INCLUSION

Human
Resources

Inclusion Championed by MARUI GROUP

01

Workplace Inclusion Generating a Capacity
for Innovation
As part of its efforts to help build a flourishing and inclusive society that offers happiness to all, MARUI GROUP is promoting customer diversity and inclusion. At the same time, we have expanded the concept of “inclusion” to encompass
employees. We therefore also encourage workplace inclusion with the aim of generating a capacity for innovation
through receptiveness toward diverse workstyles and values.

Development of an Organizationthat Utilizes Diversity
Each of MARUI GROUP’s approximately 6,000 employees is different. We believe that innovation is assured when these
employees are accepting of the differences in others and are able to unite with an eye toward social change and demand.
We clearly defined our intent to encourage diversity in the medium-term management plan launched in the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2015, and have thus been promoting diversity with regard to individual talents, gender, and age.
Social Backdrop for Promoting Diversity
The significant changes in the social climate are stimulating transformation in the values of individuals and driving
the diversification of customer needs.

Diversity in MARUI GROUPMARUI GROUP is promoting diversity with regard toindividual talents, gender, and age in order to develop
workplaces that are fertile grounds for innovation.

Venues Through Which All Employees Can Excel
Each of the approximately 6,000 employees working for
MARUI GROUP is a precious human resource that has
been borrowed from society. Based on MARUI GROUP’s
corporate philosophy of striving to “continue evolving tobetter aid our customers” and “equate the developmentof our people with the development of our company,” weaim to provide all employees with venues through which

they can excel. We thus strive to cultivate a workplaceenvironment that is conducive to generating innovationand is characterized by mutual understanding among all
employees, regardless of their age, gender, lifestyle, or
sexual orientation. Through these efforts, we will fostera corporate culture that furthers employee growth andcreates venues that provide opportunities to everyone.

Three Types of Diversity

Two Types of Healthcare Management

Diversity of individual talents
Healthcare management forenergizing employees
Diversity of genders

Contribute to
the Happiness of
Customers

Profession Change System for Breaking Away
from Preconceived Notions

Corporate Culture Encouraging Autonomous
Thought and Action

MARUI GROUP offers a shared, Groupwide humanresources system through which employees can undergo
profession changes between Group companies to foster
diversity of individual talents. As of April 2017, 1,833
employees, or roughly 34% of our entire employee base,had experienced profession changes through thissystem. Being placed in a new profession can kindle a
fresh sense of curiosity and allow employees to escapepreconceptions. Such transitions are not only beneficial
for the employees undergoing profession changes, butalso for the new workplaces in which they are placed.
Through this system, we aim to cultivate employees that
embody a customer-first mentality and are adept at
responding to change in order to make the Group a more
fertile ground for innovation.

MARUI GROUP has established three official
Groupwide project teams: theMarui Future Project Team,the Healthcare Management
Project Team, and the Diversity Project Team. Members
for these project teams are chosen through an open
application system. The members change on an annual
basis, producing a new set of autonomous employeeswith increased knowledge and awareness each year.

Healthcare management for
preventing illnesses

Employees Experiencing Personal Growth After
Profession Change
Other
2%

Diversity of ages

Did not experience2%
Experienced
only a little

Experienced
significantly

10%
Total Group Employees
45.1% female, 19 years of averageconsecutive service, average age of 42

5,732
As of March 31, 201726

Ratio of Employees Changing Positions

Group Employee Turnover Rate

Five year aggregate total of 1,833 employeeschanging positions

Turnover rate greatly lower than the averages forthe retailing and financial industries

34%

2.6%

From April 2013–April 2017(excluding officers and managers)

Fiscal year ended March 31, 2017(excluding mandatory retirement)

