Activities with Employees
Basic Stance Regarding Our Social Responsibility
The people who work at USS are the source of our group's ability to grow and remain competitive. We are dedicated to providing our people with an environment where they can realize their full potential and perform their jobs to the best of their ability.
Another priority is providing workplaces where people can work with no worries and upgrade their skills while respecting one another. We also recognize the importance of maintaining a framework for fair and proper employee performance evaluations and compensation.
Respect for human rights and diversity
Respect for human rights
The USS Code of Conduct and Ethics prohibits discrimination in the USS Group's workforce based on race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, religion, beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and other personal characteristics. As auto auctions in Japan are the primary activity of the
USS Group, problems involving child labor and forced labor are unlikely to occur. There has never been an instance of these problems at the Group.
As part of our normal business activities, we perform checks for the prevention of infringements on human rights, discrimination, child labor and forced labor. Violations by employees of any of these guidelines can be reported by using the Group Internal Reporting System. There were no
serious cases of discrimination or violations of human rights in the Group during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.
Issues Reported to the USS Group Internal Reporting System
FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 |
---|---|---|
17 | 21 | 24 |
Prevention of harassment
The USS Group has established Rules for Preventing Sexual Harassment and Rules for Preventing Power Harassment and has activities to be certain that employee in the Group is aware of these rules.
The USS Group Internal Reporting System is available to employees who want to report harassment or receive more information.
Our commitment to equal opportunity
The USS Group is dedicated to equal employment opportunities and compensation for everyone regardless of gender. USS recruits people with many backgrounds in order to maintain a diverse workforce with outstanding skills. We actively hire these excellent human resources as both new graduates and as experienced professionals. At USS, 28.5% of directors are women and there are two female outside directors.
In 2022, we launched training with the aim of promoting active participation by women, and are holding training sessions about organization building and work-style reforms on an ongoing basis for management and female employees. Initiatives like these have produced female managers as role models, with two female managers (2.6% of all managers) as of April 1, 2024. We will continue to implement a range of programs to achieve our action plan goal of raising the percentage of female managers to at least 5% in fiscal 2025 and at least 10% in fiscal 2030.
Management training to promote the active participation of women (FY2023)
Management level | No. of participants | Description |
---|---|---|
Manager of auction site & Acting manager of auction site | 16 people |
|
Female leadership | 6 people |
|
An action plan in compliance with the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement
In April 2021, we developed and announced an action plan (April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026) in compliance with the Act on Promotion of Women's Participation and Advancement in the Workplace. We are committed to taking actions to achieve the goals of the plan.
・Goals and Actions
Goal 1
Aim to increase the percentage of female managers (Deputy Chief or higher positions) to 8% or more of all employees
Actions
- Raise the motivation of female employees to take on the challenge of becoming managers
- By offering an improved childcare leave system, reduce the number of female employees resigning from the company after childbirth, thus increasing the length of service of female employees
Goal 2
Raise the percentage of female managers to at least 5% in fiscal 2025 and at least 10% in fiscal 2030
Action
- Increase the number of women assigned to jobs where they can be candidates to become the next generation of USS managers and executives
Goal 3
Increase the percentage of employees taking paid leave to 60%
Actions
- Increase the percentage of employees taking paid leave by efficiently running the planned paid leave system
- Lower employees' work load by improving work efficiency
Comments from two new women in management

Akiko Imaizumi
Manager, Second Documentation Division,ration Department, Tokyo Auto Auction
Building an environment welcoming questions founded in the expertise I've gained thus far
I have valued greater teamwork within the department while building trusting relationships with our other departments since I become started working in document operations after joining the Company in 2000. As the manager, I am currently responsible for assigning the right staff to the right positions as well as overseeing numerous document operations. It is also my duty to provide clear advice to any questions from my staff. I hope to build a workplace where it is easy for everyone to ask these questions by taking advantage of the past experience I have gained. In addition, I am working to train human resources. This includes training my staff to handle the tasks I had once done myself. I look forward to growing while having fun. I would be overjoyed if I can be a role model to help more women aim for management.

Izumi Hamaguchi
Manager, Documentation Division, Kobe Auto Auction
Taking on a fully supportive role to realize an work-friendly environment
I worked in the Computing Department for twelve years before gaining seven years of experience in the document department. Over that time, I have taken maternity as well as childcare leave twice. I feel my role in the future is to build a work-friendly environment based on my own experiences. To fulfill this duty, I will take care to engage in communication across departmental boundaries in order to act as a liaison between male supervisors and female employees. Many employees have concerns and struggle to adapt to a changing work environment after returning from maternity and childcare leave. I hope to be someone these employees can turn to for advice. I want to fulfill my role in management by supporting employees from the sidelines as a role model for the next generation.
