Chihiro Tokisaki, Chief, Human Resources Development Team, Human Resources Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited

Our goal is to develop career-oriented human resources. To become a company where everyone can continue to grow.

Chihiro Tokizaki, Chief, Human Resources Development Team, Human Resources Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited

Profile
She joined the company as a new graduate in 2012 and gained experience in sales and public relations. She took maternity leave in 2020 and returned to work in 2021. She is currently a member of the Human Resources Development Team in the Human Resources Department, where she is responsible for training operations and building a learning management system.

After joining the company in 2012, she gained experience in sales at a branch office before being transferred to the Public Relations Office, where she was involved in creating the company newsletter and the company website. After taking maternity leave, she returned to work as a member of the Human Resources Department's Human Resources Development Team, where she is involved in creating and managing content related to human resource development.

■A company that solves problems beyond the framework of a "bank"

Broadly speaking, the appeal of our company lies in its breadth, high level of social contribution, and the joy of creating solutions that are in tune with the times. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank offers a wide range of solutions, from identifying issues to proposing solutions, all the way to resolving them, in addition to standard banking services such as deposits, loans, and foreign exchange. These solutions include asset management and administration, corporate real estate strategies, pension system design and management, shareholder strategies, and ESG strategies. This allows us to handle assets other than money, and we are uniquely able to transcend the boundaries of finance and flexibly provide solutions that adapt to changing times. By leveraging this breadth of expertise, we are working to contribute to social issues beyond the boundaries of finance, such as decarbonization, digitalization, and a super-aging society.

■ Working with partners to achieve decarbonization

For example, "decarbonization" efforts are expected to require more than 1 trillion yen in capital worldwide over the next 30 years. In response to this, our company has launched the world's first positive impact finance initiative. This is an initiative that aims to create a sustainable society together with borrowing companies, but because the impact also extends to supply chain companies, we expect the benefits to exceed the actual loan amount. We believe that in addition to loans, we will also need the assets of investors and individuals to cover the huge capital demand, and are working to create new investment products, including ESG-related investment products that we have cultivated over many years.
In addition, because each company's efforts to decarbonize require technical expertise, we employ experts in the latest technologies to provide each company with this technical knowledge. In this way, we hope to develop Japanese society and the economy by creating a virtuous cycle of funds, assets, and capital to address social issues such as "decarbonization."

■Contributing to employee career development through in-house universities and open recruitment systems

We utilize our own unique programs for our human resource development system and career development support. In addition to various training programs, such as new employee training and training by rank and job type, and self-development support such as subsidizing the fees for various qualifications and certification exams, we have also established an in-house university called "SuMiTRUST University" that offers many courses to broaden the interests of each employee. Recently, we collaborated with a newspaper company to hold courses taught by journalists on market trends in different industries, such as music and fashion, providing content that allows employees to step away from their usual work and discover new perspectives. With over 1000 pieces of content, we aim to provide a "learning space" where each employee can chart their own career path by providing a variety of opportunities.
In addition, our company has an open recruitment system, and once a year, employees have the opportunity to raise their hand and take on the challenge of doing the work they want to do. Furthermore, the Human Resources Department holds a business information session every year to support these challenges. At this information session, employees active in various businesses and departments can hear real stories about their work and experiences, which gives employees an idea of ​​what work they have never done before and broadens their career aspirations.

We believe that by having employees take on a variety of tasks, they will be able to broaden their horizons and develop human resources who can make high-quality proposals to our customers. Our company has multiple businesses, and the work content varies greatly depending on the business, so one of the attractions of our company is that you can experience a variety of tasks in one company.

■We are looking for people who can open up the future with a positive attitude

We don't require our coworkers to have studied economics or law. I think this company is a good fit for forward-thinking people who are curious and open to new things, regardless of their academic background. As I mentioned earlier, our company has a variety of human resource development systems and a corporate culture that is tolerant of challenges. I hope you will take advantage of these to always have goals and continue to carve out your own future. If you can act with a clear vision, I believe you will be able to demonstrate your talents in a wider range of businesses. During the recruitment process, we offer not only standard courses but also specialized courses such as IT and operations. And finally, honesty is key. I would love to work with people who are open to absorbing everything and growing in a straightforward manner.

■Message to university students

There are two things I want to convey. The first is that I want you to cherish the experiences and connections you made during your student days. The connections you made during your student days are still very important even now that you're working. Hearing the stories of friends who work in different industries is very inspiring and also motivates me.
Secondly, I would like you to try everything that you are interested in. I think it is only by trying things that interest you that you will find what you like and what you can work hard at. Of course, these will become the core of your job search, and will also become a major core in your life as a working member of society in the future. In order to find such a "core," I would like you to always be quick on your feet.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on September 16, 2022 by Chiaki Hata, a third-year student at Tokyo University of Agriculture

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