Experienced
somewhat

45%

November
2016

41%

Employees Who
Experienced
Personal Growth86%

Revision of Human Resource and Evaluation
Systems and Labor Agreements
A Groupwide committee was assembled in December
2015 to examine the Group’s human resource and evaluation systems. To date, this committee has held discussions
on the implementation of these systems and their quantitative and qualitative targets with a total of 2,600 representatives from the employee base and from the Personnel
Division. Based on these discussions, we launched new
systems centered on value evaluations, which assess
employees based on the sensibilities necessary for exercising our management philosophy and how well they aresuited to each position, and performance evaluations,which look at the results of teams over a given period.
In addition, labor agreements were updated toinclude a clear declaration that individuals are not tosuffer discrimination on the basis of sexual identity orsexual orientation. Moreover, an internal helpline wasestablished to allow employees to receive consultation
with regard to LGBT issues. This helpline adds to theexisting external helpline.
27

INCLUSION

Human
Resources

Inclusion Championed by MARUI GROUP

02

03

Healthcare Management Underpinning
Personal Growth

Investments in Human Resources
to Stimulate New Growth

MARUI GROUP practices healthcare management through coordination between the activities of the Health Management
Division and the health insurance union. We focus on preventive healthcare management aimed at avoiding illness andalso proactive healthcare management for energizing and motivating employees. We thus encourage employees to change
their attitudes and behaviors to further improve corporate value and contribute to society through higher productivity.

MARUI GROUP recognizes the growth of employees that are committed to helping others as the source of all the value itcreates. Accordingly, we strive to foster a corporate culture that is respectful of diverse values and in which all employees
can feel energized and continue growing. At the same time, we are committed to cultivating the human resources thatwill shape the future through proactive investments in recruiting and developing human resources.

Standard Corporate Health Measures
Activities are primarily focused on preventive measures forprotecting employees from lifestyle diseases, mental
health issues, and other illnesses.

Enhancement of Proactive and Preventive
Healthcare Management Activities
MARUI GROUP has launched a project for linking
employee health to increased corporate value and fostering a corporate culture characterized by unified efforts
across the Company. This project is spearheaded bymembers of the Health Management Division, Personnel
Division, divisions related to MARUI GROUP’s healthinsurance union, and the Advisory Board to enhance theGroup’s healthcare management activities.

Resilience Program for Improving AwarenessBeginning with Senior Management
The understanding of senior management is necessary toenable employees to become more energized and motivated in their work. MARUI GROUP has implemented the
Resilience Program to encourage members of senior
management to develop lifestyle patterns that increase
Two Types of Healthcare Management+

High energy

Proactive
More energized andproductive
than previously

0

Not ill

Preventive
In need of preventive activities andquick response measures to reduce risks–

28

MARUI GROUP’s Healthcare Management
MARUI GROUP aims to prevent health issues in employees
while also energizing employees and motivating them intheir work.

their energy with regard to their body (with a focus on diet,exercise, and sleep habits), mood, mental state, and thinking. In addition, evaluations are conducted through feedback from the participants, their subordinates, and theirfamily to analyze data on the participants’ own energy
levels and their influence on others.

Healthcare Management Project Team Comprising
Employee Volunteers
One of MARUI GROUP’s three official Groupwide project
teams, the Healthcare Management Project Team waslaunched in November 2016 to encourage employees tothink through the lens of health and act accordingly in order
to become more energized and deliver their best possible
performance. Members are recruited through open application from among all Group employees. The selected members learn about an approach to healthcare managementthat is unique to MARUI GROUP over the course of a year.
Message from an Employee

I am currently a member of the
Healthcare Management ProjectTeam. As participation is voluntary,
all members are very passionate
about the project team’s activities. I
could feel our growth as we became
more autonomous in thought andaction. I hope to help employees
Mari Shiraiwa
Healthcare Management Project Teamthroughout the Group feel moreenergized in their work by transmit- Sales Promotion Division
Commercial Facility andting what I learned to my workplace Advertisement Department
AIM CREATE CO., LTD.
and by supporting future project
team members to further entrenchhealthcare management practices.

