In fiscal year 2017, the Overseas Management Group (OMG) was officially established at SEKISUI headquarters in Tokyo. The group is responsible for strengthening governance and compliance, improving the global deployment of the corporate philosophy,supporting HR and communication functions in the regional headquarters.
In line with the Medium-Term Management Plan “SHIFT 2019 – FUSION –”, the Overseas Management Group was implemented – to enter a new phase of growth by managing the global cooperation among SEKISUI companies.
As part of their job, the team members regularly visit the various overseas regions. Kate Gilmartin* recently worked in the SEKISUI Europe offices in Düsseldorf and Roermond, to improve the connection between Europe and Japan and learn about the needs for a good relationship on-site. For us, she answered several questions on the Overseas Management Group and her life as European in Japan.
What are the OMG’s responsibilities?
The Overseas Management Group was set up as part of the Business Strategy Department. Its function is to establish and develop the four regional headquarters (RHQs): SEBV in Europe, SEKISUI America Corporation in North America, SEKISUI SOUTHEAST ASIA in Thailand and SEKISUI China in China.
The main functions in the regional headquarters are HR, Communications, Accounting, IT and Legal. We act as the communication point between the global headquarters in Japan and the regional headquarters for these functions. Two of our top priorities are improving compliance awareness and governance as well as corporate philosophy and vision deployment.
When we mention compliance as a priority, it does not only mean legal compliance. There are so many standards set by governments, business partners, industries but also social standards and expectations. The impact of non-compliance on a company’s reputation and brand can have very negative effects. As SEKISUI wants to enhance and increase its presence as a global business, monitoring, educating on and communicating about the importance of compliance is a top priority.
Is there an overall vision of your work?
The overall mission of the OMG is to spread SEKISUI’s corporate philosophy and strengthen governance through the regional headquarters. We aim to build strong trusting relationships with the regional subsidiaries by helping to enhance the functions of regional headquarters.
What are your main tasks?
My main tasks are related to improving the distribution method and content quality of communication from Japan to SEKISUI worldwide:
- Improving timely internal communication of corporate news and events.
- Organizing/supporting events which promote awareness of SEKISUI vision, values and strategy such as the Vision Caravan, Intercultural Communication Workshops etc..
- Raising awareness of groupwide strategies in companies around the world.
- Building external brand awareness of the SEKISUI Chemical Group.
- Creating resources such as uniform translations which facilitate consistent terminology and communication style.
What are your main challenges in the job?
When trying to share a corporate vision/philosophy globally, there is no “one size fits all”. The challenge of this job is to try and transmit the groupwide philosophy, policies, etc., in the best possible way for each employee/company/region.
We want to do more than build awareness of the word SEKISUI, we want all members to have a deeper connection to what it stands for and a feeling of pride to be part of the Group. How to communicate this effectively is a challenge.
The Overseas Management Group and the tasks we are doing are usually new or renewed initiatives. Starting new things is exciting but takes time and is challenging.
Also, raising brand awareness in a predominantly B2B business is challenging. However, I have received excellent advices from colleagues in Europe.
What do you like about your position?
I like that this job focuses on the things that unite all SEKISUI members around the world. Whenever I meet people from SEKISUI, even though we have different job functions, different companies, different countries, we are a network and are connected to the same SEKISUI vision and overall strategy. I like that my job is about increasing that feeling of collaboration and unity.
I like that the issue we are working on is low knowledge and awareness of the SEKISUI Chemical Group because it means there are a lot of opportunities to improve and make a difference.
What would you like to learn about while being in Europe?
In Europe, I wanted to learn about European media communication style, channels and methods so that we can effectively promote the SEKISUI brand. I want to learn the difference between European communication and Japanese communication and adapt as necessary.
I also wanted to learn more about each business in Europe and, as far as possible, learn about employee’s jobs and experience. Being here has given me a personal insight into SEKISUI in Europe and I think I gained a deeper understanding of how to meet their needs.
What is your personal recommendation for Europeans applying for Jobs at SEKISUI in Japan?
When I applied for the job in SEKISUI Japan, I had never worked in a European company but I knew that working in Japan was going to be different to what I imagined.
If you apply for a job at SEKISUI Japan, here is some advice:
- Accept that a lot will be different than your expectations. Do not expect to understand the culture right away and do not expect your colleagues to understand your culture right away. Be open to the challenges of adapting to a new working/living environment.
- Put time into building relationships with your colleagues and learn from them. Language is an obstacle but it can be easily overcome.
- SEKISUI wants to grow globally so do not be afraid to show your individuality and help to develop a more global culture in SEKISUI Japan.
- Embrace the time you spend in SEKISUI Japan and know that everything is an opportunity to grow and develop.
What projects are you looking forward to in cooperation with the regional headquarters?
I am excited for any projects we do with the RHQs because everything is a chance to strengthen the awareness of the SEKISUI Chemical Group, both internally and externally
Personally, I am excited to improve the brand awareness in Europe. As SEKISUI in Europe is growing, we are sure that raising brand awareness both internally and externally can eventually lead to enhanced business, employee satisfaction, and overall positive outcome.
So far, working with the communications and HR colleagues from SEKISUI Europe B.V., I have received a lot of advice and constructive feedback on to how we can improve corporate communications and how to build awareness in external media. Although this is a project we are just starting, I think we can achieve much more working together than working independently.
* Kate Gilmartin joined SEKISUI in November 2015 through SEKISUI Chemical’s global hire. She worked in the Human Resources Department first and moved to her current position in January 2018.
Kate was born and raised in Ireland and decided to work in a very different environment. She experienced various differences from her home country, such as the hierarchical structure of Japan, which differs a lot from the one in Ireland. However, a positive attitude has enabled her to enjoy the differences in the working environment.
All facts about The SEKISUI CHEMICAL Group throughout the world: https://www.sekisuichemical.com/
