Diversity & Inclusion

The “K” LINE Group has established the Charter of Conduct for the “K” LINE Group Companies, a code of conduct that is to be observed by the entire Group, and we will consistently respect the individuality, personality and diversity of our Group employees. And "K" LINE has established the implementation guidelines for putting the sprit of the Charter of Conduct, ”K” LINE will strive to ensure that employees are treated equally without discrimination on any grounds, including but not limited to nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed or religion, disability, etc., in terms of employment and worker treatment.

In order to create an environment in which everyone can fully demonstrate their individual abilities while balancing work and family life, we formulate the following action plan with the aim of becoming a company where all employees can work with a sense of motivation and self-confidence.

April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2027

Goal 1 (Goal to provide opportunities related to work life)
Increase the percentage of female employees in managerial positions to 15% by the end of the plan period.

Goal 2 (Goal to balance work life and family life)
Limit the average monthly overtime working hours per employee to less than 30 hours.

Goal 3 (Goal set under the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children)
Increase the percentage of male employees taking leave for childcare to 50% or more.

Goal 4 (Goal set under the Act on Advancement of Measures to Support Raising Next-Generation Children)
Ensure that the total number of days off taken, combining annual paid leave and the company’s unique non-statutory leave (up to 7 days within the fiscal year), is at least 12 days.

Please refer to the following for details on specific initiatives.

As work styles become more diverse, ensuring that employees can maintain a good work–life balance is integral to encouraging employee skill development and to spurring the sustainable growth of the “K” LINE Group. We have adopted flexible workstyles as a measure to allow employees to continue working amid the changes that accompany different life stages, such as flex time and a teleworking system. In addition, we offer robust systems for supporting employees, including maternity, childcare, and long-term care systems that surpass legal requirements.

Although not established legal standards, we granted for up to 18 months.

Reduced working hours granted during pregnancy.
Hospital visits granted during work hours.

Although the legal requirement is 6 weeks before the due date, we granted from 8 weeks before the due date.

We granted until the child turns 3 years old, but the legal standards granted until turns 2 years old.

Although not established legal standards, we granted for 5 to 10 working days.

More than the legally required number of days, we granted up to 7 days per year when taking care of 1 family member and up to 12 days per year when taking care of multiple family members.

Loan program： Although not establised standards, it is available for an employee who has a preschool child or a person requiring nursing care in their family (up to ¥2,000,000).

Reduced working-hour program : Although the legal only allows employees up to the age of elementary school entry, we ganted until a child completes the third grade of elementary school to work shorter hours by up to two hours. 

Introduced by various divisions, with core hours of 11 A.M. to 3 P.M.

Although not established legal standards, it is available to take 7 consecutive days of refreshment leave in the 11th year at the company, and 10 consecutive days in the 21st year.

Although not established legal standards,we granted for 2 years for an overseas assignment or 1 year for a domestic assignment.

Female maritime officers at “K” LINE build their careers in various fields while adjusting to their respective lifestyles, whether working at sea, onshore (including overseas assignments), or through flexible, shorter working hours. Assignments are made regardless of gender, allowing individuals to fully utilize their skills and experience as deck officers or engineering officers.

As part of our efforts to reform work styles at sea, we have established systems to accommodate the life events of maritime officers flexibly. Specifically, we have created a new system that allows employees to apply for temporary onshore assignments when sea duty becomes difficult due to childbirth, childcare, or nursing care. We also respect individual preferences regarding childcare leave, allowing them to take leave as they wish.
These initiatives aim to create an environment where all maritime officers can work with peace of mind, respond flexibly to individual life events, including family matters, and maintain a good work-life balance.

To help our maritime officers work with peace of mind despite being far away from their families, we established onboard internet access enabling individuals to use smartphones and computers to contact their families and friends via email, social media, and other apps. We also help cover travel and accommodation expenses so that the families of maritime officers can come to our vessels when they berth at ports in Japan and overseas.

In addition, we have established a system allowing families to board our vessels during certain periods. 

Since ship-based living quarters and working environments are so close together, seafarers need to be able to adjust between being on duty and off duty. We endeavor to help seafarers take proper rest in various ways, including giving them opportunities to exercise, read books, and watch movies in their free time, and our vessels include onboard gymnasiums and recreation rooms to help seafarers keep fit, the cost of which we subsidize by purchasing recreational equipment. Moreover, each vessel has free WiFi.

Daily meals play an important role in ship-based living, and for this reason we employ non-Japanese cooks to prepare onboard meals. Our cooks are trained at the “K” Line Maritime Academy (in Manila, the Philippines), underscoring our efforts to provide well-balanced, highly nutritious meals for our seafarers on our vessels. We also provide crew members on each vessel with recipe books of their national cuisine so that they can eat a wide variety of meals.
In order to create a bright and pleasant working environment for our seafarers, from time to time we organize recreational tournament and other events for all crew members to participate in.

As our group company which develops businesses globally, approximately 97% of its crew members are foreign nationals.