Three Gold Award-Winning Companies Discuss the Practice of 'Employee-First' Initiatives: The Forefront of AI in HR, Engagement, and Work-Style Reform

Miidas, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Yoshiyoshi Goto; hereinafter "the Company"), a member of the Persol Group which operates under the vision of "Working, Smiling," held the "Employee-First Award 2025" ceremony (hereinafter "the Ceremony") on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in co-sponsorship with The Asahi Shimbun Company (President and CEO: Katsu Tsunoda). In the second part of the ceremony, a business talk session was held featuring the three companies that received the highest "Gold" award, moderated by Yohei Tsunemi, Associate Professor at the Institute for Fundamental Education at Chiba University of Commerce and a work-style critic, representing the panel of judges.

● Business Talk Session Overview

In this session, the three Gold award-winning companies discussed their "Employee-First" initiatives and recent trends such as "AI utilization in the HR field," sharing specific case studies from their respective organizations. The winners represented diverse industries including welfare, construction, and retail (store operations/sales agency), showcasing initiatives tailored to their specific sectors. Through the discussion of common philosophies and the background of their challenges, combined with insightful commentary from Mr. Tsunemi, attendees gained valuable tips and perspectives on organizational development.

● The Three Gold Award-Winning Companies:

Life Design Co., Ltd. (Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture) - Representative Director: Toru Minami (Industry: Welfare/Nursing Care)

Daiwa Komuten Co., Ltd. (Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture) - Representative Director: Rie Saito (Industry: Construction)

Keyst Co., Ltd. (Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture) - Representative Director: Shinya Koga (Industry: Retail)

*Hereinafter referred to as Life Design, Daiwa Komuten, and Keyst.

● Moderator

Yohei Tsunemi
Associate Professor, Institute for Fundamental Education, Chiba University of Commerce
Work-Style Critic

Born in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Graduated from the Faculty of Commerce at Hitotsubashi University and completed his master's degree at the Graduate School of Sociology at the same university (Master of Sociology). After working at Recruit, Bandai, venture companies, and as a freelancer, he became a full-time lecturer at Chiba University of Commerce in 2015 and an associate professor in 2020. Specializing in the sociology of labor, he actively writes and lectures on the connection between schools and careers, as well as labor issues.