Health Initiatives

Health Initiatives

Individual Mitsui & Co. Group companies take steps to ensure that their employees can work in healthy environments according to circumstances in the countries and regions where they are developing business. Mitsui is implementing the following initiatives based on the aforementioned well-being strategy map.

In-house Medical Clinic <Mitsui>

We have established a clinic in our Head Office building. The clinic in the Head Office building covers a diverse range of specialist areas, including internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology, E.N.T., psychosomatic medicine, and gynecology, and also provides medical consultations for employees. The clinic also provides sublingual immunotherapy to improve productivity of employees with allergies to cedar pollen and dust mites, as well as sleep apnea testing. It also provides medical checkups for employees who are about to travel overseas or have returned from overseas assignments, as well as vaccinations. The Osaka Office has a medical treatment room. Consultant physicians are assigned to various offices in Japan to provide health management for employees working in those locations.

Medical Examinations <Mitsui>

We provide multiple regular in-house medical examination opportunities per year, and employees are able to view the results of their own examinations on the intranet. Mitsui and Mitsui Bussan Health Insurance Society are also working collaboratively toward the prevention and early detection of lifestyle diseases and other conditions, and the provision of enhanced health advisory services, through the implementation of the following measures:

Provision of opportunities for employees age 35 and over to undergo comprehensive health examinations at external medical institutions, and full payment of the expenses of such examinations.

Provision of subsidies for employees age 35 and over who undergo brain checkups, lung cancer screenings, gastroscopic examinations, colorectal cancer screenings, and H. pylori tests.

Provision of subsidies for employees age 50 and over who undergo pancreatic cancer screenings.

Provision of specific health advisory services for employees age 40 and over.

Provision of subsidies for uterine cancer screenings (pap smears and transvaginal ultrasound examinations) for female employees age 34 and under.

Provision of full payment of the expenses of breast cancer (mammography and ultrasonography) and uterine cancer screenings (pap smears and transvaginal ultrasound examinations) for female employees age 35 and over.

Provision of opportunities for new hires to undergo a pylori test and medical interview at the medical checkup before employment.

Provision of full payment of the expenses of dental checkups.

Health Guidance <Mitsui>

We implement the following health promotion measures to help employees avoid lifestyle diseases and metabolic syndrome.

Designated health guidance(active support, motivational support):Mitsui Bussan Health Insurance Society

People aged over 40
Current or potential metabolic syndrome sufferers

Individual health guidance:Public health nurses from the Health Management Center & Medical Clinic Dept.

People aged over 34
Potential metabolic syndrome sufferers

Dietary advice:Registered dieticians

People affected by obesity, lifestyle diseases, or metabolic syndrome

Lifestyle Disease Prevention Measures <Mitsui>

Smoking Reduction Measures

All spaces at our company, including branches, are smoke-free. There are no "smoking rooms." We are implementing the following measures to help employees quit smoking, with a goal of a year-on-year reduction of 0.5% in the percentage of smokers:

  • Provision of a counseling room for those wishing to quit smoking
  • Provision of videos of seminars on passive smoking and smoking cessation
  • Implementation of a smoking cessation program using a quit-smoking app
  • Creation of a smoking cessation support page on the intranet (interview articles with those who have successfully quit smoking, and recognition of successful quitters)

As part of measures to reduce cancer, lifestyle diseases, and other health problems, Mitsui, in cooperation with Mitsui Bussan Health Insurance Society, pays subsidies to employees who successfully quit smoking through smoking cessation therapies provided under the health insurance scheme.

Alcohol-related Measures

We hold training that includes genetic susceptibility testing for alcohol for newly hired employees, to prevent health risks and accidents by raising awareness of alcohol issues. People learning about their own physical/genetic traits has led to a decrease in the volume and frequency of drinking, helping to improve the physical condition and performance of employees.
Moreover, the director and health nurses of Mitsui's Head Office Medical Clinic have given seminars to all employees and at the same time provided an opportunity for employees to receive optional genetic susceptibility testing for alcohol. We have set up an "Alcohol and Health" site on our intranet to spread information to all employees about the importance of moderate drinking.

Supporting Health with Dietary Habits

In cooperation with our subsidiary, AIM SERVICES CO., LTD., we held online seminars to promote vegetable intake for the purpose of preventing lifestyle-related diseases. Mitsui’s employee cafeteria offers menus with dishes featured in online seminars. There are also events designed to encourage people to modify their eating habits by estimating their vegetable intake. Other initiatives include offering six kinds of main dishes, one of which is a special plate of small servings of a wide variety of dishes, on a regular basis.

Support for Healthy Exercise Habits

We have also introduced the "Round Refresh" program, under which professional trainers lead employees in stretching exercises. By standing up at their desks and performing light exercises, employees can relax their muscles, and alleviate shoulder stiffness and back pain. This also helps to restore their concentration and creativity. In a follow-up survey, 85% of participants indicated that physical exercise during the Round Refresh program helped them feel refreshed and increased their productivity. Employees also feel able to reduce stress.

Videos on how to limber up and stretch are distributed via our intranet and apps for teleworkers, to promote employee physical refreshment.

Health Support for Female Employees <Mitsui>

To provide support for female employees, we established a gynecology department at the Head Office medical clinic, as well as a consultation desk to offer advice on women's health and maternal health through individual consultations with health nurses. In addition, we are working to address women’s health issues through the following initiatives.

  • Seminars to disseminate correct information about women's physical and mental health issues, as well as ways to address these.
  • Provision of all payment of the expenses of uterine cancer screenings (pap smears and transvaginal ultrasound examinations) for female employees age 34 and under.
  • Provision of all payment of the expenses of breast cancer (mammography and ultrasonography) and uterine cancer screenings (pap smears and transvaginal ultrasound examinations) for female employees age 35 and over.
  • Dissemination of useful information about health and access to health advice via the intranet.