Perspective of Investors
A company’s approach toward evaluating and tracking
human resource investments is an important indicator ofthat company’s ability to execute strategies.

Monitoring of Investments for Recruiting andDeveloping Human Resources
Recognizing that human resources are the greatest driverbehind the creation of corporate value, MARUI GROUP
conducts investments in the recruitment and development of human resources. These investments are forecast to total ¥670 million in the fiscal year ending March
31, 2018, an increase of 40% year on year.
Human Resource Investments (Forecasts for FY2018)
Recruitment and otherhuman resource
development expenses¥170 million
Training center
expenses

Up 40%
year on year

¥80 million

Personnel expenses
incurred during
training¥250 million

External training
and education
expenses¥170 million

Future Leader Development Program
The Co-Creation Management
Academy is one facet of theCompany’s succession plan.
Participants in this program
are submitted to a one-yeartraining curriculum developed under the guidance of
Mikiharu Noma, Associate Professer at the Graduate
School of International Corporate Strategy of
Hitotsubashi University and external directors to instill inthem a management perspective. Each year, around 20
candidates are selected from among volunteer applications. The goal of the Co-Creation Management Academy
is to continuously cultivate the future leaders that will
support MARUI GROUP’s management going forward.

MARUI GROUP’s Response
We conduct proactive investments in recruiting anddeveloping human resources as we recognize them as thegreatest driver behind the creation of corporate value.

Medium-Term Management Visionary Committee
The Medium-Term
Management Visionary
Committee is a forum fordiscussing various topics
that will be important to the
future of Group management. Meetings of this committee
are convened almost every month and are focused onthemes based on a medium-term perspective that looks
three-to-five years down the line. At meetings, active discussion is conducted among the some 320 members thatare selected from the approximately 1,000 applications
received for each meeting. Furthermore, we regularly invite
outside lecturers to conduct special lectures.

Internships for Recruiting Promising Future Employees
MARUI GROUP is ramping
up its internship programs,
which are aimed at recruitingpromising future employeesthat are receptive toward theCompany’s corporate philosophy. Valuing opportunities tointeract with diverse students interested in retailing as wellas in finance, IT, technology, and other areas, we have organized internship programs that enable interns to experience
the breadth of MARUI GROUP’s wide-ranging operations.
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, we will holdinternship programs spanning a total of 70 days. The
number of participants is expected to reach 480.
www.0101maruigroup.co.jp/recruit/internship/ (Japanese only)www.0101maruigroup.co.jp/recruit/2018newgraduate/guideline/seminar.html(Japanese only)

29Dialogue 03

Diversity and Profession Changes for Breaking
Away from Identity Formed by Past Successes

Dialogue 03

Diversity Cultivating Innovation      
Many of MARUI GROUP’s employees have experienced various professions.
As these employees undergo successive relocations among Group companies,
MARUI GROUP moves closer to becoming a “multi-career” organization in which diverse work experiences
are made available within a single conglomerate.
This is one of MARUI GROUP’s approaches toward promoting diversity, the aim ofwhich is to bring greater joy to customers. Innovation expert Akie Iriyama was invited to discuss
MARUI GROUP’s view of diversity with External Director Etsuko Okajima and President Hiroshi Aoi.

Etsuko Okajima

Akie Iriyama

Hiroshi Aoi

External Director
MARUI GROUP CO., LTD.

Associate Professor
Graduate School of Business and FinanceWaseda University

President and Representative Director
Representative Executive Officer
MARUI GROUP CO., LTD.

