Learning from the Children and Families Agency and PIGEON CORPORATION: A company supporting diverse approaches to child-rearing

PIGEON CORPORATION's basic policy is to create an environment in which all employees can balance work and private life. Rather than providing extensive support only to employees facing specific life events, the company designs systems that enable all employees to continue their careers. A key feature is the way it makes these systems work in practice, enabling employees experiencing life events such as child-rearing and caregiving to remain active in the workplace.

One of the company's initiatives is the use of its Life Design leave and leave of absence system. The system was initially established to reduce the number of employees leaving the company for fertility treatment, but its scope was expanded in response to employees considering adoption or welcoming a child as foster parents. The company explained that the aim is to lower the practical barriers to becoming a foster parent and encourage long-term employment continuity.

In a lecture by Ishida Yusuke (石田 有介) of the Children and Families Agency, it was explained that approximately 42,000 children in Japan cannot live with their biological parents, and the use of the foster care system was introduced. Approximately half of households currently serving as foster families are dual-income households, and an example was presented of an employee who took leave while becoming a foster parent and welcoming a child.

The importance of companies understanding and making use of these systems was also highlighted. Flexible working arrangements and understanding that accommodate foster care were said to reduce the mental burden. Companies do not all need to establish systems exclusively for foster parents. The first step is to understand foster care as an option and create an environment that supports employees' choices when needed. PIGEON CORPORATION also emphasizes its approach of having the human resources and corporate branding departments work together to communicate externally, linking its systems with broader social developments.