Developing human capital and promoting diversity

Human Capital Development

To further expand our energy retail business and accelerate new business of Energy Solutions and Platform (NICIGAS 3.0), we will maximize our corporate value by developing human resources through (1) human capital reallocation, (2) reeducation (reskilling), and (3) collaboration through partnerships.

（1）Human capital reallocation

In January 2024, we restructured our organization to integrate our company and three group city gas companies and divide into the three sections of an "Integrated Energy Retail Company," an "Energy Platform Company," and "Kumono Ucyusen," a systems company that supports these companies. Through this reorganization, we will reallocate human capital based on the characteristics of each employee and accelerate energy retail, platform, and IT/DX.

Energy Retail human capital

Through the group reorganization, we have consolidated the sales function into a retail company, and we will enhance the quality of our comprehensive energy proposals, including LP gas, electricity, and city gas.
Under the slogan "Everything is for our customers," we have grown by being chosen by our customers through building relationships with local residents in the deregulated LP gas market. Our sales staff is highly motivated to take on challenges. Those who come from city gas companies have strengths in attentive service to existing customers and BtoB sales. By integrating this sales mindset and know-how throughout the group, we will sell energy solution equipment such as hybrid water heaters, solar power generation systems, and storage batteries, and propose optimal energy use. The effects of the reorganization are gradually becoming apparent, as employees from group companies who had previously focused on serving existing customers are active in acquiring new LP gas customers.

Ms.Kogure / Deputy Sales Office Manager, Kasukabe North Sales Office (from formerly Tosai Gas). She has achieved good performances in sales of LP gas, electricity, and gas equipment through customer-oriented sales activities. She is enhancing customer satisfaction and preventing churn, by proposing the best solutions for the customer's lifestyle, such as proposing E&G bundling with a set discount or proposing a hybrid water heater for more efficient energy use.

Platform human capital

Through the reorganization, we established a dedicated division of 6 sales representatives in the platform company "Energy Sola" to strengthen BtoB sales. We are also collaborating with Tokyo Energy Alliance Co., Ltd. (TEA), a joint venture between TEPCO Energy Partners and our company, to increase opportunities for BtoB sales outside our business areas (Chubu, Kansai, Kyushu region) by utilizing the Tokyo Energy Alliance network.

Human capital for digital transformation

"Kumono Ucyusen", a systems company specialized in IT/DX, has a responsibility for both energy retail and platform/infrastructure systems. As its responsibility for overall systems has been clarified through the reorganization, Kumono Ucyuusen has set new KPIs to improve profits and corporate value, and enhanced the management mindset of employees in charge of IT/DX. In addition to conventional systems-related training, we are enhancing training related to knowledge for management, and developing human capital who can promote systems development from both technical and management perspectives.

（2）Reeducation (reskilling)

Until now, the main method of strengthening sales capabilities has been on-the-job training, in which senior employees provide education through actual sales activities. From now on, we will reskill through various training programs, aiming to encourage each employee to take on challenges while responding to changes in the environment for further corporate growth. We will implement job rotation across departments and organizations, including sales, safety, planning & management, and construction, to improve the skill to make proposals to customers and acquire management perspectives.

Energy retail human capital

We have been conducting role-playing training sessions in which top performers share their sales know-how to improve sales skills and increase employees’ motivation. With the cooperation of equipment manufacturers, we also provide training for sales staff to acquire know-how to sell equipment such as hybrid water heaters, solar panels, and storage batteries, leading to the development of energy solution professionals. In addition, we have established a system that enables employees to acquire the knowledge necessary for sales through the provision of explanatory videos and materials.

Platform human capital

The dedicated sales division of "Energy Sola" is composed of members from NICIGAS, the former Group City Gas, and TEA with experience in BtoB sales and strengthening BtoB sales by utilizing their skills and expertise. In addition, selected members participate in training sessions and other events to communicate with other companies and gain a DX management perspective from other companies, which is useful for platform sales.

Human capital for digital transformation

We are strengthening the introduction of technology to enhance our competitiveness. We are proactively introducing technology into our operations through collaboration with IT specialists and various training programs. In addition to IT staff, in order to deepen the understanding of technology among business-side staff, we support IT Passport acquisition for all employees and send selected employees to the University of Tokyo's Metaverse School of Engineering to improve the IT/DX-related knowledge of our employees. In 2023, as a new initiative for DX human capital development, a project team was launched with members selected from both the business and technical divisions, and "NICIGAS version Chat GPT" was released as the first step. The NICIGAS version Chat GPT is a system that allows employees to search for company-specific information in addition to the usual functions, helping to improve their work productivity. In addition, we have established a system that allows employees to voluntarily take training courses on IT themes on their own , such as data analysis and new business creation, and to interact and exchange opinions with IT/DX staff from other companies, including major corporations. In the future, we aim to provide services to external companies as an independent company of Kumono Ucyusen, and will work to improve DX/IT technologies from a broader perspective.

（3）Collaboration with Other Companies

Our policy is to co-create value by introducing skills that we do not currently possess from outside, thereby enhancing our corporate value. We established an Electricity Business Department by incorporating the expertise of the Electricity business into our company through recruiting professionals from the TEPCO Group, including the general manager of the Electricity Business Department (currently an executive officer of our company). Space Hotaru, an online smart meter that enables automatic meter reading, was also jointly developed by our company and Solacom, an IoT platform company. For storage batteries, which are essential for Energy Solutions, we have entered into a capital and business alliance with PowerX, Inc. To acquire new skills and expertise, we send selected employees to the Power-X, the Solacom, and the TEPCO Group. For example, the employee who was sent to the PowerX learned about the installation and sales of solution equipment such as storage batteries, energy management (arbitrage trading), etc. After returning from his secondment, he has been contributing to the promotion of NICIGAS Smart City project by utilizing the BtoB sales knowledge he gained during the stint. 

Mr. Goga / Senior staff, Electricity business department
He was seconded to the PowerX for one year from April 2023.