    
Aoi: I would like to explain the background that led to ourdecision to promote diversity and workplace inclusion.
Over the period from the late 1980s to the collapse ofJapan’s bubble economy, MARUI GROUP found its business to be a perfect match for the operating environment, and we were thus able to accrue massive successover a short period of time. After the bubble collapsed,
however, we suffered a period of extreme stagnancy.
Our past successes had solidified the concepts ofyounger generations, fashion, and credit cards asaspects of MARUI GROUP’s identity, and we thus foundourselves unable to break away from this identity tocreate new innovation. We had around 30 stores at thattime. By undertaking a drastic transformation in ourbusiness model, we had been successful in changing thelineups and customer service approach of sundry item
sales floors in areas relatively close to entrances. For
some reason, however, we were unable to make similarchanges to the menswear, children’s clothing, and sporting goods sales floors on upper levels of stores. Upon
examining this inability, we realized that the sales floors
in which we failed to implement changes were also
dealing in items that we saw as areas of strength for
MARUI GROUP, areas to which sales representatives had
devoted themselves for decades. Sundry item sales
floors, meanwhile, were where new employees werepositioned, meaning the staff of these sales floors
changed frequently. We thus had to realize that working
in the same place for a long time can cause one’s past
successes to become a part of their identity. If we were to
introduce a system that allowed employees to move

between all sales floors with the same conditions, theorganization should become a more fertile ground forinnovation. This thought was what led us to introduce theprofession change system, which we see as contributing
to workplace diversity.
Okajima: Five years have passed since the introduction of
the profession change system, and, to date, 34% of theGroup’s employees have taken advantage of this system.
When the system was first introduced, there were those
who expressed concern that relocation to a new division,
where they lacked experience or insight, would result in
lower results on their performance evaluations.
Aoi: Employees were worried at first, some feeling as
though the system was a rejection of their career up tothat point. However, when people got used to the system,
they began to see that their past experience would
indeed be beneficial at new workplaces. When this realization spread, employees started to feel that they might
be more likely to miss out on opportunities by not undergoing profession changes.
Iriyama: I assume that new workplaces are not chosen at
random. Do you ever assign employees to posts that are
drastically different from their previous position? Can
you think of any examples of employees undergoing suchdrastic position changes?
Aoi: Recently, we reallocated the responsibilities of two
managing executive officers. One was responsible forretailing operations while the other handled finance
operations. These roles were reversed.
Iriyama: That was a very bold decision. A swap in positions between individuals respectively responsible forretailing and credit cards is an intriguing development.
I have no doubt that it will prove beneficial.

New innovations and ideas
are created throughcombinations of knowledge.
Akie Iriyama

30

31

Dialogue 03
The interesting thing about
MARUI GROUP employees is how
they view their position as lessa job and more of a membership.
Etsuko Okajima

Okajima: Even if one’s position or role is reversed,
people at MARUI GROUP seem to have no problem
accepting their new role as their mission. I think thisstems from the principle of and desire to serve the customer, which is so entrenched within the organization.

Active Mission Rather Than Passive Business Model
Innovation Created Through Combinationsof Knowledge    
Iriyama: A diverse range of employees is vital to innovation as doing something new is the essence of innovation.
New innovations and ideas are created through combinations of knowledge. In other words, fresh combinations ofknowledge that had previously been seen as unrelated
give rise to new ideas. Moreover, there is a limit to a rangeof things that one person can perceive. If one works in thesame industry, or in the same place, decade after decade,they will start to lose sight of things unrelated to theirposition, and no new combinations of knowledge will beborn. Making new combinations requires that individuals
seek out fresh knowledge in areas removed from thefamiliar. The fastest way to facilitate new combinations is
to assemble individuals with differing insight, experience,and values within a single organization. Another consideration is the diversity of individual talents, or intrapersonal
diversity. Looking at Ms. Okajima and myself, for example,
we can both, essentially, be seen as contributing to diversity because putting us together will result in new combinations of knowledge. Similarly, if one person has adiverse career background consisting of multiple different
positions, that person can produce new combinations ofknowledge on their own. In this manner, I understand thegoal of promoting diversity as facilitating innovation.
Okajima: In the same vein as what you said, MARUIGROUP’s profession change system is an importantmeans of increasing intrapersonal diversity. This system
has expanded the range of subjects on which theCompany’s employees are versed, which proves beneficial when engaging in co-creation with customers.
Aoi: I thought the same thing four years ago, when we
joined hands with Ms. Okajima and stepped up our efforts
to promote diversity by empowering female employees.
Gender diversity is, of course, important. However, I feltthat there was a need to look further into this subject inorder to help individuals develop varied careers andviewpoints to facilitate innovation. When I explained this32

