"I had been putting off having children for the sake of my career, but I was worried about what I would do if I couldn't have a child, so it took me a while to go to the hospital."
This is the real-life experience of Kamiko, who was involved in the introduction of EggU .
EY Japan positions DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusiveness) as a core element of the organization, and is committed to creating a workplace where each individual can work in their own way. As part of this, the introduction of EggU was initiated with the desire to create an environment where employees can be more proactive about their own bodies and careers.
This time, we will introduce the background to the introduction of EggU, the reaction within the company, and future prospects.
About EY Japan
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EY is a global firm with a mission to "build a better working world," with approximately 400,000 professionals providing a wide range of services, including audit, tax, strategy, and consulting, in over 150 countries and regions. In Japan, EY has approximately 12,500 employees, and firms in each specialized field work together to solve corporate and social issues.
In particular, we view DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) as the foundation for innovation and sustainable growth, and are promoting the creation of an environment where diverse talent can feel safe and able to demonstrate their abilities, through measures such as developing female leaders, supporting work-life balance with childcare and nursing care, and implementing a 100% flexible remote work system. We are also leading reforms outside the company, such as registering 20 business partners with a DE&I perspective by fiscal 2025.
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Name and affiliation of the person interviewed
- EY Japan DE&I Leader Megumi Umeda
- Kanae Kamiko, EY ShinNihon LLC
- Yuko Yamaoka, EY ShinNihon LLC
The introduction was triggered by personal concerns and discomfort
Joko-san
"Why are only women cutting back on work?" This initiative began with this small sense of discomfort.
In fact, some employees have experienced the struggle of deciding the timing of their career and pregnancy/childbirth, or have been involved in infertility treatment, and many have said that "even though the system is in place, I don't know what to think about it specifically."
In the midst of all this, I thought , "Knowing the state of my own body first would be a positive step," and that's when I came across EggU. EggU is a service that provides an opportunity to face your own body through AMH testing.
I felt that this service could help people take a step away from their "vague anxieties" and help them think about the life and career that is right for them .
EggU was exactly what I was looking for
My encounter with BeLiebe, the company behind EggU, came at a business contest supporting female entrepreneurs.
When employees heard the BeLiebe CEO speak on stage, they felt a strong connection and thought, "This person is serious about changing this issue," and wanted to support his business. At the time, many employees within the company were struggling to balance their family and career responsibilities, and many were saying, "We've been looking for a service like this."
What began as a chance encounter has led to this latest implementation.
The response from employees exceeded expectations.
Yamaoka-san
However, EggU is a service related to private topics, and there were many things to consider when introducing it, such as which department to start with and how to introduce it to employees.
Initially, we planned to start with a few locations, but as interest in the system was growing in other departments as well, we eventually implemented it across the entire EY Japan. After we posted an announcement on the internal mailing list and other means, the response to the recruitment quickly exceeded the capacity, and we realized that there was such a large demand for it .
EggU was the catalyst. The next action spread from employee feedback
Employees who have used EggU have said things like, "It gave me an opportunity to really think about myself," and "It gave me the motivation to take a step forward."
After the service ended, the results of a participant survey were shared, and we were able to see what kind of support they needed next. We are currently using that feedback to plan our next actions, such as holding a seminar called "Work-Life Planning Based on the Body," which focuses on the body and careers.
I feel that one of the great values of EggU is that it is not a one-off initiative, but rather starts with each employee's realization and leads to ongoing support .
Aiming to be an organization where everyone feels they belong
Umeda-san
One of the leaders promoting DE&I at EY Japan is Megumi Umeda, who leads DE&I initiatives both inside and outside the company.
▶ EY official profile here
Umeda says:
"It's not enough to just have a system in place. To get people to actually use it, we need to be sensitive to the differences in values between generations and the anxieties of each life stage . Nowadays, with the number of options increasing, many people are confused. That's why we need a 'guide' ."
For example, parental leave for men was once seen as "escaping from one's career," but has now become "a common option that talented employees actively take."
Regarding the introduction of EggU,
"The purchase rate for EggU at EY Japan was extremely high. We were inundated with questions. That just shows how much everyone wanted to know . Not only female employees, but male employees were also very interested , and many of them applied for it 'for their partners.'"
he says.
In response to these changes, Umeda is considering holding seminars with male instructors and one-on-one training for managers .
"It's a difficult topic to discuss in the workplace, so I want to provide a place to learn so that people can plan their own lives and careers. I believe this will lead to a workplace where people don't feel isolated. "
