Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT)(TSE:2914) today announces that it received “Gold” recognition, the highest ranking in the PRIDE Index 2021(*1), for the sixth consecutive year. The index is organized by “work with Pride”(*2) and evaluates companies’ initiatives related to LGBT+ and other sexual minorities in Japan.

JT believes that embracing diversity and finding value in our differences will lead to its sustainable growth. Diversity covers a broad range of attributes including – and not exclusive to – differences in gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, as well as experience, expertise, background, and values. JT positions promotion of diversity as one of its management challenges and has been implementing a plethora of initiatives to create a work environment more open for all employees.

The company has been building the foundation for a culture that promotes employees to accept one another’s diverse values. Some initiatives that have been implemented to realize this culture include spreading employee-awareness about the LGBT+ community at a corporate level by providing a dedicated intranet page with LGBT+-relevant information as well as revising corporate policies to implement a Partnership Certification Rule, giving employees with partners access to benefits such as subsidized housing. Additionally, JT’s branch offices are taking the corporate-led initiatives further and starting to take their own initiatives to raise LGBT+ awareness, for example, by participating in local LGBT+ events.

JT believes that these continuous actions toward spreading LGBT+ awareness is what helped the company earn the “Gold” recognition of PRIDE Index 2021 and will continue to actively promote diversity in order to achieve sustainable growth by leveraging the strengths of diverse human capital.

Japan Tobacco Inc. is a leading international tobacco company with operations in more than 130 countries. With approximately 58,000 employees, it manufactures and sells some of the world’s best-known brands including Winston, Camel, MEVIUS and LD. The JT Group is committed to investing in Reduced-Risk Products (RRP) and currently markets its heated tobacco products under the Ploom brand and various e-cigarette products under its Logic brand. The Group is also present in the pharmaceutical and processed food businesses.