Five Kirin Group Companies Certified as Organizations Recognized As “White 500” Companies

● Sixth year in a row chosen for outstanding health and productivity management policies
● A raft of promotions to tackle employee availability, employee health, responsible drinking, lost time, among others in line with the Kirin Group’s CSV Commitment
● Wide range of initiatives include mental health awareness training, providing iMUSE for immune care, “Slow Drink” responsible drinking training, and other readily available information including video training

TOKYO, Wednesday March 9, 2022 - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin Holdings) was certified by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Nippon Kenko Kaigi(https://kenkokaigi.jp) (Japanese) as an organization that practices particularly outstanding health and productivity management in partnership with insurers for the sixth year in a row. This year, Kirin Holdings, Kirin Brewery Company, Limited, Kirin Beverage Company, Limited, Mercian Corporation and Kyowa Kirin Company, Limited received the recognition.

White 500 Recognition Program

The Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organizations Recognition Program(https://www.meti.go.jp/english/press/2020/0824_003.html) (aka ‘White 500’) recognizes large enterprises and SMEs that practice excellent health & productivity management. Management policies should be based on initiatives in line with local health and productivity issues and the initiatives promoted by Nippon Kenko Kaigi to improve health and productivity.

The Kirin Group's Approach to Health Management

In 2017, Kirin Holdings put in writing its commitment to health leadership in a Health DeclarationPDF：20KB sent to its employees and other stakeholders. Kirin Holdings is company that delivers Health and Well-being to consumers, and as such is committed to creating an environment and opportunities for its employees to actively engage in maintaining their health, and working to prevent mental health and lifestyle diseases. In addition, Kirin Holdings, as an alcoholic beverage manufacturer, strives to set an example for society by ensuring that its employees drink appropriately. As a result, Kirin Holdings believes that it is not only working to prevent illness among its employees, but also creating new value through the maintenance and improvement of their vitality.

Promotion Structure

In promoting health management, starting this year Kirin Holdings has established the following four indicators: (1) Presenteeism*1 survey scores at target companies*2, (2) Percentage of employees maintaining an appropriate body weight at target companies*2, (3) Percentage of employees scoring less than 8 on the AUDIT(https://auditscreen.org)*3 at Group companies in operating in Japan, and (4) LTIR*4.

*1 A condition in which a person is working while having health problems.
*2 Kirin Holdings Company, Limited / Kirin Brewery Company, Limited / Kirin Beverage Company, Limited / Mercian Corporation / Kyowa Hakko Bio Co.
*3 Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. A simple and effective method of screening for unhealthy alcohol use, defined as risky or hazardous consumption or any alcohol use disorder. Based on the data from a multinational World Health Organization (WHO) collaborative study. It consists of 10 questions, and the total score for each item (maximum 40 points) is used to evaluate the existence and extent of problematic drinking. 0-7 points is considered "no ‘problem drinking’", 8-14 points is "’problem’ drinking but not alcoholism", and 15 points or more is "suspected alcoholism."
*4 Lost Time Incident Rate. The frequency rate of workdays lost due to workplace injuries.

Major Recent Initiatives

Seminars/Training/Campaigns, etc.

● The "Immune Care Habit Campaign” initiative to support health from within the body was launched to imbue Food and Health as a company philosophy in Kirin Group employees. Among the activities were health seminars to review the lifestyle habits of the employees themselves and improve their health awareness by making "Immune Care” a habit.
● Conveying the message that the practice of "Slow Drinking" (Japanese) leads to a better life, Kirin Holdings provides a “Slow Drink” (Japanese) training program which means " to enjoy responsible drinking by drinking in moderation while enjoying good food and conversation with others, and spending time comfortably.
● Conducting AUDIT testing and educate possible at-risk employees on proper drinking to avoid problem drinking.
● Conducting "line care training*5" to convey key points for management under remote work conditions as part of mental health initiatives.
● Accelerating ‘health-focused management’ by adding initiatives unique to the Kirin Group to its existing initiatives, creating an environment to promote the usage of PDCA problem-solving techniques across the Group, centering on Group Health Management Promotion Meetings, and boosting current initiatives.

*5 Mental health care provided by on-site managers who have daily contact with employees

Internal Information Dissemination

● KIRIN Now, the Kirin Group's internal branding website for employees, provides easy-to-understand content explaining how to handle personal health management.
● Supporting exercise habits such as stretching while at work, the Group regularly distributes related videos and other information accessible on the Group companies’ intranets.
● Continuously disseminating personal health-related information with a focus on mental health on the company intranet on a regular basis.

Others

● Distributing iMUSE brand products - Japan's first*6 food with functional claims for immune system maintenance - to production and logistics departments and to employees whose work requires them to come to work (as opposed to working from home). This supports these employees’ availability via immune care so they can fulfill their supply responsibilities.
● Distributing food-related articles on external health support web services and in magazines published by health unions.

*6 The first brand in Japan to have its notification publicized as a food with functional claims for immune function.

Kirin Group Initiatives

In accordance with the Kirin Group CSV Commitment medium to long-term action plan for CSV*7-oriented management, the Kirin Group has promoted measures and programs in relation to the priority of health and well-being. For example, establishing flexible work styles, implementing initiatives for the mental health of employees, preventing lifestyle-related diseases and working to spread awareness of responsible alcohol consumption.

*7 Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.

KV2027

The Kirin Group has formulated the Long-Term Management Vision Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV2027), aiming to become a global leader in CSV, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals. Also, directed at achieving KV2027, the Kirin Group is working at an even higher level on the priority themes of Health and Well-being, Community Engagement and The Environment under the premise of ‘A Responsible Alcohol Producer’ based on CSV-oriented management.

Going forward, the Kirin Group will foster businesses in the Health Science domain directed at health and productivity management. Kirin Holdings’ Health Science Domain is an area in which the group can utilize its unique strengths, and at the same time create a good environment as well as opportunities through which employees can actively improve their health, as Kirin Holdings is a company that delivers health and well-being to consumers. In addition, with continued efforts to address the prevention of mental health disorders and lifestyle diseases, as well as internal efforts to promote initiatives such as the Slow Drink alcohol consumption guidelines among employees, Kirin Holdings hopes these efforts will become a model for society.

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.

Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.

Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV* creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.

*: Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.