i-plug Holds Study Session and Workshop on Preventing Job-Hunting Harassment Ahead of New Legal Obligations in October 2026

i-plug, Inc., operator of the new-graduate offer-based job-hunting service OfferBox, held a “Study Session and Workshop on Measures to Prevent Job-Hunting Harassment” on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, for corporate HR and recruitment personnel. Background: In recent years, harassment during job hunting has become a social issue and has frequently been covered in the news. In response, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has announced guidelines under which companies are expected to be legally required, from October 2026, to implement harassment prevention measures for job seekers and related parties. i-plug’s mission is to “create a society where human potential flourishes through connections.” To achieve this mission, the company defines the role of its recruitment service OfferBox as “providing value that maximizes satisfaction and conviction in job hunting.” Through OfferBox, students can conclude their job search with confidence, while companies can carry out recruitment activities they can stand behind. To maximize this sense of conviction on both sides, it is essential that companies and students remain on equal footing. However, a survey conducted by i-plug in February 2026, ahead of the new obligation, found that about 60% of companies had either not yet started taking measures or were still considering them. Many companies are struggling to clarify where the line should be drawn for conduct that constitutes harassment and what standards should be used for judgment, while searching for concrete responses. i-plug aims to work with companies using OfferBox to face the current situation and help make Japan’s recruitment market healthier and more sincere. At the same time, i-plug is not only a service provider but also an employer that conducts its own recruitment. The company believes it must learn deeply about this issue as a party involved and continue updating its own practices, which led to the planning of this event. In the first session, titled “Initiatives to Prevent Harassment in Job-Hunting Activities,” Mr. Kishimoto from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare explained the specific details of sexual harassment prevention measures for job seekers and others that will newly become mandatory for business operators from October 2026. Participants listened attentively, and during the Q&A session after the lecture, many raised their hands to ask questions and resolve their concerns. The second session, a practical update and workshop, focused on implementation in the field based on the legal guidelines explained in the first session. During the case-sharing segment, participants openly shared past near-miss situations that could occur in recruitment settings. Rather than merely confirming prohibited conduct, the discussion took a positive perspective on how to engage with students sincerely. At the end of the workshop, participants developed commitments for actions their own companies could take starting the next day, each articulating a concrete first step. A networking session followed, allowing participants to exchange information freely beyond the workshop framework. It became an opportunity for HR personnel facing the same issue to expand their professional networks. The post-event survey showed that the program advanced participants’ understanding of the upcoming legal obligation. Through the first-session lecture, 96.8% of participants said their understanding of the obligation had “deepened significantly” or “deepened.” In parallel with awareness-raising activities such as this event, i-plug also updated the SOS Form within OfferBox so that students can use the service with greater peace of mind. OfferBox had already provided an SOS Form that allows students to report problems to the secretariat. This time, in anticipation of the October 2026 obligation, the company made two updates to create an environment where students can speak up earlier and with less psychological resistance. First, OfferBox strengthened the visibility of the report link. The reporting link, previously located in the menu, has been placed in more prominent locations such as the offer screen. Second, it added reassuring messages designed from the student’s perspective. The reporting screen now clearly states that companies will not be informed who submitted what kind of report. If students receive unpleasant messages or encounter conduct that violates the terms of use, they can report the facts without fear of disadvantage. The overall messaging has been renewed to better support students. i-plug plans to continue updating the service to create an environment where students can use it more safely, including permanently placing the report function in the menu and publishing a dedicated page on harassment prevention measures. Through product improvements, the company will continue working toward its mission of creating a society where human potential flourishes through connections. i-plug, Inc. is led by Representative Director Tomoya Nakano and has 299 employees on a standalone basis as of March 31, 2025. Its official website is https://i-plug.co.jp, and its headquarters are located at Grand Green Osaka South Building Gate Tower 8F, 5-54 Ofukacho, Kita-ku, Osaka. Group companies include e-Falcon, Inc., whose main service is the eF-1G aptitude test, and Maximise, Inc., whose main service is Tsunagaru Shukatsu.