have begun using cross-boundary learning, in which participants learn about management through actual practice in other companies. We are developing the next generation of managerial personnel through hands-on learning and a liberal arts curriculum that enhances participants’ human skills.
Development of Specialist Personnel
In April 2025, the advanced ITS human resources certification program started with the use of Digital Skill Standards (DSS). The program rates human resources in terms of two criteria, knowledge and achievements. Advanced ITS human resources, namely those at Level 4 or higher, are certified as DX experts. Those at Level 3 are treated as DX candidates, namely candidates for advanced ITS human resources, and receive training to become advanced human resources.
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Digital Skill Standards: Definition of the skills required in the digital age, announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA) in 2022
Career Development Support
Canon MJ is committed to supporting the career development of employees, aiming to “increase job satisfaction by allowing employees to think about their own careers autonomously and work independently towards the career they want to pursue, and to foster an organizational culture invigorated by autonomous employees”.
In addition to regular career interviews between bosses and their subordinates, dedicated career consultants (who hold national qualifications) give career consultations, and we hold career seminars by rank and age group to help employees achieve career autonomy.
Career Training and Career Interviews by Age Group
Career training tailored to each age group and individual career interviews with internal career consultants
Career Training and Career Interviews for Newly Appointed Line Managers
Career training for newly appointed line managers to develop skills for supporting subordinates, along with individual career interviews with internal career consultants
Career Counseling (Available on Demand)
A career counseling service with internal career consultants
Post-Event Career Interviews
Individual career interviews with internal career consultants following key events such as transfers, promotions, or returns to work
Career Interviews Between Subordinates and Superiors
Annual career interviews conducted between employees and their supervisors
In-house Recruiting Program
At the Canon MJ Group, we operate the Job Opening Bulletin System (JOBS) with the aim of encouraging employees to proactively think about their own career development, boldly take on new positions, and invigorate the organization. JOBS is a program that allows employees to put themselves up for open positions within the company and to transfer across departments.
In 2023, we also launched the in-house FA (Free Agent) System, which provides employees with opportunities to take on challenges based on their own intentions.
Employees who hold FA rights can indicate their intentions regarding their careers and the type of job they wish to do, and may transfer to departments where a match is established.