to Ms. Okajima, she stated that what I spoke of was “thediversity of individual talents.” Accordingly, MARUIGROUP is currently promoting diversity in terms of
employee gender, age, and individual talents.
Iriyama: Intrapersonal diversity brings with it additional
benefits. When a person with a diverse career background becomes receptive toward the diversity of othersin light of their own diverse background, they will
become more inclusive. At the same time, prosocial
motivation makes it easier to adopt other viewpoints,
which in turn contributes to increased creativity.
Aoi: Given the fact that our business operates in theretailing and service industries, a lot of our employees
are very social. Moreover, many of them find motivationin bringing joy to others and are gifted with a strong
sense of empathy and a proficiency in understanding
others. For this reason, they are compelled to place thecustomer’s feelings before their own.
Okajima: The idea of cooperating with and considering
the feelings of customers are common sentiments heldby everyone at MARUI GROUP. Bearing similar sentiments, higher ranked employees are committed to supporting younger employees who are ambitious towardforming their plans and endorsing ideas that are beneficial to customers. This receptiveness and ability to thinkof others that is present in MARUI GROUP employees isa result of customers being positioned as the point oforigin for the Company’s entire business.
Aoi: Utilizing the sensibilities and ideas of younger
employees requires that the Company feature a diverse
range of age groups. If we are to help younger employees
excel at the forefront of operations, the members ofmanagement who used to stand above them and issueorders will have to sit back in a more supporting role forthese employees. I was initially concerned about whether
or not this role reversal would be successful. However, as
Ms. Okajima said, those of us at MARUI GROUP havealways been devoted to cultivating people and are
therefore happy to play a supportive role. The transition
was smooth as a result.

    
Okajima: The interesting thing about MARUI GROUP
employees is how they view their position as less a job andmore of a membership. What I mean to say is that, rather
than seeing themselves as engaged in the “job” of fashion
or of sales, employees at MARUI GROUP want to work at
the Company and provide value to customers, making
them feel affiliated with MARUI GROUP as members. At the
moment, the amount of floor space at Marui stores devoted
to fashion has been reduced to less than 30%. Regardless,we have not seen any employees leave their position
because they were committed to working in fashion.
Aoi: Changing a business model is something that can bedone with a little effort. However, as it is people who
utilize this business model to create value, this change
will be pointless if we cannot get people behind it. At thetime when we were still clinging to a sense of identity
formed by past successes, there were many people whojoined MARUI GROUP out of a love of fashion. Still,
I have heard stories of such people reflecting on why
they joined finding that, while fashion was the initial
reason, their source of motivation later became thememory of a “thank you” received from a certain customer they served or the bouquet they received when
undergoing relocation. These sentiments are fueled by adesire to help customers or to tackle challenges in order
to become more capable at serving. Discussion on thesesubjects brought us to the business model we have today.
Iriyama: In management theory, we speak of the conceptof sensemaking, which is the process of giving meaning
to experiences. One method of sensemaking is formulating a long-term vision to clearly define the purpose of thecompany, crafting a narrative around this vision thatgives meaning to all employees. Without this type ofsensemaking, people will not be motivated to change oract. My understanding is that, when reexamining what
exactly it is that MARUI GROUP offers, the Company
glimpsed a long-term vision. This vision showed that theCompany need not limit itself to fashion. MARUI GROUP
is not defined by retailing or fashion or credit cards, butrather by its ability to bring joy to customers—not by apassive business model but by an active vision. While thebusiness model, represented by retailing or fashion or
credit cards, may change, the mission of bringing joy tocustomers will remain unchanged.
Aoi: I am often asked whether MARUI GROUP is a retailcompany or a finance company. This question is socommon that we chose to answer it on the cover of
Co-Creation Management Report 2017. The answer is“both.” Today, we do not see ourselves as being bound bya business model.
Okajima: The graduates that will join the Company in the
future will likely only be aware of a limited range of positions. By allowing these individuals to experience various
jobs and positions, they may, for example, discover thatthey have a love of finance.
Iriyama: What you are saying is that MARUI GROUP is
a company that seeks to make its customers smile. It
doesn’t matter what industry it operates in or what products it handles. This is why you were able to enter into
the anime business.
Aoi: When viewed from the outside, our profession
change system may seem like it entails relocations thatare tantamount to moving to a completely different company. However, this system is more designed as a program to allow employees to experience various jobs
while remaining in the safety net provided by being aGroup employee. By enabling employees to experience adiverse range of positions while enjoying the changes
this brings, we aim to stimulate growth, in both people
and the Company, so that we can become more proficient at making customers smile.

