Sustainability
Safety and Health
Health Management
The NGK Group strives to promote employees' health through the NGK Group Health Declaration established in April 2018: ”Developing dynamic, people-friendly work environments and a health-conscious corporate culture.”
Health Declaration of the NGK Group
At NGK, we consider employee health and safety to be of fundamental importance to the company's operation and are, therefore, proactive about developing dynamic, people-friendly work environments and a health-conscious corporate culture, which contribute to better health for each and every employee.
- Provide a workspace that is both people-friendly and work-friendly
- Cultivate a health-conscious corporate culture for executives, employees, and their families
- Promote early detection and early intervention for health concerns
- Offer support for mental health and wellbeing
President

Reducing Long Work Hours
In July 2016, we lowered the maximum amount of overtime work to 70 hours per month (with an upper limit of 300 hours per half-year). To this end, employees are, as a rule, not allowed to work for more than seven days straight and are not allowed to do overtime on their twice-a-week refresh days. If either of these are necessary, they must get permission from their bosses beforehand. To prevent employees from working excessively long hours, there must be an interval period of at least 10 hours between shifts of late night work.
Overtime Work Hour Trends
Item | Scope | Category | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hours worked/ overtime work (Annual fixed working hours: 1,919 hours) |
NGK general employees | Annual actual working hours | 2,087 | 2,069 | 2,072 | 2,081 | 2,059 |
Average overtime work per month | 24.9 | 23.7 | 24.3 | 25.2 | 23.7 | ||
NGK including key personnel (managers) |
Annual actual working hours | 2,079 | 2,067 | 2,089 | 2,087 | 2,056 | |
Average overtime work per month | 23.7 | 22.9 | 23.4 | 25.2 | 23.6 | ||
NGK production divisions | Annual actual working hours | 2,140 | 2,102 | 2,129 | 2,129 | 2,067 | |
Average overtime work per month | 26.7 | 24.7 | 25.7 | 27.3 | 24.4 | ||
NGK non-production divisions | Annual actual working hours | 2,053 | 2,051 | 2,077 | 2,050 | 2,052 | |
Average overtime work per month | 22.4 | 22.3 | 22.4 | 24.0 | 23.2 |
Following Up on Employees Working Long Hours
NGK provides employees working long hours, including non-regular and part-time employees, with ongoing opportunities to meet with industrial physicians for health consultations and exams. The results are reported at monthly Safety and Health Committee meetings at each worksite to thoroughly promote the reduction of overtime work.
In fiscal 2019, because certain managers were often putting in long hours, Business Groups ordered this to be reduced.
Consultations by Employees Working Long Hours
Item | Scope | Category | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of employees having consultations | NGK | All | 226 | 108 | 85 | 243 | 78 |
Note: Numbers of people shown are cumulative totals.