Empowering Women in Sales: The Workability NEXT Project Launch

On August 29, 2025, a significant initiative named the Workability NEXT Project was announced, led by six prominent Japanese companies: Japan Airlines, Dentsu Inc., ENEOS, McDonald's Japan, Fujifilm Holdings, and Mitsui Fudosan. This collaborative effort aims to empower women in sales roles while addressing the unique challenges they face in the corporate world.

Despite a growing number of women excelling in various fields, their representation in managerial positions remains alarmingly low. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's latest survey, only 13.1% of managerial roles, including executives, are held by women. Given the unpredictable nature of sales work, where client interactions can arise spontaneously, many companies across different sectors continue to struggle with the underrepresentation of women in these roles.

Key factors hindering women from pursuing careers in sales include the lack of female role models and the difficulties of balancing work with family responsibilities. These deeply rooted stereotypes present substantial barriers to both choosing a sales career and continuing within it. Each individual company often wrestles with these challenges on their own, indicating a pressing need for collective action across the industry.

To effectively share insights and seek solutions, the six participating companies have decided to join forces and launch the Workability NEXT Project. This initiative is focused on women employees in sales while also involving male counterparts and executive management in the dialogue around these issues. By identifying challenges and exploring actionable strategies, the project aims to promote women's success in sales careers. Regular workshops will utilize generative AI and survey research to facilitate discussions and gather feedback.

The Workability NEXT Project is set to assess and document specific challenges faced by women in sales roles and develop concrete action plans by the end of 2025. The initiative plans to release a set of recommendations aimed at improving the work experience for women in sales positions.

To achieve these goals, the participating companies will develop specific measures tailored to their unique challenges that can help make sales roles more accessible to women. This includes re-evaluating the prevailing stereotypes surrounding women in sales and showcasing new models for female success within the industry. The overall aim is to create a workplace environment where everyone can thrive and make the most of their abilities.

The collaboration between these six corporations represents a crucial step towards not only enhancing the representation of women in sales but also improving the entire corporate landscape for women across industries in Japan. The Workability NEXT Project could pave the way for groundbreaking changes that will benefit not just women in sales but potentially transform societal attitudes toward female representation in all business sectors. Stay tuned for more updates on this progressive initiative.