We are delighted to announce that today Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (President & Group CEO: Tatsufumi Sakai) and four other group companies* were recognized under the 2021 Health & Productivity Stock Selection, which is jointly administered by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). This is the fourth year in a row Mizuho has received this recognition.
The Health & Productivity Stock Selection was established in FY2015 with the objective of recognizing one exemplar TSE–listed company per industry that is engaging in health and productivity management programs with a focus on strategically promoting employee health from a management perspective.
Mizuho was recognized for a number of initiatives, including those aimed at preventing overwork, such as encouraging the use of paid leave, and those aimed at preventing increases in the severity of health conditions, such as requiring employees to receive subsequent testing in the event of irregularities in their annual health exam, subsidizing part of the cost of the subsequent testing, and offering special leave for comprehensive medical checkups and gynecological exams. We were also recognized for the way in which we pursue these goals through an integrated framework enabling collaboration between the company, health insurance providers, and occupational health services providers.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been ensuring the health of our employees by placing partitions in offices, encouraging remote work, and asking employees to self-report their physical conditions daily. We are committed to helping all of our employees maintain both their physical and mental wellbeing, so that they can fully utilize their skills, and enjoy long and productive careers with Mizuho. With this aim, we will continue our efforts to promote both employees' wellbeing and their health literacy through health-related online learning, support for quitting smoking, mental health programs, and a range of other initiatives.
* Mizuho Bank, Ltd.; Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., Ltd.; Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd.; and Mizuho Information & Research Institute, Inc.
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