Akie Iriyama
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Business and FinanceWaseda University

Akie Iriyama graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Keio University and thenwent on to complete a master’s course in the Graduate School of Economics at thesame university. After working as a consultant to automobile manufacturers anddomestic and overseas governance institutions at Mitsubishi Research Institute,Inc., he received a Ph.D. from the graduate business school of the University ofPittsburgh, in the United States, in 2008, which was also the year he began
serving as an assistant professor at the business school of the State University of
New York at Buffalo. In 2013, Mr. Iriyama became an associate professor at theGraduate School of Business and Finance at Waseda University, specializing instrategic management and international business. Published in 2012 by Eiji Press
Inc., his work Sekai no Keieigakusha wa Ima Nani wo Kangaeteirunoka (“What are
the Manage Theorists of the World Thinking?”) became a best seller. Mr. Iriyama isalso active in other forms of media, including the DIAMOND Harvard Business
Review, which publishes a long-running series of articles entitled Sekai Hyojun no
Keiei Riron (“World-Standard Management Theory”).

33

Dialogue 04

MILLE NNIALS

Dialogue 04

Millennials Slated to Drive the Future of MARUI GROUP
Winning Customer Favor
as Key to Future GrowthEstablishment of Inclusionas the New Standard

Entry into the Businessof Inclusion

Job-Hunting Students Included
Among Stakeholders

Bright and Fulfilling Futureat Home and at Work

Unique Corporate Culture
Motivating Young Employees

Markets are shrinking in Japan as thebirthrate declines and the population
ages. For this reason, inclusion initiatives
targeting all customers are in line withthe direction Japan itself will need tohead in the future. These initiatives will
therefore be key to the future growth of
MARUI GROUP. Winning the favor of awide range of customers will no doubt
create results in the form of earnings.
I hope to help MARUI GROUP in winning
this favor by thinking about what we cando to aid customers and society, without
being bound by existing frameworks, sothat the Company can earn greater
praise from society.

When I was in university, I had many
opportunities to interact with differently
abled individuals. These interactions mademe doubt the validity of the establishedsocial dichotomy that divides people into
the supported and the supporters. The
concept of inclusion, I believe, can help us
establish a new standard of including
those who had previously been left behindas they are. MARUI GROUP’s idea of
co-creation management, which seeks toexpand the intersection between theinterests of stakeholders, is revolutionary. This approach gives MARUI GROUP,
a single company, the potential tochange all of society.

MARUI GROUP’s inclusion initiatives
really resonate with me. In university,
I studied base of the economic pyramidbusinesses. During my studies, I learned
about Unilever, a company that makes abusiness of providing soap to people
around the world. I thus realized that
inclusion is not just social contribution;
it is a viable business concept, a conceptthat will be crucial to the future growthof Japan. I hope that MARUI GROUP’s
inclusion initiatives will spread to othercompanies and throughout society, oreven that the Company will come to leadall of Japan on this front.

