SK word Co., Ltd. Receives Excellence Award in SME Category at 'Career Ownership Management AWARD 2026'
SK word Co., Ltd. has been honored with the Excellence Award in the SME category at the 'Career Ownership Management AWARD 2026,' organized by Persol Career Co., Ltd. Since a change in leadership in 2023, the company has been dedicated to cultural transformation and talent development to address industry challenges and organizational shifts post-M&A.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 21:54 (7h 22m after Collected)
SK word Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi; Representative Director and President: Keiichi Sawada) has received the Excellence Award in the SME category at the 'Career Ownership Management AWARD 2026,' organized by Persol Career Co., Ltd.
◆ Background of the Award
Since the change of representative in 2023, our company has been reviewing its organizational structure to realize its management philosophy: 'We will continue to be a vessel where individuals shine and harmony is fostered.' In addition to structural issues inherent in the web production industry, such as long working hours and over-reliance on specific individuals, organizational changes due to two M&As led to talented individuals leaving for 'personal reasons.' To address this, we recognized that the problem lay not in the presence or absence of systems, but in the organizational structure itself that prevented systems from functioning. We have since been working on cultural transformation to eliminate these constraints, which could be called 'invisible cages.'
◆ Feature: Unique Approach Connecting Research Insights to Management
Representative Sawada, as a researcher in social design studies, analyzed our own organization and re-framed phenomena such as employee turnover and system dysfunction as 'structural problems.'
By visualizing organizational issues using academic analytical frameworks and directly feeding that knowledge back into management policies, we have been able to design measures that delve into 'why systems don't function.' Through this approach, initiatives such as the Challenge CxO system and company-wide 1on1s are not merely system introductions but function as mechanisms that transform the organizational culture itself. As a result, the systems have become established as actually functioning mechanisms on the ground, without becoming mere formalities.
◆ Main Initiatives
1. Challenge CxO System
A system where individuals with will and expertise, regardless of rank or employment type, promote management themes as CxOs. Formal operation began in 2026, with the appointment of CCO (Chief Culture Officer) and CLO (Chief Language Officer). This creates opportunities for challenges that transcend age and career.
2. Mechanism to Connect Philosophy to Daily Life
Based on the 'SK book' (management philosophy, MVV, credo) carried by all employees, the following initiatives are linked:
Company-wide 1on1s (over 580 times in 3 years)
Peer bonus system (21,499 cases annually)
Company newsletter 'Sky harmony' (reached 100 issues)
Through these, the philosophy is translated into daily actions and established as organizational culture.
3. Promotion of the OPEN Concept
As the company-wide policy for FY2026, 'OPEN' is advocated, enhancing organizational openness in three areas:
Open Culture (building a dialogue culture)
Open Knowledge (sharing knowledge)
Open Partnership (co-creation with external parties)
◆ Results
These initiatives have yielded results in both organizational and business aspects.
Indicator / Result
Turnover Rate: 12.68% (FY2024) → 7.04% (FY2025)
Average Monthly Overtime: 4.4 hours
Childcare Leave Return Rate: 100% (with male employees taking leave)
Sales: Approx. 670 million JPY → Approx. 800 million JPY (19.4% increase year-on-year)
Peer Bonus Cases: 13,178 cases → 21,499 cases (65% increase year-on-year)
◆ Judging Committee Comments
The committee highly praised the company for re-framing the confusion and turnover experienced after two M&As not as individual problems but as 'invisible cages' within the organization, and for redesigning the corporate culture by connecting research insights to management. The way the philosophy is translated into daily actions through the SK book, company-wide 1on1s, peer bonuses, and the company newsletter, creating a fertile ground for challenges and mutual recognition, is outstanding.
Furthermore, the Challenge CxO system, which allows individuals to run for CxO regardless of rank or employment type, is an advanced practice that directly links career ownership to opportunities for management participation, deserving of the Excellence Award.
Moving forward, we hope that these open opportunities for challenge will also extend to external co-creation and business growth, further evolving into a reproducible model of cultural transformation.
◆ CCO (Chief Culture Officer) Asuka Ogiwara's Comment
Regarding this award, I don't really feel like we did anything particularly special. I believe that this recognition is the result of re-articulating and organizing what employees naturally use every day, such as the SK book, peer bonuses, and the Challenge CxO system.
