As a global bank, headquartered in Japan, Mizuho is proud to celebrate World Day for Cultural Diversity and Development.
With over 60,000 employees in over 30 countries around the world, Mizuho has long valued the importance of diversity. Encouraging colleagues to understand, respect and inspire each other.
We caught up with three colleagues to ask them why cultural diversity is important to them.
Tomi Sodeinde,
Risk Management
"With approximately 8 billion individuals worldwide, no two people have identical fingerprints, highlighting our inherent uniqueness. This diversity either distinguishes us or serves as the foundation for inclusivity.
Cultural diversity embodies inclusiveness. It signifies not only the liberty to express oneself but also the recognition and celebration of cultural differences. Since each of us is distinct, we all deserve acknowledgment and support.
At Mizuho, we're fostering an environment where every team member feels empowered to speak up, valued for their individuality, and respected. This atmosphere of mutual respect, understanding, and inclusion is vital for our personal well-being, enhances our engagement, and nurtures a sense of community."
"I grew up in a country with a very monolithic society so the first time I moved abroad I needed to learn a lot about that country, its culture and traditions, and not from books but by living it. I then understood how difficult it could be to fit in and make new friends and get used to the new environment. When I later moved to the UK, I felt much more at ease seeing that there are so many different people around in London, everyone looking different, dressed different and speaking different languages.
My team in Mizuho, Strategic Solutions Group, is a brilliant example of this diversity – out of 15 people on the team we have 14 people with different nationalities. I think this helps us be more open-minded and accepting, and also learn from each other (and makes our jokes more diverse too!). This is also the best team I have ever worked in and I believe cultural diversity is what makes it so good."
Iryna Vushko,
Strategic Solutions Group
Kaori Toyama,
Legal & Compliance
"Cultural diversity is important as we increasingly find ourselves working with colleagues from varying backgrounds which is fantastic, but at the same time it can lead to misunderstandings or conflicts. It is so easy to become suspicious or even angry about something we don’t understand but once we make sense of them that falls away.
Moving to the UK from Japan has definitely broadened my view and perspective. There is so much to learn from each other and we often find that there are similarities or common grounds. I think we are all connected in some ways after all. Learning about other cultures is definitely fun in any case!"
To celebrate this year’s World Day for Cultural Diversity, colleagues across Mizuho EMEA set up stalls to represent their countries and showcase their histories and cultures.