Recruiting and Employment
Local emphasis for recruiting
We believe that recruiting people who live in areas near the automobile auction sites where they will work contributes to the vitality of these areas. Our policy is to conduct initial interviews of job applicants at auction and other business sites. The next step is an interview at the head office. Following the interview new employees will be assigned to USS Group locations under a basic premise that each new employee will be able to work near his/her home.
Attrition rate
During the fiscal year that ended in March 2024, 6.0% of the USS Group's workforce left their jobs voluntarily.
Fair Evaluations and Compensation
Salary structure
The USS Group pays salaries at a rate that is higher than the minimum wage in the area where each employee is located. In addition, employees who are highly motivated and interested in improving themselves and our business activities receive favorable evaluations. We do our best to incorporate their ideas and suggestions in our business operations. In 2014, we established personnel and salary frameworks that placed emphasis on the performance and capabilities of individuals in order to retain people and enable employees to advance their careers. The average annual salary at the USS Group was ¥7,029,000 in the fiscal year that ended in March 2024.
Performance evaluations
We assess the performance of employees twice every year and perform evaluations based on how people fulfill the roles and responsibilities of their respective jobs. Individuals undergoing an evaluation submit reports on progress regarding goals, actions to improve their job skills and specific measures taken for business process and other improvements. Assessments also include motivation concerning teamwork and improving how jobs are done, the ability to do one's job, and other aspects of personal performance. Furthermore, people performing and undergoing evaluations hold meetings for direct communication concerning the next goals and other subjects.
All employees are encouraged to submit suggestions for ways to improve business processes in order to create better workplaces. Every suggestion is carefully considered and as many ideas as possible are used in order to improve auction operations and increase the motivation of our workforce.
Employee benefit programs
・Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
The USS Group has an ESOP that fulfills two purposes. First is giving employees an additional incentive for contributing to the long-term growth of corporate value. Second is creating an opportunity to invest in USS stock in order to help employees accumulate savings.
・Long-term disability insurance
USS Group employees are covered by group long-term disability insurance that provides supplementary income to individuals unable to work for a long time due to a disease or injury. With this income, people are better able to concentrate on doing what is needed to restore their health quickly and return to their jobs.
・Pension programs
Employees of USS and three consolidated subsidiaries receive a lump-sum payment, which is a defined benefit retirement program requiring no contributions by beneficiaries, when they leave their jobs due to retirement or another reason. In addition, USS and six consolidated subsidiaries have a defined contribution pension plan.
Education and Training
The USS Group has many programs to give all employees the knowledge and skills needed to be valuable members of the USS team and achieve their personal career goals. On-the-job training is the most important element of these programs because this approach allows both people giving and receiving instructions to upgrade their skills together.
Training for automobile inspectors
Accurately performing inspections of vehicles to be auctioned is vital to the operation of our auctions. Inspections must be performed consistently at every auction site by using the same set of standards to ensure that decisions are made with accuracy.
USS established its Inspector Certification Program in 2006 in order to improve the methods used for inspecting and evaluating vehicles and ensure the consistency of inspections. Every inspector undergoes annual written and practical examinations to acquire a certification from level one to four. USS has instructors who rotate around each auction site throughout Japan to guide and develop the skills of automobile inspectors and manage inspection certification programs. These training programs strive to build a consistent inspection framework. We have updated our traditional training program to more quickly develop vehicle inspectors in anticipation of an increasing number of vehicles at our auctions in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 The new vehicle inspector training program provides employees group training at the Nagoya Auto Auction site right after they join the Company in an effort to develop and certify the skills of inspectors over eight months.
Training for managers
We revised our human resource systems in October 2023 with the aim to strengthen organizational capabilities while appointing several new managers. These new managers undergo training for new management to strengthen leadership and management skills as well as evaluator training on the evaluation and development of staff.USS continues to conduct these training programs to develop future auction site managers.
Training for new employees
We have a training program structured specifically for newly hired people centered upon teaching proper business manners. Newly hired people first work with a mentor to learn about business operations and receive advice about any issues and uncertainties involving their responsibilities.
Customer interaction and personal appearance
The USS Basic Policy for Customer Services has five components: (1) Proper personal appearance; (2) Always serve customers with a smile; (3) Always greet customers; (4) Use proper words and expressions; and (5) Proper conduct for telephone calls with customers.
Once every week, we check the personal appearance of everyone up to and including division managers. Results of these checks as well as of assessments of how employees interact with customers directly and by telephone are incorporated in performance evaluations.
Survey on Group-wide human resource management
The USS Group is aware promoting internal communication is most important when striving to improve employee communication. That is why everyone in the Company respects one another's opinions and ideas in an effort to build a work-friendly environment.
In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, we conducted an employee survey to gather feedback on internal recruitment practices, transfers and other job rotation opportunities as well as stratified training by occupation and position. As a result, we discovered a certain number of employees hope to advance their careers through job rotation opportunities via transfers. USS will regularly conduct this kind of survey to further enhance employee engagement in the future.
