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2024: Robert Walters Japan sponsors Tokyo Rainbow Pride
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2024: Robert Walters Japan launches Women's Talent Development Solutions
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2024: Robert Walters Japan launches Hiring Inclusivity Roadmap
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2023: Robert Walters Japan sponsors first ED&I Award at BCCJ Awards
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2023: Robert Walters Japan backs statement supporting Marriage Equality
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2023: International Women's Day fundraiser for partners YouMeWe
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2021: Robert Walters Japan leads establishment of ED&I Council
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2021: Robert Walters Japan sponsors 6th LLAN Gala
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2021: Robert Walters Japan sponsors Shine on Kids
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2021: Coral Bamgboye appointed as Global Head of ED&I
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2020: Robert Walters Japan employees take part in TELL's Step Up Challenge up Tokyo Tower for first time
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2019: London Pride march official partners
Equity, diversity & inclusion
At Robert Walters Japan, we recognise an inclusive workforce is a strong workforce. When people feel free to be their authentic selves at work, their ability to create and innovate is unhindered.
We believe in the power of a diverse global workforce that champions the right for people to be their true, authentic selves.
An inclusive workforce is a strong workforce. When people feel listened to, valued and have a strong sense of belonging within an organisation, their ability to create and innovate is unhindered. In turn, their unique perspectives and experiences open new ways for businesses to grow. At Robert Walters, we recognise the power of diversity, equity and inclusion, and the role it plays in enabling each of our clients, candidates and colleagues to fulfil their unique potential.Our ED&I vision
Our equity, diversity and inclusion vision is to create an environment that encourages people to listen, learn and respect each other, where people can be their authentic selves, and to provide thought leadership thinking on inclusive hiring and diverse recruitment to our clients, challenging the status quo.
We do this through the framework below:
Our ED&I framework
Consciously inclusive culture
Ensure our processes and policies create a systemic culture of inclusion with transparency and fairness. Develop a culture of curiosity underpinned by robust training and communication.
Knowing our data
Establish a baseline of diversity, equity and inclusion data to enable us to measure progress and to drive meaningful change which is regionally relevant.
Inclusive accountable leadership
We will be led by diverse, inclusive and effective leaders who embrace difference and take accountability in creating an inclusive culture.
Amplifying voices
Create a workplace of upstanders, where people feel safe to speak up and challenge respectfully. We will raise up employee voices through visible sponsorship and allyship and empathy.
Leading the conversation
We will drive the conversation on diverse recruitment and inclusive hiring for our clients, providing thought leadership and innovation in diverse and inclusive hiring services.
Powering people potential
We will work with our communities, and suppliers, creating opportunities to level the playing field to ensure that both candidates and employees reach their full potential.
Advancing our ED&I journey
Find out more about what we've done recently to advance our diversity, equity and inclusion journey and promote diverse hiring practices in our annual report:Our two-fold approach
As a world-leading talent solutions provider, we are in a unique position to champion diversity both within our own business and for the clients and candidates we serve to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. This two-fold approach promotes diverse hiring in our clients’ organisations while driving inclusive practices within our own.
Promoting inclusive recruitment practices
Inclusive hiring is an area where we can offer tremendous value to clients, as well as fortify our position as the talent solutions partner of choice for the world’s top professionals. We have continued our pioneering use of technology to drive diversity recruiting strategies, using our cutting-edge approach to remove male gender biased language from job adverts, as well as employing LinkedIn insights and bespoke advertising solutions to connect employers with the most diverse pool of candidates possible. Our award-winning Diverse Hiring Diagnostic assesses the end-to-end recruitment process, producing a bespoke report with clear actions helping employers to minimise bias and improve diversity.
