Human Capital Development

KDR is not allowed to hire employees under the provisions of the Act on Investment Trusts and Investment Corporations, and the Asset Management Company’s employees substantially manage its assets. Kenedix Real Estate Fund Management, Inc. (KFM) , the asset management company of KDR, has the policy that human resources are crucial for sophisticated investment management and has undertaken various initiatives to promote it. As Kenedix group, including the asset management company, have identified "Attracting and retaining talents, and developing their careers" , " Health and wellbeing of employees “ and “Diversity and equal opportunities” are as material topic and have aimed to maintain an attractive working environment.

Attracting And Retaining Talents, And Developing Their Careers

Kenedix group have many programs to develop the skills of our people and are always seeking ways to upgrade training and other educational activities so that all our employees can realize their full potential.

＜Workforce diversity and stability＞
Kenedix group is still recruiting experienced professionals in a broad range of business fields. In addition, we have been recruiting new university graduates continuously since 2005. Maintaining a diverse workforce is an important element of our sustainability as a real estate asset management company. Since our establishment in 1995, we have never conducted lay-offs for the purpose of downsizing our workforce. We retained all of our people even during the global financial crisis as many real estate developers and asset management companies struggled to avoid bankruptcy.

＜Human resource development system＞
To continuously improve the operational skills of employees, Kenedix group provides employees with opportunities to take external seminars that are structured for specific job categories, such as managers, mid-level employees and new employees as well as various training programs.
New university graduates first complete one-month entry training and then rotate through three jobs over five years. On-the-job training in different departments gives them opportunities to obtain a variety of experience and a broad range of viewpoints.

■English training
For those who applied, Kenedix group provides the English training by teachers from educational institutions in which the trainees participate in discussion every week to improve their ability. Also online-speaking program is available so employees can flexibly utilize the opportunity.

■Job-specific skill development training
Kenedix group provides seminars arranged by a third party for specific job categories, such as managers, mid-level employees and new employees to give them opportunities to acquire the skills required at each level.

■Self-development program
Kenedix group reimburses employees for the cost of external seminars, classes and other educational activities for acquiring the knowledge and skills required for their jobs.

■Oversea training program
Kenedix group has oversea training program that constantly send employees, often in their early career to real estate management company in California, to enhance their English and learn the operation such as acquisition or property management in north America.

■Study abroad program
Kenedix group provides opportunities to obtain a broad range of knowledge, personal connections and international viewpoints by sending employees to study in oversea graduate schools where they acquire skills to become the next generation of management.

■Training program
KFM provides the opportunities to participate in the training program provided by Professor who is specialized in data analysis and real estate economics.

＜Encouraging people to obtain professional certifications＞
To keep the status of leading company with professionals that provide high quality services, it is encouraged for its employees to participate in degree programs or obtain recommended or supporting certifications to develop career for future leader by subsidizing the cost at Kenedix group.


＜Number of employees with certifications＞　　　　　　（ as of Dec.31, 2019）　　　

Real estate notaries	159	ARES certified masters	74
Tax accountants	5	Chartered members of SAAJ	13
Certified real estate consulting masters	24	Administrative scrivener	2
Certified building administrators	29	Judicial scrivener	1
Licensed senior architects	13	Administrative managers	11
Real estate appraisers	7	Condominium property managers	8
Certified public accountants (Japan)	6	Loan operations managers	14
Loan operations managers（USCPA）	3	Attorneys	2

Note: These figures are based on individuals who are working at Kenedix group companies and employed directly by Kenedix.

＜Internal job application program＞
Kenedix group has internal job application program to provide its employees with the opportunity to demonstrate the best of their ability and to utilize human resource within the company. Employees are allowed to apply for the jobs they wish and design own career.

＜Evaluation system to support employees' career development＞
Employees receive their evaluation every six months, in the middle of the year and at the fiscal year end (twice a year). Managers hold interviews with each employee to discuss his/her performance, satisfaction in performing the job and career opportunities. At the fiscal year end, all employees receive their competency evaluating so the both the company and employees understand what is expected and current status. This objective and transparent process support employees and managers setting next goal.

＜Introducing J-ESOP (Japanese employee stock ownership plan)＞
Kenedix group has made the decision to install J-ESOP (Japanese employee stock ownership plan), for its employees in senior management to enhance their awareness of participating in management of the company by sharing the benefit with shareholders and to attract talents in long term.