Workplace Health and Safety
Maintaining the health and safety for everyone at the USS Group is essential to our ability to continue to achieve steady growth. All employees receive periodic medical check-ups. Once individuals reach the age of 45, they must undergo more thorough annual examinations. There is no cost to employees. We plan to increase activities for preserving and improving the health of our workforce as well as for providing our people with pleasant and safe workplaces.
Health and Hygiene Committees
Every USS Group business site with at least 50 people has a Health and Hygiene Committee that is responsible for improving workplace health and hygiene. As a rule, these committees meet once each month. Committee members discuss measures for keeping employees healthy and subjects involving workplace hygiene.
Employee health promotion and management
Maintaining the health and safety for everyone at the USS Group is essential to our ability to continue to achieve steady growth. All employees receive periodic medical check-ups. Once individuals reach the age of 45, they must undergo more thorough annual examinations.
We plan to increase activities for preserving and improving the health of our workforce as well as for providing our people with pleasant and safe workplaces.
Prevention of long working hours
The USS Group closely manages the amount of overtime to maintain a pleasant workplace environment and prevent excessive working hours during peak periods of auction volume. Measures to perform tasks more efficiently and the use of shifts are two ways we are holding down working time. Furthermore, every auction site and subsidiary submits working time reports to the Board of Directors and other supervisory bodies. Directors and others hold discussions in order to determine actions to take as needed.
The monthly average overtime during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 was 29.2 hours due to the increase in the number of vehicles handled at auction.We have set a monthly overtime target of 20.0 hours or less. USS will enhance its efficiency and introduce leading-edge technologies to build a more work-friendly environment.
USS has set a relatively short work day for the automotive distribution domain, but the difference in standard annual working hours is minimal because of the few number of annual holidays. In light of this insight, we have increased the number of annual holidays as of April 2023 and adjusted the length of the work day to mitigate this overtime.
Days off and paid leave
The average utilization rate for paid leave at USS is 69.6%. We have programs that encourage people to use more of their time off every year.
Mental health
We have a contract with an external mental health services provider for preventing and assisting with mental health issues of employees. Support is available to everyone at the USS Group.
Sound Internal Lines of Communication
Maintaining strong lines of communication among people in different locations and departments is critical to the ability to conduct business operations in an efficient and trouble-free manner. Regular employee trips to destinations in Japan or other countries are one way we bring our people closer together.
Main data
Item | Breakdown | Unit | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Employees | Number of employees | People | 624 | 681 | 684 | 677 |
Male employees (ratio) | People | 457(73%) | 502(74%) | 508(74%) | 493(73%) | |
Female employees (ratio) | People | 167(27%) | 179(26%) | 176(26%) | 184(27%) | |
Average age of employees | Age | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.7 | 39.8 | |
Male employees | Age | 41.2 | 41.7 | 41.6 | 41.8 | |
Female employees | Age | 32.6 | 33.8 | 34.2 | 34.5 | |
Average years of service | Years | 13.1 | 13.4 | 13.0 | 13.3 | |
Male employees | Years | 14.7 | 14.9 | 14.2 | 14.6 | |
Female employees | Years | 8.8 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.6 | |
Number of new hiring | People | 62 | 18 | 44 | 41 | |
Male employees (ratio) | People | 32(52%) | 11(61%) | 31(70%) | 22(54%) | |
Female employees (ratio) | People | 30(48%) | 7(39%) | 13(30%) | 19(46%) | |
Management | Total number of managers | People | 31 | 36 | 25 | 76*2 |
Male managers (ratio) | People | 31(100%) | 36(100%) | 25(100%) | 74(97%)*2 | |
Female managers (ratio) | People | 0(0%) | 0(0%) | 0(0%) | 2(3%)*2 | |
Management candidates*1 |
Total number of management candidates |
People | 297 | 333 | 364 | 317*2 |
Male candidates (ratio) | People | 260(88%) | 287(86%) | 312(86%) | 268(81%)*2 | |
Female candidates (ratio) | People | 37(12%) | 46(14%) | 52(14%) | 59(19%)*2 | |
Childcare leave | Employees taking time off for child care |
People | 7 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
Male employees (acquisition rate) |
People | 2(11%) | 4(31%) | 6(55%) | 5(28%) | |
Female employees (acquisition rate) |
People | 5(100%) | 6(100%) | 8(100%) | 9(100%) | |
Paid leave | Percentage of paid leave taken |
% | 50.6 | 64.4 | 63.3 | 69.6 |
Overtime | Average monthly overtime | Hours | 17.7 | 23.2 | 29.3 | 29.2 |
Regular employee turnover rate |
% | 2.9 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 6.0 | |
Employment ratio of people with disabilities |
% | 1.63 | 2.09 | 2.48 | 2.25 |
*2 Note 2: Data current as of April 1, 2024.