Resources and strategic advice for clients
Helping our clients build more diverse teams and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace is one way we achieve our purpose of powering people and organisations to fulfil their unique potential. Our experts offer outstanding thought leadership with a focus on implementing diversity strategies and building inclusive recruitment practices, empowering and supporting employers looking to improve their inclusive hiring and diverse talent recruitment.Our partnerships and accreditations
Robert Walters partners with a wide variety of organisations that are championing diversity and equality across society. We continually look for new opportunities and platforms to support and advocate on behalf of those who are striving to fulfil their unique potential. Our partnerships, accreditations and pledges are a key way of ensuring that we remain focused and held to the highest standard in everything that we do in ED&I.
Some of our global commitments and partnerships include:
Celebrating difference
Diversity is simply the visible or hidden dimensions of difference that makes us who we are. At Robert Walters we not only celebrate difference but build a culture of curiosity and understanding where we know we can leverage our difference.
We know that diversity is about difference and that covers a very wide range of areas. We value that everyone is different and so have a spotlight on the six dimensions below.
Our diversity dimensions
Gender balance
Creating an environment where women progress is critical to our business, ensuring all genders have the support to succeed at work. We’re proud of the strong representation of women at all levels within our business, and as a recruitment business we recognise the role we can play in improving gender balance in the workplace for future generations.
LGBTQ+ inclusion
We’re extremely proud of the LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace we’ve built. Our Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG) for LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies launched in 2021, working with our ED&I council, HR and leadership teams to drive meaningful change, and helping the business globally to celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion not just during Pride month but all year round.
Disability & neurodiversity
Recognising and celebrating the differences and talents of all people including those living with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions is core to our business. We partner with Business Disability Forum and we're a member of the Valuable 500. Our Enable ERG supports colleagues with disabilities, long term health and neurodivergent conditions.
Race, ethnicity and cultural heritage
Our people share cultural celebrations globally through our internal communications platform, Workplace, and we host regular ‘cultural conversations’ creating safe spaces for employees to share personal experiences and supporting our overall ED&I mission to drive change.
Mental health and wellbeing
Looking after the mental health and wellbeing of our employees has never been more important. We have mental health first aiders and over 98 wellbeing champions globally, and our Enable ERG is a community that supports colleagues and continues to normalise the conversation and remove the stigma around mental health.
Multi-generational workforce
We recognise that the breadth of experience and perspectives that comes from having people in the workplace spanning early careers all the up to the ‘working wise’ is beneficial for everyone. We adapt our learning and development programmes to ensure that we meet the changing needs of our people at every stage of their career.
In our regions around the world, driven by the needs of the local businesses and led by our ED&I councils, we also focus on additional dimensions of ED&I that are most relevant to those local countries and businesses, to ensure that we meet the nuanced and varied needs of our employee populations and the communities in those regions. Some of these regional focus areas include: socio-economic diversity, faith and belief and military veterans.
ED&I at Robert Walters
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47%
Senior leaders (associate director and above) identify as women
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74
Nationalities
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73%
Employees feel a sense of belonging
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120+
Diversity and inclusion champions globally
Empowering our people to lead the way
Our people are key to making our business the place it is today. That’s why the development of our ED&I councils and Employee Resource Groups is a key part of our strategy to ensure we are amplifying the voices of employees and empowering our colleagues to come on the journey.
With over 100 people in our regional ED&I councils they ensure that our global strategy is executed in a regionally relevant way, and work closely with our senior leaders in each region, driving awareness and engagement.
Our employee resource groups (ERGs)
Pride ERG
For LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies, the group provides peer support and a safe space for members, working together to raise awareness and to make our business the best place to work for LGBTQ+ employees.
Enable ERG
Enable is a group for colleagues with hidden or visible disabilities, long term health or neurodivergent conditions, or those with caring responsibilities for members of those communities.
Family ERG
A group for working parents and carers, building a supportive community and advocating for change in policies and practices, raising awareness on issues related to being a working parent or carer.
Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2024: "What are your future hopes for the LGBTQ+ community in Japan ?"
