The Sony Group Career Forum for People with Disabilities was held online on Sunday, January 22, 2023. For more than 10 years, the Sony Group companies in Japan have held a joint annual recruiting event for people with disabilities. The aim is to provide the consideration needed to enable them to make the most of their skills in the Sony Group's diverse business. This allows them to take up the challenge of achieving their dreams and goals, and to fulfill their wish to work with people with similar motivations. The event has been held online since 2021 and has attracted even more people than when it was held in person, partly because it is easier to take part. Each participating group company held company briefings and individual interviews. HR personnel from each company gave participants detailed explanations of company profiles, disability considerations and job descriptions directly to help them understand what specific jobs and initiatives entail. The event was attended by almost the same number of job seekers as joint recruiting events held by multiple companies, and attracted many new graduates and experienced personnel interested in the Sony Group. The booths were busy throughout the day with lively Q&A sessions on topics of personal interest.

In addition to company presentations and individual interviews at each company, this year's event included a special talk session involving three employees with disabilities who work at the Sony Group companies.

During the Special Session

The session was entitled "Let's Get to Know What Employees Have to Say! A Conversation on Current and Future Work Styles." Employees with disabilities working at the Sony Group companies talked about their aspirations when they joined the Sony Group, what they keep in mind in their daily work, and how they communicate with their superiors and colleagues in the workplace. In this way, they shared their personal experiences and insights. They work in various areas, including design engineering, corporate planning and management, and supporting for solution business. All three believe that communicating one's thoughts clearly to people around you is important because this allows you to gain the experience to broaden the scope of your work and careers.

Participants were provided with numerous glimpses of the "Sony way" and its culture, which give employees the freedom and vitality to reach their full potential and openly express divergent views. The session was moderated by a personnel placement company person who is well acquainted with the initiatives adopted by other companies. He commented at the end of the session that the employees' narratives and thoughts gave him a sense that it becomes easier to act only when there is an accepting atmosphere for communication in the workplace. Moreover, the idea of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at the Sony Group is firmly rooted in the workplace, and he understood Sony way of doing things a little better.

The Sony Group hopes that holding a single event for the entire group gives job seekers a sense of the wide range of business fields available to them and broadens their options. Some people with disabilities are unaware of their own potential because they lack information or have small networks, but the Sony Group wants everyone to challenge themselves to do what they want and realize their dreams, irrespective of whether they have a disability or not.

Individual company briefings were also a success

Excerpts from participants' responses to questionnaires

• It was very helpful that the spirit of the Sony Group and its approach to people with disabilities were visible throughout the entire proceedings. During the special session especially, I got the impression that there is an open atmosphere in the company and that people with their own opinions are welcome in the workplace.
• The special session was moderated by an employee from a personnel placement firm, who asked interesting questions from an outside perspective, and the answers helped me learn more about the Sony Group. As I listened to the conversation, I was particularly impressed by the fact that the environment really allows people to take up the challenge of fulfilling their aspirations. I was very surprised because I had spoken to several companies during my job-hunting, but none of them had spoken about paying so much attention to the workplace environment or individual employees' problems.
• The special session gave me the impression that many people in the workplace would see me as an individual irrespective of my disability. I used to be hesitant about applying for jobs, but this gave me the courage to go ahead without thinking too much about the outcome. It was great to hear their stories. Thank you!
• Getting to know the Sony Group through company briefings and other programs provided a valuable opportunity to experience the atmosphere and obtain direct answers to questions and concerns through interactive communications. I was also very impressed by the lively comments of the people I met at the individual interviews and the special session who spoke of their work and workplaces and about having fun.
• The individual interviews were very meaningful because I was able to ask about the company on a deeper level than was possible at the briefing sessions.

Companies participating in the Sony Group Career Forum

• Sony Group Corporation
• Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
• Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
• Sony Network Communications Inc.
• Sony Digital Network Applications, Inc.
• Sony Global Manufacturing & Operations Corporation
• Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation
• Sony/Taiyo Corporation
• Sony PCL Inc.
• Sony Kibou/Hikari Corporation
• Sony Music Group (Japan)
• Sony Payment Services Inc.