Volunteer Leave System

Having a volunteer leave system in place to encourage employees to participate in volunteer activities

In 1998, Sumitomo Corporation initiated a volunteer leave system to encourage its employees to participate in volunteer activities.

Under the system, each employee can take up to five days off per year, and by the end of fiscal 2020, a total of 189 employees had utilized the system to participate in volunteer activities, including those for natural environment conservation, local sports competitions, international exchange, and disaster relief activities.

VOICE

I have volunteered to listen to patients hospitalized in the palliative care unit of a hospital. In the unit, a medical team composed of people from various fields gives support to patients to help them mitigate their physical and psychological pain. I am working to help these patients spend their precious remaining time as comfortably as possible by sincerely listening to them and their families.
(Megumi Ito, Asset Management Dept.)

In 1992, I was living as an expatriate in Mindanao in the Philippines. I started teaching the Japanese martial art of Aikido in the hope of interacting with the local people. Thanks to the volunteer leave system, I am still able to teach Aikido in Mindanao every year on a one-week trip. I am very grateful for the system. About five years ago, the then mayor of Davao City (now the incumbent president) sent me a message to tell me that he hoped I would convey the Aikido spirit of peace and harmony to the young people of the city. I would like to continue using the volunteer leave system for this activity.
(Tadashi Nishiyama, Planning & Coordination Dept., Media & Digital Business Unit)