We are delighted to announce that today Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (President & CEO: Tatsufumi Sakai) and four other Mizuho group companies1 have received the top rating of gold on the PRIDE Index, an index created by voluntary organization "work with Pride" to evaluate companies' efforts toward inclusion for the LGBT community. This is the fourth year2 in a row for our five Mizuho group companies to receive the gold rating in recognition of our initiatives to create a more inclusive workplace for our LGBT employees.
Mizuho aims to create a workplace in which LGBT employees can work with the same sense of security and peace of mind as any of their colleagues. To that end, we have put in place human resources systems, social welfare systems, and consultation centers to better meet the needs of our diverse workforce. In this last fiscal year, we have been proactively engaged in raising awareness for all employees, implementing training on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI)-related harassment and conducting a questionnaire to assess the current situation for LGBT and ally employees in the workplace. Also, with our internal network for LGBT and ally employees taking the lead, we have been holding a range of events, such as a seminar for LGBT employees to share their thoughts and experiences with their colleagues. These initiatives demonstrate that we have developed a corporate culture in which employees can promote further understanding independently.
In addition to our internal initiatives, we are committed to improving our customer services. For example, Mizuho Bank, Ltd. treats same-sex partners the same as spouses in applications for joint housing loans, and Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., Ltd. allows same-sex partners to be named as beneficiaries in a personalized trust product.
We are continuing to promote diversity and inclusion with the goal of enabling all employees to actively participate in our workplace with a sense of fulfillment and pride. We aim to reflect the varied perspectives and ideas of our employees in our business development and decision-making and, in turn, create new corporate value in the form of innovative products and improved services.
PRIDE Index Gold Rating
- Mizuho Bank, Ltd.; Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., Ltd.; Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd.; and Mizuho Information & Research Institute, Inc.
- Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. has received the top rating of gold for five years in a row.