Even things that are usually taken for granted, when put into words, made us realize many aspects of 'this is the kind of company we are.' I am delighted that our daily efforts have been recognized in this form, leading to this award.
Going forward, we hope to share these initiatives and ideas not only internally but also widely with external parties. However, the award itself is not the goal; this is just the beginning.
◆ Background of the Award
Since the change of representative in 2023, our company has been reviewing its organizational structure to realize its management philosophy: 'We will continue to be a vessel where individuals shine and harmony is fostered.' In addition to structural issues inherent in the web production industry, such as long working hours and over-reliance on specific individuals, organizational changes due to two M&As led to talented individuals leaving for 'personal reasons.' To address this, we recognized that the problem lay not in the presence or absence of systems, but in the organizational structure itself that prevented systems from functioning. We have since been working on cultural transformation to eliminate these constraints, which could be called 'invisible cages.'
◆ Feature: Unique Approach Connecting Research Insights to Management
Representative Sawada, as a researcher in social design studies, analyzed our own organization and re-framed phenomena such as employee turnover and system dysfunction as 'structural problems.'
By visualizing organizational issues using academic analytical frameworks and directly feeding that knowledge back into management policies, we have been able to design measures that delve into 'why systems don't function.' Through this approach, initiatives such as the Challenge CxO system and company-wide 1on1s are not merely system introductions but function as mechanisms that transform the organizational culture itself. As a result, the systems have become established as actually functioning mechanisms on the ground, without becoming mere formalities.
◆ Main Initiatives
1. Challenge CxO System
A system where individuals with will and expertise, regardless of rank or employment type, promote management themes as CxOs. Formal operation began in 2026, with the appointment of CCO (Chief Culture Officer) and CLO (Chief Language Officer). This creates opportunities for challenges that transcend age and career.
2. Mechanism to Connect Philosophy to Daily Life
Based on the 'SK book' (management philosophy, MVV, credo) carried by all employees, the following initiatives are linked:
Company-wide 1on1s (over 580 times in 3 years)
Peer bonus system (21,499 cases annually)
Company newsletter 'Sky harmony' (reached 100 issues)
Through these, the philosophy is translated into daily actions and established as organizational culture.
3. Promotion of the OPEN Concept
As the company-wide policy for FY2026, 'OPEN' is advocated, enhancing organizational openness in three areas:
Open Culture (building a dialogue culture)
Open Knowledge (sharing knowledge)
Open Partnership (co-creation with external parties)
◆ Results
These initiatives have yielded results in both organizational and business aspects.
Indicator / Result
Turnover Rate: 12.68% (FY2024) → 7.04% (FY2025)
Average Monthly Overtime: 4.4 hours
Childcare Leave Return Rate: 100% (with male employees taking leave)
Sales: Approx. 670 million JPY → Approx. 800 million JPY (19.4% increase year-on-year)
Peer Bonus Cases: 13,178 cases → 21,499 cases (65% increase year-on-year)
◆ Judging Committee Comments
The committee highly praised the company for re-framing the confusion and turnover experienced after two M&As not as individual problems but as 'invisible cages' within the organization, and for redesigning the corporate culture by connecting research insights to management. The way the philosophy is translated into daily actions through the SK book, company-wide 1on1s, peer bonuses, and the company newsletter, creating a fertile ground for challenges and mutual recognition, is outstanding.
Furthermore, the Challenge CxO system, which allows individuals to run for CxO regardless of rank or employment type, is an advanced practice that directly links career ownership to opportunities for management participation, deserving of the Excellence Award.
Moving forward, we hope that these open opportunities for challenge will also extend to external co-creation and business growth, further evolving into a reproducible model of cultural transformation.
◆ CCO (Chief Culture Officer) Asuka Ogiwara's Comment
Regarding this award, I don't really feel like we did anything particularly special. I believe that this recognition is the result of re-articulating and organizing what employees naturally use every day, such as the SK book, peer bonuses, and the Challenge CxO system.
Even things that are usually taken for granted, when put into words, made us realize many aspects of 'this is the kind of company we are.' I am delighted that our daily efforts have been recognized in this form, leading to this award.
Going forward, we hope to share these initiatives and ideas not only internally but also widely with external parties. However, the award itself is not the goal; this is just the beginning.