Panasonic To Recognize Same-Sex Marriages Among Staff

In a statement today, Panasonic announced that it will recognize same-sex marriages among its employees, something that will be reflected in its employment policies. The new policy will go into effect this upcoming April — the finer details about what it will comprise aren't yet determined, but it reportedly will bring some benefits that are offered to married workers, such as health insurance and maternity leave.

The move is a rare and notable one among Japanese companies, in that Japan doesn't recognize same-sex marriages, though some regions in the nation do offer registered unions among same-sex couples. Panasonic's actions may contribute to a greater push for diversity acceptance among other companies in the nation.

In a statement, Panasonic's human resources manager Tetsuya Senmatsu said, "Our basic thinking is that individuals must be respected and their uniqueness must be recognized and nurtured." Panasonic presently has about 250,000 employees.

As noted by the AP, Panasonic has a history of forging ahead with counter-trend measures, such as having previously given employees time off for exercising, aiming to keep them healthy (which often translates into better work performance). Panasonic is a sponsor of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

SOURCE: Associated Press