Mental Health <Mitsui>

At Mitsui, we have established multiple consultation counters focused on ensuring that employees can easily seek advice when they need to.

  • A psychosomatic medicine department established at our Head Office Medical Clinic (mental health consultation service provided by specialist doctors)
  • Internal counseling service desk (counseling by a licensed psychologist)
  • Internal mental health consultation service (consultation service by occupational physicians and public nurses)
  • External consultation service on mental and physical health (provided by the Health Insurance Society, available to employees, including those working overseas and family members of employees)

When an employee takes a temporary absence from work, occupational physicians and health nurses continue to provide care to ensure that employees can feel confident about returning to work. After their return to work, occupational physicians, health nurses, and other personnel work together to prevent recurrence and help to manage the employee's health condition through follow-ups and support from managers and supervisors, alongside various other employment measures as necessary. We are also working to deepen understanding of mental health through training for managers and other initiatives.

We have long been implementing stress checks with employees in Japan, but employees working overseas have also become able to take these checks. We provide those suffering from high stress levels with opportunities to have interviews with occupational physicians at the request of the employee, and give feedback pertaining to the group analysis results to the workplace, for the purpose of improving the working environment.

Supporting Balance Between Medical Treatment and Work <Mitsui>

Due to medical advances and changes in workstyles, an increasing number of employees are able to work while undergoing medical treatment. At the request of the employee, medical and workplace personnel work together to provide support to enable employees to balance medical treatment with their work in a way that best matches the circumstances of the treatment they are receiving.

MITSUI HEALTH REPORT <Mitsui>

Since the fiscal year ended March 2020, we have visualized the results of a variety of initiatives carried out to promote employee health, such as the ratio of employees receiving health examinations, the prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases, and data on smoking and alcohol consumption-related measures and stress checks. We aim to raise individual awareness of health and improve behavior. We have posted data in comparison with countrywide data, data by unit, and chronological changes on the intranet to communicate such information to Mitsui employees.

Health Management for Employees Working Overseas <Mitsui>

Approximately 1,200 of our employees are stationed overseas, accompanied by around 1,400 family members. We regard health management for not only employees working overseas but also their families as an important priority, and we have established systems to ensure that advice is available at any time if employees or family members suffer physical or mental illness. Vaccinations and health checkups are provided for employees assigned overseas and their families. They also receive overseas health management training covering physical and mental health and other topics, as well as information about how to obtain medical information and access support systems while overseas. After arrival, in cooperation with local personnel, occupational physicians at the Head Office provide support for employees assigned overseas via email, telephone, and interviews using a videophone system.

We also provide health management support for employees working overseas and their families in partnership with emergency medical service contractors.

Medical Support System (Mutual Aid Association) <Mitsui>

This system supports association members and their family members in Japan and overseas by covering medical expenses that are not covered by health insurance in the event of illness or injury.

Healthy Working Environment <Mitsui>

We have implemented the measures detailed below at the Head Office building to develop a healthy and comfortable working environment for employees.

Ergonomic workplace

Once a month, occupational physicians, health nurses, and other medical personnel visit workplaces to examine whether a safe working environment for employees is being maintained, and to identify and respond to safety and health problems in order to ensure a healthy work environment.
We have introduced a group address system, in order to improve productivity through agile teaming in line with work and project needs, and to realize a pleasant office environment.

Illumination

We have introduced luminance sensors and motion detectors to control illumination levels and lighting equipment in an appropriate and efficient way. In addition, by using circadian lighting, which takes biological rhythms into account, we have improved both energy savings and comfort.

Noise

By using double structure airflow windows for the building, we have reduced noise and improved the effectiveness of insulation. Meeting room walls have been fitted with soundproof structures that prevent sound from being audible outside the rooms. On the office floors, we have introduced sound masking equipment to reduce discomfort caused by surrounding noise.

Indoor air quality

Effective air conditioning is provided by a system with outside air intakes. This lowers the CO2 level while reducing the air-conditioning load. The environment within the building is monitored every other month.
Moreover, the air in the conference rooms on the office floors and on the conference room floors is completely ventilated either twice an hour or four times an hour, depending on the direction and the floor number.

Humidity/Temperature

We maintain internal humidity at an appropriate and comfortable level above 40%, even during winter when the air tends to be drier, by introducing water vapor through the use of variable air volume (VAV) control/a district cooling and heating system.
We have introduced a radiant air-conditioning system at the company medical clinic in order to increase comfort and sound control, while preventing airborne infections by suppressing the occurrence of viruses and dust in the air.
On the office floors, we have introduced a user-input-based air-conditioning system linked to the building's internal location positioning system, enabling fine-tuned temperature control.
We maintain a comfortable working environment by setting the air conditioning at 26°C in summer and 24-25°C in other seasons. A relaxed dress code has allowed a comfortable workplace environment to be maintained throughout the year, while also reducing the air-conditioning load.

Relaxation Room

Employees can receive a massage or a massage with acupressure once a month (40 minutes).

Aroma for relaxation

We have developed an original aroma from hinoki cypress scraps produced from our company-owned forests. We release this aroma at some office sections to create a relaxing space that will meet the purpose of those sections.

Social Recognition for Mitsui’s Health Initiatives

Mitsui has earned considerable recognition for its well-being initiatives. We have been recognized a “White 500” Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization. Click here for detailed information.

Detailed data on health outcome indicators and initiatives can be found here.
Link to data book