同社では主に「組織体制」「環境」の在り方を通じて、SDGs経営を推進している。「組織体制」としては社員の72%、管理職の35%が女性のため、女性が働きやすい制度の構築など、社員の働く環境の改善に向けて取り組んでいる。2023年8月期においては、男性・女性ともに育休取得率100%を実現するなど、若い社員の継続的な活躍を支援する環境が提供されている。また、社員がより安心して長期的なキャリアを築けるよう、原則としてコンサルタントを正社員で雇用している。「環境」に関しては英語学習に必要なほぼすべての教材をアプリ化し、また、会議資料や稟議など社内文書の電子化を進め、紙の消費量削減に取り組み、環境負荷を低減する活動を行っている。■ Shareholder return policy of Progrit <9560>
In July 2024, it was announced that the company will pay its first year-end dividends in the fiscal year ending August 2024. Up until now, focusing on strengthening internal reserves due to being in a growth phase and aiming for further business expansion was considered the best way to maximize benefits for shareholders, leading to the decision to postpone dividend payments. However, with the favorable performance of the fiscal year ending August 2024, anticipating stable business growth in the future, and aiming for further enhancement of corporate value through continued growth investment, it was determined that it is possible to continue providing continuous returns to shareholders while taking the bold step of paying dividends for the first time. The year-end dividend for the fiscal year ending August 2024 is ¥13.0 per share, with a dividend payout ratio of 26.6%. In the future, the basic policy will be to aim for annual year-end dividends and a dividend payout ratio of 30%, planning to pay ¥18.0 per share in dividends for the fiscal year ending August 2025.
Promoting SDGs management through the organization structure and environmental considerations.
The company mainly promotes SDGs management through the organization structure and environmental considerations. In terms of the organization structure, 72% of employees and 35% of management positions are held by women, leading to efforts to improve the working environment for employees, such as creating a system where women can work comfortably. In the fiscal year ending August 2023, achieving a 100% maternity/paternity leave uptake rate for both men and women, providing an environment to support the continuous success of young employees. Moreover, to allow employees to build a long-term career with peace of mind, consultants are generally employed as regular employees. Regarding the environment, almost all materials needed for English learning have been digitized into apps, and efforts are being made to reduce paper consumption by digitizing internal documents such as meeting materials and requests, thus engaging in activities to reduce environmental impact.
Having an international perspective not only domestically but also from student days is considered effective. In November 2022, in collaboration with Ritsumeikan University and Asics <7936>, the company started the "Ritsumeikan-Global Athlete Program". Derived from the company's founding principles, this initiative supports the development of global athletes who will bear the future of Japan's sports industry. In April 2024, it was announced that the company will fully support the improvement of English proficiency for Funa Mizuka, the world champion in soft tennis. Funa Mizuka aims to become the first Japanese Major League player in the rapidly growing sport of "pickleball" in the USA. The company supports English learning to enhance communication skills with American staff and players during training and matches.
(Writer: FISCO analyst Tomoichi Murase)
