Nintendo on commitment to diverse and inclusive workplace
In its 2021 CSR report, Nintendo delved into its commitment to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Over the past year or so, Nintendo has established a number of initiatives. These include the Partnership System in its headquarters in Japan, Black @ Nintendo Dialogue at Nintendo of America, and more.
Here’s the full rundown from Nintendo:
Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japan) Introduction of a Partnership System
At Nintendo Co., Ltd. (Japan), we want to create a work environment that supports and empowers each and every one of our unique employees.
We introduced the Partnership System in March 2021 as one initiative based on this philosophy. This system ensures employees who are in a domestic partnership with a same-sex partner have the same benefits as employees in an opposite-sex marriage. We have also established that a common-law marriage between a same-sex couple will be observed in the same way as a legal marriage.
In our Code of Conduct for employees in Japan, we had already established that “we do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, nationality, ideology, religion, creed, origin, social status, class, occupation, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity,” prohibiting all forms of discrimination. In addition, with the introduction of the Partnership System, we took the opportunity to revise our internal regulations regarding harassment to clearly prohibit discriminatory comments based on sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as disclosing someone’s privately held sexual orientation against their will.
Alongside the introduction of the Partnership System in Japan, we notified our employees about the issue of gender diversity with a message from our President on the company intranet as a means of raising awareness. In this message, the President called for renewed understanding that even speech and actions which are not intended to harm can cause significant emotional pain, asking for understanding and support for creating an environment in which everyone can work comfortably.
By improving our company systems and conducting training, we will continue our work to create an environment where each of our many diverse employees can fully realize their talents.
Nintendo of America Inc. – Supporting Employees’ Development and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Throughout the pandemic, Nintendo of America provided a variety of virtual learning and engagement opportunities for employees. We offered employees a self-serve online education platform that provided optional video courses taught by industry experts in areas related to software, creative and business fields.
We also continue to offer Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) resources, including our ongoing “Disrupting Everyday Bias” virtual course, which helps employees understand how to identify unconscious biases and address them in everyday life.
In 2020, we hosted a variety of special forums in which attendees were able to share and listen to a wide range of personal and professional stories. Employees were exposed to a number of perspectives and conversations that helped deepen awareness of and appreciation for our different life experiences. Employees were also invited to participate in a learning program to better understand how to engage in active practices designed to eliminate racism in all its forms. Hundreds of Nintendo of America employees participated and committed to taking action on a daily basis.
Nintendo of America Inc. – Initiatives for Diversity Through Employee Resource Groups
At Nintendo of America, we have established Employee Resource Groups (ERG), initiatives to encourage mutual understanding and increase motivation among our employees in which they come together based on their shared backgrounds, experiences and interests. These various groups support activities that promote diversity, equity and inclusivity.
One ERG, Black @ Nintendo Dialogue (B@ND), works to champion inclusivity through community outreach, employee engagement and talent acquisition. B@ND researches and creates volunteer opportunities for Nintendo of America and its employees to engage with the Black community and raise awareness of the company’s DE&I activities. B@ND also provides opportunities and platforms for employees to have open conversations around DE&I-related events and topics.
In support of diverse talent acquisition, B@ND attends recruiting events, such as National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Annual Conference & Expo and Game Developers of Color Conference, to increase the pipeline of diverse candidates.
Another of our ERGs, Nintendo Women and Allies, supports female employees by offering a variety of empowering opportunities that help promote women’s careers. These include presentations from women in management positions, cross-departmental communication to promote leadership, presentation skill development and networking.
In January 2020, Nintendo Women and Allies hosted an event called “Cultivating Communication Excellence” to learn better tactics for communicating, including using body language and how to speak positively about yourself in order to be more confident and comfortable in the workplace.
In 2020, due to the pandemic and work-from-home policy, Nintendo Women and Allies pivoted to offer various virtual opportunities, with topics ranging from leadership, to working culture, to dealing with isolation.
In addition, Nintendo Women and Allies also hosted various virtual events, including a panel discussion entitled “Defining Success in Changing Time” and an event for Girls Make Games*, in which Nintendo of America employees led a conversation with girls (8-14 years old) about how to identify and operationalize their unique strengths.
