uSonar Opens In-Office Kids Space
~Part of ESG Management Initiatives, Enabling Employees to Bring Children to Work and Facilitating Return from Parental Leave~

uSonar Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Nami Fukutomi; President: Katsuhito Nagatake; hereinafter "uSonar") is pleased to announce the opening of an in-office kids space as part of its ESG management initiatives. The goal is to provide an environment that makes it easier for employees wishing to return from maternity or parental leave to do so, even in situations where they cannot secure childcare.
Usage will begin in March 2024. uSonar remains committed to developing an environment where employees can work comfortably for the long term.

The kids space, established in a corner of the glass-walled meeting area. Employees can work while accompanied by their infants.

While efforts to create environments where women can thrive are progressing across Japan, the issue of children on waiting lists for childcare remains a challenge in some regions, making it difficult for parents to return to work due to a lack of available childcare facilities. We received feedback from our own employees on maternity leave who were unable to secure a spot at their preferred nursery, leaving them without a clear timeline for returning to work.
Although some employees have returned to work using our existing remote work policy, challenges remain regarding creative communication.
Therefore, we explored the option of increasing opportunities for employees to return to work in an office-based style.
We began full-scale consideration in the autumn of 2023. We evaluated the establishment of an employer-sponsored childcare facility with on-site nursery staff, but found that, in addition to the difficulty of securing qualified nursery staff, it would take a significant amount of time to implement.
While searching for solutions, we learned of cases in local municipalities where companies have implemented a "bring your child to work" policy, allowing parents to perform their duties in the office while caring for their children. We decided to pursue this approach.
As a result, we renovated a meeting room in our office to create a dedicated kids' space, designed with child safety and minimal disruption to the surrounding environment in mind.

The kids' space is a room where employees wishing to return to work can perform their duties in the same room while directly caring for their children.
The walls and floors are made of highly cushioned materials to prevent injuries if a child falls.
We have also implemented soundproofing measures to minimize noise leakage. The area is approximately 14 square meters.

• Currently intended for children up to 1 year and 11 months old.
• No nursery staff required (Confirmed with Shinjuku City Office and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, as the parent is considered the primary caregiver. Internal staff with childcare qualifications conduct regular checks).
• Available days and hours: Same as working hours.
• Usage fees: Free of charge.

We offer a secure remote work policy for employees raising children; however, remote work while caring for children presents challenges for creative communication.
We encourage employees to work from the office to facilitate direct communication by utilizing the uSonar company housing program.*


*uSonar company housing program: A program where the company covers up to 50% of rent and management fees if the employee lives within 1.5 kilometers of the office. The coverage ratio and rent cap vary based on the distance to the office and the resident's situation. This leads to improved performance through reduced commuting time and increased time for self-development.