Robert Walters Japan is celebrating 30 years of Pride in Japan, sponsoring Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2024 for the first time, and holding a booth at Yoyogi Park from Friday 19 - Sunday 21 April (Location: Orange-24)To mark the occasion, we have taken the opportunity to ask our people and clients to reflect on Japan's progress for the LGBTQ+ community since 1994, and also more importantly, ask them what still needs to be done to make more lasting change for the future.
Tap below to read reflections and hopes from our people and trusted clients of Robert Walters Japan.
Client Voices
Yuki Higashi - Executive Officer & CHRO at Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan
"When I first started Ally initiatives at my workplace fifteen years ago, terms like `LGBT` and `Ally` were rarely heard in Japan..."
Alexander Dmitrenko - Partner at Ashurst
"By embracing marriage equality and full inclusion, Japan can further tap into the economic and social potential of its LGBTQ+ citizens and residents while becoming a beacon of understanding..."Employee Voices
Joshua Bryan - Senior Director, Financial Services, Legal, HR & Support
"During my 20 years in Japan, I've witnessed a heartwarming shift in how LGBTQ+ folks are embraced. In my early years, when I came out to Japanese friends and colleagues, I often encountered..."
Aoi Sugimoto - Consultant, Financial Services
"Also, for me personally, I was very happy that my brother finally told me that he is gay and when he brought his boyfriend home for New Year's Day. He had never told me clearly before...."
Isamu Itosu - Consultant, Human Resources B2C
“I’ve been coming to Japan since I was 19 (now 35), and have definitely seen a clear change since then among the LGBTQ+ community until today. For example...."
Alex Delgado - Senior Manager, Pharmaceutical
“In my over 14 years of being in Japan, I have seen a lot of progression here. I remember at my first Rainbow Pride Festival most people were wearing masks to hide...."
Yuni Hong - Associate Director, Sales & Marketing B2C
"Personally, I strongly believe that having more LGBTQ+ role models in corporate leadership positions is crucial for...."
Yuta Kuroda - Associate, Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
"I'm not a specialist in activism or transgender issues, but I aim to inspire confidence in the LGBTQ+ community by being myself. Pride events have become more corporate....."
Mae Daigo - Business Support, Sales & Marketing
“My best friend is gay, and he told me that in the last five years or so everyone has become more open which is a great step forward. He comes from a more rural part of Japan which is more...."
Hiroki Takahashi - Consultant, Consulting & Advisory
"I've seen significant progress in LGBTQ+ awareness in Japan, although it's been slower than in other countries, since the Pride Parade first launched in Tokyo. It is almost the same age as me, as I was...."
Joshua Han - Associate, Pharmaceutical
“I do think LGBTQ+ rights and visibility in Japan have evolved, especially in media and popular culture, over the past three decades. While some progress, like...."
Junny Foo - Senior Learning & Development Consultant
“Japan is very slowly but surely making progress on becoming a LGBTQ+ friendly country. In my opinion, Japan has a strong potential to be one of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive role model countries in the world because..."
Robert Walters Japan sponsors Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2024
Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2024 is one of Asia's largest events (approximately 230,000 attended the event in 2023) in promoting diversity among LGBTQ+ people and their allies (supporters), aiming to create a society where all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can get along.
How to achieve a more diverse and inclusive workplace
We share key tips for how your organisation in Japan can achieve true diversity.
We believe in the power of a diverse workforce that champions the right for people to be their true, authentic selves.
At Robert Walters Japan, diversity is more than just a policy—it’s who we are at our core. Our team in Japan includes more than 40 nationalities and represents a mosaic of ages, ethnicities, and sexual orientation where over 40% of our managerial positions are held by women. We leverage our rich array of backgrounds and perspectives to help people and organizations to fulfil their unique potential.
Our committment to equity, diversity & inclusion is a critical part of of our DNA and is embedded into all new starter inductions. It sets our promise of a working environment that promotes inclusion, dignity and respect for all.
