Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Biodiversity​

Rakuten's Approach

In our multinational world, every person sees the world differently. Corporations are finally paying attention to the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging to their products and services.
Innovation must not be exclusive but open to all. Since our inception, we have been an equal-opportunity employer, and our mission has been to empower people and society by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship.
We have fostered a culture that provides opportunities to anyone who shares this founding philosophy, regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or gender identity.
We respect the individuality and values of every one of our employees worldwide and strive to create an environment where everyone can realize their full potential. Our fundamental commitment to promoting diversity and non-discrimination is stipulated in our Human Rights Policy, a part of Rakuten Group Regulations.

Diversity at a Glance

Number of employee nationalities
Employee nationality ratio
Employee gender ratio
Manager gender ratio
Ratio of employees with disabilities
Employee age ratio

Strategy

Management System

Diversity-related challenges and opportunities raised by our internal and external stakeholders are discussed by our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee, which directly reports to the Sustainability Committee in charge of societal matters that require long-term, cross-organizational discussion.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee consists of C-suite executives and other high-level managers. Based on analysis of the situation on the ground, the Subcommittee proposes and implements necessary action plans.
The Sustainability Committee reports regularly to the Board of Directors on proposals and decisions made by each Subcommittee, progress towards targets, implementation into business strategy and compliance with international guidelines, laws, and regulations.

Group Sustainability Commitee

Growing and Advancing a Diverse Workforce

We provide an inclusive workplace where each employee can feel safe, enabling us to thrive together as one global team. Below are some of the initiatives that we have implemented.

Shared Language and Mindset

Fostering a Culture of Mutual Respect

As we embrace each employee's unique background, we recognize the importance of cultivating a culture of mutual respect. At Rakuten, we specialize in education, providing training on topics such as unconscious bias or working with employees with different lifestyles.
We also provide manager-targeted diversity training for better team management.
Managers who are newly promoted join a Newly Promoted Evaluator Program where they learn how to better manage a diverse group of people as they familiarize themselves with potential diversity and inclusion issues that may arise within their team.
The culture of mutual respect is not just limited to internal employee development. For example, every year, we celebrate International Women's Day to raise awareness of gender biases, aiming to create equitable environments for all genders. Cross-cultural events, employee education about Ramadan and workshops about Japanese traditional culture make up a small portion of our eventful calendar.
The Rules of Employment at Rakuten explicitly mention the zero-tolerance policies against harassment. A workplace environment free of harassment should be a given for all employees and not a privilege earned.

Support Systems in a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

Nationality, Ethnicity, and Religious Inclusion

Parental Inclusion

LGBTQ Inclusion

Disability Inclusion

Generation Inclusion

Fostering a Culture of Belonging

We create an environment where individuals feel accepted, valued and a part of a group.
This helps employees feel connected, secure and fulfilled.

Employee Networks and Communities for all Rakuten Employees

Employee Networks are networking communities of employees based on common interests. Various employee networks host workshops with external guests and speakers, study sessions, and networking events to provide learning opportunities on communication, work-life balance and other relevant day-to-day issues.

Family Empowerment Network

The Family Empowerment Network connects our working parents and serves as an in-office society to provide support to working parents and their family life. The network includes collaborations with HR and other departments where employees can participate in return-to-work seminars and other various sessions to meet and interact with other working parents.

Family Empowerment Network

LGBTQ+ Network

The LGBTQ+ Network connects our LGBTQ employees and their allies*1. It provides educational information and support systems for a safe, inclusive and supportive workplace. The network has set up information desks where employees can receive information on internal systems and available support options.

*1 Allies (singular, ally) refers to those openly supporting rights and protections for LGBTQ and other sexual minorities.

LGBTQ+ Network

Cross-Cultural Network

The Cross-Cultural Network aims to facilitate culturally diverse communication within the company.The network also promotes cross-cultural understanding through discussions about daily lives, workshops by external speakers and study sessions. Virtual tours were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic where employees could experience different diverse culture around the world.

Cross-Cultural Network

Rakuten Official Clubs

Rakuten Official Clubs enable cross-departmental employee networking. They aim to help employees with similar interests to connect and enhance smoother communication. Clubs cover a wide range of employee hobbies, from futsal, surfing, and yoga to more niche ones like incense, sauna and even survival games! Each club hosts events, provides activity reports and serves as a place to mingle and have fun, doing what each employee enjoys.

Rakuten Official Clubs

Rakuten Smile Project

Rakuten Smile Project is another internal project aimed at enhancing employee engagement and satisfaction. It hosts various events to promote networking opportunities such as the company's birthday and Halloween. The Rakuten Smile Project also participates in the Tokyo Rainbow Pride together with Rakuten's LGBTQ+ Network.

Rakuten Smile Project

Employees' Stories

Employee Voice

I joined Rakuten fourteen years ago, and now work as an application engineer. I am visually impaired, so I use screen reader software and braille displays. For me, inclusion means each of us can feel a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment every day, in an environment where one can demonstrate their strengths according to their background.

I am involved in a project to improve the web accessibility of Rakuten websites and I share my ideas from the perspective of using a screen reader. This initiative directly leads to the creation of user-friendly services for many people.

Takeshi Shiigamoto

Takeshi Shiigamoto

Application Engineer, Sub-leader,
Rakuten Socio Business, Japan

Data & Third-Party Assurance