I was moved by the idea of co-creation
management, which entails creating
together with all stakeholders from theperspective of inclusion. When job
hunting, most companies only supplied
me with simple booklets containing
information selected specifically for job
hunters. MARUI GROUP, however,provided me with its co-creation
management reports and co-creation
sustainability reports. It was then that
I realized how the Company sees us
job-hunting students as included among
stakeholders alongside investors andshareholders. MARUI GROUP was thefirst company to exhibit this sentiment.

I felt an attachment to MARUI GROUP
when I heard of how the Company was
promoting customer diversity with afocus on age, gender, and physicalcharacteristics. Such initiatives are rareamong Japanese companies. I found it
most appealing how business initiatives
are shaped based on meetings withcustomers and how employees strive tobring joy to customers. At MARUIGROUP, I hope to continue working
vigorously, eventually getting married,
having kids, and growing into the type of
person my kids can be proud of. I see
such a bright and fulfilling future for me
at MARUI GROUP.

During my internship at MARUI GROUP,
I toured the head office as well as distribution centers located outside of Tokyo.
There, I saw the Company’s corporate
philosophy of “continue evolving to betteraid our customers” as a shared sentiment
held by employees of all ages. I was also
impressed with the Medium-Term
Management Visionary Committee andother official project teams. Based onvoluntary participation, these bodies werevenues for growth and for dialogue withmanagement. All of these are aspects of
MARUI GROUP’s unique corporate
culture that contribute to the motivation ofyoung employees.

34

Nozomu Inose

Kana Hase

Akiya Hamatsu

Karin Sugie

Eri Ichikawa

Kei Sato

Educational background:Sports and wellness

Educational background:
Communications and media studies

Educational background:
Humanities and social sciences

Educational background:
Earth and planetary sciences

Educational background:
Cultural and creative studies

Educational background:
Cross-cultural studies

35

Dialogue 04

Reason for Joining MARUI GROUP    
Sato: During my internship, I learned that MARUI GROUP
was more than just a retailer; it also utilized IT to conductcredit card and omni-channel retailing operations. I therefore thought that MARUI GROUP would be a place atwhich I could grow by experiencing various positions as
I develop my career. This is why I decided to join.
Hase: I had previously shopped at Marui stores andbought their private brand products. I was surprised tolearn of the Company’s unique business model andcorporate philosophy. My reason for joining was how theunderlying principle of aiding customers is treasured in
all of MARUI GROUP’s varied and differing businesses.
I sensed an unwavering resolve in this commitment.
Hamatsu: I was, of course, convinced by MARUIGROUP’s corporate philosophy and job description.
However, the main reason I decided to join was simply
that all of the employees were people I wanted to workwith. During my internship, I felt that they were earnest in
their approach to us students, looking to ascertain our
individual qualities. The idea of finding a position thatsuits me through the profession change system andcontinuing to grow there was also highly appealing.
Sugie: I too felt that MARUI GROUP looked at us students as individuals, and it seemed like they chose who
to hire based on who they truly wanted to work with. I
liked how they positively evaluate people who are proactive. The fact that the Company values diversity is apparent. The importance placed on engagement is also

36

obvious. I thus joined because I felt like I could work here
while being myself.
Ichikawa: During my internship and at discussion
forums, I was able to interact with several MARUIGROUP employees, making me want to work with them.
I was also attracted to MARUI GROUP’s focus on serving
customers and how the Company evolves its business
together with the changing times.
Inose: I think MARUI GROUP is unique in the breadth ofits business and the amount of importance it places on
evolution and growth. I plan to go all out no matter whichof the Company’s businesses I find myself in, whether
they be operated by Epos Card, AIM CREATE, MOVING,
or another company, and to pursue unrelenting personal
growth. I believe that no company will be more suited to
my growth over the coming decades than MARUI GROUP.