Health and wellbeing of employees

Kenedix group has been promoting initiatives to maintain work/life balance, provide working environment that is advantageous in soft and hard to maximize employee's ability. In addition, the company has prepared the supporting programs to cover various needs of employees.

＜Work Style Reform＞
Kenedix group has been improving its working environment by encouraging employees to take payed holiday, reducing overtime work and introducing various practices to allow flex work style.

■Promoting to take payed holiday
On top of annual paid leave, there are an established the system which promote employees to take consecutive holidays during summer, from Jul to Sep. Managers in each department are to make sure their subordinates take this holiday.

■Initiatives to reduce overtime
Managers in each department are monitoring working hours in their team and adjusting workload for employees to minimize overtime. If an employee was found to have worked more than certain hours, a physical check by doctor is arranged upon employee's request.

■Flex time
Kenedix group has adopted flexible attendance hours. Employees are allowed to choose the time they start working from 8 to 10 am by day to work according to their convenience.

＜Health and wellbeing＞
Kenedix group has been endorsing health management to support physical and mental health of employees and preparing comfortable working environment.

■Health committee
Kenedix group has established health committee and organized monthly meeting to discuss and take measures to promote health and prevent disorder for its employees. Also the committee sends email every month to all employees on relevant topics to enlighten them on health and wellbeing.

■Annual physical health checkup
All employees are to receive annual physical health checkup by doctor on company cost.

■Mental Health care
All employees have access to counseling service provided by the company where employees are allowed to report any personal issues or issues regarding the company to external counselors, without being noticed by the company to raise their mental literacy. Newsletter with relevant topics on mental health is sent every month to notify of this service. In addition, the company provides annual stress check to all employees to prevent illness of which result are provided to each employee and, if necessary, checkup by doctor is arranged.


■Positive working environment for workers ■Interaction among employees in a communication room
Located adjacent to working space, the communication room is a place employees can use for a break, a small meeting or any other purpose, being the hub for communication among employees.

＜Other initiatives＞

■Off-site meeting
Every December, off-site meeting has been held in which all employees are invited to listen to presentation by management executive or lecture by outside specialist. This occasion is used to give awards to the projects and promote communication among employees.

■Support for group activities outside of work
KDX subsidizes for group activities such as futsal or golf, which help employees make personal connection beyond his/her job scope.

■Group trip to Okinawa
A trip to Okinawa was organized in Oct 2018 so the employees who usually have little opportunity of meeting with colleagues in other departments have joined together to make new acquaintances or further friendship.

Diversity And Equal Opportunities

Kenedix group been promoting initiatives to create working environment that all employees appreciate diversity such as respect for race, religion, sex, age, sexual preference, disabilities or nationality and respect for human right to maximize their productivity.

＜Respect for human right＞
KDX and KFM have stipulated respect for human rights and prohibition on discrimination and harassment on its policy in compliance manual and provide compliance trainings to raise awareness.

＜Encouraging female and senior employees＞
Kenedix group uses many measures to provide workplace environments where women can do their jobs with confidence and comfort. This includes support programs that enable women to remain at Kenedix once they have children. Women are an important part of the diversity and vitality that define our workforce.

＜Employment system for seniors＞
As one way to increase diversity, Kenedix Group have a system that allows employees who have reached the official retirement age of 60 to return to work until the age of 65. This program also helps maintain a sufficient number of people as Japan's working age population declines. With experience dating back to the start of real estate asset management in Japan, these older workers have considerable knowledge they can pass on to others.

＜Support for childbirth, childcare and senior nursing care＞
KDX has prepared various programs to support employees to work through their life event such as having children or nursing elderly.

■Childbirth and childcare
Female employee who is expecting receive paid holiday to go regular checkups and easing of their working conditions such as coming late to work or taking regular breaks. Special leave before and after the birth is available and male employees whom partner is having childbirth are also allowed to take day-offs. Employees can receive time off for the care of a baby or when a preschool age child is sick or requires other care. We also offer flexible working time so employees can care for family members. For example, employees can limit overtime and late-night assignments, reduce working hours, or use staggered hours. There is also a subsidy for expenses for child-related transportation needs before and after work and a discounted babysitter service.

■Nursing elderly
Employees who have to take care of their parents or relatives are allowed to take special day offs, shortened working hours or flex attendance hours and exempted from working overtime according to the necessity of each family. Those measures are more than legally required.