Ambitions to Be Pursued at MARUI GROUP    
Hamatsu: MARUI GROUP is transitioning its stores
toward a shopping center model that generates realestate revenues. I believe this makes it so that theCompany’s business partners are also its customers.
When thinking of how to help partners succeed in theirbusiness, I came to the realization that shopping center
Marui stores need to offer more than just convenience;
they must be able to provide more appealing value.
I hope to get involved with people outside of MARUIGROUP as I work to serve customers.

Ichikawa: In addition to retailing, MARUI GROUP is also
engaged in credit card and various other operations.
I want to make as many people as possible aware of thisfact. I also think that the try-on store scheme used with
Rakuchin Kirei series of shoes is an amazing system.
I hope to help spread this system throughout Japan.
Sato: I hope to spread the word about the wide range ofsizes Rakuchin Kirei series of shoes and other products
are available in, not just to Japanese people, but also to
non-Japanese people and people visiting Japan. Also, I
know a lot of people who do not realize that EPOS cards
belong to MARUI GROUP. I hope to teach such people
more about the Company.
Inose: MARUI GROUP has a corporate philosophy
based on aiding customers as well as a wide-ranging
business. I hope to further develop MARUI GROUP intoa unique entity that earns society’s praise by advancing
the type of initiatives that only MARUI GROUP can.
Rather than being satisfied with simply finding a job,
I will strive to continue evolving. I am well aware of theimportance of linking my own evolution to the evolutionof MARUI GROUP.
Hase: MARUI GROUP is advancing a wide variety of
unique and inclusive initiatives. I hope that such initiatives will become a common fixture in society in the
future. Right now, MARUI GROUP’s business is centeredon the Retailing business and the FinTech business, but
this too will likely change going forward. It is my goal to
make MARUI GROUP into a company that people are
happy to have around, no matter how society changes,
by helping the Company implement various initiatives forserving customers.
Sugie: I am confident that MARUI GROUP’s inclusion
initiatives will become commonplace in society in the
future. The coming era will be one in which businesses
actively seek to include those who have previously been
excluded. I hope that my generation will grow MARUIGROUP into a company that others continue to follow inthis coming era of inclusion. I may have overspecialized
during my university years, but I now feel like I have
limitless potential. I plan to tackle all challenges head on
going forward.

Maho Yamada
Educational background: Frontier media science

Enjoyment of Changes and Differences Experienced
in Various Positions
My background is in mathematics, but the part-time job I started
in my sophomore year of university taught me the joy of providing customer service face-to-face, making me want to get a sales
job that is closely linked to customers. Realizing that MARUIGROUP was the most devoted to its customers, I chose to join
the Company. MARUI GROUP offers various positions. I therefore hope to enjoy changes and differences as I experience
positions that are suited to me.

Yuto Takeuchi
Educational background: Political science

Drive to Aid Customers from the Perspective of Inclusion
When I first started job hunting, I read MARUI GROUP’s
Co-Creation Sustainability Report 2016. I felt an immediateconnection with the Company when I read the discussion
between President Aoi, a differently abled individual, and atransgender person. Sensing that the concept of inclusion wasentrenched throughout the Company, I decided to join. I had
hoped to work at a company like MARUI GROUP, and soon it
became the sole target of my job hunt. I feel incredibly motivatedby being able to work in an environment that lets me search forways to better aid customers from various perspectives.

Akari Misu
Educational background: Social services

Spread of Inclusive Values throughout Society
It was the appeal of MARUI GROUP’s management stance ofvaluing all customers that inspired me to join the Company. I wasparticularly struck by the inclusive approach toward management
demonstrated by initiatives at Hakata Marui based on input fromdifferently abled individuals as well as the suit try-on event held
for members of the LGBT community. MARUI GROUP does notsee differently abled individuals and members of the LGBT
community as the targets of volunteer activities or support drives,
but rather treats them as regular customers. I think this approach
will contribute to an inclusive society. I want to be in the businessof spreading such inclusive values throughout society.

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